https://www.wikiexplora.com/api.php?action=feedcontributions&feedformat=atom&user=MiaimZelt 2026-09-29T11:24:38Z Contribuciones del usuario MediaWiki 1.26.1 https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT05_(Rio_Colorado)&diff=121054 2025-04-15T13:12:46Z

<p>MiaimZelt: </p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Overview=<br /> <br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> *'''2025-03-22 / 1 day / Hiking / Sobo / RR + Var H / MiaimZelt'''<br /> <br /> Hiked GPT 6 and also did the GPT 5 part from Laguna las Animas to Laguna Mondaca. Good trail, very steep in deep sand. Hiked Var H to reach Termas de Azufre. It goes CC through a big boulderfield. Slow progression, but not really difficult. Rivercrossing was knee deep and had a strong current. But it's very hard to reach the beginning of the trail to Termas Azufre. The lower part is badly eroded. Followed the suggestion of the GPT track. The mountainside is extremely steep with loose ground. Due to very few vegetation in combined with loose ground it was dangerous to climb up, slipped sometimes. Don't recommend it - maybe there is a better opportunity?<br /> <br /> * ''' 2024-12-21 to 2024-12-25 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR to Ford [68.9/2340] (Rio San Pedro) / Dorota'''<br /> Generally, very extreme stage, especially for women alone of 1.64 cm height. <br /> I started in Quénes, which in this period was very empty. I passed the night in the restaurant in front of the pizzeria, but I could not recommend it. 20.000 clp with cold water. First, for MR, it was very easy, but you needed to take water. But then difficulties started. First, passing Río Colorado [33.1/1455]. I tried to cross it in the evening. I crossed one bank, but the other was not. So I put my tent between the banks, which was not safe. In the morning, I went upstream and I found a better place for crossing the river using mainly rocks. But still, it was exhausting. All operations took me one hour. And after that, I was so tired that I slept for one hour. Other fords [45.2/1919] (Río Baroso) and [51.2/1940] (Río Negro) were also difficult for me - the water was to knee level. There was a very good bridge on Río Colorado (55.0). But the descent to the valley of Rio Colorado was very demanding. At point -35.32681, -70.65340, it starts downhill to Río. At the start, I could not find a safe way of going down because the track leads you into hell. But after that, at a point below, I found a sign of the route (acouple of rocks). The ascent after it is also demanding because of navigation. All the time, I was checking the route on GPS. Finally, my adventure with stage 5 finished at km 68.9/2340 Río San Pedro. I tried to cross it in the afternoon, but I fell into the river because of the strong current. The level was only to the knee. I put up my tent. Very early in the morning, I tried again. After two steps, I fell into the river and started going down. I thought that it was my end. Trying to catch any rock, I lost my sticks. Finally, I was rescued. I was frightened, wet, and felt very cold. I put up my tent and for the whole day thought about what to do. Without sticks, I could not cross any river, and I still had 13 km to join stage 6 and cross the river. Each option had rivers. The next day, in the morning, I put a signal SOS on my reach. After two hours, a helicopter with three soldiers came. They took me to the hospital in Curicó. Despite the fact that I did not have any injuries. It is a procedure. In the hospital, they took me to the emergency room, made an examination, and gave me electrolytes. In this hospital, it was the first rescue . Everybody was interested in me, which was really embarrassing. Then, the carabineros went to make a report. In the hospital, they were very polite, also the carabineros. After that, they took me to a hostel. After the accident, I did not know what to do and for a month had something like a type of trauma that something could happen again. Finally, I decided to continue stage 6 from the start. But I registered at the point of the carabineros, the same carabineros which were in the hospital. They took my data and each day I sent them information that everything was okay. They said to me that if they did not have a signal, they would start a rescue. I made stage 6 to Termas but again I could not cross the river near Termas because of trauma de rios. I came back and I met Peggy at Laguna Animas. We continued together and step by step I started to think that I still could continue the trail.<br /> After 2 months (25.02.2025) from this accident, I know why it happened. And it is not easy to share such a type of accident. But I hope that this description could help other persons.<br /> I did not have any experience with crossing rivers. I made it wrong. Now I can cross this river without any problem. Also, this stage is very exhaustive because of the terrain. So after a few days on this stage, my muscles were not strong enough to confront the strong current. My recommendation especially for women solo: try to find anybody who teaches you but practically not theoretically how to cross rivers. Now I am on stage 21 and I am really happy that I have decided to continue the trail.<br /> <br /> * ''' 2025-FEB-12 to 2025-FEB-15 / 3.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + OH (var. H)/ Martin '''<br /> <br /> Inspired fellow Czechs in December, I combined GPT05 and GPT06 and took food for 6 days. <br /> <br /> Day 1:<br /> Started 3 pm from Los Queñes, hiked around 23 km. Camped a km or two after a puesto. When it was getting dark, a group of people on horses appeared. Around 15 of them including kids. I asked if it’s ok to camp there. The owner arrived a but later (he was with the group) and was friendly and sure I can camp. It felt good to have permission. Their trip would be 9 days, including crossing over to Argentina. <br /> <br /> Day 2:<br /> Still quite easy until the last puesto. Then it got harder. Eventually got down to Rio Negro which seemed pretty wild. Hopefully it would be better in the morning. I camped on the only patch of semi-flat ground clear of vegetation I could find. <br /> <br /> Day 3:<br /> Crossed Rio Negro in the morning. Much more tame compared to the previous evening. Then began one of the hardest parts. When going down towards Rio Colorado, at one point I reached dense vegetation. So I thought what if I go all the way down and go along the river. Well, there is a reason it goes how it goes - at the river bed soon I was blocked by a cliff. So I had to scramble up again and carry on. <br /> <br /> Around Rio Colorado, the first 1 km was terrible. But then it was mostly quite a good trail. With some exceptions. The most difficult parts are the dry river beds you need to cross. <br /> <br /> Then the ascend to the lake - the first 1 km was hard, just straight up, no trail. But then there is trail and it’s easy (but hard because of gravitation of course). I camped at the lake. I was worried about wind. There are no stones, but the ground is pretty solid to hole stakes. Also, the wind tends to die down in the evening. <br /> <br /> Day 4:<br /> I thought now it would be easy, but no such luck. Some parts were ok, others were harder - either plain full of rocks, or wide river beds. When I got to the puesto with right of way dispute (after km 83), I saw a guy and almost passed unnoticed, but then his dogs gave me away. He was friendly, but we didn’t share a common language. No issue. <br /> <br /> Then a bit later, there are some huts. There were two flags - one Chilean and one “Trump”. I was glad I didn’t see anybody there. <br /> <br /> Around 5 I got to option H to connect to GPT06. One hour later I got to the GPT06 Trailhead point. That part is a bit sketchy as you need to scramble up.<br /> <br /> Overall I found it very challenging, so no complaints about the classification of 6/5 from me. <br /> <br /> * ''' 2024-01-16 to 2024-01-20 / 3.5 days / Hiking /SOBO / RR &amp; variant H / Elijah &amp; Michael '''<br /> <br /> GPT05 was tough but not as challenging as expected. <br /> <br /> Much more water available than waypoints. <br /> <br /> Little trail available between Rio Negro and Rio Colorado, but decent, improving trail after Rio Colorado.<br /> <br /> Upper puesto along Estero San Jose wasn't yet built for the season. Didn't have issues at lower puesto with indicated right of way issues, met arriero who was very nice.<br /> <br /> Variant H connecting GPT05 to GPT06 has one very steep section with clambering.<br /> <br /> * ''' 2024-DEC-06 &gt; 09 / 3,5 jours / Randonnée / SOBO / RR&gt;Variante Volcan Colorado / Pierre-Marie ​​'''<br /> <br /> Etape : GPT04+GPT05+GPT06<br /> | Meteo : soleil<br /> | Eau : facile<br /> | Neige : beaucoup<br /> | Intérêt : 5/5<br /> | Difficulté : 4/5<br /> | Danger : riviere puissante<br /> <br /> Les 30 premiers km sont monotone. Mais c'est de plus en plus sauvage et jolie. J'ai dormi avant le rio Negro qui etait trop violent en fin de journee. Les descentes avant et apres le rio Negro sont très dangereuses.<br /> Il y a un pont sur le rio Colorado, heureusement car le torrent est infranchissable a pied.<br /> La variante etait magnifique, beaucoup de neige et le col a 3000 etait tres enneigé. La fonte de la neige crée des trou qui complique la marche, mais il faut juste ralentir le rythme et ca se fait bien.<br /> <br /> *'''2024-DEC-1 to 2024-DEC-5 / 3.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + OH (var. H)/ Ivan, Jakub, Daniel'''<br /> <br /> We combined stages GPT05 + GPT06, taking food for 6 days. GPT05 was a beautiful and challenging stage, where fords were a daily routine. We started with a two-hour evening hike from Los Queñes. We bivouacked here [-35.0616712, -70.8124902]. We continued along a minor road to the intersection [32.1/1509]. At the originally marked ford [17.1/1075], there is now a bridge - we did not ford. We managed the marked ford [23.5+1.7] with dry feet. However, we waded through a rather challenging ford [33.1/1455] at Rio Claro. The water reached waist level for my height of 178 cm. It is definitely better to walk 200 m upstream and wade twice - across the main river and then its tributary. A little past the pass [40.7/2354], where there was only a bit of snow, there is another ford [45.2/1919] (Rio Barroso) and then [51.2/1940] (Rio Negro). Both were not particularly difficult. There is a nice grassy bivouac at the puesto [37.0/1927] (Vacas Gordas). One of the most challenging parts of this stage is the CC descent into the Río Colorado valley. This is a very steep slope, where moving down is essentially sliding on gravel. Be careful. Fortunately, the key bridge over the roaring and absolutely uncrossable Río Colorado [55.0/1468] (Puente Las Yeguas) was there, allowing us to cross the river safely. The ascent from the river valley is not as difficult as the descent into it. The plateau around lake [16.3+0.2/2499] was completely covered in snow, and we were once again grateful for our microspikes. From this plateau, there is also a magnificent view of the mountain Descabezado Grande (3953 m above sea level), which is passed in GPT06. As we descended toward Laguna Mondaca, the landscape is dominated by basalt columns on the surrounding hills. Under one such rock, there is a beautiful bivouac at -35.43769, -70.66022. In this valley, there are a total of three fords [68.8/2340] (Rio San Pedro), [81.0/1604] (Estero San Jose), and then [83.0/1465]. All three were knee-deep at most for my height, making them safely fordable. After Laguna Mondaca, we first safely waded the low ford [24.6+2.6/1480] (Estero Volcan) and then disconnected from the main route at the intersection [87.9/1632] to connect to GPT06 via variant H. We managed the ford [23.5+1.7/1613] with dry feet. In the Estero Volcan river valley, we went CC over several fords until we reached the Trailhead {06} [25.1+0.8/1725]. These fords recorded in the track files did not correspond to reality. The river in the wide riverbed was braiding in its sediments and often flowed differently. However, there were a total of four fords over almost two kilometers, with the highest being just above knee level. At the thermal springs [27.4/1986] (Hot Spring del Azufre), we took a dip in the warm water and then continued south on GPT06.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> <br /> * '''2024-04-05 to 2024-04-08 // 3,5 days // Hiking // NOBO // variant H + RR // Quentin Clavel'''<br /> <br /> I combined the GPT 6 to GPT 5. <br /> <br /> After reaching the thermals del Azufre, I took the variant H to link these two sections. On this variant the path is less visible, you somehow can follow cow track then it goes very down on a pretty steep ridge to the valley. CC on the valley then leaving the river bed to go a little bit higher and reach the GPT 5. This variant is a bit annoying, but doable. <br /> <br /> When you reach the GPT5, there's a better marked track, still very sandy, you'll follow it until reaching the private property near Lago Mondaca. I conturned it around the fences and haven't seen anyone around. Later one you reach the puesto with a right of way. <br /> <br /> Same method, I conturned it, but there was a lot of movement at this place, with lot of horses and people around. I saluate them nicely, and the right of way turning into an unexpected hospitable invitation ! <br /> <br /> 6 arierros were there, in the puesto of Ricardo, doing a break of few days before guiding a big group of cows (470 animals !) down the valley. They gave me juice, cazuella, mate, bread, harina tostada, and I had to stop them because my bag begun to be too heavy aha ! Amazing stop, great discussions, but I'm quite sure that if Ricardo were alone he wouldn't invited me like that ! <br /> <br /> Anyway, that was a very good surprise of this section ! <br /> <br /> I continued threw valleys and pass and was absolutely amazed by the geological formations up there ! I had the feeling to be in Game of Thrones ! <br /> <br /> Until the lake KM 66,65, you'll find a track, sometimes you'll lose it, but find it again. You'll have wet feets on this stretch ! Lots of river and wetland to pass, but no-one were bad at this time of the season. <br /> <br /> Then, from this lake, the track will be harder to find, it's a combination of CC, your own judgement of following what looks like a trail, and an horse trail that is sometimes appearing. <br /> <br /> After the second lake at 2300m, there's a clear trail and then you'll reach some gullies that are a bit annoying and where track disappear. Just go slowly and be careful where you put your feets as it move quite easily, lot of falling rocks and quite unstable ground. I didn't followed exactly the RR but more my instinct and what looks like more safely there. <br /> <br /> All the way along Rio Colorado is slow and you have to be a bit careful as it's slippery, but a cow track is there. It's only the 500 last meters that are a bit annoying, but I was expecting worse. Going from higher helps you to see where to pass, should be harder SOBO. <br /> <br /> I arrived at the puente Las Yeguas, and another surprise : there were no more puente ahaha ! All the planks were retired from the bridge and putted nicely and the side of the riverbank. Some people worked on it apparently, and will rebuild it when the winter will be over I guess. I just arrived too late on the season at this stretch. <br /> <br /> After long time of reflexion of what I should do, I walk a bit higher to check how looked like the Rio Colorado. It was very powerful, but 300m upstream there were a small island and the current where divided into 3 branches. I backtracked at that point and tried to cross this monster. <br /> <br /> I managed to do it, but it was savage, strong current, water going on me by waves, and big adrenaline moment. No doubt the hardest river of this GPT by far ! <br /> <br /> I continued on what was the hardest part of the section, all in CC, with big gullies to pass threw followed by a tuff and very steep ascent. Some people mentionned cairns here. I haven't seen any and was hiking straight to the top on a very demanding effort ! <br /> <br /> From there it's easier imo. Still on CC but following the RR and everything is gonna be alright, especially on the last big gully to pass before Rio negro, follow as close as possible the RR, that's where you'll passed it. <br /> <br /> I camped next to Rio negro and passed it the day after without any troubles. Then it's new ascent on CC, and when you'll arrive at the top KM48, the track is appearing again. You've made the hardest part of this section. From there, it's gonna be from better to better. <br /> <br /> Going on a little track, then on a more marked one (KM40), and finally on a large one that turns into gravel road for the last kilometers until Los Quienes. <br /> <br /> Ar los Quienes, I had a proper rest, well needed after this exhausting but beautiful section (GPT6 + 5). At this tiny city you'll find accomodation (from the end of the section, turn right on the road in front of the carabineros, at the end of the curve you'll find a place with kind of a food truck, there is accomodation for 15K CLP for a room. In front you have supermercado. Going back to carabineros and continuing on the road you'll find other mercados, pizzería, restaurant, there's a feria with few food trucks and a cafe. Perfect place to spend some time. It's been a while that I haven't passed threw a &quot;city&quot; that big and with that choice for food and rest ahaha. <br /> <br /> * '''2024-March-26 to 2023-April-02 / 7.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + C + D + F / Gerald'''<br /> <br /> My plan was to follow Alex and Andreys footsteps, but i had to descent rather quickly because of coming bad weather (snow, strong wind etc) at Laguna aquas calientes.<br /> Until Rio Negro it's kinda &quot;easy&quot; cause you will find yourself mostly on a trail. Gully wasn't that bad, but finding an alternative way through the landslide later was tough. I almost turned back after a failed scary first attempt. I would say it's dangerous, cause it's steep and everywhere super loose sand. Rocks/stones won't stay in place and it's tough to get out once you enter the steep sandy part. Choose your spot wisely!! Cross country was a lot more demanding than I thought. It will drain your battery also a lot faster cause you have to check super frequently. Once you reach the volcanic landscape expect strong wind. Sand on steep slopes will make it difficult to go as fast as you may want to. Because of the weather i had to go through Laguna Mondaca. I explained my situation to the guys there, they didn't really seem to care and gave me the permission to cross their property. Do not walk next to the dried out lake (check map) if the sand is still wet. You will sink in up to your hips. Pain in the ass to get out. The 1k elevation gain out of the valley is slooooow. Too much sand. The park around El bolson was closed. CONAF Guards called me a fanatic after they figured out my route. In April there are no buses going to park Ingles, so you have to walk and try to hitchhike your way out.<br /> It was a beautiful hike, especially the valley around Rio Colorado was great. But i am not sure if i have ever done such an demanding hike. I would recommend to do it in a team of 2 and not alone. I will appreciate proper trails from now on a lot more :)<br /> <br /> * SOBO 13.03 -19.03.2024<br /> 6 days, 167 km, Ascent 7.619m<br /> Alex + Andrey<br /> <br /> Difficulty: Very Difficult (mostly due the long CC sections, would give 4 from 5 for this variant, not 6 (if you are not going to kill yourself attempting to ford rio Colorado down the valley).<br /> <br /> GPT05:<br /> <br /> RR until the bridge<br /> <br /> Variant C<br /> <br /> Variant D<br /> <br /> Variant F<br /> <br /> GPT06:<br /> <br /> Option 02<br /> <br /> “Natalie - Thomas” traverse<br /> <br /> Option 03 (exploration and suggestions)<br /> <br /> RR from approx X {06} [57.3/2073]<br /> <br /> I published a detailed track on wikiloc with many photos and explanations:<br /> https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/desolation-traverse-los-quenes-rio-colorado-descabezado-plateau-central-los-cipreses-164709363<br /> <br /> Summary:<br /> The famous gully “Cuesta La Hormiga” is not very difficult and pretty safe, the subsequent CC traverse is annoying.<br /> Part of the path is now destroyed due to the 2023 winter storms, detours are required.<br /> The bridge (Rio Colorado) is gone. And it is not clear whether it will be restored in the future. The Colorado River Valley looks abandoned and partially overgrown up to wp Hot Springs1.<br /> Even if the bridge were in place, I think that our option (Variant C, Variant, Variant F/Variant D) is easier, more spectacular, safer and overall better than RR<br /> Fording the Rio Colorado was very easy, less than knee deep.<br /> At the farthest point of the Colorado River Valley, the trail crosses a remote but fully operable (we met a fly-fishing team in a Toyota Prado) 4x4 road from Argentina, which is worth keeping in mind in case of emergency or rescue (marked in the track)<br /> We completed the “Avoid Don Victor” option for GPT06 without visiting Banos del Blanquillo, combining the “Natalie - Thomas” traverse with Option03. I can recommend after waypoint “Pass in the rock belt. Easy descent to Laguna Caracol” just descend west about 5-6 km to the lagoon not to miss this magnificent place.<br /> Thanks to all folks who shared their information and suggestions!❤️<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-08 to 2023-Jan-14 / 7 days / Hiking / Roundtrip via Planchon and back to Los Quenes / Tomáš &amp; Natalie'''<br /> <br /> We hitched easily all the way to Lagunas del Teno from Los Quenes with three cars. Buses from Curico to Los Quenes run as stated below, it was 2200 per person. The pizzeria in Los Quenes is not very good - premanufactured dough. Met two Germans doing hiking trips on GPT without knowing the acronym &quot;GPT&quot; - they were just using the OSM data. It was Saturday afternoon. Planchon seems to be a popular climbing spot, there was about 25 people around the lagoon who have mostly climbed Planchon that day (including a club of 15). Some people drive up just to have a look or barbecue. So Friday and likely Sunday would probably work well for hitchhiking, but there were people there also on weekdays. There are probably around 5 cars a day going to Argentina, we were told. The refuge seemed to be open but the people at the lagoon knew nothing about it. We slept in an old building probably used by the workers when constructing the dam. Despite an evening storm, it was very warm.<br /> <br /> Next day we walked towards Planchon - there is an easy trail skirting the lagoon, no need to go back to Refugio. The trail can probably be flooded when the lagoon is at its maximum level. There is an easy to follow trail all the way to the top where there is a logbook. There were lots of streams flowing to the lake and one not far from the trail at over 3000. Without backpack it took us about 3 hours to go up from there and back. The mountain has a tendency to cloud up early (2-5 pm). This section was easy so GPT difficulty probably at 4.<br /> <br /> A storm again came, we hid in a volcanic cave and then camped on the sand.<br /> <br /> The next day we went around Planchon to reach the caldera with crater lakes. We followed the old trail in OSM which is imprecise [2024: Tomáš since rerouted the OSM trail, it is more sensible now]. Only up until a volcanological measuring station, it was easy. From there it is pure cross-country. We side-hilled this traverse at about 3200 metres but it was a bad choice, too high. While traversing, it got steep with a number of hard to cross gulleys (with water and snow). We would advise to keep lower, especially given that going up the glacier stream needs to be on your left and we only found a suitable crossing at 2800 m. We would recommend to traverse the slopes of Planchon at about this altitude, it looked much less steep, so lower is more safe and faster despite the altitude loss. <br /> <br /> Once finished traversing and the ascent towards the crater began, we struggled finding the correct way because the osm trail was awful (it was pathless) and we had very low visibility due to clouds. We lost a lot of time so this section of about 3 km took us all day. We ended up taking a moraine ridge on the opposite side of the osm trail (other side of the glacier stream there) and made camp in the moraine at ~3200m before going up the final climb to the craters because of weather. Weather was worse the next day so we stayed in the tent, explored options of getting to the proper ridge of the caldera and finished the route the following day. In short the ridge you should aim for is; -35.22600, -70.58600. and the top of the caldera you should aim for is -35.22779, -70.58231. The rest of the ridge top of the caldera towards the crater lakes is slightly a knife ridge and the scramble down is loose.<br /> <br /> With good visibility and direction, one could probably reach the caldera within a half day if camping at the crossroads of the trail to the top and the round-trail.<br /> <br /> The caldera is beautiful, the lakes are lovely, you can pick your way through. We crossed the rim to Argentina and we went again to the south of the OSM trail as the pass was less steep. A side trip to the higher of Peteroa summits is easy, but you cannot get to the very top from this side or traverse, there is a vertical rock (about 20 m high) on the top that cannot be climbed easily nor can it be skirted around. Our original plan was to try and cross to Azufre but that is not possible through Peteroea, it is far too rocky. It might be possible going from the Chilian side directly to Azufre but frankly, it probably is not a walk up, the ridge from north looked rocky, the ridge from west looked much better but was steep, is hard to get to and we only saw it from afar. So best way to Azufre still looks like from Argentina.<br /> <br /> It clouded up at around 3 pm again. We descended via a trail from the rim to the Argentina border checkpoint. They sent us back to Chile when we said we came from the craters. I wonder if they would let us through if we said we came through the border crossing. They said they did not care how we would exit Argentina if we first cross to it via a an official crossing from Chile (we were mulling continuing the backroute on GPT05, which can be accessed about 10 km south of the checkpoint - there is no official crossing there). Chileans seemed unconcerned about the border, some even drive to the no-man's land between the crossings (police is ok with that apparently) and climb Planchon from there. Difficulty of the round-crossing via the route we took according to GPT scale is 7. With the proper trail, it would probably be 6.<br /> <br /> We used the road (no cars, super windy) and then a track on OSM just before the border to go back to the lagoon where we camped.<br /> <br /> Next day (The first nice day in 4 days), we started towards Los Quenes. The ascent to the pass from the lagoon is quite hard and involves either going up a very loose scree slope with lots of boulders or easy but vertical scramble of about 10 m. In all cases, the way seems to be so that you keep the creek to you left going uphill. Possibly keeping higher on the right slope would make it easier but we ended up climbing the rocks next to the small waterfall. The holds are green and firm, but it is ten vertical meters (difficulty 6 or seven probably). The valley has a small green patch though and is quite beautiful. Going the upper route as if climbing Planchon and then traversing would have been much easier (not as nice though). Once up the pass, a trail appears at 2900 and can be followed to about 1600 (the last three hundred vertical metres are a bit overgrown with meadow/hard to follow). The descent crossed a few streams. At roughly 1800, there is a man made canal that follows the trail. At 1600, the GPT track seems to be CC, we followed the trail which turns sharply to right to a puesto and then joins the first X waypoint on the RR going SOBO.<br /> <br /> Next day, the walk down to Los Quenes was uneventful. Met a family on horses who wanted to go to the Lagoonas del Teno (we told them it is probably possible but are not sure) and hitched the last 4 km (deeper in the valley, there was no traffic our direction). Then we took bus at 1400 to Curico.<br /> <br /> *'''2023-Jan-10 5 days RR SOBO Frank'''<br /> <br /> Stayed at hut on the ridge above Rio Claro (after ford) reached in 1 very long day. It's used by arrieros but there was no one there. The descent to Rio Negro was a bit sketchy in places, hardly any trail &amp; eroded but it improves as you go down. Rio Claro ford was OK. Forded Rio Negro in afternoon, it was pretty far from OK. The water was waist deep &amp; breaking over me in a wave, nearly knocking me over but I hung onto a submerged boulder in midstream. The most difficult crossing I had on GPT1-40. Cross early in the morning if you can. After Rio Negro you traverse through a small gully, it looks sketchy but is OK if you cross on RR. On the ridge after &amp; above the small gully look for cairns which mark where you descend into the big gully. You can't continue along the ridge as it cliffs out. I don't think the descent is really difficult or dangerous (others may disagree) but it's very slow &amp; awkward going. When you are low in the gully be sure to stay on RR which traverses out left. If you continue directly down to Rio Colorado there are a few gullys perpendicular to the Rio Colorado valley. They are very steep sided &amp; you can only cross them by staying on RR. Stayed at hut before Rio Colorado bridge, it's 1 KM off the RR. Again it is used by arrieros but there was no one there. As I was leaving in the morning I saw them coming in.<br /> <br /> Followed Tomas's suggestion &amp; found a good track all the way to Lake 2300M. After the lake don't ascend by the waterfall which is steep &amp; nasty. Instead, at the lake looking towards the waterfall go up a small ridge on the RHS of lake, then traverse left to come in above the waterfall on its right. Cross the stream above the waterfall &amp; find a small horse trail which goes through a breach in the cliff &amp; leads to open ground on the way to the pass. This option bypasses all the nasty &amp; loose scree &amp; is much easier. Saw about 30 condors feasting on a carcass near the pass. Met the guards @ Laguna Mondaca, they were very hospitable as detailed by Kris &amp; Stiina. The 1000M climb to the pass after Laguna Mondaca is steep, sandy &amp; without shade or water, best tackled early in the morning. I continued out to Parque Ingles in 1 long day from Laguna Mondaca. Although I walked GPT5 &amp; 6 separately it was no drama as the section from Parque Ingles to/from El Bolson is very quick &amp; easy. The last bus was gone but it was easy to hitch out. <br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-23 to 2022-Dec-27 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Tomáš'''<br /> <br /> I combined with GPT 06 (info for that section there).<br /> <br /> First about 30 km is basicaly a minor dirt road (with no traffic), there is plenty of water (but from the last bridge almost to first ford, there is no water - you are in a valley but on a ridge), a cherry tree 15 km in. After 10.km or so it starts to be scenic (and the road more trail-like and less-road like). Cell coverage for about 5 km until a big hazelnut orchard. This can be walked in one day, it is really easy and straightforward so a speed of 4 km/hour is easily maintained. Then it starts :-). Until above Rio Negro, the trail is mostly there. And it is quite doable to reach Rio Negro in two (long) days. In the morning (9AM), the water is just knee deep, I crossed where Martin and Helena did. I agree the descent is quite ok (during daylight!).<br /> <br /> From there, the traverse to Rio Colorado is annoying, slow and fully CC. One really needs to go down that gulley. I would not say it is very dangerous but care is certainly needed and slips could result in broken limbs. The bridge is there, with nice tress to have lunch under. The bridge looks quite solid and there is a puesto nearby, so I guess it is maintained. Rio Colorado could be forded in the morning I guess if needed (especially more upstream), but I am glad the bridge was there. From the bridge about 500 metres are annoying, one needs to get on top of the plateau across from the puesto. From there on, there is a fairly decent horse trail all the way to about 2300 where there is a lake with a beach. I am not sure I understand my predecesors, I think they must have missed it, the first half of the trail is accurate with the GPX though. The second half (when it goes from the river to the lake and to the pass), one needs to go lower than the GPX.<br /> <br /> Just after the crossroads where one trail goes to the litle Descabezado, there is a warm slow stream. I could not tell if it was thermal or sun-warmed.<br /> <br /> The descent to Mondaca is quite long and the trail is not always clear, but no climbing is needed, there is always a way. There is a signpost saying it is private in the middle of the valley. The fords are all manageable. I waved at an arriero before the private huts (the huts are by the lake). In the huts, I have not met anybody but it seemed someone might have been inside.<br /> <br /> I agree that the comnecting trail to Thermas Azufre is annoying. It involves two fords that are not nice in the evening. I avoided them by going up on the slope on west side of the valley, but I do not recommend it, better to ford and stay in the valley. I do not think there is a trail as such: just CC.<br /> <br /> Took me five days to get to Thermas Azufre, met nobody apart from the ariero mentioned above. I recommend to time it so that you can sleep at the Thermas, there are about five or six places for a tent. Being in the pool and looking at the stars is really nice.<br /> <br /> I would argue this section is not that extraordinarily hard now that there is a bridge, but it is more demanding than the others so far.<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-12 to 2022-Dec-17 / 5.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Martin &amp; Helena'''<br /> <br /> Just like many others we chose to combine sections 5 and 6 with expected 8 days on the way, in reality it was about a half day longer. We have to agree with previous comments about the difficulty, eventhough we were prepared for it and expected the worst really which helped a lot after all.<br /> <br /> Starting from Los Quenes we followed the RR and after the gate next to the camp we run into a barbed wire fence that is restricting access to the RR, probably new construction site based on a sign we saw there. Its no problem, just follow the main car road the whole time. Its really nice walking for quite a long time, all the marked gates were opened. First river crossing was no problem in the evening, nice camp place a few minutes later with amazing views. First pass also ok, no one at the puesto.<br /> <br /> Second ford also ok at km 45, than CC section and descent to Rio Negro which was not so bad as expected, it gets steep but still ok. The river seemed to be pretty fast in the evening so there was no point in trying it, we waited until the morning and found actually a few nice places to cross (one with a small island in the middle where the river gets wider). The descent to valley of Rio Colorado took us a loong time, you have to be really careful and go slowly. We went through the gully most of the time. Its a long way until the bridge, but its there, safe to cross.<br /> <br /> The worst part for us was the traverse after the bridge and climb up where we lost the trail a few times and got into some steep sections with all the falling rocks and scree, not so safe in some places but there are probably better ways to find. On the way up you have to cross multiple river basins which is really exhausting, it worked for us to go more up the hill where it wasn’t so steep but still necessary to be careful. It hapenned to us more than once that really big rocks fell down under our legs or solid looking rocks we were holding onto just fell away - not much you can do after it.<br /> <br /> After the valley it gets much more interesting and trail is in good condition. Regarding the Mondaca valley - we were seen by an arriero close to the river but with no reaction, we havent met anyone near the guards houses as well so overall no problem with the right of way. Good camp place at the end of the valley.<br /> <br /> One last unpleasant part was the connection between the sections 5 and 6 - after multiple river crossings we were following the RR to connect to the climb up but got into a really steep section, again nothing funny. It might be better to follow the other trail that we saw in both garmin and our smartphone apps. These two go all the time next to each other but in this specific case it might be better to follow the other one as it connects to the climb earlier.<br /> <br /> Contact: @martin_hanzelka @helenneka<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> * '''2021-Dec-03 to 2021-Dec-09 / 7 days (GPT 05 + 06) / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Kris&amp;Stiina'''<br /> <br /> We also decided to combine sections 5 and 6 to avoid in’n’out to and from Parque Inglés. It took us 6 and a half days and some of it was bloody hard. I have never before experienced my ass being handed over to me by a trail. We got beaten to the point where first signs of weakness started to show and I have to admit we kind of even started discussing a plan B and bailing this ditch trail. But only for a moment, once you hit the rock bottom there is only one way to go - up! It was literally and figuratively, and as terrain improved so did our mood and we laughed off the silly thoughts we had had earlier. <br /> <br /> The first 45km of the section 5 were great, awesome hiking and then shit hit the fan real quick. Ascent up from the ford at km 45 was hard but alright. And then came the descent down to Rio Negro (51km), very steep and very loose scree slope. We wanted to make it to Rio Colorado for the night to cross it early in the morning in case there is no bridge. But because the trail or I must rather say the lack of it was really taking more time than we expected, by the time we got to Rio Negro it was already getting dark. The river was very rapid and murky so you couldn’t gauge the depth of it and couldn’t see where to step, we had to really concentrate to cross it, luckily it was only balls deep.<br /> <br /> It was dark as we got across it and we continued the fun, albeit type 2 fun, illuminated by our headlamps. Then came the insanely steep gully that allowed you to enter the valley of Rio Colorado. Something was off with the elevation lines on Gaia and it showed that we will be descending right over the cliff, it was luckily only a glitch. As we couldn’t see much ahead we kept descending ever so carefully on this very very challenging terrain, I would even go as far as to say that it was stupid and outright dangerous. But there was no other way, you just had to stay focused. There were also some rocks falling off the cliff under which we were descending. In a sense night was a good time to do it because you couldn’t see all the dangers - only what lie within the beam of the headlamp. <br /> <br /> Then came an extremely slow going, pretty much crawling speed traverse down to Rio Colorado, which we fully improvised as there was no trail anyway and got down to Rio colorado about a kilometer before the bridge, where we set up camp abit past midnight. <br /> <br /> So yes, the bridge was there - a decent one, seemed permanent and it was a relief that we at least don’t have to start the day by risking our lives fording Rio Colorado. The river was pretty wide and the current seemed pretty fast, it wasn’t murky though but you couldn’t see how deep it really was. But we think it could have been forded in case there would be no bridge. There were a few places that looked doable with somewhat laminar flow. The excitement of the existence of the bridge didn’t last too long as we were slapped back into reality by the difficult terrain, it wasn’t as dangerous anymore as the previous night but difficult nevertheless. Once we got closer to the pass the trail appeared and it was actually pleasant hiking once again. <br /> <br /> To sum it up the descent down to the Rio Colorado valley, then traversing it and the first part of crawling out of the valley sucks big time, but the rest of the section is really nice and not too challenging terrain-wise. I wouldn’t want to skip this section because it had some breathingtaking views. Just that on the hard part of it you can’t really enjoy any of it as all your effort is elsewhere. <br /> <br /> The guards at Laguna Mondaca were the nicest people we have met in Chile so far. They invited us to stay at the property, gave us food and drinks. They insisted we don’t use any of our supplies or gear. They even provided us with a room with a bed and we got to recharge all of our electronics and got a hot shower aswell. It was perfect! And just to make it clear there are no fancy villas there just a few small simple houses where the owner of the property comes for fishing once in a while. And guards weren’t armed either. <br /> <br /> It took us 4 days to get to Laguna Mondaca and not far after it we joined the section 6 which took 2 and a half more days. <br /> <br /> Section 6 was really something, we haven’t had such a strong otherworldly experience anywhere else. It was really like being on another planet at times. The blue sky was the only thing that gave it away that we were still on Earth. Really bizarre landscape and definitely the most beautiful breathtaking section of the six that we have done so far. <br /> <br /> Regarding the difficulty, compared to section 5 it didn’t feel that difficult at all. Walking on sand is challenging, yes, especially going uphill. But on the other side going down is much easier on the soft sand - you can just run/jog without much impact on your body as the sand absorbs it all. Shoes got completely wrecked and we took many “shoe-emptying” breaks because they were just filled with rocks and coarse sand. <br /> <br /> We even took a dip in one of the lakes close to Descabezado and seeing how water is just coming out of the sand and turning into a river was really really cool, just as the whole landscape around there. <br /> <br /> We camped at the lake about 5km from Los Cipreses. When we arrived to the road to take bus to Talca the bus stop didn’t have any schedule and the shop close by was closed. So we couldn’t find out about the bus schedule and the traffic on the road seemed pretty dead. But luckily after 15 min of waiting a car that was going to Talca picked us up, perfecto! <br /> <br /> Overall plenty of water on both sections, a lot of exposure to the sun, and some challenging terrain. It all together made for a great experience, just what we were looking for. It humbled us and we definitely had to adjust our expectations and recalibrate our way of hiking, it is GPT - not more and not less. <br /> <br /> 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<br /> <br /> ==Season 2020/21==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-24 / 7 days (GPT 5 + 6) / Hiking / SOBO/ Ian Hikes'''<br /> <br /> Overview: So, I decided to combine GPT sections 5 and 6 in order to avoid a 30k out and back resupply section into parque ingles. I thought this was a good decision for me and really enjoyed being out there for a week. In my opinion this was the hardest section of the GPT in between sections GPT 01-10. I went the first 5 days without seeing another person which I thought was quite cool. So, these two sections are quite remote, and you are way out there in the mountains. There was also some pretty intense river crossing in “GPT Section 5” that I found to be manageable (keep in mind I’m 185cm and have lots of thru hiking experience.) but still a little difficult. The rivers were also very dark and murky which made it hard to see where you would step. There was also an improvised bridge crossing the Colorado River that I used, and thought was safe to use. These two sections are dominated by a volcanic profile with much of the route on ash and volcanic rock. Most of the route is very exposed and there are not many trees or vegetation that grow in the volcanic ash/rocks. There was plenty of water with springs coming out of the hills everywhere and then disappearing into the sand.<br /> <br /> Difficulties: It was slow going walking thru the sand, especially when hiking vertically. Exposure to the sun. River crossings. Isolation and remoteness. Hiking up and down lose rock and scree fields.<br /> <br /> Highlights: Hot Springs. Great views of the volcanic region. Mountain Lakes. Sunrise and Sunsets were epic with the landscape. <br /> <br /> Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions at ultratrailca@gmail.com <br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-08 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Martina &amp; Ivo '''<br /> <br /> Six (hard) days for this section. After the first pass there was a tiny snowfield to cross, nothing to worry about. River crossings didn't cause any problems. The bridge Puente Las Yeguas was in excellent condition. The navigation through the cross country parts was quite demanding and took us a lot of time. Right of way conflict before the Laguna Mondaca: The whole valley is private property and belongs to a guy who comes by helicopter for fly fishing at the weekends. His guards spotted us several hours before we arrived at their puesto but welcomed us very friendly and explained everything. They let us camp at the Estero del Volcan. At Parque Ingles we found food and accommodation. There is a bus to Molina (for schedule see section &quot;Transport to and from Route&quot;).<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-09 / 8 days / Hiking /SOBO / RR + OH to the Hot Springs / Ty &amp; America '''<br /> <br /> 7 nights 8 days for us. Super tough section. The entire area around Rio Colorado is extremely challenging; down &amp; up. We went the alternate route to the Hot Springs. (OH-CC-A@05-C-#001). I was tough with multiple steep gullies, then we got there to see the hot springs were COLD. Then the optional hike to<br /> Re connect with the RR from the hot springs (OH-CC-A@05-E-#002) was completely impassable. I didn’t go all the way up to the canyon wall. All I could see were route that would take some serious climbing. We had to down climb and take the lower route to climb up again. Property dispute near Volcan Mondaco had no problems. Quiet and didn’t seem like anybody was there for us. Parque Inglés - Molina Bus leaves at 7 am on the weekdays, we hitchhiked.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-17 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + optional to meet optional start of GPT06/ Matus &amp; Anna '''<br /> <br /> It took us 5 days including 1 zero due to bad weather. <br /> I agree with everything what was written in previous updates for GPT05. Cross country sections were difficult, but in some of them we managed to find old unused trails which worked for us. <br /> River crossings - Rio Claro in the afternoon was ok. Rio Negro in the afternoon was REALLY challenging, almost not doable. After hour of trying we managed to find one spot we could cross. I wouldn't want to cross Rio Colorado without that bridge at any time. <br /> Optional trail to meet optional start of section 6 was fine in the valley. Problem was to connect it to the climb. We had to climb very steep slope to get there. From that point trail was in good condition.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-19 / 8,5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Melissa'''<br /> <br /> It took me 6 full days (5-9 hrs hiking) and 1 1/2 day (3 hrs.) not including 1 day of 0 hiking due to weather-rain and needing rest. Route finding, the three inclines of over 3,000-4,000 feet of elevation gain in a mile was insane, terrain-gotta love sand. The entire incline up Las Animas white crumbly/soft sand and make sure you have plenty of water here because the white reflecting sand and sun can easily dehydrate you and there is nowhere to get water except this flat section near the top that has very little stream from snow melt. Crumbling rock/scree that is barely able to be hiked up with a waterfall in between after think it was called Laguna Grande tracks #61.7-67.2 end of that track. Take the route up to the left where the rock is tan don’t hike up the black it’s dangerously eroding. The gps was not helpful in that section because all three directions seemed correct (right,left or up the waterfall). I had no issues with right of way dispute. I agree with all that is stated above. Very hard and challenging section.<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> *Quentin Clavel (2024-apr-09) <br /> Los Quienes : at least two supermercados with good resupplies (enough for me, almost everything you need). <br /> Few cabanas, I've been at the cabanas Tia Ely, just next to the supermercado Claudia (when you face the carabineros, on the right side, 50m after the curve). <br /> 40K for cabana, 15k for a room. +5k for breakfast. Lovely people. They didn't charged me for cleaning my clothes in their washing machine. <br /> <br /> Possibility to eat, in the restaurant, that is mostly used by the workers, it seems like a cafeteria and it's quite ok. Pizzeria is not perfect but doing the job. There's a Feria as well with few food trucks, but everything was closed when I was there. <br /> <br /> * 2021-Dec-03 to 2021-Dec-09 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Kris&amp;Stiina<br /> The guards at Laguna Mondaca were the nicest people we have met in Chile so far. They invited us to stay at the property, gave us food and drinks.<br /> <br /> *2019-Dec-08 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Martina &amp; Ivo <br /> <br /> At Parque Ingles we found food and accommodation.<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> <br /> *Bus timetable Curico to Los Queñes obtained in January 2020<br /> [[:File:CuricoQuenes.jpg]]<br /> <br /> *2019-Dec-8 <br /> <br /> Monday to Thursday: Molina-Radal: 17:00 // Radal-Molina: 07:30<br /> <br /> Friday: Molina-P.Ingles: 17:00 // Radal-Molina: 07:30<br /> <br /> Saturday: Molina-P.Ingles: 11:30 // 13:30 / P.Ingles-Molina: 18:00<br /> <br /> Sunday: Molina-P.Ingles: 09:00 // P.Ingles-Molina: 15:30 / 17:00<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> *2019-Dec-08 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Martina &amp; Ivo <br /> <br /> Right of way conflict before the Laguna Mondaca: The whole valley is private property and belongs to a guy who comes by helicopter for fly fishing at the weekends. His guards spotted us several hours before we arrived at their puesto but welcomed us very friendly and explained everything. They let us camp at the Estero del Volcan. At Parque Ingles we found food and accommodation. There is a bus to Molina (for schedule see section &quot;Access to route&quot;).<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT05 - Río Colorado]]<br /> <br /> =Images=<br /> <br /> [[File:gpt 05.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|[[Volcán Planchón]] from GPT05, by [http://benoit.mirouse.free.fr/index.php/patagonie-2018/recit-photos/6-decembre/ Benoit Mirouse]]]</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT05_(Rio_Colorado)&diff=121053 2025-04-15T13:12:20Z

<p>MiaimZelt: /* Season 2024/25 */</p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Overview=<br /> <br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> *'''2025-03-22 / 1 day / Hiking / Sobo / RR + Var H / MiaimZelt'''<br /> <br /> Hiked GPT 6 and also did the GPT 5 part from Laguna las Animas to Laguna Mondaca. Good trail, very steep in deep sand. Hiked Var H to reach Termas de Azufre. It goes CC through a big boulderfield. Slow progression, but not really difficult. Rivercrossing was knee deep and had a strong current. But it's very hard to reach the beginning of the trail to Termas Azufre. The lower part is badly eroded. Followed the suggestion of the GPT track. The mountainside is extremely steep with loose ground. Due to very few vegetation ans loose ground it was dangerous to climb up, slipped sometimes. Don't recommend it - maybe there is a better opportunity?<br /> <br /> * ''' 2024-12-21 to 2024-12-25 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR to Ford [68.9/2340] (Rio San Pedro) / Dorota'''<br /> Generally, very extreme stage, especially for women alone of 1.64 cm height. <br /> I started in Quénes, which in this period was very empty. I passed the night in the restaurant in front of the pizzeria, but I could not recommend it. 20.000 clp with cold water. First, for MR, it was very easy, but you needed to take water. But then difficulties started. First, passing Río Colorado [33.1/1455]. I tried to cross it in the evening. I crossed one bank, but the other was not. So I put my tent between the banks, which was not safe. In the morning, I went upstream and I found a better place for crossing the river using mainly rocks. But still, it was exhausting. All operations took me one hour. And after that, I was so tired that I slept for one hour. Other fords [45.2/1919] (Río Baroso) and [51.2/1940] (Río Negro) were also difficult for me - the water was to knee level. There was a very good bridge on Río Colorado (55.0). But the descent to the valley of Rio Colorado was very demanding. At point -35.32681, -70.65340, it starts downhill to Río. At the start, I could not find a safe way of going down because the track leads you into hell. But after that, at a point below, I found a sign of the route (acouple of rocks). The ascent after it is also demanding because of navigation. All the time, I was checking the route on GPS. Finally, my adventure with stage 5 finished at km 68.9/2340 Río San Pedro. I tried to cross it in the afternoon, but I fell into the river because of the strong current. The level was only to the knee. I put up my tent. Very early in the morning, I tried again. After two steps, I fell into the river and started going down. I thought that it was my end. Trying to catch any rock, I lost my sticks. Finally, I was rescued. I was frightened, wet, and felt very cold. I put up my tent and for the whole day thought about what to do. Without sticks, I could not cross any river, and I still had 13 km to join stage 6 and cross the river. Each option had rivers. The next day, in the morning, I put a signal SOS on my reach. After two hours, a helicopter with three soldiers came. They took me to the hospital in Curicó. Despite the fact that I did not have any injuries. It is a procedure. In the hospital, they took me to the emergency room, made an examination, and gave me electrolytes. In this hospital, it was the first rescue . Everybody was interested in me, which was really embarrassing. Then, the carabineros went to make a report. In the hospital, they were very polite, also the carabineros. After that, they took me to a hostel. After the accident, I did not know what to do and for a month had something like a type of trauma that something could happen again. Finally, I decided to continue stage 6 from the start. But I registered at the point of the carabineros, the same carabineros which were in the hospital. They took my data and each day I sent them information that everything was okay. They said to me that if they did not have a signal, they would start a rescue. I made stage 6 to Termas but again I could not cross the river near Termas because of trauma de rios. I came back and I met Peggy at Laguna Animas. We continued together and step by step I started to think that I still could continue the trail.<br /> After 2 months (25.02.2025) from this accident, I know why it happened. And it is not easy to share such a type of accident. But I hope that this description could help other persons.<br /> I did not have any experience with crossing rivers. I made it wrong. Now I can cross this river without any problem. Also, this stage is very exhaustive because of the terrain. So after a few days on this stage, my muscles were not strong enough to confront the strong current. My recommendation especially for women solo: try to find anybody who teaches you but practically not theoretically how to cross rivers. Now I am on stage 21 and I am really happy that I have decided to continue the trail.<br /> <br /> * ''' 2025-FEB-12 to 2025-FEB-15 / 3.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + OH (var. H)/ Martin '''<br /> <br /> Inspired fellow Czechs in December, I combined GPT05 and GPT06 and took food for 6 days. <br /> <br /> Day 1:<br /> Started 3 pm from Los Queñes, hiked around 23 km. Camped a km or two after a puesto. When it was getting dark, a group of people on horses appeared. Around 15 of them including kids. I asked if it’s ok to camp there. The owner arrived a but later (he was with the group) and was friendly and sure I can camp. It felt good to have permission. Their trip would be 9 days, including crossing over to Argentina. <br /> <br /> Day 2:<br /> Still quite easy until the last puesto. Then it got harder. Eventually got down to Rio Negro which seemed pretty wild. Hopefully it would be better in the morning. I camped on the only patch of semi-flat ground clear of vegetation I could find. <br /> <br /> Day 3:<br /> Crossed Rio Negro in the morning. Much more tame compared to the previous evening. Then began one of the hardest parts. When going down towards Rio Colorado, at one point I reached dense vegetation. So I thought what if I go all the way down and go along the river. Well, there is a reason it goes how it goes - at the river bed soon I was blocked by a cliff. So I had to scramble up again and carry on. <br /> <br /> Around Rio Colorado, the first 1 km was terrible. But then it was mostly quite a good trail. With some exceptions. The most difficult parts are the dry river beds you need to cross. <br /> <br /> Then the ascend to the lake - the first 1 km was hard, just straight up, no trail. But then there is trail and it’s easy (but hard because of gravitation of course). I camped at the lake. I was worried about wind. There are no stones, but the ground is pretty solid to hole stakes. Also, the wind tends to die down in the evening. <br /> <br /> Day 4:<br /> I thought now it would be easy, but no such luck. Some parts were ok, others were harder - either plain full of rocks, or wide river beds. When I got to the puesto with right of way dispute (after km 83), I saw a guy and almost passed unnoticed, but then his dogs gave me away. He was friendly, but we didn’t share a common language. No issue. <br /> <br /> Then a bit later, there are some huts. There were two flags - one Chilean and one “Trump”. I was glad I didn’t see anybody there. <br /> <br /> Around 5 I got to option H to connect to GPT06. One hour later I got to the GPT06 Trailhead point. That part is a bit sketchy as you need to scramble up.<br /> <br /> Overall I found it very challenging, so no complaints about the classification of 6/5 from me. <br /> <br /> * ''' 2024-01-16 to 2024-01-20 / 3.5 days / Hiking /SOBO / RR &amp; variant H / Elijah &amp; Michael '''<br /> <br /> GPT05 was tough but not as challenging as expected. <br /> <br /> Much more water available than waypoints. <br /> <br /> Little trail available between Rio Negro and Rio Colorado, but decent, improving trail after Rio Colorado.<br /> <br /> Upper puesto along Estero San Jose wasn't yet built for the season. Didn't have issues at lower puesto with indicated right of way issues, met arriero who was very nice.<br /> <br /> Variant H connecting GPT05 to GPT06 has one very steep section with clambering.<br /> <br /> * ''' 2024-DEC-06 &gt; 09 / 3,5 jours / Randonnée / SOBO / RR&gt;Variante Volcan Colorado / Pierre-Marie ​​'''<br /> <br /> Etape : GPT04+GPT05+GPT06<br /> | Meteo : soleil<br /> | Eau : facile<br /> | Neige : beaucoup<br /> | Intérêt : 5/5<br /> | Difficulté : 4/5<br /> | Danger : riviere puissante<br /> <br /> Les 30 premiers km sont monotone. Mais c'est de plus en plus sauvage et jolie. J'ai dormi avant le rio Negro qui etait trop violent en fin de journee. Les descentes avant et apres le rio Negro sont très dangereuses.<br /> Il y a un pont sur le rio Colorado, heureusement car le torrent est infranchissable a pied.<br /> La variante etait magnifique, beaucoup de neige et le col a 3000 etait tres enneigé. La fonte de la neige crée des trou qui complique la marche, mais il faut juste ralentir le rythme et ca se fait bien.<br /> <br /> *'''2024-DEC-1 to 2024-DEC-5 / 3.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + OH (var. H)/ Ivan, Jakub, Daniel'''<br /> <br /> We combined stages GPT05 + GPT06, taking food for 6 days. GPT05 was a beautiful and challenging stage, where fords were a daily routine. We started with a two-hour evening hike from Los Queñes. We bivouacked here [-35.0616712, -70.8124902]. We continued along a minor road to the intersection [32.1/1509]. At the originally marked ford [17.1/1075], there is now a bridge - we did not ford. We managed the marked ford [23.5+1.7] with dry feet. However, we waded through a rather challenging ford [33.1/1455] at Rio Claro. The water reached waist level for my height of 178 cm. It is definitely better to walk 200 m upstream and wade twice - across the main river and then its tributary. A little past the pass [40.7/2354], where there was only a bit of snow, there is another ford [45.2/1919] (Rio Barroso) and then [51.2/1940] (Rio Negro). Both were not particularly difficult. There is a nice grassy bivouac at the puesto [37.0/1927] (Vacas Gordas). One of the most challenging parts of this stage is the CC descent into the Río Colorado valley. This is a very steep slope, where moving down is essentially sliding on gravel. Be careful. Fortunately, the key bridge over the roaring and absolutely uncrossable Río Colorado [55.0/1468] (Puente Las Yeguas) was there, allowing us to cross the river safely. The ascent from the river valley is not as difficult as the descent into it. The plateau around lake [16.3+0.2/2499] was completely covered in snow, and we were once again grateful for our microspikes. From this plateau, there is also a magnificent view of the mountain Descabezado Grande (3953 m above sea level), which is passed in GPT06. As we descended toward Laguna Mondaca, the landscape is dominated by basalt columns on the surrounding hills. Under one such rock, there is a beautiful bivouac at -35.43769, -70.66022. In this valley, there are a total of three fords [68.8/2340] (Rio San Pedro), [81.0/1604] (Estero San Jose), and then [83.0/1465]. All three were knee-deep at most for my height, making them safely fordable. After Laguna Mondaca, we first safely waded the low ford [24.6+2.6/1480] (Estero Volcan) and then disconnected from the main route at the intersection [87.9/1632] to connect to GPT06 via variant H. We managed the ford [23.5+1.7/1613] with dry feet. In the Estero Volcan river valley, we went CC over several fords until we reached the Trailhead {06} [25.1+0.8/1725]. These fords recorded in the track files did not correspond to reality. The river in the wide riverbed was braiding in its sediments and often flowed differently. However, there were a total of four fords over almost two kilometers, with the highest being just above knee level. At the thermal springs [27.4/1986] (Hot Spring del Azufre), we took a dip in the warm water and then continued south on GPT06.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> <br /> * '''2024-04-05 to 2024-04-08 // 3,5 days // Hiking // NOBO // variant H + RR // Quentin Clavel'''<br /> <br /> I combined the GPT 6 to GPT 5. <br /> <br /> After reaching the thermals del Azufre, I took the variant H to link these two sections. On this variant the path is less visible, you somehow can follow cow track then it goes very down on a pretty steep ridge to the valley. CC on the valley then leaving the river bed to go a little bit higher and reach the GPT 5. This variant is a bit annoying, but doable. <br /> <br /> When you reach the GPT5, there's a better marked track, still very sandy, you'll follow it until reaching the private property near Lago Mondaca. I conturned it around the fences and haven't seen anyone around. Later one you reach the puesto with a right of way. <br /> <br /> Same method, I conturned it, but there was a lot of movement at this place, with lot of horses and people around. I saluate them nicely, and the right of way turning into an unexpected hospitable invitation ! <br /> <br /> 6 arierros were there, in the puesto of Ricardo, doing a break of few days before guiding a big group of cows (470 animals !) down the valley. They gave me juice, cazuella, mate, bread, harina tostada, and I had to stop them because my bag begun to be too heavy aha ! Amazing stop, great discussions, but I'm quite sure that if Ricardo were alone he wouldn't invited me like that ! <br /> <br /> Anyway, that was a very good surprise of this section ! <br /> <br /> I continued threw valleys and pass and was absolutely amazed by the geological formations up there ! I had the feeling to be in Game of Thrones ! <br /> <br /> Until the lake KM 66,65, you'll find a track, sometimes you'll lose it, but find it again. You'll have wet feets on this stretch ! Lots of river and wetland to pass, but no-one were bad at this time of the season. <br /> <br /> Then, from this lake, the track will be harder to find, it's a combination of CC, your own judgement of following what looks like a trail, and an horse trail that is sometimes appearing. <br /> <br /> After the second lake at 2300m, there's a clear trail and then you'll reach some gullies that are a bit annoying and where track disappear. Just go slowly and be careful where you put your feets as it move quite easily, lot of falling rocks and quite unstable ground. I didn't followed exactly the RR but more my instinct and what looks like more safely there. <br /> <br /> All the way along Rio Colorado is slow and you have to be a bit careful as it's slippery, but a cow track is there. It's only the 500 last meters that are a bit annoying, but I was expecting worse. Going from higher helps you to see where to pass, should be harder SOBO. <br /> <br /> I arrived at the puente Las Yeguas, and another surprise : there were no more puente ahaha ! All the planks were retired from the bridge and putted nicely and the side of the riverbank. Some people worked on it apparently, and will rebuild it when the winter will be over I guess. I just arrived too late on the season at this stretch. <br /> <br /> After long time of reflexion of what I should do, I walk a bit higher to check how looked like the Rio Colorado. It was very powerful, but 300m upstream there were a small island and the current where divided into 3 branches. I backtracked at that point and tried to cross this monster. <br /> <br /> I managed to do it, but it was savage, strong current, water going on me by waves, and big adrenaline moment. No doubt the hardest river of this GPT by far ! <br /> <br /> I continued on what was the hardest part of the section, all in CC, with big gullies to pass threw followed by a tuff and very steep ascent. Some people mentionned cairns here. I haven't seen any and was hiking straight to the top on a very demanding effort ! <br /> <br /> From there it's easier imo. Still on CC but following the RR and everything is gonna be alright, especially on the last big gully to pass before Rio negro, follow as close as possible the RR, that's where you'll passed it. <br /> <br /> I camped next to Rio negro and passed it the day after without any troubles. Then it's new ascent on CC, and when you'll arrive at the top KM48, the track is appearing again. You've made the hardest part of this section. From there, it's gonna be from better to better. <br /> <br /> Going on a little track, then on a more marked one (KM40), and finally on a large one that turns into gravel road for the last kilometers until Los Quienes. <br /> <br /> Ar los Quienes, I had a proper rest, well needed after this exhausting but beautiful section (GPT6 + 5). At this tiny city you'll find accomodation (from the end of the section, turn right on the road in front of the carabineros, at the end of the curve you'll find a place with kind of a food truck, there is accomodation for 15K CLP for a room. In front you have supermercado. Going back to carabineros and continuing on the road you'll find other mercados, pizzería, restaurant, there's a feria with few food trucks and a cafe. Perfect place to spend some time. It's been a while that I haven't passed threw a &quot;city&quot; that big and with that choice for food and rest ahaha. <br /> <br /> * '''2024-March-26 to 2023-April-02 / 7.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + C + D + F / Gerald'''<br /> <br /> My plan was to follow Alex and Andreys footsteps, but i had to descent rather quickly because of coming bad weather (snow, strong wind etc) at Laguna aquas calientes.<br /> Until Rio Negro it's kinda &quot;easy&quot; cause you will find yourself mostly on a trail. Gully wasn't that bad, but finding an alternative way through the landslide later was tough. I almost turned back after a failed scary first attempt. I would say it's dangerous, cause it's steep and everywhere super loose sand. Rocks/stones won't stay in place and it's tough to get out once you enter the steep sandy part. Choose your spot wisely!! Cross country was a lot more demanding than I thought. It will drain your battery also a lot faster cause you have to check super frequently. Once you reach the volcanic landscape expect strong wind. Sand on steep slopes will make it difficult to go as fast as you may want to. Because of the weather i had to go through Laguna Mondaca. I explained my situation to the guys there, they didn't really seem to care and gave me the permission to cross their property. Do not walk next to the dried out lake (check map) if the sand is still wet. You will sink in up to your hips. Pain in the ass to get out. The 1k elevation gain out of the valley is slooooow. Too much sand. The park around El bolson was closed. CONAF Guards called me a fanatic after they figured out my route. In April there are no buses going to park Ingles, so you have to walk and try to hitchhike your way out.<br /> It was a beautiful hike, especially the valley around Rio Colorado was great. But i am not sure if i have ever done such an demanding hike. I would recommend to do it in a team of 2 and not alone. I will appreciate proper trails from now on a lot more :)<br /> <br /> * SOBO 13.03 -19.03.2024<br /> 6 days, 167 km, Ascent 7.619m<br /> Alex + Andrey<br /> <br /> Difficulty: Very Difficult (mostly due the long CC sections, would give 4 from 5 for this variant, not 6 (if you are not going to kill yourself attempting to ford rio Colorado down the valley).<br /> <br /> GPT05:<br /> <br /> RR until the bridge<br /> <br /> Variant C<br /> <br /> Variant D<br /> <br /> Variant F<br /> <br /> GPT06:<br /> <br /> Option 02<br /> <br /> “Natalie - Thomas” traverse<br /> <br /> Option 03 (exploration and suggestions)<br /> <br /> RR from approx X {06} [57.3/2073]<br /> <br /> I published a detailed track on wikiloc with many photos and explanations:<br /> https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/desolation-traverse-los-quenes-rio-colorado-descabezado-plateau-central-los-cipreses-164709363<br /> <br /> Summary:<br /> The famous gully “Cuesta La Hormiga” is not very difficult and pretty safe, the subsequent CC traverse is annoying.<br /> Part of the path is now destroyed due to the 2023 winter storms, detours are required.<br /> The bridge (Rio Colorado) is gone. And it is not clear whether it will be restored in the future. The Colorado River Valley looks abandoned and partially overgrown up to wp Hot Springs1.<br /> Even if the bridge were in place, I think that our option (Variant C, Variant, Variant F/Variant D) is easier, more spectacular, safer and overall better than RR<br /> Fording the Rio Colorado was very easy, less than knee deep.<br /> At the farthest point of the Colorado River Valley, the trail crosses a remote but fully operable (we met a fly-fishing team in a Toyota Prado) 4x4 road from Argentina, which is worth keeping in mind in case of emergency or rescue (marked in the track)<br /> We completed the “Avoid Don Victor” option for GPT06 without visiting Banos del Blanquillo, combining the “Natalie - Thomas” traverse with Option03. I can recommend after waypoint “Pass in the rock belt. Easy descent to Laguna Caracol” just descend west about 5-6 km to the lagoon not to miss this magnificent place.<br /> Thanks to all folks who shared their information and suggestions!❤️<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-08 to 2023-Jan-14 / 7 days / Hiking / Roundtrip via Planchon and back to Los Quenes / Tomáš &amp; Natalie'''<br /> <br /> We hitched easily all the way to Lagunas del Teno from Los Quenes with three cars. Buses from Curico to Los Quenes run as stated below, it was 2200 per person. The pizzeria in Los Quenes is not very good - premanufactured dough. Met two Germans doing hiking trips on GPT without knowing the acronym &quot;GPT&quot; - they were just using the OSM data. It was Saturday afternoon. Planchon seems to be a popular climbing spot, there was about 25 people around the lagoon who have mostly climbed Planchon that day (including a club of 15). Some people drive up just to have a look or barbecue. So Friday and likely Sunday would probably work well for hitchhiking, but there were people there also on weekdays. There are probably around 5 cars a day going to Argentina, we were told. The refuge seemed to be open but the people at the lagoon knew nothing about it. We slept in an old building probably used by the workers when constructing the dam. Despite an evening storm, it was very warm.<br /> <br /> Next day we walked towards Planchon - there is an easy trail skirting the lagoon, no need to go back to Refugio. The trail can probably be flooded when the lagoon is at its maximum level. There is an easy to follow trail all the way to the top where there is a logbook. There were lots of streams flowing to the lake and one not far from the trail at over 3000. Without backpack it took us about 3 hours to go up from there and back. The mountain has a tendency to cloud up early (2-5 pm). This section was easy so GPT difficulty probably at 4.<br /> <br /> A storm again came, we hid in a volcanic cave and then camped on the sand.<br /> <br /> The next day we went around Planchon to reach the caldera with crater lakes. We followed the old trail in OSM which is imprecise [2024: Tomáš since rerouted the OSM trail, it is more sensible now]. Only up until a volcanological measuring station, it was easy. From there it is pure cross-country. We side-hilled this traverse at about 3200 metres but it was a bad choice, too high. While traversing, it got steep with a number of hard to cross gulleys (with water and snow). We would advise to keep lower, especially given that going up the glacier stream needs to be on your left and we only found a suitable crossing at 2800 m. We would recommend to traverse the slopes of Planchon at about this altitude, it looked much less steep, so lower is more safe and faster despite the altitude loss. <br /> <br /> Once finished traversing and the ascent towards the crater began, we struggled finding the correct way because the osm trail was awful (it was pathless) and we had very low visibility due to clouds. We lost a lot of time so this section of about 3 km took us all day. We ended up taking a moraine ridge on the opposite side of the osm trail (other side of the glacier stream there) and made camp in the moraine at ~3200m before going up the final climb to the craters because of weather. Weather was worse the next day so we stayed in the tent, explored options of getting to the proper ridge of the caldera and finished the route the following day. In short the ridge you should aim for is; -35.22600, -70.58600. and the top of the caldera you should aim for is -35.22779, -70.58231. The rest of the ridge top of the caldera towards the crater lakes is slightly a knife ridge and the scramble down is loose.<br /> <br /> With good visibility and direction, one could probably reach the caldera within a half day if camping at the crossroads of the trail to the top and the round-trail.<br /> <br /> The caldera is beautiful, the lakes are lovely, you can pick your way through. We crossed the rim to Argentina and we went again to the south of the OSM trail as the pass was less steep. A side trip to the higher of Peteroa summits is easy, but you cannot get to the very top from this side or traverse, there is a vertical rock (about 20 m high) on the top that cannot be climbed easily nor can it be skirted around. Our original plan was to try and cross to Azufre but that is not possible through Peteroea, it is far too rocky. It might be possible going from the Chilian side directly to Azufre but frankly, it probably is not a walk up, the ridge from north looked rocky, the ridge from west looked much better but was steep, is hard to get to and we only saw it from afar. So best way to Azufre still looks like from Argentina.<br /> <br /> It clouded up at around 3 pm again. We descended via a trail from the rim to the Argentina border checkpoint. They sent us back to Chile when we said we came from the craters. I wonder if they would let us through if we said we came through the border crossing. They said they did not care how we would exit Argentina if we first cross to it via a an official crossing from Chile (we were mulling continuing the backroute on GPT05, which can be accessed about 10 km south of the checkpoint - there is no official crossing there). Chileans seemed unconcerned about the border, some even drive to the no-man's land between the crossings (police is ok with that apparently) and climb Planchon from there. Difficulty of the round-crossing via the route we took according to GPT scale is 7. With the proper trail, it would probably be 6.<br /> <br /> We used the road (no cars, super windy) and then a track on OSM just before the border to go back to the lagoon where we camped.<br /> <br /> Next day (The first nice day in 4 days), we started towards Los Quenes. The ascent to the pass from the lagoon is quite hard and involves either going up a very loose scree slope with lots of boulders or easy but vertical scramble of about 10 m. In all cases, the way seems to be so that you keep the creek to you left going uphill. Possibly keeping higher on the right slope would make it easier but we ended up climbing the rocks next to the small waterfall. The holds are green and firm, but it is ten vertical meters (difficulty 6 or seven probably). The valley has a small green patch though and is quite beautiful. Going the upper route as if climbing Planchon and then traversing would have been much easier (not as nice though). Once up the pass, a trail appears at 2900 and can be followed to about 1600 (the last three hundred vertical metres are a bit overgrown with meadow/hard to follow). The descent crossed a few streams. At roughly 1800, there is a man made canal that follows the trail. At 1600, the GPT track seems to be CC, we followed the trail which turns sharply to right to a puesto and then joins the first X waypoint on the RR going SOBO.<br /> <br /> Next day, the walk down to Los Quenes was uneventful. Met a family on horses who wanted to go to the Lagoonas del Teno (we told them it is probably possible but are not sure) and hitched the last 4 km (deeper in the valley, there was no traffic our direction). Then we took bus at 1400 to Curico.<br /> <br /> *'''2023-Jan-10 5 days RR SOBO Frank'''<br /> <br /> Stayed at hut on the ridge above Rio Claro (after ford) reached in 1 very long day. It's used by arrieros but there was no one there. The descent to Rio Negro was a bit sketchy in places, hardly any trail &amp; eroded but it improves as you go down. Rio Claro ford was OK. Forded Rio Negro in afternoon, it was pretty far from OK. The water was waist deep &amp; breaking over me in a wave, nearly knocking me over but I hung onto a submerged boulder in midstream. The most difficult crossing I had on GPT1-40. Cross early in the morning if you can. After Rio Negro you traverse through a small gully, it looks sketchy but is OK if you cross on RR. On the ridge after &amp; above the small gully look for cairns which mark where you descend into the big gully. You can't continue along the ridge as it cliffs out. I don't think the descent is really difficult or dangerous (others may disagree) but it's very slow &amp; awkward going. When you are low in the gully be sure to stay on RR which traverses out left. If you continue directly down to Rio Colorado there are a few gullys perpendicular to the Rio Colorado valley. They are very steep sided &amp; you can only cross them by staying on RR. Stayed at hut before Rio Colorado bridge, it's 1 KM off the RR. Again it is used by arrieros but there was no one there. As I was leaving in the morning I saw them coming in.<br /> <br /> Followed Tomas's suggestion &amp; found a good track all the way to Lake 2300M. After the lake don't ascend by the waterfall which is steep &amp; nasty. Instead, at the lake looking towards the waterfall go up a small ridge on the RHS of lake, then traverse left to come in above the waterfall on its right. Cross the stream above the waterfall &amp; find a small horse trail which goes through a breach in the cliff &amp; leads to open ground on the way to the pass. This option bypasses all the nasty &amp; loose scree &amp; is much easier. Saw about 30 condors feasting on a carcass near the pass. Met the guards @ Laguna Mondaca, they were very hospitable as detailed by Kris &amp; Stiina. The 1000M climb to the pass after Laguna Mondaca is steep, sandy &amp; without shade or water, best tackled early in the morning. I continued out to Parque Ingles in 1 long day from Laguna Mondaca. Although I walked GPT5 &amp; 6 separately it was no drama as the section from Parque Ingles to/from El Bolson is very quick &amp; easy. The last bus was gone but it was easy to hitch out. <br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-23 to 2022-Dec-27 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Tomáš'''<br /> <br /> I combined with GPT 06 (info for that section there).<br /> <br /> First about 30 km is basicaly a minor dirt road (with no traffic), there is plenty of water (but from the last bridge almost to first ford, there is no water - you are in a valley but on a ridge), a cherry tree 15 km in. After 10.km or so it starts to be scenic (and the road more trail-like and less-road like). Cell coverage for about 5 km until a big hazelnut orchard. This can be walked in one day, it is really easy and straightforward so a speed of 4 km/hour is easily maintained. Then it starts :-). Until above Rio Negro, the trail is mostly there. And it is quite doable to reach Rio Negro in two (long) days. In the morning (9AM), the water is just knee deep, I crossed where Martin and Helena did. I agree the descent is quite ok (during daylight!).<br /> <br /> From there, the traverse to Rio Colorado is annoying, slow and fully CC. One really needs to go down that gulley. I would not say it is very dangerous but care is certainly needed and slips could result in broken limbs. The bridge is there, with nice tress to have lunch under. The bridge looks quite solid and there is a puesto nearby, so I guess it is maintained. Rio Colorado could be forded in the morning I guess if needed (especially more upstream), but I am glad the bridge was there. From the bridge about 500 metres are annoying, one needs to get on top of the plateau across from the puesto. From there on, there is a fairly decent horse trail all the way to about 2300 where there is a lake with a beach. I am not sure I understand my predecesors, I think they must have missed it, the first half of the trail is accurate with the GPX though. The second half (when it goes from the river to the lake and to the pass), one needs to go lower than the GPX.<br /> <br /> Just after the crossroads where one trail goes to the litle Descabezado, there is a warm slow stream. I could not tell if it was thermal or sun-warmed.<br /> <br /> The descent to Mondaca is quite long and the trail is not always clear, but no climbing is needed, there is always a way. There is a signpost saying it is private in the middle of the valley. The fords are all manageable. I waved at an arriero before the private huts (the huts are by the lake). In the huts, I have not met anybody but it seemed someone might have been inside.<br /> <br /> I agree that the comnecting trail to Thermas Azufre is annoying. It involves two fords that are not nice in the evening. I avoided them by going up on the slope on west side of the valley, but I do not recommend it, better to ford and stay in the valley. I do not think there is a trail as such: just CC.<br /> <br /> Took me five days to get to Thermas Azufre, met nobody apart from the ariero mentioned above. I recommend to time it so that you can sleep at the Thermas, there are about five or six places for a tent. Being in the pool and looking at the stars is really nice.<br /> <br /> I would argue this section is not that extraordinarily hard now that there is a bridge, but it is more demanding than the others so far.<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-12 to 2022-Dec-17 / 5.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Martin &amp; Helena'''<br /> <br /> Just like many others we chose to combine sections 5 and 6 with expected 8 days on the way, in reality it was about a half day longer. We have to agree with previous comments about the difficulty, eventhough we were prepared for it and expected the worst really which helped a lot after all.<br /> <br /> Starting from Los Quenes we followed the RR and after the gate next to the camp we run into a barbed wire fence that is restricting access to the RR, probably new construction site based on a sign we saw there. Its no problem, just follow the main car road the whole time. Its really nice walking for quite a long time, all the marked gates were opened. First river crossing was no problem in the evening, nice camp place a few minutes later with amazing views. First pass also ok, no one at the puesto.<br /> <br /> Second ford also ok at km 45, than CC section and descent to Rio Negro which was not so bad as expected, it gets steep but still ok. The river seemed to be pretty fast in the evening so there was no point in trying it, we waited until the morning and found actually a few nice places to cross (one with a small island in the middle where the river gets wider). The descent to valley of Rio Colorado took us a loong time, you have to be really careful and go slowly. We went through the gully most of the time. Its a long way until the bridge, but its there, safe to cross.<br /> <br /> The worst part for us was the traverse after the bridge and climb up where we lost the trail a few times and got into some steep sections with all the falling rocks and scree, not so safe in some places but there are probably better ways to find. On the way up you have to cross multiple river basins which is really exhausting, it worked for us to go more up the hill where it wasn’t so steep but still necessary to be careful. It hapenned to us more than once that really big rocks fell down under our legs or solid looking rocks we were holding onto just fell away - not much you can do after it.<br /> <br /> After the valley it gets much more interesting and trail is in good condition. Regarding the Mondaca valley - we were seen by an arriero close to the river but with no reaction, we havent met anyone near the guards houses as well so overall no problem with the right of way. Good camp place at the end of the valley.<br /> <br /> One last unpleasant part was the connection between the sections 5 and 6 - after multiple river crossings we were following the RR to connect to the climb up but got into a really steep section, again nothing funny. It might be better to follow the other trail that we saw in both garmin and our smartphone apps. These two go all the time next to each other but in this specific case it might be better to follow the other one as it connects to the climb earlier.<br /> <br /> Contact: @martin_hanzelka @helenneka<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> * '''2021-Dec-03 to 2021-Dec-09 / 7 days (GPT 05 + 06) / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Kris&amp;Stiina'''<br /> <br /> We also decided to combine sections 5 and 6 to avoid in’n’out to and from Parque Inglés. It took us 6 and a half days and some of it was bloody hard. I have never before experienced my ass being handed over to me by a trail. We got beaten to the point where first signs of weakness started to show and I have to admit we kind of even started discussing a plan B and bailing this ditch trail. But only for a moment, once you hit the rock bottom there is only one way to go - up! It was literally and figuratively, and as terrain improved so did our mood and we laughed off the silly thoughts we had had earlier. <br /> <br /> The first 45km of the section 5 were great, awesome hiking and then shit hit the fan real quick. Ascent up from the ford at km 45 was hard but alright. And then came the descent down to Rio Negro (51km), very steep and very loose scree slope. We wanted to make it to Rio Colorado for the night to cross it early in the morning in case there is no bridge. But because the trail or I must rather say the lack of it was really taking more time than we expected, by the time we got to Rio Negro it was already getting dark. The river was very rapid and murky so you couldn’t gauge the depth of it and couldn’t see where to step, we had to really concentrate to cross it, luckily it was only balls deep.<br /> <br /> It was dark as we got across it and we continued the fun, albeit type 2 fun, illuminated by our headlamps. Then came the insanely steep gully that allowed you to enter the valley of Rio Colorado. Something was off with the elevation lines on Gaia and it showed that we will be descending right over the cliff, it was luckily only a glitch. As we couldn’t see much ahead we kept descending ever so carefully on this very very challenging terrain, I would even go as far as to say that it was stupid and outright dangerous. But there was no other way, you just had to stay focused. There were also some rocks falling off the cliff under which we were descending. In a sense night was a good time to do it because you couldn’t see all the dangers - only what lie within the beam of the headlamp. <br /> <br /> Then came an extremely slow going, pretty much crawling speed traverse down to Rio Colorado, which we fully improvised as there was no trail anyway and got down to Rio colorado about a kilometer before the bridge, where we set up camp abit past midnight. <br /> <br /> So yes, the bridge was there - a decent one, seemed permanent and it was a relief that we at least don’t have to start the day by risking our lives fording Rio Colorado. The river was pretty wide and the current seemed pretty fast, it wasn’t murky though but you couldn’t see how deep it really was. But we think it could have been forded in case there would be no bridge. There were a few places that looked doable with somewhat laminar flow. The excitement of the existence of the bridge didn’t last too long as we were slapped back into reality by the difficult terrain, it wasn’t as dangerous anymore as the previous night but difficult nevertheless. Once we got closer to the pass the trail appeared and it was actually pleasant hiking once again. <br /> <br /> To sum it up the descent down to the Rio Colorado valley, then traversing it and the first part of crawling out of the valley sucks big time, but the rest of the section is really nice and not too challenging terrain-wise. I wouldn’t want to skip this section because it had some breathingtaking views. Just that on the hard part of it you can’t really enjoy any of it as all your effort is elsewhere. <br /> <br /> The guards at Laguna Mondaca were the nicest people we have met in Chile so far. They invited us to stay at the property, gave us food and drinks. They insisted we don’t use any of our supplies or gear. They even provided us with a room with a bed and we got to recharge all of our electronics and got a hot shower aswell. It was perfect! And just to make it clear there are no fancy villas there just a few small simple houses where the owner of the property comes for fishing once in a while. And guards weren’t armed either. <br /> <br /> It took us 4 days to get to Laguna Mondaca and not far after it we joined the section 6 which took 2 and a half more days. <br /> <br /> Section 6 was really something, we haven’t had such a strong otherworldly experience anywhere else. It was really like being on another planet at times. The blue sky was the only thing that gave it away that we were still on Earth. Really bizarre landscape and definitely the most beautiful breathtaking section of the six that we have done so far. <br /> <br /> Regarding the difficulty, compared to section 5 it didn’t feel that difficult at all. Walking on sand is challenging, yes, especially going uphill. But on the other side going down is much easier on the soft sand - you can just run/jog without much impact on your body as the sand absorbs it all. Shoes got completely wrecked and we took many “shoe-emptying” breaks because they were just filled with rocks and coarse sand. <br /> <br /> We even took a dip in one of the lakes close to Descabezado and seeing how water is just coming out of the sand and turning into a river was really really cool, just as the whole landscape around there. <br /> <br /> We camped at the lake about 5km from Los Cipreses. When we arrived to the road to take bus to Talca the bus stop didn’t have any schedule and the shop close by was closed. So we couldn’t find out about the bus schedule and the traffic on the road seemed pretty dead. But luckily after 15 min of waiting a car that was going to Talca picked us up, perfecto! <br /> <br /> Overall plenty of water on both sections, a lot of exposure to the sun, and some challenging terrain. It all together made for a great experience, just what we were looking for. It humbled us and we definitely had to adjust our expectations and recalibrate our way of hiking, it is GPT - not more and not less. <br /> <br /> 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<br /> <br /> ==Season 2020/21==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-24 / 7 days (GPT 5 + 6) / Hiking / SOBO/ Ian Hikes'''<br /> <br /> Overview: So, I decided to combine GPT sections 5 and 6 in order to avoid a 30k out and back resupply section into parque ingles. I thought this was a good decision for me and really enjoyed being out there for a week. In my opinion this was the hardest section of the GPT in between sections GPT 01-10. I went the first 5 days without seeing another person which I thought was quite cool. So, these two sections are quite remote, and you are way out there in the mountains. There was also some pretty intense river crossing in “GPT Section 5” that I found to be manageable (keep in mind I’m 185cm and have lots of thru hiking experience.) but still a little difficult. The rivers were also very dark and murky which made it hard to see where you would step. There was also an improvised bridge crossing the Colorado River that I used, and thought was safe to use. These two sections are dominated by a volcanic profile with much of the route on ash and volcanic rock. Most of the route is very exposed and there are not many trees or vegetation that grow in the volcanic ash/rocks. There was plenty of water with springs coming out of the hills everywhere and then disappearing into the sand.<br /> <br /> Difficulties: It was slow going walking thru the sand, especially when hiking vertically. Exposure to the sun. River crossings. Isolation and remoteness. Hiking up and down lose rock and scree fields.<br /> <br /> Highlights: Hot Springs. Great views of the volcanic region. Mountain Lakes. Sunrise and Sunsets were epic with the landscape. <br /> <br /> Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions at ultratrailca@gmail.com <br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-08 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Martina &amp; Ivo '''<br /> <br /> Six (hard) days for this section. After the first pass there was a tiny snowfield to cross, nothing to worry about. River crossings didn't cause any problems. The bridge Puente Las Yeguas was in excellent condition. The navigation through the cross country parts was quite demanding and took us a lot of time. Right of way conflict before the Laguna Mondaca: The whole valley is private property and belongs to a guy who comes by helicopter for fly fishing at the weekends. His guards spotted us several hours before we arrived at their puesto but welcomed us very friendly and explained everything. They let us camp at the Estero del Volcan. At Parque Ingles we found food and accommodation. There is a bus to Molina (for schedule see section &quot;Transport to and from Route&quot;).<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-09 / 8 days / Hiking /SOBO / RR + OH to the Hot Springs / Ty &amp; America '''<br /> <br /> 7 nights 8 days for us. Super tough section. The entire area around Rio Colorado is extremely challenging; down &amp; up. We went the alternate route to the Hot Springs. (OH-CC-A@05-C-#001). I was tough with multiple steep gullies, then we got there to see the hot springs were COLD. Then the optional hike to<br /> Re connect with the RR from the hot springs (OH-CC-A@05-E-#002) was completely impassable. I didn’t go all the way up to the canyon wall. All I could see were route that would take some serious climbing. We had to down climb and take the lower route to climb up again. Property dispute near Volcan Mondaco had no problems. Quiet and didn’t seem like anybody was there for us. Parque Inglés - Molina Bus leaves at 7 am on the weekdays, we hitchhiked.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-17 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + optional to meet optional start of GPT06/ Matus &amp; Anna '''<br /> <br /> It took us 5 days including 1 zero due to bad weather. <br /> I agree with everything what was written in previous updates for GPT05. Cross country sections were difficult, but in some of them we managed to find old unused trails which worked for us. <br /> River crossings - Rio Claro in the afternoon was ok. Rio Negro in the afternoon was REALLY challenging, almost not doable. After hour of trying we managed to find one spot we could cross. I wouldn't want to cross Rio Colorado without that bridge at any time. <br /> Optional trail to meet optional start of section 6 was fine in the valley. Problem was to connect it to the climb. We had to climb very steep slope to get there. From that point trail was in good condition.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-19 / 8,5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Melissa'''<br /> <br /> It took me 6 full days (5-9 hrs hiking) and 1 1/2 day (3 hrs.) not including 1 day of 0 hiking due to weather-rain and needing rest. Route finding, the three inclines of over 3,000-4,000 feet of elevation gain in a mile was insane, terrain-gotta love sand. The entire incline up Las Animas white crumbly/soft sand and make sure you have plenty of water here because the white reflecting sand and sun can easily dehydrate you and there is nowhere to get water except this flat section near the top that has very little stream from snow melt. Crumbling rock/scree that is barely able to be hiked up with a waterfall in between after think it was called Laguna Grande tracks #61.7-67.2 end of that track. Take the route up to the left where the rock is tan don’t hike up the black it’s dangerously eroding. The gps was not helpful in that section because all three directions seemed correct (right,left or up the waterfall). I had no issues with right of way dispute. I agree with all that is stated above. Very hard and challenging section.<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> *Quentin Clavel (2024-apr-09) <br /> Los Quienes : at least two supermercados with good resupplies (enough for me, almost everything you need). <br /> Few cabanas, I've been at the cabanas Tia Ely, just next to the supermercado Claudia (when you face the carabineros, on the right side, 50m after the curve). <br /> 40K for cabana, 15k for a room. +5k for breakfast. Lovely people. They didn't charged me for cleaning my clothes in their washing machine. <br /> <br /> Possibility to eat, in the restaurant, that is mostly used by the workers, it seems like a cafeteria and it's quite ok. Pizzeria is not perfect but doing the job. There's a Feria as well with few food trucks, but everything was closed when I was there. <br /> <br /> * 2021-Dec-03 to 2021-Dec-09 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Kris&amp;Stiina<br /> The guards at Laguna Mondaca were the nicest people we have met in Chile so far. They invited us to stay at the property, gave us food and drinks.<br /> <br /> *2019-Dec-08 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Martina &amp; Ivo <br /> <br /> At Parque Ingles we found food and accommodation.<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> <br /> *Bus timetable Curico to Los Queñes obtained in January 2020<br /> [[:File:CuricoQuenes.jpg]]<br /> <br /> *2019-Dec-8 <br /> <br /> Monday to Thursday: Molina-Radal: 17:00 // Radal-Molina: 07:30<br /> <br /> Friday: Molina-P.Ingles: 17:00 // Radal-Molina: 07:30<br /> <br /> Saturday: Molina-P.Ingles: 11:30 // 13:30 / P.Ingles-Molina: 18:00<br /> <br /> Sunday: Molina-P.Ingles: 09:00 // P.Ingles-Molina: 15:30 / 17:00<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> *2019-Dec-08 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Martina &amp; Ivo <br /> <br /> Right of way conflict before the Laguna Mondaca: The whole valley is private property and belongs to a guy who comes by helicopter for fly fishing at the weekends. His guards spotted us several hours before we arrived at their puesto but welcomed us very friendly and explained everything. They let us camp at the Estero del Volcan. At Parque Ingles we found food and accommodation. There is a bus to Molina (for schedule see section &quot;Access to route&quot;).<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT05 - Río Colorado]]<br /> <br /> =Images=<br /> <br /> [[File:gpt 05.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|[[Volcán Planchón]] from GPT05, by [http://benoit.mirouse.free.fr/index.php/patagonie-2018/recit-photos/6-decembre/ Benoit Mirouse]]]</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT08_(Volcan_Chillan)&diff=120913 2025-04-01T22:00:50Z

<p>MiaimZelt: /* Season 2024/25 */</p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;packrafting&quot;, as above):<br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD, WHAT IS ENCLOSED IN &lt;&gt; MAKES IT BLUE):<br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/nowiki&gt;.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Overview=<br /> <br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> *'''2025-03-27 to 2025-03-31 / 4.5 days hiking / SOBO / OH 02 + RR + OH E + OH G + OH H + own route around Puesto/ MiaimZelt'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: Came from Talca and took the 2pm bus from Terminal Merced to Termas de Chillán. Arrived at 4:30pm and was the last one in the bus. Had to walk 1.5km on the road to reach OH 02. The trail to Pass {08-02} [2.8/2371] was easy, but very steep. No fun, i was stressed a lot because of time pressure, had only 3 hours of daylight left. Hurried down through the incredible Valle Aguas Calientes - what a pity! First hot spring was already occupied with tents. Could have camped near a hot river, but maybe not easy to reach the hot river in the dark. Therefore i continued until Camp {08} [40.4/2150]. Don't recommend this place, the evening and night was super windy, although it was less windy at the pass! Didn't dare to leave the tent to take a bath and didn't fall asleep before 3am. <br /> <br /> Day 2: Prepared everything and took a bath in the morning. So good!! RR was wet and sometimes not visible in the valley. Improved soon. Ford {08} [47.4/1390] was below knee and fast flowing. Ford {08} [48.4/1334] was mid tigh (i'm 1.73) and fast flowing. At Puesto {08} [49.6/1423] i saw 2 simple huts: one was locked. Ford {08} [50.5/1305] was possible dry feet. Ford {08} [64.1/1164] was also possible dry feet. Went to Camping Los Peucos and met 2 guys from Conaf. They told me the Camping is now officially closed due to problems with administration. Arrived late and was allowed to stay, very nice gardaparques. I hope they reopen soon, this place is awesome.<br /> <br /> Day 3: Short day due to weather forcast: 35l rain and 80km/h winds in the evening and night. All 4 fords at the MR were easy and low, but Ford {08} [71.3/1089] was very long. At least 5 apple trees at OH E! Sendero Los Ratones is nice, but some fallen trees. Searched for a camspot near the pass in the lenga forest. Stayed here on a not really flat place: <br /> -37.128033, -71.3195. Indeed tons of rain after 8pm. <br /> <br /> Day 4: Started late at 10am, when rain stopped. Again some fallen trees. Soon i found better and bigger places to camp in the forest, the altitude-lines didn't let me expect this. No more dust! Trail until Laguna Roble was nice and beautiful. Below Laguna Roble i found a rabbit caught in a wire loop. I freed the poor animal, 100m further i saw a dead rabbit in another wire loop. Both campspots at Laguna Roble are nice and well protected in case if bad weather. <br /> Was lucky to climb to Pass {08} [100.6/2035] (El Encanto) on a cool day. Great views from the ridge! Also nice trail. After X {08} [105.4/1934] 200m CC. Camp {08} [106.6/1938] isn't flat. Followed the wrong trail and continued CC at the same altitude until i reached the RR again. Took OH G to get to Laguna Hermosa. Easy CC. Didn’t like the camp at the beach, not good in case of unstable weather. Stayed here: -37.27434, -71.383359 a bit further up. 100m below there is a well sheltered spot between bushes. Started snowing after i pitched the tent. Very cold night.<br /> <br /> Day 5: Sunny day, but cold and some snow at the mountains. The following km at the ridge were a bit difficult due to snow and ice. Snow covered the trail and made it difficult to follow. Fortunately i saw animal footprints - wild animals appriciate our trails! Took OH H, there is a nice trail. The beginning of the descent was very steep and still frozen. Improved in the forest. Met two Arrieros with horses and 4 aggressive dogs. Wanted to sneak around Puesto {08} [120.6/1513] to avoid right-of-way issue. First try was a fail - the vegetation was way too dense. Here -37.347131, -71.391773 i could follow an animal trail, which leads to a big meadow. Hiked on the meadow to the MR. Only downside: i was visible from the house, nothing happened. I guess: it's possible to sneak in NoBo when walking early or late when it's dark. Nice trail near Estero El Toro. Walked on the PR and got a very friendly hitch with a chilean couple to Los Ángeles.<br /> <br /> *''' 2025-03-14 to 2025-03-16 /3 days / HIKING/ NOBO / OH 02 + RR /Chloe and Mathieu<br /> <br /> We tried to to take the OH06 to avoid the right of way issue but when you go Nobo you have to go through the hydroelectrical central. For that you have to go there with one of the landowner located after the central. So we followed the advice of Robin and Manon and contacted Engelbert Egger (+56992392826). He's very Kind but he wasn't in Abanico at this time so he gave us the number of an other man wo has a puesto after the central. He wasn't available as well so we decided to start from Termas de Chillan to avoid this part. <br /> <br /> Day 1 : we started from Termas de Chillan and took the OH 02. We went up to the pass, easy trail. We went down to the agua caliente valley, very beautifull and almost all rivers are hot. There is one amazing just after the camp [37.3/2157] where you can bath. <br /> We slept at camp 40.3 where the hot spring is so nice as well. <br /> <br /> Day 2: we went up to the pass 39.1 quite sandy but the ascent is short. When we went down we lost the RR because we followed a more obvious trace so keep looking at the GPS. We <br /> reached RR again and followed the route until pass 33.2. Then we went down to the valley of estero Quebrado. At camp 29.5 we lost the track and ended in bamboo fight, so stay to the right side of the estero and it will be fine. <br /> We reached Rio Ñuble and crossed it preatty easily at the exact point on Locus because rivers are lower at this time of the year. We camped here S 36° 48.882', W 071° 15.278' but the camp 20.3 is fine also. The other places are protected by fences and big signs are saying that camping is prohibited.<br /> Day 3: we walked all the way to Puente Engles and found a lift to go to San Fabian de Alico. We slept at the Jahuel camping (15min from center and 8000p/p) nice restaurant : Zambie I Canuta.<br /> Took the bus next morning at 6:20AM to Chillan.<br /> <br /> *'''2025-02-23 to 2025-03-02 / 8 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Eric and Jakob'''<br /> <br /> Route: <br /> We sticked to the main route the whole time. !!!We had problems at the end of the main Route. Its best to use Option 6 (Rayenco) to avoid right of ways issue.!!!<br /> <br /> Travel:<br /> At this section our trip ended that’s why we hitchhiked to Antuco and even though it was Sunday we were able to buy a ticket for a nightbus directly from Antuco to Santiago. The bus left at 22:15 and arrived at 05:30 the following day costing the two of us 54 euros. <br /> <br /> Permissions:<br /> In the beginning is a gate a little bit before the marked gate at kilometre 22.8. The gate has signes on it stating that everything is private property and nobody is allowed to enter. The land is owned by a really nice man called Juan. His phone number is +56973133339. He is carrying his phone all the time so just give him a call before entering. He was really friendly to us and gave us immediate permission to cross his territory.<br /> When entering Parque Nacional Laguna del Laja don’t worry about getting a permission to continue hiking. We went to the Park Ranger at km 63.9 and he told us that no permission is needed to cross the national park.<br /> !!!The landowner at km 120.6 doesn’t let any hiker pass! No matter whether hiking SOBO or NOBO. There is also no way to get a permission. That’s why we highly recommend taking the Option 6 (Rayenco) to avoid these problems. He is a really straightforward person who makes you turn around no matter of how much water or food you still have left.!!!<br /> 
Resupply:<br /> No shops on the whole trail.<br /> <br /> Attractiveness: 4-5/5<br /> Difficulty: 4/5<br /> <br /> *'''GPT 08 / 2025-02-13 to 2025-02-07/ 7 days / NOBO / Mara &amp; Tobias*'''<br /> <br /> short: Avoided the right of way conflict at Puesto {08} [121.6/1513] by taking the ridge (difficulty 6). Water {08} [107.7/1951] is almost dried out. Aggressive cows in the valley close to Camp {08} [89.4/1449].<br /> <br /> Day 1: startet at Gate {08} [126.2/1339] at 12:30 and met Enrico there, who told us to not pass. After chatting a bit with him he told us to wait 20 minutes, until he left with the car and go for the ridge. So we entered after a while, went up the road and found water at -37.35773, -71.38068. From the satellite images variant A (photo) looked ok, but in real live seemed to be a bad idea. So we went for variant B, which took us 3 hours. Very steep, loose rocks, one part with climbing (difficulty 2). With the food for 7 days in the backpack not a joy 😂. While we were climbing up, we saw 3 cars passing the road. So be aware when you sneak in. Camped at laguna los Cóndores. Perfect Spot!<br /> <br /> Day 2: walked to Camp {08} [107.6/1938]. The marked spot should be shifted up to 37.24611 -71.39138 the shoulder right before (NOBO). Met Adrian, Julian and Valentin there who camped SOBO and camped beside us. Had nice conversations. Adrian warned us about the aggressive cows next day.<br /> <br /> Day 3: Went to Camp {08} [88.1/1514] and met Clara on the way. Cows close to Camp {08} [89.4/1449] showed an aggressive behaviour. Maybe it was the herd who were hunting the boys the day before. We had to do a 20 minutes detour up the valley to keep distance. <br /> <br /> Day 4: Went to camping Los Peucos and enjoyed the hot water.<br /> <br /> Day 5-7: walked to Puente Inglés without difficulties. Crossed Río Nuble with dry feet on horseback’s. 2 Arrieros (Guillermo and Renato) took us on the other side. Water was not deep either.<br /> <br /> <br /> *'''10Fev2025 - 17fec2025 / hiking SOBO / RR - OH1+new - varE - G - H - I - J / 7.5 days (with one half day at termas) / Clara'''<br /> <br /> Left the bus to Puente El Ingles here -36,67295, -71,29201 before los sauces (as Tomáš and Natalie said), easy road to the river and dry feet crossing. <br /> Lots of workers there, I was luckey to get a ride to El Roble after few hot MR walking km. <br /> Carabineros are nice, just want you to register and check out you have a good gps + satellite. <br /> <br /> <br /> Fords : <br /> - Rio ñuble: at 10am deep and flowing fast, I didn't feel it (1.57m, alone and i'm not used to fords). I knew it would probably be like this so I took OH1 and went back RR (thanks a lot Peggy and Dorota!!). Ford at the indicated place on OH1 is easy, water to knee flowing slow at noon. <br /> <br /> -Rio diguillin : 47.4 was easy (fast flowing but around knee). 48.4 harder (water to crotch, flowing fast), I did it few meters upper to tracks (exactly here : -36,93565, -71,40355)<br /> <br /> <br /> Navigation : <br /> <br /> - to avoid ford of rio ñuble : OH1 is easy with 2 nice camp spots (-36,85676, -71,22440 and -36,86615, -71,21507) and lot of streams flowing. Trail in the other direction is mainly in good conditions but sometimes disappear + cow paths make you going in bushes and loosing time (so if it can helps, this is 4 positions that I marked with my gps when I went back on the good trail just after loosing myself : <br /> S36.852906° O071.228763° /<br /> S36.850995° O071.230381° /<br /> S36.844944° O071.235431° /<br /> S36.839085° O071.245746°)<br /> <br /> Maybe (probably), there are other easy spots earlier to ford Rio ñuble and take the trail at the opposite side, especially when it gets close to the river, but I didn't explore it at all. <br /> And back on the other side of Rio ñuble... 3h30 later !! But I was very happy with it as it worked and was very easy. <br /> <br /> -I found not so much bamboo fight, maybe it have been cleared by all the people passing. I avoided one taking the good trail on the other side of the river around camp 29.5. 2 additional fords but very easy. (Cross river here S36.856564° O071.75578°, and then here S36.858440° O071.279470° to go back on RR)<br /> <br /> - CC part on the ridge after km113 is more demanding in terms of navigation and terrain. Some cairns helping (but once leed me in wrong and exposed direction). I ended up on varH without noticing but it felt good as there was less wind than directly on the ridge and a good trail. <br /> <br /> - I had still lot's of food so I took the ridge slow and went for the lakes (thank's to Sergio advise, and food!). Var G for laguna hermosa is easy CC, 20 min down. The lake is a beautiful ++ spot to camp (or lunch/swim), I found it way nicer than Laguna El Roble ! No water flowing upper to the lake at this time but water from the lake is perfectly clear and fresh. <br /> Var I looked nicer than RR for this steep going down. <br /> Then var J : good trails to go to laguna El Toro and to the viewpoint of laguna los condores. Not sure if you really can go down at this one and didn't look like there is place to camp. <br /> <br /> <br /> Camp : <br /> <br /> - Planned to camp at Camp 20.3 but the place was not nice and no water so went to next spot not marked here -36,81470, -71,25463. (Camp 21.6 is not good too, there is a fence and private property)<br /> <br /> - -36,85684, -71,27580. A bit before camp 29.5. <br /> <br /> - termas 40 : very nice spot. Incredible termas !!<br /> <br /> - camping Los Peucos : nothing to add about termas and camping. Sergio is amazing and very generous. The day after he had to do some stuff with trashes and he proposed me to come with him by car. He took me to the viewpoint of salto del blanquillo on OH3 that was nice and then left me around beginig of VarE<br /> <br /> - camp 87.1 : nice fresh water flowing just down to the spot.<br /> <br /> - camp 102.3 : there is actually a thin water just down, sufficient to cook and drink. The spot has an amazing view. Flat spot perfect for tent exactly here -37,21391, -71,37187. Not totally wind protected so better watch before how it's gonna be for the night ! <br /> <br /> - laguna El Toro : is not as perfect as laguna hermosa (and water is not as fresh and clear, maybe better to take water from the little stream on the path going down to the lake) but it's still a nice place to camp. Frozed in the night. <br /> <br /> <br /> Water : 27.5 is not really good (more muddy and stagnant water). Other markers are good. <br /> <br /> No snow. <br /> <br /> <br /> Right of way issues : <br /> - at puesto 120 : 5 very agressive dogs running and barking on me when I arrived. As others, the guy told me it's a private property and doesn't let people go since this season (because of trashes and fires). He was not angry and had to let me pass in this way but precise me that he won't let anyone in the opposite. Need to find an alternative way if you really want to go NOBO here, and don't approch the puesto.<br /> <br /> - cows around km88 where not aggressive with me but not friendly type neither. <br /> <br /> I can advise camping parque Antuco. Nice and calm place with shade and swimming pool. Homemade empanadas. Camp10k with electricity and perfect hot showers. Bernabe the owner is really nice and know about the GPT. Had really good talks with him !<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2025-JAN-29 to 2025-Feb-2 / 4.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Option 1 / Elijah &amp; Michael<br /> <br /> Rio Nuble remains a challenging crossing with water coming waist high at 174 cm. Trail is overgrown with Bamboo Grass up to the second pass, however improves thereafter. <br /> <br /> Both the undeveloped termas after the second pass, as well as Los Peucos are highly recommended. Camping &amp; rustic cabanas available at Los Puecos; as noted, Sergio is warm, welcoming, and generous with his available supplies. <br /> <br /> El Puesto {08} [120.6/1513] informed us that we were trespassing on private property and allowed us to pass on the stipulation that we never return. <br /> <br /> Antuco Base Camp sells hot coffee, cookies, chocolate, and at lunch, pizza. Light traffic on road to Antuco (Sunday). <br /> <br /> (Option 1: Michael split from RR to hike this option. Second marked puesto busy &amp; welcoming. No water available after basin before ridge walk, until Laguna el Lobo. Good views, comparable to Traversia Polcura.) <br /> <br /> '''2024-01-16 to 2014-01-26 / 1day+10days / Hiking / SOBO / RR+OH 1+new trail / Dorota+Peggy till los Puecos, after that Dorota'''<br /> <br /> Very demanding stage because of Rio Nuble<br /> <br /> 1Day: I walked alone and have idea to cross the river Nuble at km 22.0 km (-36.82021, -71.25381) at first gate. Then followed river, and after puesto I found trail. My idea was destroyed for next river and also on the other side I did not see possibility to continúe. So I backtrack to camping El Ingles and joined Peggy.<br /> <br /> Day2: We could not crossed safely Nuble. Night at km 21.6<br /> <br /> Day3: We continued option 08-01. It was possiblity of storm so we went to puesto (08-01)[8.0/1136]. We spent here night and learned how to made sopapillas and bread. Patricia y Juan gave us a lot of food. Juan explain us that exist path on other side of river (reffering to option1) which leads to termas. <br /> <br /> Day4: We risked to follow his innstruction and we reached the track RR. So if you would like to do this option: take variant 01, cross the river Nuble at about km 6.5 (-36.86712,-71.21317). And then not followed option 1. Instead turn right and followed path on the other side. You need to make some adicional kilometers, but it was worth of it. <br /> <br /> Day5: we reached termas. There was nice spot with two places for tent.(-36.90435, -71.35763)<br /> <br /> Day6: volcano Chillan using variant Natalie-Tomas. Till 2500 m nice visible path. Then sometimies. There were snowfields, only one with spikes. We met pair from Germany.<br /> <br /> Day7: We spend a lot of time for find good place for passing river Daulagin. We have crossed 100 m down stream. I have 1.64 cm, peggy 1.60 cm. Cuarrent very strong, water to hips. I reached camping los Puecos.<br /> <br /> Day7: Rest day at Puecos. Night at &quot;quincho&quot; house with place for fire. Price 15.000 clp. Ranger Sergio gave us a lot of food, breakfast and dinner. Also gas and food. He didnot like money adicional. Hot springs excepcional.<br /> <br /> Day9: I followed trail alone. Between 82.9 and 84.2 a lot tress and sometimes trail is not visible. Night at km 88.4.<br /> <br /> Day 10: views from the ridge were amazing. Between km 110.2 and 113.1 the trail very often is not visible. I camped at km 111. Water from snow.<br /> <br /> Day11: There were not water till km 117. Meeting with Rodrigo at his puesto were not so bad. At the beginnig I started to apologize that I am on his territory. Night at camping Antuco in luxury cabana for 4 personas. Price 30000 clp. Owner in the evening took me to Abanico to restaurant and buying some food. Very nice place.<br /> <br /> '''2025-Jan-20 to 2025-Jan-27 / 7 days + 1 day / Hiking / SOBO / RR from thermas de Chillán, Option 08-D + volcano Chillán / Chris &amp; Julia<br /> '''<br /> <br /> Tldr: Final ridge is difficult (navigation &amp; terrain), we had insane winds. Water [118.3/1733] is campable. All fords managable (2 pers, one 181cm), one a bit tricky to navigate. Option 08-D preferable. Dont miss out on Los Peucos!<br /> <br /> Skipped due to Rio Nubles to valles de agua caliente.<br /> Climbing volcan Chillán was a nightmare made from ashes and loose rocks. Saw condors from maybe 5m away and got blessed with amazing views. it took us in total approx. 7hrs. Many snowfields to cross and no real path, its just... very very steep.<br /> Valle de agua caliente was very nice, but also crowded. The water is not particularly hot, but relaxing &amp; nice during daytime. The first river that needs to be crossed to join the RR was pretty hot (almost burned my foot when crossing). We were a bit bummed, we didnt try to find a bathing spot there, away from the people and with some steam ;)<br /> Fording Rio Diguilli approx hip high and medium current, second crossing was easier than first but hard to navigate. At the marked location is a good spot, just hard to get there as the path was swept away. We followed horse tracks, last 20m pushed through bushes, climbed down and then traced the river approx. 20-40m upstream to the marked fording and crossed there. <br /> Los Peucos is a heaven, no shop though, so plan supplies accordingly! If lucky and he had a recent resupply run, he might sell you some food, but its not certain. Sergio is super nice &amp; welcoming, hot pools are suuuuper relaxing! Wifi available. 15kCLP pp.<br /> We took Option 08-D (some CC that Sergio (Los Peucos) recommended) to only cross Rio Polcura once. We crossed approx 200m downstream of the marked location where it was more narrow, less current but a bit deeper. We did this because it was easier to judge whats coming and it was belly high, but due to little current very managable. Rather a nice cool dip. We saw horse tracks exiting the trail a bit earlier to the left than the Option 08-D. Arrieros know best, i suspect this might be their trail, worth checking out!<br /> As others mentioned before, we also took the road and not the RR parallel to the river. We saw arrieros use it on horses, but with backpacks its hard and not enjoyable.<br /> Camp [97.8/1456] at Laguna el Roble was a dream spot. The ascend after was a dream too, 2hrs, amazing views.<br /> Final ridge approx from the salida de emergencia ongoing was hard to navigate, challenging terrain, insane winds! Took longer than expected!<br /> Camp [106.6/1938] looked not flat but okay, but water supply rather trickling than flowing. <br /> We camped at not-marked location very close to Water [118.3/1733] (when the path gets muddy, after crossing the little flow from the left, little ascend and then to the right is a nice flat spot between fallen trees). The water is actually a source and had wonderful cold &amp; fresh water flowing. <br /> <br /> In Antuco we found through asking a shop owner a little room, hosted by nice lady Sara: 3 beds, power outlets, wifi (fast), shower (warm-ish), watercooker, microwave, clean, central (near bigmarket) for 40.000CLP per night for it all. Her Whatsapp: +56 9 8503 8261<br /> No kitchen though.<br /> <br /> Wonderful and diverse section! Loved every bit of it!<br /> <br /> '''2024-Jan-02 to 2024-Jan-12 / 3 days+8 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR, backtrack from Rio Nubles, OH02, OH02A / Nimrod &amp; Tamar<br /> '''<br /> In short - we didn't cross Rio nubles and backtracked to opt 02.<br /> Great hot springs<br /> An angry guy at puesto [120.6/1513]<br /> <br /> Trail from Puente Ingles is an MR. There is a lot of worker traffic and it's easy to hitchhike.<br /> At Camp [21.6/873] there is a fence and it's currently impossible to camp there. At the same spot there is a cable bridge. We climbed the fence and tried to cross, but the cart was on the other side of the river and we didn't see anybody.<br /> <br /> We camped near Rio Nubles ford waypoint in order to try it early in the morning.<br /> The current was too strong and we didn't maage to cross the river (we are 170 cm)<br /> We decided to go upstream using option 10, cross the river, and try to go back to RR on the other side.<br /> We crossed the river at (-36.86714, -71.21322) and started hiking south.<br /> It was hard BB and we hiked about 1.5 km in 4 hours.<br /> We saw the river got wide so we decided to cross it again, stop suffering, backtrack and take a bus to thermas de chillan.<br /> <br /> We took a bus from Chillan to Termas de Chillan at 13:30 on Sunday. We walked about 1 km on the paved road and climbed to the first hot springs. There was a small not so warm pool.<br /> <br /> 2nd day - we climbed to Volcan Chillan. There was some snow but it was easy without spikes.<br /> Slept in the amazing Valle de Agua Caliente and enjoyed a hot bath in the hot river at night.<br /> <br /> 3rd day - We planned to get to Los Peucos but decided to spend more time in the hot springs valley and started hiking at noon. The ford in [48.4/1334] was quite hard. At afternoon the water reached our belly button, current was strong, rock at bottom slippery. <br /> We camped near ford [50.5/1305]. There was a fir pit.<br /> <br /> 4th day - we hiked to Los Peucos. Sergio the ranger accepted selling us some food (flour, eggs, cheese, pasta, tuna, pastrami). Payed 15,000 clp each for food+hot spring+camp. The hot springs were amazing! The best so far for us. You get to fill your own pool before going in so it's clean and warm! There's wifi and a place to charge as well. <br /> <br /> 5th day - we camped at (-37.10491, -71.31605) no water. Saw puma foot prints the next morning, and a research camera a little before camp. <br /> <br /> 6th day - saw Laguna de laja and volcan Antuco from afar for the first time. camped near Laguna De Roble, swem and rested in the afternoon. Beautiful place! A lot of ducks.<br /> <br /> 7th day - the path was clear most of the time and the view really nice.<br /> We camped at (-37.178223,-71.235131) - beautiful place with a view to volcan Antuco, water from melted snow.<br /> <br /> 8th day - watch out as going down the trail to the last valley- it looks innocent, but is actually quite steep and dirt is slippery, and land is hard and painful to fall on. Had some nasty falls on our butts! <br /> At puesto [120.6/1513] a guy named Ricardo was angry at us for entering his private property, but had no choice but let us continue down.We think he might not let NOBO hikers go up the valley.<br /> Finally we hitchhiked to Antuco. There was a lot of traffic on Sunday.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''2024-Dec-21 to 2024-Dec-26 / 6 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR, variant E, Option 2 / Sean &amp; Neele<br /> '''<br /> <br /> At the park entrance on the road they asked where we were going, once we explained we were going north to termas de chillan they asked to see the route. Wasn't a problem they just seemed curious, let us in without paying.<br /> <br /> Puesto 120km - lots of people camping in this area on a Friday.<br /> <br /> 117km to 107km - snow present. It's manageable but slowed our progress. Around 113km is the worst of it. North of 107km some very small patches but nothing difficult.<br /> <br /> Camp 106.6km - very wet at the moment there's a better option about 500m sobo.<br /> <br /> Camp without water 102.3 - currently has plenty of water.<br /> <br /> Camped at camp 87.1km - lots of horseflies<br /> <br /> Ford 71.3km - easy at 4pm<br /> <br /> Ford 66.4, 64.1 and 63.7km - also easy<br /> <br /> Camping Los Puecos 63.9km - great spot hot spring was a bit too hot for us. Host was a legend; he brought us breakfast on Christmas.<br /> <br /> Ford 48.4km - Very strong. Crossed around 5:30pm hip deep for Neele (1.61m). We took our time finding a suitable place to cross and ended up about 250m upstream from RR.<br /> <br /> Camped at Ford 47.4km eastern side downstream there's a great camp spot with a fire ring.<br /> <br /> Hot spring 40.4km is really amazing<br /> <br /> We took option 2 to Termas de Chillan to avoid Rio Nuble. Some snow but really not a problem.<br /> <br /> <br /> * ''' 2024-DEC-18 &gt; 20 / 3 jours / Randonnée / SOBO / frontiere argentine(voir GPT07) &gt; RR &gt; frontiere argentine &gt; RR / Pierre-Marie ​​'''<br /> <br /> Etape : GPT07+GPT08<br /> | Meteo : soleil<br /> | Eau : facile<br /> | Neige : beaucoup<br /> | Intérêt : 5/5<br /> | Difficulté : 4/5<br /> | Danger : passage de rivière difficile, foret d'arbres morts, neige sur pente raide.<br /> <br /> Le passage du Rio Nuble n'est pas facile, meme le matin. La fin du sentier avant la grande montee est vraiment difficile a suivre car peu empruntée et milieu humide avec beaucoup de vegetation. En revanche la montée est parfaitement entretenue.<br /> La crete est un vrai plaisir, mais elle est exigente physiquement et il n'y a pas d'eau ni de sentier. Les parties sableuses sont difficile car il y a des trous sous le sable. Pour la descente vers le Rio Polcura, il suffit de suivre le sentier. La riviere est facile a passer.<br /> Ensuite la premiere partie vers le lac est en mauvais etat meme si le chemin est bien visible. La foret est morte alors attention aux chutes de branches. La derniere crete est tres belle, mais il y a beaucoup de neige dans des endroits tres raide. Impossible a faire si la neige est glacée. La derniere descente est propre mais il y a beaucoup de moustiques dans le grand pré. La fin du dernier jour s'est faite sous un ciel menaçant, je me suis depeché de descendre pour retrouver de la chaleur et des endroits plats en cas de pluie. J'ai rejoint Los Angeles le lendemain avec 4km de marche, 5km en stop, puis en bus depuis Abanico par le bus de 8h45.<br /> DEC-21 : Repos Los Angeles.<br /> <br /> * ''' 2024-DEC-13 to 2024-DEC-17 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + OH (var. E, 06, 06B) / Ivan, Jakub, Daniel '''<br /> <br /> This stage is full of incredible diversity, encompassing almost everything. Epic views, challenging terrain, walking on snow, beautiful wild forests, the majestic Chillán volcano, hardened lava flows, hot springs, arrieros, a ridge trail, and, so far, the most challenging ford we’ve encountered here (see below).<br /> <br /> We got back to the trail by hitchhiking from San Fabián in the early morning. The following section [km 2.8 to approx. 21.9] is not a trail as described in the track files, but rather a solid MR that is being worked on by laborers. The settlement at El Roble [12.7/758] is actually a police station where we checked in and provided our contact details. <br /> <br /> The ford [23.7/950] across the Ñuble River is the biggest challenge of this section. We first attempted it in a line of three, but our tallest member, Daniel (198 cm), who was first, found the water almost up to his chest and the strong current was beginning to pull us in. We turned back. It wasn’t safe to cross. Eventually, we found a rock 100 meters upstream where the water was deeper but the riverbed was narrower. With a run-up, we jumped one by one as far as we could, and on three steps, we made it to the opposite bank. We sent our backpacks across the riverbed using a rope and carabiner.<br /> <br /> The ascent to the saddle of the Chillán volcano is a beautiful hike, and the extensive and geologically fresh lava flow at the Trailhead [34.6/1873] is definitely worth mentioning. The crossing point is unmarked at about [35.1/1852]. Above 2150 m, everything was completely covered with snow. Spikes came in handy.<br /> <br /> The descent to the Río Diguillín valley was okay, and we camped near the ford [48.4/1334], which is also a nice spot for a bivouac. We crossed the mentioned ford in the morning, and the water reached my waist at a height of 178 cm. It’s worth noting that the marked ford [50.5/1305] could be crossed with dry feet. The trail towards Termas los Peucos [63.9/1191] is a relatively well-defined path trodden by local arrieros. At the hot springs, which cost 7000 CLP per person, there is also a camping, but we continued further along the MR. At about [75.0/1160], we originally turned down the RR, but due to the challenging BB, we reversed our decision and continued along the MR to variant E.<br /> <br /> From the Trailhead [80.5/1248], there is a pleasant path leading to the beautiful Laguna Laja. We camped at Camp [98.3/1459] by Laguna El Roble, where you need to slightly clear some bushes, but there is a nice spot for three tents and a fire pit. The ascent to the Pass [100.6/2035] (El Encanto) is quite pleasant due to its zigzagging path. There, we were captivated by the literally breathtaking view of the Antuco Volcano and Sierra Velluda. Unfortunately, due to an injury to one of our members' arches, we had to skip part of the ridge and finish the section using variants 06 + 06B. We deviated from the RR at point X [105.4/1934] and at Bus point {08-06B} [2.9/734], we hitchhiked to Los Angeles.<br /> <br /> * ''' (2024/Dez/01-2024/Dec/07) 7Days/ Hiking and Packrafting/ SOBO/ RR / Lukas, Basil and Tabea ​​'''<br /> <br /> Entry point st puente el Ingles. The street to el Roble is beeing newly built and very easy to walk ou but also boring. The crossing of rii nuble was only manageble with packrafts, the river crossing ob foot is not possible at the moment. The mountain Pass at 39.1 km was duable but there was still a lot of snow from ca. 36.2 to ca. Ford 47.4. The hot springs were worth all the effort! The crossing at 50.5km was at the limit (for a person 170cm, over belly button). It was only possible in a line, manageble but not recommended.<br /> Hot springs at camp 63.9 km are great. Ranger station has all the necessary commodoities, we spent an extra day there. From there on the road was well maintained until the laguna de la laja.<br /> Packrafting before 3pm was very hard and slow due to SO wind, in the afternoon the west-wind made progress possible. Water levels are unusually high at the moment. As we were tired cold we hitch hiked with a fisher boat to the end of the lake afer ca. 14 km paddeling. exit over highway next to national park laguna del laja.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> * '''24-11-29- 24-12-4/ 6 days / SOBO, OH02, RR, OH08F, RR, OH06/ Volker'''<br /> <br /> A great spring hike, but not an easy one! <br /> To avoid Rio Nubles so early in the season I took OH02 (bus from Chillan, rural station, to Valle las Trancas at 10.10 a.m. (2 buses each day go to Termas de Chillan, schedule: <br /> https://busesrembus.cl/en/services.php)<br /> and walked/hitchhiked the last kilometers to Termas. Started around 14:30. The snow began immediately after the hot spring at 4.8. I walked CC on the nearly untouched white coverage to the pass. The valley was almost completely under snow with some green patches. Rio Diguillin (no ford indicated): why keep feet dry, why keep anything dry? It‘s a stream at about 38 C with many whirlpools. I stayed over an hour there and camped not far: 10qm for a tent inmidst all the snow on a warm spring evening. The night and the following morning: quite cold. It was a good decision to add some 800g to my base-weight for a warm layer and gloves. <br /> <br /> Day 2: Got up at 6.a.m and climbed with a mini-backpack CC on Volcan Chillan Viejo, at 9 a.m. on the summit, great view! In the afternoon I walked NOBO to the hot spring at 40.3 on RR. Back at the tent, it started to rain, mixed with snow.<br /> <br /> Day 3: Started late, waiting for the weather to improve. To avoid the NOBO detour to the RR I climbed CC to join it. This was easy, the problems began on the RR. The whole trail was under snow, I had to permanently use my device to find the point of reentry into overgrown area after steep snowfields. Later less snow, but now many broken trees and branches blocked the way. No major problem, but I advanced slowly. First ford at 47.7: difficult. Second ford at 48.4: very difficult! That was no fun, strong stream over my thighs, I could dare it only, because I found a spot, where two rocks are quite close, so I had to stand the stream only for a second, before I could cramp to the next rock. The OSM here is not correct, perhaps the river has a new bed. After the puesto the trail was cleaned up/bypassing broken trees easier. I finally moved quicker. Camp at 57.0. <br /> Day 4: Difficulties continued. Very cold in the morning, wet socks and shoes frozen; 5 fords, that are not indicated, all no major problem, but none with dry feet. The swamp before the puesto at 61.7 is bigger now (in spring?), several hundred meters of the trail under water. Again more fords than indicated, all easy, but one: water (flowing slowly) to my belly (1,97m!). The water reached to the lower part of the backpack. Didn‘t see anyone at the Los Peucos camp site. At the ford at 71.3 the water was neither very high nor very strong, but more than 100m to go the other bank! The following MR very welcome, finally allowed to move quicker. Camp on RR at around 77.5 directly on the trail. <br /> <br /> Day 5: I took OH08F and walked the 28,6 km MR. Met several arrieros (very friendly!) and at the Embalse Vega Larga two fishermen, father and son, who „sold“ me (they didn‘t want to take<br /> money, I insisted) two fishes, they had just grilled over a fire. Ford at the end of the MR to get back to RR: difficult. The Laguna Laja has more water than on OSM, at the spot, where the ford is indicated, one could swim to the other side, but the backpack… Camp at Laguna Laja with an extraordinary view on the mountains in the south.<br /> Day 6: RR, trail first hardly visible, very good after the lake. On the ridge very windy, a lot of snow - but great view. On the way down the weather seemed to turn, so at 105.4 I took OH 06. The weather kept good, but nonetheless a good decision. When you are down in the valley, the trail and then the MR lead through a wonderful forest. Great spots to camp along the MR after the puesto (gate) but 100 before the Enel substation. <br /> Day 7: Clouds at around 900 hm, good to be down in the valley. On a hot summer day, it’s probably very annoying to walk 15 km on a dusty MR - on a cool morning in spring, it was the opposite, and shortened by half, as an Enel worker gave me a ride to the exit of the hydropower area; from there 30min to the PR, then hitchhiked to Antuco for resupply and walked back into the direction of Abanico, as I found a nice cabana in Peluca (Villa Peluca, +56 9 8920 5676). 15 min. after my arrival heavy rain and storm for several hours.<br /> <br /> *'''2024-04-12 to 2024-04-15 / 3 Days / Hiking SOBO) / RR / Alex + Andrey'''<br /> Option from Termas de Chillan<br /> My favorite section for autumn and a perfect weekend escape from the big city.<br /> Difficulty: Moderate<br /> It’s not hot and there’s almost no dust after a little rain. <br /> The foliage of the trees turns into autumn colors!<br /> Fords are simple.<br /> Although Ford (easy) {08} [48.4/1334] has unusually more water for mid-April, photo attached in FB post.<br /> Thanks to Matthias de Austria for clearing access to the stream at the west shore of Laguna Robles. It is a whole year source of fresh water before the ridge.<br /> The Lagunillas Camping now is https://www.parqueantuco.cl/<br /> <br /> * '''2024-03-24 to 2024-03-28 // 4,5 days // Hiking // NOBO // RR + VARIANT E + VARIANT D // Quentin Clavel'''<br /> <br /> After few days off at Los Angeles, I took the bus to Abanico then hitchhike until the junction between the trail and the road. I had to pay at the park ranger gate the 5K CLP for the entrance of the park (online reservation only, impossible to pay cash, and there's hardly mobile service up there, so prepare yourself by advance ☺️). <br /> <br /> Then, you go straight up, and have stunning views over volcan Antuco and siella velluda. I had to check my GPS few times on this first part, and to change my trajectoire to stay on the RR and don't miss trailheads. <br /> <br /> I slept at Laguna lágrima. I don't know if it comes from the water here, but I had stomach issues the following days ...<br /> <br /> Views on this first part were absolutely wonderful ! <br /> <br /> The thermals of Los Peucos are just amazing ! Worth the stop, clean, well maintened, and with perfect temperature of water ! Sergio was so kind, he even invited me to lunch with him, that was a very nice break in this day ! <br /> <br /> Some swampy parts after the Puesto {08} [61.7/1298].<br /> <br /> The hike up to the plateau (KM42) was physical, but it results to stunning views over the volcan chillan, and all the wonderful surroundings! There were hundreds of cows on that plateau and it was quite swampy, at the end you reach a super nice camp with incredible thermals ! Best hot springs of the GPT so far for me ! <br /> <br /> Continue to the pass and arrive in the volcanic plateau, very great too. I was too amazed by the landscape that I lost myself ! I was following a pretty clear track and missed to go on the right of the valley. I had hard time to join the RR as I tried to shortcut, but it was very demanding, sleepy and with losing rocks. Would have been better to backtrack at the junction and find again the RR, anyway...<br /> <br /> After a way down where there's just a little overgrown part (for no more than 300m) I reached the terrible Rio Ñuble, that was (I was fortunate) easy to pass for me, at this time of the season, even with quite strong current. <br /> <br /> From then I only met amazing people, up for a chat and full of an absolute kindness ! Carabineros first, locals, and Sandra at the microshop in puente el inglés (that was my only option for ressuply (chips, biscuits, fresh drinks, pastas) but at the middle of nothing I was happy about that !)). <br /> <br /> * '''2024-03-18 to 2024-03-23 / 5.5 days / SOBO / RR,E,RR,H,RR/ Marilyne'''<br /> <br /> Day 1 - Took the bus from rural terminal in Chillán at 8am to Termas de Chillán. After option 2, I walked NOBO on the RR to the nice hot springs at 40.3, spent the day there and camped at 40.4.<br /> <br /> Day 2- Walked the dusty trail to Camping Los Peucos. Ford at 48.4: crossed about 400 meters upstream of the waypoint for the ford. The main flow is quite strong, so I looked for a spot where it was slightly more diverted. Got to camping Los Peucos and got offered a cabin with electricity for the same price as camping as heavy rain was forecasted for the next day (10k/night). Used the wifi which is pretty good around the ranger’s cabin. Hung out in the hot springs being chatted up by a 80-yo man who didn’t seem to care whether I understood all of what he said or not.<br /> <br /> Day 3 - 45mm rain - Rest day. The nicest campground attendant, Sergio, let me hang out in his cabin by the fire all day.<br /> <br /> Day 4 - Walked mostly on RR but using variant E on the road as the RR trail is overgrown and the trees were soaking wet after yesterday’s downpour. Met two people in a truck that worked for the pipeline that is along that road. Didn’t see anyone else. Camped at Laguna Laja.<br /> <br /> Day 5 - Followed the RR except for variant H. Camped at the edge of the forest before the camp waypoint 119.7/1520, didn’t find ants to be problematic. Met a group of 5 young hikers going to Laguna Los Condores right before camp.<br /> <br /> Day 6 - Hiked RR and GPT09 option 1A to Salto de las Chicas. Got a ride quickly to Antuco, where I went to the nice supermarket and took a room in town.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-03-11 to 2024-03-16 / 5.5 days / SOBO / OH2, RR, Variant C, RR, G, RR / Tobi &amp; Fangwen'''<br /> <br /> Bus to Thermas de Chillan departs 12:30 from Rural bus station in Chillan arrives around 5pm<br /> <br /> Hot springs @ KM40.3 indeed one of the best on the GPT - nice mix of hot waterfall and cold spring in one pool. Campsite there is not sheltered from wind, and a fair bit of trash left behind. Definitely worth the small detour from Thermas de Chillan <br /> <br /> Baños de Peucos are great for a half rest day, Sergio (caretaker) is the nicest and most welcoming host.<br /> <br /> At Laguna El Roble, the better campsite is on the western shore - there is one flowing water source along the edge of the forest a bit north of the campsite (lake gets a bit gross end of season).<br /> <br /> Between El Roble and Hermosa, there is cellular reception when on the western side of the ridge (Movistar).<br /> <br /> Laguna Hermosa is nice, there is one flat and South wind sheltered campsite behind the bushes on the north side of the lake. It's nice to walk around the lake, some easy scrambling. Do expect power lines overhead.<br /> <br /> The two hot springs, and the last ridge hike were definitely the highlights of this GPT section.<br /> <br /> The bus leaving Albanico for Las Angeles goes at between 5-6pm -ish<br /> <br /> Rest very straightforward, and as described below (dusty, dead horse).<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-25 to 2024-March-4 / 7.5 days / SOBO / RR B D/ Matthias de Austria'''<br /> <br /> No snowfiels, almost no Tabanos, except in the forenoon (none in the evening) at Laguna El Roble, about 30 to 40 Tabanos in 3 hours, on 1st of March!<br /> Mostly plenty of water, lots of unmarked streams. No water at 106.7 and at camp 119.7, dried up. <br /> <br /> Lots of dirt roads and paths veeery dusty.<br /> <br /> No camp at 106.6. Flat spot few hundred meters after at -37.24567,-71.39142. But no protection and no water.<br /> <br /> Fordings: all very easy except Rio Nuble. Crossed Nuble at ford 23.7, did not scout. It was deeper then it looked and for a meter or so I (187cm, 100kg) had a little fighting with the current. It was the first somewhat serious ford in my life. Got my undies a bit washed. Forded Rio Diguillin at -36.93549, -71.40313, where I saw horsetracks on the ground. Water around kneedeep, for a half meter strong current, but I simply step over it. I marked this easy ford position with a vertical tree stump, might be there until the next storm or flooding. Ford 66.4 was possible dry foot a bit east, but go back to RR afterwards, the road on the map does not exist anymore and this area is a jungle.<br /> <br /> At -36.94783,-71.41243 easy to miss junction.<br /> <br /> Camps: 1st shortly after the bridge at puente el ingles in the sand. Nice swimming next to it, but no morning sun until noon. 2nd abou q00 to 200m upstream of ford 23.7 next to Rio Nuble. Nice bolders, big pool, but strong current and very cold. 3rd camp 36.2, meadows quite wet, limited protection, just a few bushes. Small cold pool 150m away at Rio Las Minas. 4th a few hundred meters before ford 47.4 on a small flat spot next to the path. Nice camp shortly northwest of trailhead 80.5. Big nice pool at Rio Polcura for swimming next to where option 1 fords. West side Camp at Laguna El Roble as east has shallow water. Stream next to camp dried up, I found a small one a bit further north along the shore. Had to clean up 2m of thick bushes for water access. Camp at Laguna Hermosa very windy, but just follow the black cable to the west for maybe 20m, then go 3m through the treebushes and you are in a little quit well wind protected clearing: -37.274802,-71.383647. Camp 119.7, but water dried up, and very dusty and limited protection, not a good camp. There are some meadows a few hundred m further around the puesto, also no water there in March.<br /> <br /> Men cleaning up the RR path north of Los Peucos. Some workers at the camp, but the ranger is working on the trail. No ranger means no firewood for cooking, no wifi and the thermas are without water. So no point in staying there and I move a bit further camp on some dusty place next to the road with a bit clambering river access. Next morning first morning frost.<br /> <br /> Hot spring 40.3 is absolutely amazing. Best one I saw on the GPT. Stayed there for hours naked and got a bit sunburned. The &quot;smoking river&quot; a few hundred meters further west is also worth seeing.<br /> <br /> Lots of blackberries along RR Rio Los Sauces.<br /> <br /> Hardly any paths around camp 29.5 for a few hundred meters, overgrown or landslided. Not a big problem, just slows you down.<br /> <br /> Long boring road, but hitch until police station shortly after ford 12.2km. Police friendly, wants passport, detail plans and phone number in case of emergency.<br /> <br /> Gate at -36.81995,-71.25333, entry forbidden sign. easy to climb.<br /> <br /> RR after junction E is partly overgrown, but still walkable, just slows you down. <br /> <br /> Combined Section 7 and 8, in total 17 days, with lots of bathing and sitting around. Run out of food the last few days and had to restrict to one portion per day, which made me even slower due to lack of energy. But it was totally worth it. Still have way too much body fat. Last ridge one of the most beautiful parts of the GPT, stunning views and diverse path.<br /> <br /> Hitch ruta Q-45 to Antuco.<br /> <br /> Work in progress<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-24 to 2024-Feb-28 / 4.5 days / SOBO / RR / Gabriele - Trails of Wander'''<br /> <br /> Day 1 (0.5) - Termas de Chillan - near Camp 08 [42.3/2087]. Late start at around noon from OH-Tl-V 08-02 [2.6+3.3] (Thermas de Chillan Parking) after hitch-hiking from Las Trancas. Reached Las Trancas with RemBus from the Chillan Rural Bus Terminal La Merced. The Sendero Valle Aguas Calientes have been re-routed for a few 100s meters after the fumaroles and it stays higher than the original track. Easy to follow. Once in the Valle Aguas Calientes I continued to Hot Spring 08 [40.3/2173] NOBO which is really a must do on this section and then retraced back to a camping area about 200 m lower than Camp 08 [42.3/2087] that I thought was dryer, flatter and had good access to water.<br /> <br /> Day 2 - Camp 08 [42.3/2087] Valle Aguas Calientes - Los Peucos CONAF Hot Spings Camping. I followed the RR for this day. The only note of relevance is that the ford of Rio Diguillin at [48.4/1334] is still hips high with strong current and need to be approached with trekking poles and cautiously. The critical part is only about 2 meters wide, but the current is strong. Water is not particularly cold.<br /> <br /> Day 3 - Los Peucos CONAF Hot Spings Camping - camp on Laguna Del Laja shore at [-37.12935, -71.18614]. I was lucky to get a ride for 3-4 km right out of Los Peucos by a CONAF maintenance crew who was going to do some tree cleaning on a minor road down the valley. This route branched out from the RR MR and according to the crew it is shorter to get to the Camino Oleoducto road. The alternative route turns into a faint trail for the last km or so and it crosses Rio Polcura in a very easy and shallow spot with water always below knee and calm current. After the crossing it overlaps with OH-CC-a 08-D for the last km, then it meets RR MR shortly after the ford on the RR. This alt route is flat and easy and possibly shorter of about 1-2 km than RR. On Camino Oleoducto I was also able to hitch-hike for about another 3-4 km to reach the start of the Sendero Los Ratones RR-Tl-V 08[80.6]. Thanks to the rides I was able to reach Laguna Del Laja quicker than expected. I decided to camp on the lake shore at [-37.12935, -71.18614] rather than continuing to Laguna El Roble as the spot was scenic. There I met Hugo, the Arriero who stays at the Puesto nearby Laguna El Roble. <br /> <br /> Day 4 - Camp on Laguna del Laja shore at [-37.12935, -71.18614] - Laguna Hermosa. I just followed the RR for this day with the exception of the short CC to Laguna Hermosa where I camped for the night. <br /> <br /> Day 5 - Camp at Laguna Hermosa - Camping Lagunilla (10k CLP per day). Also followed RR for this final day. Camping Lagunilla is very good with hot showers and very nice camp sites. Unfortunately no more homemade empanadas, only bebidas from this week moving forward for the remaiming of the season. The following morning I easily hitch-hiked to Abanico where there are small stores and took the bus to Los Angeles at 1 pm.<br /> <br /> Overall a good section with variety of landscapes and views particularly around Volcan Chillan / Aguas Calientes and along the traverse above Laguna Del Laja with great views of Volcan Antuco and the Sierra Velluda.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-20 to 2024-Feb-27 / 8 days / Hiking / NOBO / El Abanaico - Puente El Inglés / RR + Option H + Option B / Alex &amp; Christophe'''<br /> <br /> It was a really nice section for us. The part we really loved was from Thermas de Chillan to Rio Nuble. It felt more wild and with less people. So even if you fear Rio Nuble, avoiding this part would be a mistake for us. We think that the edge between km 117.3 and 100.6 also really worth it but can't totally know as we were in the fog.<br /> <br /> A lot has already been said but here is what seems important to us:<br /> <br /> We started the section hitchhiking from Antuco with a easy and fast ride to El Abanico.<br /> <br /> There is some apple trees in the valley near Ford {08} [71.3/1089] and apples were nearly ready to be eaten. <br /> <br /> Los Peucos were a nice stop to relax but we weren't alone as a lot of the previous comment. 2 other parties (horse riders) were also camping the same night as us. The road is being improved so this will maybe become a bit more popular than the last 2 months. It was 10'000 CLP pp for us, with firewood and Internet. We didn't try to connect so we can't comment on the speed and quality.<br /> <br /> Ford {08} [48.4/1334] (Rio Diguilin) wasn't that hard. Just follow the horse track as it's a good place to ford and there will only be 1m with some current. It's still deep but we ford it at 6pm without any trouble. The best thing with this ford is that the water is warm and you can try to ford it without your backpack a few times before you're sure of the place you like the more. All this without frozen toes ;)<br /> <br /> Ford {08} [23.7/950] (Rio Nuble) was ok but still not a piece of cake. We crossed it at 11:30 am and didn't thought it was so deep before going in. I had water nearly to my waist (I'm 174cm tall) and the current in the center is clearly present. The good point is that the river is not ice cold, so you can take your time and go slowly, being sure of the position of your feet and poles.<br /> <br /> For the last 12 km, between El Roble and Puente El Inglés, it's full of fruit trees. It felt like being in a free fruit market. We could pick apples, pears, a lot of blackberries. There were even fig tree but it was a little bit too soon. So nice to have a bit of vitamin and fresh food after 8 days.<br /> <br /> Finally, after asking at the mini-shop in Puente El Inglés, we learned that there is no more bus going to San Fabián. So we took a beer and some french fries before camping near the bridge after a pretty long day. The next day we walked an hour before we could catch a ride to San Fabián.<br /> <br /> * '''Feb-9-2024 to Feb-14-2024 / 5 days ( of which 2 half days) / SOBO / Oh2, RR, var B, D, E, H / Matthieu'''<br /> <br /> Very beautiful and diverse section, with the volcan, pastures of agua caliente, the forest and the rock and thorny bushed mountains. <br /> At the end of the section, I suggest to follow RR to the lagunilla camping, it's an easy trail in the park, and 2 very nice cascadas to see. From the park entrance there is an osm track that cross Section 9 RR, direclty to the campsite, so you never have to walk on the road. <br /> I started at Oh 2 to avoid rio Ñuble.<br /> <br /> Trecking difficulties : <br /> 1) River crossing of rio Diguillin 48.4 is still not a peace of cake. The current is strong, and where i crossed it was max to the hips in the rapid water. I went on a large place with big rocks on the way to hide behind, it cuts the crossing into 3 difficult but very short parts, and you can hug the rocks not to fall. <br /> 2) The pass before Laguna Laja is a cemetery of trees, so the progression is a little bit slow but nothing difficult, it's basic gps navigation. <br /> 3) The part between laguna hermosa and Water 118.3 is steep, sliperry with rocks and sand. The tracks are difficult to follow at times. So the progression is slow, i suggest not to start it at the end of the day. I finished on var H without noticing it, just saw the trail from below. I was exhausted when i put my tent at camp 119.7 (an horrible mistake, see below).<br /> <br /> Camp : <br /> At Fumaroles at the beginning of Oh 2, some flat spaces in the valley and a clear cold river - Ford 50.5, arriero camp super nice - 300m before water 1.5 on var E, a nice flat place but very exposed. I wanted to camp at 72.9, incredible place, but a freshly dead horse was waiting for me, the whole place stinked like hell. Wanted to try to camp on RR along the rio after but it was overgrown at the beginning and it was late so back on var E - Laguna el Roble 98.3. It is an arriero spot with a clear river that goes into the lake. There is a trail into the trees that takes you into the beach for nice camp places. You don't really want to drink directly from the lake, so i don't suggest camp 97.8 (no fresh water). There is a puesto before the last uphill to the lake, really nice arriero inside who advised me this - Camp 119.7 : DON'T sleep there, the whole hill is an enormous nest of unfriendly red ants, I had to cook directly in my inner tent. The river runs very slow to so the water not good. So i suggest camp at the lagunas before, or if you still have courage to follow until the cross country after puesto 120, it's heaven for tents with view on antuco and the river is not far. <br /> <br /> Water : all markers correct, no concerns until the final ridge.<br /> For the ridge walk of cerro el toro, you can find water at camp without water 102.3 (so this year its name should be with water), water 106.6, laguna hermosa, laguna lagrima (the very little one after the cerro), and nothing after on RR until water 118.<br /> <br /> Snow : one patch on Oh 2 on the track, but you can avoid it by a sendero litteraly 10m above, with no problems. No other patches. <br /> <br /> Accomodations : bus from Chillan rural terminal, to thermas de Chillan at 14h, you have to walk from vale hermoso to the beginning of Oh2 - Camping Lagunilla, 10k per day, homemade empanadas sandwichs bebidas and cakes, very calm i loved it. For buses, you have to walk to albanico (6 per day for los angeles, of which 9h30, 11h, 15h30, 18h30). <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-05 to 2024-Feb-08 / 3.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / OH 02 + RR + OH E + H + J / Joscha'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: OH08-02 <br /> <br /> I took the bus at 2 pm from the rural bus station in Chillan to the Thermas de Chillan. From there I had to roadwalk 1.5 km to get to OH08-02. There are a few snow fields left around the Pass Pirigallo, but its easy to walk over them. At km 1.2 of OH08-02 I took the Valle de Agua Caliente Trail as short cut to the Camp at 42.3 on the RR. I did not like the spot there, but close to it at -36,91092, -71,36632 are some decent tent spots.<br /> <br /> Day 2: RR [42.3-75.1] + OH08-E<br /> <br /> The Ford at km 47.4 was max. knee high at 10 pm. (I am 191 cm tall). Be carefull fording Rio Diguillin at km 48.4. The water was just below my hips and the current was pretty strong (around 10:30 pm). I forded it about 60 m upstream of the gpx tracks. There was a big rock in the middle of the river to which I could hold on to. At km 59.6 is a closed barb wire gate that I couldn't open. I managed to climb over it, but it's a little tricky. The RR leads on to the property of the Thermas Los Peucos (km 63.9). After the ford at km 63.7 I had to step over a barded wire fence (no gate). Los Peucos was closed and I didn't see anybody. I didn't like the idea of trespassing so I climb over the front gate (km 63.9) and continued on RR. OH08-B might be a good alternativ to avoid Los Peucos. But I meet Ricardo a few km further south. He was on his way to Los Peucos. If I understood him correctly (my spanish is pretty basic) than he is going to be at Los Peucos for the next two months. So they should be open now if you are interested in taking a break there. There are two easy fords at km 70.0 and 70.6 on the RR. The river at Ford 71.3 is wide, but water was below knees in thr evening. I wanted to camp at km 72.9, but I found the body of a horse directly at the camping spot. It looked like it had died a few days ago and it smelled pretty bad. Therefore I continued to the camp at km 78.6. I accidently stayed on the dirtroad and walked variant E. It has some extra altitude but therefore some nice views into the valley. Water 0.7 on variant E was dry. All other water and ford Waypoints I passed today had water.<br /> <br /> Day 3: RR [78.5-107.0] <br /> <br /> Laguna El Roble is a nice break spot and the last water source until km 106.7. At the Camp Marker km 106,6 is only a overgrown meadow which isn't flat at all. But there is a descent camp spot at km 106,9. The Water at km 106.7 is only a trickle and might dry out soon. All Water markers I passed by today had water.<br /> <br /> Day 4: RR [107.0-115.2] + OH08-H + RR [116.3-117.4] + OH08-J + RR [117.4-134.5]<br /> <br /> The next water source after km 106.7 is Laguna Lagrima at km 113.5. I accidently hiked OH08-H instead of RR. Laguna Los Condores is pretty nice. But the last few hundred meters of OH08-J are overgrown and not so easy to walk trough. Its easier to follow the trail that leads to the eastern side of the Laguna and forks of at about km 0.6 of OH08-J. From this trail you can go down to the Laguna. There is water at all markers.<br /> <br /> The part from km 100 to km 117 is very spectacular.<br /> <br /> * '''2024 Jan 25 to Feb 5 / 12 days / SOBO / Opt 2, Opt 3, RR, Var D, Opt 6 + 2 OSM routes / Michael and Kasia'''<br /> <br /> TL/DR: A beautiful but exhausting section.Reserva Nacional Ñubles is officially closed, but they are still letting people in. If taking Opt 3, look for the trail that starts just after El Trumao heading NE for a more interesting hike. Los Peucos is open, but has no food or power so not currently a resupply option.<br /> <br /> Day 0 - <br /> We took the bus from Chillan to Recinto hoping to camp for the night and take the early bus up to Termas de Chillán to begin the hike. (The bus that goes all the way to the hotel only goes twice a day. Both leave from the Terminal Rural in Chillan one at 08:00, the second at 14:00.) There were no camping options in Recinto, so we walked to Los Lleuques. We found a hostel called Antupiren at the entrance of town. 13.000 pp for private with shared bathroom, very nice owners. They have a restaurant too. There were some other places with signs for hostal and campamento further down the street. There are 4 or 5 shops and grocery stores in town. If you stay in Lleuques, a little further on is a nice public access beach along the river called La Playita that is popular with locals and a good place to escape the heat for the afternoon.<br /> <br /> Day 1 - <br /> We got up early and were at the bus stop at 08:15. The bus arrived at around 09:30. It only goes as far as the hotel and then you have to walk about 1 km up to the ski center where the trail begins. The beginning of the trail was steep and dusty, then leveled off a bit. It passes by some fumeroles. There are two paths up to the pass. One is not on GPT or OSM at the moment, but it is a marked path that is clearly visible. It goes more to the left and up. The other is a horse trail which is the one GPT goes along. They both meet about half way up. We took the horse trail up. There is some grassy area and access to a stream. Nice views of the valley on the way up. Close to the top there was still a small snow field left and the way around it was walking above it on large, loose rocks. We had resupplied for 8 days and our packs were around 25 kg each. Due to this we felt it would be unsafe for us to try to navigate the section so we decided to walk back. It was disappointing, but we were also thinking about the difficulties others had in crossing Rio Diguillin further on and figured it was an early warning. On the way back we took the marked path which was actually more difficult than the GPT track, which surprised us since it looked more like a tourist trail. We were rewarded at one point however with a spring gushing out of the ground and took the opportunity to get fresh cold water without the need to filter. When we got back to where the fumeroles were, we chatted with some mountain bikes and a couple of hikers. There is another route down which had an OSM track on the map. The bikers explained that it is the route they all take down. It is open to hikers as well and there are signs advising bikers to watch for hikers, but the biker said there are a lot of curves and it is possible to get hit on the way down if you are unlucky. It was around 18:30 and he said they were the last group, so if we just waited for them to leave we should be able to hike down without worrying. We waited, and it was totally worth it. The trail down is very dusty, but with much less incline than the way up, and at a certain point goes through a really beautiful beech forest with lots of wildflowers growing. There is no access to the estero until the bridge at the end. We tried to find a place to camp, but no luck. We ended up walking the highway back to a point where we had seen a dirt road connect to the estero and camped there for the night. Not optimal, but it was already dark by that point, so we were just grateful to sleep.<br /> <br /> Days 2 and 3 - <br /> We walked the highway until the Los Coltrahues nature trail that runs parallel to the highway and then walked that to Las Trancas. It was a pretty path and a nice alternative to the highway. In Las Trancas we bought food for lunch and dinner at a shop next to the bus stop. There are one or two other stores back the direction of Lleuques as well. A micro picked us up and dropped us off at the beginning of Opt 3. We had barely started walking when a family in a truck passed and offered us a ride to the river. We were incredibly grateful as the first 3 km of the road is incredibly dusty and there is actually a lot of traffic moving through. From where they left us we walked to the bridge and down to the river to have lunch and coffee. Lots of families were camping around the area. After lunch we got back on the route. A little further on the road was closed to vehicles due to storm damage and construction adding new culverts. No issues walking it. About 6km from the bridge there is a campground called San Antonio. It was also closed since the road was closed, but it was easy to get into. There are picnic tables and plenty of camping along with river access. We camped two nights to give ourselves a rest day. A few locals passed through, but no one else camped. It was very peaceful except for the tábanos. I killed more than 50 over the course of the day and it didn't seem to make much of a difference.<br /> <br /> Day 4 - <br /> We got up early to beat the heat and walked the first hour in the dark. We passed the area where the road has collapsed and where they are doing a reroute. No issue to walk it. We arrived at the gate that Lilian mentioned, the one with the dogs, at 08:00. There were 4 dogs that bark a lot. The guard came out, it seemed like we had woken him up. We explained what we were doing and he actually had no problem letting us through, but asked rhetorically what we were going to say to CONAF upstairs. The road up is in good shape. There were a few places to fill water along the way. When we arrived at El Trumao there was a CONAF guard there as well as some other people. He was incredibly nice, just registered us and then told us because the park is officially closed there was no fee to enter. He looked at our route and told us about another option, charged our phones for us, let us take water, and then even walked with us part way. The OSM track that runs along the river is a really nice option and we really enjoyed it. The first part is no longer relevant as the river destroyed part of the road and CONAF had done a reroute. If no one is there to show you, head along the GPT route toward Valle Hermosa until you see a trail branch to the left. It will be very obvious as it has wooden posts painted yellow on top and the whole trail has rocks lining either side. Follow that up. The first part was a lot of up and exposed, but after a while we entered native forest and enjoyed stretches that were in shade. There was a rest area with river access. Just after the waterfall lookout the trail dropped down a bit into a grove of old oak trees that was really nice and we camped there for the night (-36.95540, -71.45022) River access was about 100 m further on. This is a really great route option. It is along a trail instead of a road, it drops into RR about 18 km further north than finishing Opt 3 as marked, if you want to go to Los Peucos, you don't need to back track, and it stays on the south side of Rio Diguillin, connecting with RR just after the ford point others had trouble with this season. (Jan, if you read this, we enthusiastically endorse this as a variant for Opt 3!).<br /> <br /> Days 5 and 6 - <br /> The pass was a little overgrown, but nothing too challenging. On the way up we passed through a beautiful forest. We stopped at the last marked water point on the way up for a snack and coffee. The way down was dusty and then it opened up into a plain. The plain was easy, but as we went around the corner it turned into a swamp. The GPT route avoids the worst of it, but careful foot choice is important in some places. It was also really hot and humid. Then it was up again and then down again to get to Los Peucos. We initially followed RR, but the ford point looked challenging and there was barbed wire on the other side. I went across without my pack to try to find a way up. The rocks in the river were really slippery and I feel in at one point, but no injury. On the other side I climbed under the wire and up a hill. Then I had to climb under more barbed wire. I walked onto the property and ran into Ricardo who manages Los Peucos. He was very nice, and took me to show me the front entrance and a much easier ford point that is defined for cars to pass, which turned out to be Var B. So if going to Los Peucos SOBO, I recommend taking Var B. I went back to get Kasia and my pack and we camped there for two nights in order to clean out gear and take a rest day.<br /> <br /> A few notes on Los Peucos. Los Peucos is open, price this year is 5.000 pp for termales only, 10.000 pp for camping, 24 hours of access to termales and wood to make a fire in a fire pit. They were having trouble with both their generator and solar panels and have been without power for two months, so don't plan to charge anything there. Also a section of the road there was destroyed over the winter, so almost no one is going there and they aren't getting any resupply for their tiendita, so don't plan on this as a resupply point until someone posts that this has changed, which may be awhile since there seems to be some bureaucratic issue preventing the road from being fixed.<br /> <br /> Day 7 - <br /> We left Los Peucos just as it was getting light. The road and trail are in good condition for walking. We took Var D to cross Rio Polcura. River ford was easy, thigh high but very little current. We stopped at the camp at [72.9/1104] to have lunch. There were some arrieros and Carabineros already camped for the night, and it was too early to stop for the day, so we continued on. The valley path that RR follows is surely more interesting than walking the road along Var E, but it is fairly overgrown with spiky plants and it was slow going. There is almost no river access along the path, but there were one or two streams. We do not recommend the camp at [78.6/1203], especially if you are using a trekking pole supported tent. It is overgrown and difficult to access, anything that is not sand is covered in those annoying plants that leave tiny spiky balls attached to your clothes, and river access is not great. We ended up camping in the old road grade just above, but it was pure dust. We really regretted camping here, however it was late and we didn't know if there would be any place else to camp further on. (There is though!)<br /> <br /> Day 8 - <br /> We were to tired to do the pass, but we didn't want to stay camped in the same place for the day. We found a better campsite just 2 km further up trail (-37.09454, -71.31211). Just before the trailhead to the pass, on the left side of the road, there is a dirt path going down to a camping area that arrieros use (it is the same road as the end of Opt 1). It has grass and could fit probably two or three tents. The river access is about 100 m away, but it was really clean access with a stone beach and even a small sand beach and a great swimming spot to cool off. There is essentially no shade so it wasn't great for a rest day in that respect, but it was directly below the pass, so a great starting point for that. We took advantage of the river and washed all the dust off the tent. The fabric felt like new afterward!<br /> <br /> Day 9 - <br /> We got up early to try to tackle the pass before sun hit. The trailhead is a little easier to find now as more arrieros and hikers have gone through. The pass up is overgrown in places, but not as bad as we had expected. There were some great early morning views. Something killed most of the forest in that valley some time ago and all the dead trees are sun bleached white which was really interesting. As Lilian mentioned, there is a place where the trail collapsed. People have been walking about 5 m upstream and crossing there, but the short reroute is eroding and it looked a little sketchy to us. We went into the stream bed and climbed up through the bamboo to regain the trail. It was lovely forest higher up and on the other side for some time. Keep a lookout for a nice view of Laguna del Laja from a distance on the way down. The valley was another world entirely. Completely exposed, mostly dry but with some sections of swamp, we lost the trail a few times in a maze of overgrown thorn bushes. We took an afternoon break at the puesto just before reaching the lake. We were a little underwhelmed by the lake itself, I think because it has no trees around. We got a little lost on the way up to Laguna Roble, but a very friendly and helpful arriero staying at the puesto at the end of the valley saw us and came out to help direct us up. We stopped at the marked campsite at the east side of the lake. Previous entries had suggested the west side campsite is more wind protected. I went packless to scout it, but I could not see any way in and the water access near the site looked like marsh. We stayed on the east side, no wind issue for the night. The water in the lake was not too cold, so nice to swim in.<br /> <br /> Day 10 - <br /> We started early to get through as much of the pass as possible before the sun hit. The beginning of the trail was actually hard to find, but once we were on it, it was clear. The up was very demanding and exhausting, and it was overgrown in parts. There is a saddle just before the final push to the pass where we stopped to take a break and some pictures (great view of the lake, volcan Antuco and Sierra Velluda) but there were biting ants everywhere that swarmed us and our packs so we moved on. Good views of both valleys as we walked along. Reports from previous years suggested no water between Laguna Roble and Laguna Hermosa. There was at least two water points between, one of which was a very nice spring with shade around (-37.21425, -71.37259). Being exhausted and running low on supplies, we had already decided that Opt 6 would be our exit from GPT08. The route down was steep and thus slow, but clear and easy to follow. There are multiple water points on the way down. We camped about 1 km in at the first marked campsite. There was a shady, somewhat flat, somewhat grassy area that arrieros use for camping and a spring flowing just below. It was a nice spot after hiking so many hours completely exposed in full sun.<br /> <br /> Day 11 - <br /> The first part of Opt 6 down was really nice. There were nice views of the mountains as the sun came up, then it goes into forest for awhile before the arriero path finally meets the service road. We were also fortunate to have cloud cover for most of the day. There are a few unmarked water points between the last marked one and Rayenco. Rayenco is not a settlement but connected to the power plant. Shortly after Rayenco there is what looks like an abandoned picnic area and sports concha. We stopped for lunch, and it could be used for emergency camping if necessary. Hitchhiking out seems essentially impossible. It's just cars associated with the power plant, and our experience is that those vehicles don't take hitchhikers, probably a company policy. We walked to the highway, chatting with the gate guard on the way out. On the highway it took about half an hour, but finally a kind soul, Sergio, who had actually passed us, turned around and came back just to pick us up and dropped us at Plaza de Armas un Antuco. We found lodging at Cabañas Puelche 2 blocks east of the plaza, 15.000 pp for a private room in the hostel portion of the establishment, shared bath, fridge, pool.<br /> <br /> * '''2024 Jan 05 to 2024 Jan 09 / 5 days/ SOBO from Termas de Chillan / RR / Hannes&amp;Christian'''<br /> <br /> 1. Day: Walked from Termas de Chillan to Rio Diguillín. Slept there at -36.935262, -71.403804 and forded the next morning around -36.935730, -71.401841. Thought there would be less water running in the morning, but actually it looked pretty the same as the day before…<br /> 2. Day: Walked to Los Peucos and further down for a nice campsite near the river -37.046868,<br /> -71.415394<br /> 3. Day: We took Option D to short cut the minor road…easy to walk, CC, recomendable…then along road and path and road again, up to a pass in the woods and down to a widening valley, camped at -37.15603, -71.32019. As others already wrote on wikiexplora we had there as well a pretty freezing night around 0 degrees Celsius I think, although the spot was not that high….around 1450m. A lot of humidity.<br /> 4. Day: For us here the nicest part started, walking down to Laguna de la Laja, up to a pass and then all along ridges to Laguna Hermosa. Amazing views. Instead of walking down to L. Hermosa you can camp as well a little above the lake around -37.269841, -71.381748 with water access, at least in early summer I guess. Personally I think it isn’t worth to go down to the Laguna (except no water possibility above) , first because you’ll have an electric power line over your head sleeping there (there is a hydroelectric power station in the valley nearby), second because it can be a windy place at shore…at least for us it was like this. Third: Still something like 1 km from the ridge. Choose yourself.<br /> 5. Day: From L. Hermosa to Estación de Esqui. Pretty nice views of surrounding peaks, at the end we walked a pretty annoying road out to the ski area. Then we hitchhiked to Camping Lagunillas, an amazing place with very nice owners. Feels there like being on the Gpt, but with running water and shower. Probably depends on the season…<br /> <br /> * '''2024 Jan 13 / 5 days / SOBO / RR, OH-TL / Anh'''<br /> <br /> Everyone feared Ñuble, me too, so I took option 2.<br /> <br /> The trail was difficult to find from km 112-117, I left RR and took OH-TL. Otherwise the trail was easy to see. There were only a few snowfields that were easy to cross.<br /> <br /> Ford km 48.4: Disclaimer: please do not my mistake! I first tried two best possible spots (hip), but the flow (13:00) was too strong, I couldn’t hold my hiking poles. Then 50m further on I saw two tree trunks arranged like bridges from other GPTs. After crossing them, however, it was not possible to go back to RR after a few attempts. My best possible option was BB with 70 degree slope straight up. It was only possible with bamboo trees, but was very dangerous. I'm writing my mistake here so you can avoid it!<br /> <br /> Camp km 106.6: I included this camp in my daily plan (about 20km, 1000m uphill, 350m downhill). here is not possible to find 1qm flat spot. So I had to walk 4km further from my reserve.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-11 to 2024-Jan-15/ 4.5 days / SOBO / Termas de Chillán(Var 2)+RR+Var G+H+J(Lakes)/ Matthias'''<br /> <br /> Started in Termas de Chillán. Hiking, most fordings (see day 1) and orientation was quite easy on this section. Only on last part of Travesía Pilcura some steep snowfields to cross. Warm and hot creeks on first day (Fondo Aguas Calientes), views and lakes on forth day (Travesía Pilcura) were spectacular. Plenty of water everywhere. A lot of annoying horse flies.<br /> <br /> Day1: Termas de Chillán - km53.6<br /> Only minor snowfields. Ascent of Volcán Chillán Viejo should be possible without crampons, no snow on steep upper slopes. Fumaroles on ascent from Termas, warm creek with pools right when you come down to Fondo Aguas Calientes. Also people camping there. I underestimated ford at km48.4 (Rio Diguillín), water was up to upper hips and current, I was washed away… But overall no dangerous crossing and with more cautious selection the fording should be easier. Arrieros at puesto at km49.6 (Coihuería) were the last people I met until end of section!<br /> <br /> Day2: Reserva Nacional Ñubles<br /> Officially the reserva was closed. I entered Termas Los Peucos via RR, watering of meadows was running, I said „Hello“ but nobody answered. <br /> Took a bath in the beautiful hot springs, two stone-walled pools.<br /> <br /> Day 3: km78.6 (Rio Ñubles) - km98.3 (Laguna El Roble)<br /> Easy day … nice swimming at the camp with fireplace in the evening <br /> <br /> Day 4: Travesía Polcura - Laguna ElToro<br /> Spectacular day: great views, mountains, lakes and path.<br /> The detours to the lakes (var G+J, Laguna Hermosa, ElToro and Los Condores) are worthwhile!<br /> Some steep snowfields on RR below Cerro El Toro, I used microspikes, but in a warm afternoon you can also safely cross without. Beautiful (!!) camp at Laguna El Toro with sun until 19:45 though it’s deep in a cirque.<br /> <br /> Day5:<br /> Nice view of Volcán Antuco from the ridge just before the volcán (ca. km125). I left the road and walked +-height parallel to the solar collectors which are visible on the ridge from the MR.<br /> From Curva El Candado I tramped down most of the road to the junction to Abanico, where I ate lunch at the friendly cafe/restaurant „Roca“ and where the bus to Los Angeles leaves at 15:00.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-28 to 2024-Jan-01 / 4.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / {08-03} - {08-C} - RR - {08-06} - {08-06B} / Lilian'''<br /> <br /> Avoid of crossing Rio Ñuble, i go for {08-03}.<br /> <br /> There is a bus from Chillán to Los Lleuques at 18:00, take about 1.5 hour. A small shop and some tiny shops there, friendly and good resupply. Look like have some restaurants too, but i'm too late so they're already closed.<br /> <br /> {08-03} km3.3 : tiny shop selling drinks.<br /> <br /> Km4.3 : camping spots or camping possibilities start from here to south.<br /> <br /> Km11.3 : ranger station for guard of Reserva National, look like need booking in advance or some permits. Otherwise you can't go in by this gate. (It is impossible for sneak in, two dogs here.)<br /> <br /> Luckily after i took 10min to explain what I'm doing, where does my routes go, why i'm here, I'll pack out all my trash, no fire, no pick plants, dig a hole for poop, etc. He let me go in, 1000% thank you to him!<br /> <br /> Km19 : bridge for crossing Río Diguillín.<br /> <br /> Km19.45 : El Trumao, Camping Relbún. Ranger station and Conaf campground, didn't see anyone when i passed here.<br /> <br /> Km19.7 : closed gate, you can open it on left side. Old, steep and rocky dirt road behind this gate, look like no cars on it for some years. (Some place landslide, cars impossible to pass by)<br /> <br /> Km21.3 : Rio Relbún, good water flowing nice, rock hopping for dry feet.<br /> <br /> Km22.8 : view point of valley, also some flat spots with trees can fit 2-4 tents.<br /> <br /> Km23.7 : pass, Paso Atacalco, descent to a beautiful valley.<br /> <br /> Km25.3-km26.2 : some tiny streams flowing with good water, but maybe dry up soon.<br /> <br /> Km28.4 : Valle Hermoso, Ranger station and Conaf campground, didn't see anyone when i passed here. Río Blanquillo flowing at here too.<br /> <br /> Some more tiny streams flowing across the road at south, but i think they will all dry up soon.<br /> <br /> Km35.6 : a side trail to see a waterfall, I think it is just soso.<br /> <br /> Then connect with {08-C}, then back to RR.<br /> <br /> {08-C} km2.4 : a very beautiful demon rock hill on your left side, worth take a look!<br /> <br /> RR Ford[71.3/1089] : crossing of Río Polcura, it's a wide river crossing about 80m, luckily it is already made for vehicles crossing so have a rock bar underwater, easy to cross. Mostly just half of calf, in the middle about 10m, up to knee and flowing very fast.<br /> <br /> Camp[72.9/1104] : it's a really nice camping spot with tree shade and beside a river.<br /> <br /> Camp[78.6/1203] : this spot is not beside RR. When you finish valley trail walk, if you don't join dirt road and keep going walk in the valley then you'll arrive here.<br /> <br /> Water[79.1/1214] : log bridge crossing.<br /> <br /> Trailhead[80.5/1248] : not easy to notice the trailhead, although it have a fallen board on the ground.<br /> <br /> North of the pass is overgrown, south of the pass lot of fallen trees block the trail.<br /> <br /> Didn't see any camping spots until almost to valley.<br /> <br /> Water[81.8/1475] : when you get close, be careful dont walk too fast. Just before the stream dont follow the trail to left side and go down, it is already landslide and you'll fall off 2m vertically.<br /> <br /> Pass[84.2/1744] : tons of huge dead trees and ready to fall down in next second. Don't camp here, it is dangerous.<br /> <br /> Km85.8 : flat spot can fit 2-3 tents.<br /> <br /> Km86: flat spots can fit 1 tent before and after a stream crossing.<br /> <br /> Km95.2 : excellent view point of Volcán Antuco, look like some flat spots at downhill side close to the beach.<br /> <br /> Camp[97.8/1456] : beside a tree, can fit 1-2 tents with fire ring. Last reliable water when you climbing up.<br /> <br /> Km102 : snow start here, but all you can go around.<br /> <br /> Camp without water[102.3/2063] : no camping spot as now, wet, muddy and lot of stream are flowing by snow melt, a fire ring is in the stream too!<br /> <br /> I camped at km103.45, just before the pass, there is some brushes provide wind protection from west. Can fit 1-2 small tents.<br /> <br /> Km104.1 : a large flat area, but no wind protection.<br /> <br /> X[105.4/1934] : no more trail junction at &quot;X&quot;, you need to go down a little, then CC to connect the trail at south.<br /> <br /> Camp[106.6/1938] : wet, grassy and steep spot. A large flat area after you climb up the stream at km106.95, it is in a valley and no wind protection.<br /> <br /> Km109.45 : a small pass, excellent view point of Volcán Antuco and Sierra Velluda!<br /> <br /> Snow start at km109.9, unfortunately when i almost climbed up to ridge, i found that km111.8 to km113.5(at least) , all covered by snow on a very steep slope. It is not a good idea to go through this high risk area, also Cerro El Toro is a very sharp rocky peak, not possible walk on the ridge to go around the slope, so i turn back to &quot;X&quot;[105.4/1934], and join {08-06} continues to south.<br /> <br /> {08-06} is a nice trail to go down, and look like somone have maintained it, nearly no fallen trees and just very little overgrown, easy to follow and walk.<br /> <br /> {08-06} km4.5 : junction of {08-06} and {08-06A}, look like {08-06} in a better condition, also {08-06} from here to km5.6, it is an old dirt road and no more using.<br /> <br /> Km5.6 : junction to join a good dirt road. Camping spot just before the junction, and there are also lot of camping possibilities along the good dirt road.<br /> <br /> Gate[8.6/808] : locked, climb over it.<br /> <br /> Km9.3 : another gate, you can open it on left side, if you want to camping, better before this gate.<br /> <br /> Km22.4 : i join {08-06B} for shorter distance to main road for hitching to Antuco.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-19 to 2023-Dec-20/ 2 days / Hiking / NOBO / Antuco RR and Option 6/ Jens'''<br /> <br /> Tried to go up the main route. First pass was steep and full of snow. Decided to turn around and try Option 6. <br /> <br /> As option 6 is on private land owned by the Hydroelectrico, a guard picked me up and told me to register with the Carabineros in Antuco. Frustrated I decided to skip section 8 in favour of section 7.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-21 to 2023-Dec-24/ 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / San Fabian - Las Trancas / Ella'''<br /> <br /> TLDR: River fords are still heinous, especially Ñuble. Bring micro spikes if crossing Paso Prigallo to go towards Las Termas de Chillan.<br /> <br /> Day 1: Hitched a ride part of the way from San Fabian, and then caught a bus (was a Thursday around 1 pm) until Punilla. Camped at a small, windy site with good river access and near the Punilla swimming hole, which is definitely worth a visit. Some friendly caballeros came around 8 pm to camp as well.<br /> Day 2: Walked towards Los Sauces, splitting off to the right where the road/trail led. Could not cross river here because of construction. Went back to the main road and walked North to where there was a (padlocked) cable car and did a challenging ford - current was somewhat strong and water went to my navel (I’m 5’8”/172 cm). In retrospect, would have been better to just walk/bus all the way into Los Sauces and make a safer crossing there. Cabineros in El Roble were nicer to me that the ones in San Fabian. Camped just before Camp {08} [21.6/873] since it now seems to be on private property. <br /> Day 3: Had to trespass for about a mile before reaching the Ñuble river but didn’t run into anyone. Ñuble was really difficult. I got there just before 8 am. Crossing the river at designated spot was not possible. I went upstream, around the bend, and about a hundred meters further to where the river widens and gets a bit shallower. I crossed with water about up to my navel (I’m 5’8”/172 cm) but a little past midway the current took me off my feet and I went for a brief swim before grabbing a rock and recovering on the other side. After getting to the other side, I had to scramble/bushwhack up a near-vertical slope to where there appears to be sort of a terrace in the landscape. I found the best spot was behind where the bank of the river flattened out a bit. Thankfully once getting to the top, you’re blessed with a faint trail leading back to the main route. This approach was not very fun at all - it is probably best to wait another week or two before attempting the river. <br /> After that, the trail gets harder to follow, especially after entering the larger valley. As per others advice, I tried crossing the river in the valley to the right side, but also ran into impassable shrubbery/broken trees there so I ended up crossing back and forth as needed. The first pass didn’t have any snow. There is a difficult ford after the marker for Trailhead {08} [34.6/1873]. Camped at Camp {08} [36.2/1953] which was lovely.<br /> Day 4: Headed towards Las Termas de Chillan. Both passes were very snowy. The second pass, only necessary if going off main trail towards Las Termas, had steep sections that called for micro spikes. I was lucky that there were some people who had just come through and kicked steps in, making this part easier. Hitched a ride to Las Trancas where there are multiple well stocked mini markets and nice hostal options. Not sure if I will continue on GPT 08 given the snow and river conditions so far.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Apr-02 to 2023-Apr-06/ 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / El Roble - Los Peucos - Recinto / RR + OH03 / Hannes &amp; Luisa'''<br /> <br /> Hitchhiked from San Fabian to way after El Roble, rather easy on weekends as it seems many locals around. Ñuble crossing with strong current and water above knees (me 185cm), but still ok compared to other months I think. Went up the mountain and into this valley with beautiful oak-trees. Getting out of this forest we crossed the river to the orographic left side as suggested by others...initially a good choice, all the same we had to switch like 2 to 3 times river bank to avoid some nasty Bush bashing...We reccomend to just open your eyes and see which side works best for you after the initial crossing at approximately -36.856679 -71.275261. After the last camp in the valley path clearly visible and steep ascent to the pass. After the pass we got into this amazing volcanic landscape east of Volcan Chillàn. After the second pass we descended to Aguas Calientes, hot thermal pools at the end of a valley surrounded by some green yellow pasture and loads of cows. Good spot to camp...Then we went to Termas Los Peucos, took us 3.5 days till there. Just for the pools they take 10k, pools and camp was 14k. As one of us felt little sick we decided to hitchhike out over OH03. Do not consider this an emergency exit as it is rather difficult to hh out there, very few cars on the road as access is limited due to a private tunnel and only Carabineros and some oil- and gas-pipeline companies are around there with their cars it seems. All the same we were lucky and got out to Recinto (further down in the valley of Termas de Chillán, near Las Trancas...) In this valley or if you get out at Termas de Chillán we highly recommend Cabañas Ayunkoyam owned by Vincente Ruiz in Recinto, +56999991737, call him before. For this rather expensive valley quite a good option. Vincente is a local mountain guide who seems to know every mountain in his country and is a nice guy to talk to.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Apr-02 to 2023-Apr-02 / 3 days / Hiking / SOBO / El Roble - Volcán Chillán - Termas de Chillán / Noémie'''<br /> Very short section because I got a lift from San Fabián until after El Roble (21.0), a bit before the end of the minor road. Carabineros checked ID and asked for sufficient equipment. Ñuble crossing was not that hard but I had water until my waist, even at the end of the season (I am 1m60 though...). Camped the first night at Camp {08} [29.5/1441], on the left bank of the river, where there was a bit of space. The next morning, it was a bit hard to go up the valley with all the dead trees and no path visible. Tried to follow fellow GPT hikers advices, but ended up crossing the river multiple times to find a walkable path without too many bushes, until Camp {08} [31.3/1629]. After this tricky part, both paths are beautiful and quite easy. The thermal river is amazing. There was plenty of space with beautiful hot water pools but also cold water at Camp {08} [40.4/2150]. The last day, I took OH {08-02} and OH {08-02A} to go up Volcán Chillán and then exit at Termas de Chillán. Beautiful ascent with no specific difficulty except the steep last 300 meters. The place is full of condors flying really close, super impressive. <br /> There are no housing options and no buses during the week leaving from Termas de Chillán. You can walk/hitchhike until -36.910163, -71.417798 where buses leave regularly everyday for Chillán. Found many cabañas options in Trancas de Chillán a bit further down. Overall, very beautiful and diverse section (forests, rivers, sand deserts, volcanos) with amazing hot springs!<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2023-Mar-13 to 2023-Mar-18 / 5.5 days / Hiking / NOBO / Abanico — Thermas de Chillán / Iris, Alexis '''<br /> <br /> Starting from Los Angeles, we took a bus (at 12:30) towards Abanico and then two rides until the start of OH-MR-V {08-K} [0.0+0.1]. Then, there is a gate (after the Bridge, Gate {08} [126.7/1339] point) locked with a padlock but easy to climb. The CC section (RH-CC-A {08} [26.4/122.0+1.9]) is actually following the MR so we thought better stay on the road. When we reached Camp {08} [120.2/1520], it was completely dry so we continued a bit and found a nice spot in the forest (close to -37.32983, -71.39823).<br /> <br /> On Day 2, we continued on the trail, simply taking the shortcut OH-TL-V {08-I} [0.0+0.2]. Then, we chose to take option 08-H to stay high, it was really beautiful. We stayed on the rim until a hard part and then we diverged on the trail that was present a bit below us. As other as noted, on RH-CC-A {08} [18.1/113.7+2.0] you follow a trail or a set of footprints. When the trail and the trace diverge, follow the trail, it is usually the best option. And don't miss Trailhead {08} [113.7/2184], we tried to go around it but regretted it. Then, the trail until Laguna El Robles (Camp {08} [98.2/1456]) is nice but the descent is steep. We believe the path has been cleared recently because lot of fresh fallen branches on the ground. On the lake, we camped on the east side but it was very windy. The other side looked more protected. <br /> <br /> On Day 3, we followed the RR until Camp {08} [73.3/1104]. It was a rather uneventful day except we met a lot of arrieros in the morning that went for a wild bull hunt. The camp is nice and felt like a campground.<br /> <br /> On Day 4, we hiked for just a few kilometers to reach the Thermas Peucos. It was a very worthy stop, an oasis in the middle of the hike : 10k PP for the camping and hot springs (stoned pools). We even bought a lunch from the minishop which has quite a nice selection. Like others, we used the option 08-C to avoid the pointless climb in the RR. <br /> <br /> On Day 5, we did a rather long walk until Camp {08} [40.4/2150] to enjoy the natural pool. The trail is a bit overgrown after the thermas but nothing bad. The day was full of going up : 2500 on the tracks but the GPS said only 2100 at the end of the day. The hot springs are amazing, truly the best we encountered. And we were alone there. <br /> <br /> On Day 6, we met a horserider when leaving the camp a bit angry because he did not sleep. He camped near a group that partied the whole night (we believe it was close to Ford {08-02} [1.6/2097]). Then, option 08-02 and variant A to ascend the volcan. It starts with a nice trail and ends up with sand that is really hard to climb. Nothing difficult nor dangerous but extremely tiresome. It took us 3h to go up but we enjoyed our lunch at the top! Then the descent is really fast, thanks to this sand (about 1h). The rest of the trail until Thermas de Chillán is a bit overrun, we met numerous hikers (but it was a Saturday). There, we hitched a ride until Recinto and took the 7:00PM bus to Chillán for a ressuply.<br /> <br /> Overall our impressions on this section are a bit mixed. We enjoyed the numerous hot baths and the volcan summit but we were less amazed by the landscapes compared to the previous sections (of note as we did go up quite a lot, we probably were a bit too exhausted to truly enjoy it completely!) . Perhaps it is more rewarding when going SOBO? <br /> <br /> * '''2023-Feb-02 to 2023-Feb-08 / 7 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + emergency exit / Martial '''<br /> <br /> Puente Inglés - Los Peucos - Antuco <br /> Super pleasant trekk in various landscapes and sweet hot springs. Met Ondrej at the start and shared the road walking before he eventually escapes in the first climb ! Met again finally at the hot river for a deserved rest after big climbing day. Next the descent to los Peucos is rather long with overgrown detour of the swamp at the end. That’s where my phone died for no reason. May it RIP with all my pictures :’( Still if there’s a good soul out there with a machete and long trousers feel free to save this beautiful trail ! Then los Peucos was a paradise oasis for a 14000$ 24h rest day. Not so expensive to me considering the quality of the hotspring service and resupply in the middle of nowhere ! « El Toro » hotspring is a once in lifetime experience for sunrise and had the all domain for myself 😌 Do not hesitate to stop there and meet Ricardo who doesn’t see many souls otherwise.<br /> 4th night spent 3km down near los Peucos in a super recommanded magical waterfall bassins with perfect « nuit à la belle étoile » on the hot rock.<br /> After km 80 the forest is kind of colonised with annoying flyes and thermites wich makes it not an enjoyable place. Also recommend taking plenty of water from laguna el roble cause dry climb and ridge walking ahead (there’s still a little stream pond under a tree a few km after the pass if you look well). Arrived there in late afternoon with no place to camp and saw emergency exit on the right which triggered green light in my brain (as gear failures were acumalating and motivation low). Felt good after a few tears but the long road walking in the hydraucentral gave me some regrets until i eventually arrived in Antuco after hotish hitchhiking.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-28 to 2023-Feb-04 / 7.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + volcán chillàn &amp; volcán Antuco / Natalie &amp; Tomáš'''<br /> <br /> Day 1<br /> Got off the bus here (-36.67295, -71.29201) instead of Los Sauces for an easy ford. The bus driver knew of this place. The ford was here -36.67738, -71.28739, knee-high. We crossed around 3pm. The road section until the carabinieros was surprisingly popular on a weekend: we got a 3km hitch, but if we started earlier, I am sure we could have hitched a lot more. The valley is nice to walk in though.<br /> The carabinieros basically just wanted to know if we had a proper GPS and map. We could not understand if they were telling us &quot;not&quot; to go close to Volcán Chillán or just &quot;warning&quot; us. I checked online the day before and it said the volcano is in green, but the cabineros said it was yellow.<br /> Made camp at the 17km waypoint because it was a good spot. Lots of unmarked water waypoints on the road such as -36.69615, -71.27770 and -36.72718, -71.26420.<br /> Day 2. <br /> Crossed Nuble with no problems around 9am. The water was not strong but not totally calm and was under our crotches: I am 170cm and Tomáš is ~173cm. Hats off to the others that crossed when water levels were much higher! Remember to turn right and not left after the ford.<br /> The path was better than expected, but still can be easily lost until the first pass at 33.2km. Thanks to the tip from Will, we took the path on the other side of the river once out of the trees to avoid the blow down, somewhere around or close to camp 29.5. Hot pass.<br /> We made camp at the hotsprings ([40.3/2173]) after the second pass, their beauty and heat made up for the long day. There are a couple of perfect spots near the hotsprings with some cold water for drinking, -36.90156, -71.35089. Spent two nights here. The hot springs are regular creeks, most of which in the valley are hot. Saw some locals camping in other spots, seems like a popular place.<br /> Day 3.<br /> Volcán Chillàn. Easy climb following the standard route but the last 600m was slow sandish-like material which made for a very quick descent. Instead of going back the way we came, we followed an unmarked/unmapped &quot;road&quot; on the south side of Volcán Chillán that lead to switchbacks down to the hotsprings that we saw earlier that morning. Basically if coming from volcano, follow the road east from here -36.89199, -71.38543 and aim for the switchbacks to the hotsprings camp here -36.90336, -71.36145 [as of 2024 included in our suggestions in the released Track files]. There is some dirty water on the way but very interesting and scenic. I am slightly worried about posting this because it is likely not meant to be walked, also not sure it actually saves time compared to the normal trail but it allows for a nice roundtrip. One can get Internet on the way to the volcano when the ski resorts are visible. Camped again at the hotsprings.<br /> Day4<br /> Nothing to add for this day, trail was nice and under trees a lot of the way, all fords easy or jumpable. Met two French who were doing the GPT northbound. Camped near the puesto 61.7 before the hotsprings, path was always there, just a little overgrown. <br /> Day5<br /> Trail to hotsprings was not that bad, just overgrown bamboo but otherwise nice. The hotsprings is not actually CONAF but a concession. Prices were as described 14mil for camping and 7mil just for hotsprings. If you want to buy food from them, I recommend going at the beginning of the month as that is when they restock, for us there was still lots of food left but nothing fresh or good, very expensive. <br /> On the road we used option C to avoid the hill as others suggested (seems like the main road now) and as for variant D, we did not see anything, so we back-tracked a bit and took a different unmarked trail here that was successful -37.06894, -71.39599 and forded river here -37.06857, -71.39158 to meet the RR [now in the suggestions too].<br /> The trailhead at 81.0 is hard to see, be ready.<br /> That trail from 81.0 to the pass was more overgrown in my mind than the rest of the days but still not terrible. Camped on the other side 88.9 (actually a bit further down were nicer camp-spots with lovely short grass).<br /> Day6<br /> Somehow at camp 88.9 we woke up to frost over everything. Have no idea what kind of phenomenon this is because I don't think it froze (forecast was for 16 in the night) but even the little moisture in my breakfast bowl froze shortly after eating it...<br /> Quick trail to Laguna el Roble except the trail is easy to loose just before the Laguna in the grassy section, keep climbing left towards an unmarked puesto here -37.20868, -71.33023.<br /> There should technically be a better water source than the lake itself at camp 98.8, but I just took water from the lake:S. The next pass towards the ridge was hot but easy. Good trail until you hit the X at 105.9. Then the path is harder to follow. The camp at 107.1 seems silly and would be better higher above the listed water source. We ended up going cross country all the way from a pass like structure here -37.25066, -71.38499 to Laguna Hermosa because there was a trail on the other side (a bit lower than official RR so it made sense to follow it elevation-wise) that eventually faded away.<br /> Laguna Hermosa was worth it as others have stated but unfortunately very heavy winds crept in that night. It was way less windy on the East side of the lagoon, which we only noticed in the morning.<br /> Day7<br /> Very heavy winds. We made a small short cut to the RR from the Laguna by heading west sooner [included in our suggestions]. We considered turning around on the ridge as the winds were likely around 80km/hr at one point near the pylons, but luckily since the route is not actually on the ridge but under it, the rest of the way was okay, still windy but not pushing us over. The rest of the ridge was no problem for us, slower of course since there is sidehilling and edging but nothing scary or exposed. There was no snow though.<br /> El Puesto at 121 had two dogs but we did not see anyone. We camped at Laguna Laja (not nice) to climb Antuco the next day. To no surprise the restaurant and cafe at the ski resort are closed. Other than the water in the lake, there are no good water sources past the last water source before El Puesto if heading in this direction. There is Entel 3G coverage here.<br /> Day8<br /> Started early to beat the heat for Antuco. I turned back after the top of the ski lift because of a stomach bug (probably food but still nicer to vomit in the shade...) but Tomáš went on to finish the climb. The climb was not worth it. The volcano is not black sand but rather loose rock (boulders to pebbles) which made especially going down annoying. A rock fell on my waling stick and partially destroyed it. After the ski lift there is virtually no trail. Plus the fact there was only a small crater on top and the weather was very hot and windy in the early morning. I think we were there during a small heat wave, supposedly the day before was 38°C in Antuco proper. After the climb we hitched to the campsite Lagunillas (10mil/person) in hopes of going back to Los Angeles but after analyzing the smoke situation of the forest fires we stayed here and used it as a base for preparing for GPT09-10.<br /> <br /> It took us 168 hours but without climbing the volcanoes the trail could have been walked in five full walking days. End of January means there were virtually no horseflies. <br /> Nice trip but due to foot issues, things breaking down and a stomach bug at the end, it was a bit of a suffer-fest for Natalie (Tomáš's new shoes are unfortunately painful too). However, the hotsprings, Volcán Chillán, Laguna Hermosa and the trees (especially the ones with usnea) made it worth while!<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Feb-02 to 2023-Feb-07 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Option 08-C / Ondrej '''<br /> <br /> Puente Inglés - Camping Las Lagunillas <br /> Overall an extremely beautiful route, my favourite in GPT06-08. Compared to GPT06 and 07, this section felt most diverse but also most challenging to navigate. I accidentaly got off track much more often. Still, the route is visible most of the time except the last day after Laguna Hermosa. Even there, sticking to the gpx files makes the section easily passable. One just need to pay a higher attention to where their steps are placed. The fauna is quite rich too - I had a chance to see a tarrantula (the minor road on day 1), crayfish in the rivers, and a snake which I believe was Tachymenis chilensis (on the shores of Laguna El Roble). I believe this section is much more demanding in Dec or early Jan when snow is still present on the slopes. Horseflies were not a problem in my case. I encountered some between km 75 and 85 but that was far from frustrating. I recommend gaiters due to dusty roads in some sections. From thermas Chillan I haven’t met a soul until the end of the section.<br /> <br /> Details:<br /> On the first day, it is easy walking on a minor road that winds through a forest so you can enjoy shade most of the walk! No complications, just need to climb some gates. I enjoyed a company of a fellow GPT hiker Martial, who shared some useful trout fishing tips and gear with me. We camped at the Nuble crossing. <br /> <br /> Second day, Nuble crossing was no problem. Knee-deep at the recommended ford. Then I got lost in the forest numerous time. Checking the gpx frequently definitely helped. I followed the advice of others to cross the river and find a path om the right upstream side. That worked really well, didn’t have to cross any fallen trees! I camped at the hot springs - it is actually a whole thermal river. Amazing, amazing place. Loved to lay in it and watch the stars. Quite a few other people were there (some arrieros and a Chilean family) but there really was enough space for everyone. <br /> <br /> The third and fourth day were rather uneventful for me. Very beautiful views along the trail, which was mostly through forests and relatively simple to follow all the way to 2km before Los Peucos. Even there the trail was visible, it was just overgrown. I worried about this part too much based on the previous reports. The path actually felt quite okay in my case. Unfortunately, no soul at Los Peucos. I saw a parked car and a horse, but no human in the area. So I decided to walk 3km more and camp at the next river ford at km 66.4. I also took option C as recommeded by other hikers below, it was perfect!<br /> <br /> The 5th day was easy up to the laguna El Roble. Then the climb is quite demanding. Most importantly, there is hardly any water between Laguna El Roble and km106.1. I found a little stream at km102.8 but I wouldn’t rely on it. My strategy was to drink about 1 liter at the laguna El Roble (I filtered the water there as the laguna didn’t seem that clear) and then I took 1.5l with me. It lasted me all the way to Laguna Hermosa. Maybe next time I would take only 1 liter. However, I felt safe to have the reserves. Once you get to the pass, the views are beautiful, as is Laguna Hermosa where I camped for the last night. <br /> <br /> On the 6th day, I started from Laguna Hermosa at 8am and reached the main car road around 3pm. The trail after Hermosa disappears and requires a lot of attention to your GPS to navigate. The scree traverses are entirely manageable. I had to think twice before placing my feet though. The trail becomes visible and much easier at km115 when the valley trail connects. No one was at the puesto at km121.1, just three dogs. Trekking poles were enough to fend them off. There is indeed a new metal gate with a lock at approx km 126. No guards are positioned there. I climbed the gate without issues. I then hiked to Camping Lagunillas. There is a very kind owner and his son. Really good people to chat with. After listening to my story they also let me a cabana for a price of camping (10,000 CLP) for the night. The owner’s son is keen to learn more about the GPT and to potentially hike part of the route too. The camping has a small almacen there with some lentils and rice to buy (however, the selection is not enough to resupply). They also sell beer, cookies and can make you a soft dinner and breakfast (empanadas, lentils, waffles, coffee, sandwiches). I hitchhiked to Abanico the next day. It seems there are many more buses from Abanico to Antuco/Los Angeles than just two these days. The bus schedules could be looked up on the Internet. I caught one at 9:30am. <br /> <br /> *2023-Jan-16 Frank RR SOBO 5 days<br /> <br /> Crossed the river before Los Sauces where a dirt road goes right, crossing was only ankle deep. The cable car at Los Sauces is locked &amp; there is often no one there. River is a lot deeper by the cable car (at least waist deep)<br /> <br /> At Los Robles the carabineros were not very friendly, which was unusual, &amp; were not too happy about me hiking solo, but after I told them I'd walked there from Santiago they allowed me to proceed. They had no info. about the activity level of Chillan. The 'shop' in Los Robles only had 2L bottles of soft drink &amp; eggs. Rio Nuble was thigh deep late in the evening but you need to pick your spot: a few metres downstream from the RR crossing, before some boulders in the water. Camped a little after the crossing. Before Rio Nuble there is a no entry sign &amp; locked gate but you can climb over it easily &amp; there was no one there. Campsite marked on track file before the crossing was fenced off with no entry sign.<br /> <br /> Coming down from the pass late on day 2 there is a cold water spring just before the hot waterfall. Filled up at the spring as the water in the valley is thermal, not sure if it's good to drink. Camped in the valley by the hot stream.<br /> <br /> At the CONAF hot springs it was 14,000 CLP to camp but they allowed me to use the hot bath for free. They have a shop but most items are too bulky for one person. I continued for about 10KM &amp; camped in a 3 sided hut 100M to the right off the road before a wide but easy ford. The hut has a dirt floor so you can pitch a tent inside. After Laguna Roble you climb to a pass &amp; there is a spring a little after the pass. I camped just before the spring (room for one small tent, had to clear away some rocks but it was OK) The traverse after the aerials was a bit sketchy but soon improved &amp; I picked up a tiny trail through the scree. Walked to the CONAF entrance gate on the road &amp; hitched out from there. There is a lot of traffic on the weekend. <br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-13 to 2023-Jan-18 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / Start in Termas the Chillan opt. 2 than RR from 40km to 105.9 and finished using opt. 6. / Maks&amp;Gabi '''<br /> <br /> Trail is visible almost all the time. All the fords are easily passable. We had met arrieros 3 times, they were nice and helpful. One of them asked about why we are hiking, as there is a lot of people going this way, but he seemed to be okay with it.<br /> There is a lot of really horseflies especially between 83 and 93 km. <br /> There were also quite a lot of cows on trail, that were not so happy to see us, but we just walked around them (with some bigger distance). Be careful as the bulls seem to be very protective over the small ones. <br /> <br /> Option 06A is probably overgrown - we spent about 15 min trying to find the trail but we gave up after all ( it was about 300m after crossroad ).<br /> Gate on 8.6km of option 6 was locked with the padlock, but noone was there so we just walked over the fence. <br /> <br /> All other gates on all trail were easily passable. One of the arrieros just noted that we should close them after crossing. <br /> From the hydro powerplant till the end of the option 06B there were a lot of people working on a road but none of them seemed to have a problem with us being there.<br /> We hitch hiked to Antuco. <br /> It was our first try on the GPT (recommended by a local mountain guide from Termas de Chillan) and it was definitely worth it! <br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-03 to 2023-Jan-08 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Will '''<br /> <br /> Probably my favorite section so far! A nice mix of remote alpine stretches, forests, and fields. However the horseflies made it hard to appreciate at times, they were pretty much constant during the later section around Laguna Laha.<br /> <br /> I hitched from San Fabián around noon and did most of the road walk the first day. The campsite at 21.6 is fenced off. I stayed at 20.3 which didn't have great water access, just a muddy spring. Scrambling down to the river wasn't feasible but I found a bit of clean flow partway down.<br /> The Nuble crossing wasn't so bad for me, it was just below my waist (5'11/181cm). Still the hardest one so far. I found the trail afterwords pretty hard to follow, with lots of side paths eventually leading to thorny bushwhacking. It finally convinced me to pull the route up on my watch for the first time, definitely worth it here.<br /> A ways after the river crossing you'll come out of the woods into an open river valley. I recommend crossing the stream there and finding the path on the other side, instead of struggling through the blowdown/landslide debris along the gpx track.<br /> The trail was fairly slow from the Nuble crossing to los Peucos. After that it's super fast except for a few stretches in the mountains above the Laguna Laha. <br /> The natural hot springs just below the pass near the Volcan Chillan were very nice, but full of little flies. They didn't seem to bite.<br /> The camping at los peucos was very expensive, but they had a bit of food for sale (fruit!!). Comfy grass, wifi, well maintained bathrooms. The hot springs there were too hot for me, slightly painful.<br /> I missed option C and definitely regretted it. The road up was super rocky, and hot with no shade.<br /> The stretch above Laguna Laha was the driest I've passed so far. Thankfully there were a few snow fed streams/ponds left, but I should have carried more water to be safe. Laguna Hermosa was true to its name, a nice place to camp my last night.<br /> The main road at the end was pretty busy, you could hitch right away and skip the entire last 13ish km. But the extra little stretch of trail at the end was definitely worth it to me.<br /> It took me a while to get a ride to Antuco even though the road was busy. Most people were just going a bit further along. It's not the nicest town but there's decent selection for resupply. I got a room for 15k/night at a cabana/hostal place on Sgto. Aldea street. For some reason I didn't have cell service there, with Movistar.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-01 to 2023-Jan-07 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Option C / Martin &amp; Helena'''<br /> <br /> We took bus from San Fabian (corner on the other side of the gas station) in the afternoon, and camped after ford of Los Sauces river (water only to the ankles). A lot of annoying tabanos, but plenty of space to camp. Quite a lot of locals go there as well. The next day we continued to the ford or Rio Nuble that turned out to be the worst so far for us. Doing it in the afternoon was not the best idea - the current was strong and even when it was just waist-high, we were not able to pass through the fastest part where the path takes you. We figured out to go more upstream, but just like 30m maybe? to a point where the water was really deep but completely calm. There is a rock wall on the other side. The water reached our chest at that part and our hands holding poles were under the water, making it hard to gain stability. We decided to take our chances and try to cross, using rocks covered with some grass to gain traction. There were times when we were floating in the water with close to 0 stability but we eventually made it. Best to be there early to have the best possible conditions. Until the end of the day we managed to get up through the forrest. Before you get out of the forrest you are crossing a stream that is going down between the rocks, but if you take a minute or two before it path that goes lower than trail, you will find a nice spot by the water with some wooden bench and nice covered place to camp. We prefered to be out of the forrest so we continued, but found only a field of fallen trees caused by landslide. It was possible to find a place to camp closer to the river. It is best to continue on the other side, which we did the next day. You will soon connect to the trail again, before going up.<br /> <br /> The way up from the valley is quite steep. From the pass you get a nice view of the Chillan volcano. Going further down to the lava field, we followed advices of others and get up to the top of lava field right away and continued walking on it. After the pass you will find a valley with hot springs which are simply amazing. Good to plan camping there so you can enjoy it fully. From the valley the trail is clear, until a short section before the official camp (1-2 kms before it), where it’s more of a bush-bashing. This part starts near a puesto where we came across herd of young bulls that seemed to be more curious that we would like and we had to go around them, a little off the trail. We struggled a little to find our way into the camp, which was not so clear from our gps (eventhough the path is clear all the way to the river) - the camp is secured by wire fences that we wanted to avoid, but at the end we crawled under them to get to the camp, aprox. according to our gps. If you follow the river downstream you might get to the official gate / entrance, not sure. Like other mentioned the price is quite high, and so are things in the little shop - most of it are classic camping things that last long like pasta, rice, canned fruits, a lot of cookies… but we were grateful for it anyway. The hot springs there are also amazing, man-made stone pools, with the view of the stars in the night it is perfect and worth the price. There are maybe 10 dedicated places to camp with wooden desk and bench, covered by roof (good when it’s raining). More space is close to the showers and the common, shared house with kitchen, fireplace and again desks with benches. We met there some workers from a gas company, fixing pipes close to the laguna, who were sleeping in the camp. The guy watching over the camp (from CONAF) was also nice and helpful - if you need anything, this is the right person to ask.<br /> <br /> On the next day, we continued on the minor road, where we took the C option, like others. Following the RR we found the 08-E option (which follows the MR) to be a better choice since the RR is a little overgrown in the beginning and with thistle-vegetation. Easy pass in the forest, and nice places to camp in the valley. We were lucky to find their cows again (luckily on the other side of the river), but bulls woke us up in the morning - this must have been the fastest packing in the history. We enjoyed more fun with the cows and bulls later in the valley, that were blocking our way and refusing to go away - that made us to take another short detour around them.<br /> <br /> A lot has been already written about the last part of this section that takes you up to the plateau. The climb is quite steep and long so don’t forget to take water from the last laguna - that is the last option. The next stream we found was about 2 kms from the point where you reach the ridge. We camped before Laguna Hermosa with nice view of the volcano. There was some melting snow above the laguna and we found 4G signal there (where the pole is). We found the descent down to be quite ok, there are small slippery rocks so it’s necessary to be careful, but nothing too bad. The descent gets very dusty later (when it’s dry) and is still steep in the forrest with a lot of water from the snow. We got to the main road in the afternoon and were lucky to catch a ride all the way to Antuco. We booked the only available place we found on booking called Puelche de Antuco, a really nice cabin. The town is nice with a lot of restaurants and shops.<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-28 to 2023-Jan-02 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / Los Sauces - Antuco / Anna &amp; Christopher '''<br /> <br /> We took the bus at 6 pm from San Fabián to Los Sauces and camped next to the river.<br /> <br /> The path until the river crossing of Rio Ñuble is basically a dirtroad, so we got there pretty fast. Only the horseflies were very annoying. We recommend bringing insect repellent.<br /> Christopher is 1.88m and the water went up to his navel at the main route crossing. Anna with 1.63m was not able to cross the river there.<br /> After some tries we found a possibility a couple of hundred meters upstream, where the water just went up to Anns knees. The tough part was to get up to the path on the other side. After some bush bashing, you have to get up a 3 to 4 meter high, almost vertical slope. We found a tree, whose roots we used to climb up, which was not super easy. Once you are up there, there is a good path that leads to the main route.<br /> <br /> The next day was nice until the valley around km 25 (where the river is not correctly positioned in the gaia app). There are tons of fallen trees and it was really hard to get through and there was mostly no visible path. It's probably best to stick to the upstream right side of the river.<br /> Afterwards the path gets really nice. Especially in the evening sun, it was very beautiful to cross the volcanic landscape. We camped in the valley at km 40 at the hot springs.<br /> <br /> The third day has a good path at the beginning. Just the last 3 km it gets more difficult, especially approx. 2 km before Los Peucos, where it's mostly bush bashing.<br /> The camping at Los Peucos is nice, as well as the hot springs, but we had to pay 14k CLP p.p. to camp there and in the evening there are tons of mosquitos. We would have camped a bit further downstream, if we had known that to be honest.<br /> <br /> The next day we took option C, like Veronica suggested, to avoid an unnecessary climb. Then we made an unnecessary climb following the road and not the main path, because we couldn't find the entry to the path right away and feared more bush bashing. But the path looked great from above.<br /> The rest of the route until shortly after Laguna Hermosa was really good. There is not much snow left and therefore there are not a great many places to fill up water.<br /> After Laguna Hermosa the path gets very hard to cross, due to lots of stones and gravel without a visible path.<br /> But it's very beautiful up there and finally not hot anymore.<br /> The descend has a easy to find path but is pretty slippery. Once you pass that the rest is pretty easy until the road, from where we hitchhiked to Antuco. We stayed at Camping Rucue for 15k CLP the camping lot. You pay for the lot not per person.<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-14 to 2022-Dec-19 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + GPT08-02 / Véronica '''<br /> <br /> Route: Los Sauces - Río Ñuble crossing - backtrack to Los Sauces - hitch to Termas se Chillán (GPT08 option 2) - Los Peucos - Laguna Laja - Laguna Hermosa - CONAF near Abanico <br /> <br /> San Fabian is a great place, loved swimming in the Ñuble River when it got hot. The owner of Cabañas San Fabian is super kind. I hitched back to the trail because I didn't want to wait all day for the bus that leaves at 6pm. <br /> <br /> Registered with the carabineros at El Roble, but I could not ford Río Ñuble at the RR crossing. Current was very strong, and has I been able to stand up in it, the water would have easily reached my chest (I'm165 cm). I tried several times to ford the river at three different places, several km apart from each other, with no success. I would advance in the stream until I felt I couldn't take another step without being swept, and couldn't get halfway across. I suppose I should have expected this - it's a very high snow year and mid-December. I even tried calling out for help at the puesto on the west side of the river near the &quot;no trespassing&quot; gates, but no one was there. The long walk back to Los Sauces felt very defeating. Also, the &quot;wooden bridges&quot; described by Jo and Veronika are actually only cable crossings, and inaccessible by two barbed wire fences. Not possible to cross the river there either. Ríos Los Sauces and Las Truchas only came up mid-thigh though. <br /> <br /> Regained the GPT at Termas de Chillán, Option 2. Basicall took almost the whole second day to hitch there. Beautiful trail, but steep. You get to ford hot creeks, which was pretty cool. <br /> <br /> The trail is overgrown in some places, the worst spot is between the last puesto before Los Peucos and Los Peucos. Very hard walking through, wished I had a machete. Only lasts a km or two thankfully. All three puestos before Los Peucos looked abandoned. <br /> <br /> Didn't meet anyone at Los Peucos since I got there fairly early in the morning, but the hot springs there are amazing. Really hot, clear water, a little stone pool in a garden. Loved spending time there. <br /> <br /> Taking GPT08-C avoids a pointless climb and descent on the regular route, and has a nice path the whole way. <br /> <br /> Trail gets more difficult once you start climbing up to the ridge after Laguna El Roble. The views are incredible though, absolutely spectacular. Lots of water sources up on the ridge due to many lingering snow patches. Most of them are not a problem. After the junction with GPT08-06, the trail kind of disappears. Keep an eye on the GPS as you climb and descend steeply on the slopes. It reappears again after the following camp and water waypoints. <br /> <br /> Laguna Hermosa still has a couple snow patches on its shores, cold place to camp, but beautiful. After Laguna Hermosa is where it gets really challenging. There is no trail afterwards that I could find, basically cross country the whole way to the TR at 116.8 km. As you approach the &quot;trailhead&quot; waypoint, there is LOTS of scree traverses, and steep snow patches which require microspikes or extreme clambering to get around. Treacherous in some places. I fell a couple times. The ground is very loose and unstable. Things get better actually once you reach the official cross country section at Laguna Lágrima. Still some steep bits, but the ground is more consolidated, and there's more bedrock to help with traction. I reccomend taking the optional route CC-08-H. There's a faint trail to follow and it avoids clambering up on the ridge. <br /> <br /> Very glad to see a clear track again at 116.8. But still some problematic snow fields in this stretch above Laguna Toro, where it was too steep even with microspikes, and I had to do some very careful/serious climbing around. Not fun. Fell again here. Once you reach the long descent into Valle de los Carpinteros it gets much better. Still some snow in the woods over the creek. Right now you can walk on top of it like an ice bridge. There clearly was a LOT of snow here this past winter, it lingers until 1750 m or so in the south-facing valley. <br /> <br /> The puesto at 121.1 looks abandonned too.  Lots of downed trees in the area. There was no one, and no metal gate (or any gate) whatsoever before reaching the road in the National Park. <br /> <br /> The 4 days from Volcán Chillán to the end of the section, I saw no other human. I found this section also to be harder than GPT06, especially the last day. The snow complicates things. If you wish to avoid dangerous clambering and sketchy snow and scree traverses, take Option 06. The trail is good before then.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Jan-28 to 2022-Feb-06 / 10 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Veronika &amp; Jo'''<br /> <br /> Los Sauces -&gt; banks of Rio Ñuble -&gt; hot springs at flanks of Chillan (-&gt; escape to Concepción via Termas de Chillan to buy new shoes -&gt; hot springs at flanks of Chillan) -&gt; Los Peucos -&gt; camp before Laguna Laja -&gt; Laguna Hermosa -&gt; camping Lagunillas (6 proper hiking days)<br /> <br /> Nice section again. Hot springs in the first half, beautiful views of Laguna Laja, Volcán Antuco, Siella Veluda in the second half. Laguna Hermosa is true to its name, and was the first to not have horse or cow droppings on its sandy shores :D Sad to not have crossed Molly and Melissa.<br /> <br /> - The lady at the cable car was not sure whether we could cross with our heavy backpacks, so we forded the river at Los Sauces.<br /> <br /> - From about km 20 the sides of the road are fenced. The camp at km 21.6 is no longer available. <br /> <br /> - There is a gate at S 36° 49.177', W 071° 15.206' (blocking access to the trail) marked private, no entry. We saw some cars returning through a second gate (blocking access to the river) and asked if it was ok to cross the first gate. They said &quot;For you, sure.&quot; I get the impression that Chileans rather want to keep Chileans out... This gate is not a problem NOBO.<br /> <br /> - Fording Rio Ñuble was the deepest ford we ever did. Balls deep indeed! Quite doable though, as the water is clear.<br /> <br /> - There may be an alternative path on the western bank, starting at the wooden bridges at S 36° 49.177', W 071° 15.206'. Some local at the San Fabián tourist office mentioned having hiked this way.<br /> <br /> - The trail at S 36° 49.177', W 071° 15.206' (around km 30) has eroded. After searching, we had to push through some bushes on a steep ridge to continue the trail. Maybe more obvious NOBO.<br /> <br /> - At the start of the cross country at km 34.6 get to the top of the lava strip after fording the river. For us, this was easiest at S 36° 52.853', W 071° 18.793'.<br /> <br /> - The water at the camp at km 37.3 was mostly dried up. Don't count on it by the end of January.<br /> <br /> - The bus stop at Termas de Chillan is close go Hotel Nevados de Chillan. There are way more buses at Las Trancas de Chillan, 8 km down the road. Fortunately, the whole area has great 4G coverage with Entel, so you can look up the bus tables with the key words &quot;REM bus Termas de Chillan&quot;.<br /> <br /> - The CONAF camp Los Peucos has excellent hot springs and a mini shop. Camping costs 10.000 pp. The guards are very friendly and donated some fruit :)<br /> <br /> - The CC section around km 95 had a clear path, but the subsequent TL section before Laguna El Roble did not.<br /> <br /> - The trail after Laguna Hermosa was hard to find, we went quite slowly clambering on the loose scree or sand. Going down the mountain ridge at the end of the CC section was similarly difficult. Fell twice - could not find solid footing on the slope.<br /> <br /> - The lady at the puesto at km 121.6 was friendly, asked where we came from, went to, and pointed us to the exit road. She seemed friendly, but a subtle hint to &quot;please stay off my land&quot; would have been lost on us in translation. The new metal gate is easy to pass through. The CONAF guard's wife at the final CONAF post mentioned that we were hiking the &quot;sendero biologico&quot; when we mentioned Laguna Hermosa. This trail must pass over the lady's land too?<br /> <br /> - The ATM at Antuco is broken.<br /> <br /> - Supermercado Santa Teresa in Antuco sells 125ml bottles of alcohol desnaturalizado 96° in the nail polish section.v<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Jan-24 / 6.5 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR + OH Cerro Las Águilas / Molly and Melissa'''<br /> <br /> At the &quot;gate&quot; waypoint, we actually met two men installing a new metal gate. They told us we needed permission to pass, and that the owner would come by shortly. We talked to her, and at first she was very determined not to let us through. I don't know what convinced her - we showed her our garbage bag and shovel to show we would leave no trace, we told about the gpt and how far we had walked. She also expressed concern for her animals being disturbed, or that we would get lost. We then showed her our personal locator beacon, and she finally softened and told us we could go through if we payed 5000 pesos each and continued all the way to Laguna Hermosa, past her lands, before we made camp. She also owns the puesto marked on the route. If going northbound and wanting to avoid a potential conflict, it might be better to take the option along the ridge.<br /> <br /> We took the bus to Abanico and hitched to the national park, not the easiest as all the cars were full. The car was stopped at the entrance, and we had to explain our route. We weren't asked to pay, probably because we weren't really going to the national park. You walk a little through it though on some nice paths, and then you reach a gravel road. Shortly after, at the &quot;gate&quot; waypoint, we actually met two men installing a new metal gate. They told us we needed permission to pass, and that the owner would come by shortly. We talked to her, and at first she was very determined not to let us through. I don't know what convinced her - we showed her our garbage bag and shovel to show we would leave no trace, we told about the gpt and how far we had walked. She also expressed concern for her animals being disturbed, or that we would get lost. We then showed her our personal locator beacon, and she finally softened and told us we could go through if we payed 5000 pesos each and continued all the way to Laguna Hermosa, past her lands, before we made camp. She also owns the puesto marked on the route. If going northbound and wanting to avoid a potential conflict, it might be better to take the option along the ridge.<br /> As noted previously, after climbing to the ridge on the rr, the terrain is difficult, but the views are amazing. Not a lot of water, but we managed. Many of the campsites off route, including Laguna Hermosa, require quite a climb down.<br /> You stay high up quite a while, which gives amazing views. <br /> <br /> The cross country along Laguna Laja has a nice path all the way. Then you reach Patricio's puesto. He's very welcoming, and has had people stay in his puesto before. We just drank coffee with him though. His brother German lives in the valley right after Laguna el Roble, but his puesto is hidden in the trees.<br /> <br /> Alternative route Cerro Las Águilas<br /> We chose the Cerro las Águilas alternative, because Volcán Chillán was in yellow alert. While walking there, we met two carabineros on horseback who wanted to know which way we went. Don't know if they would have forbidden the rr. The ascent to Laguna el Lobo is through deep sand, it was very tough and took way longer than we thought. We ended up camping at the Laguna which was nice enough. The ascent from there of the first little hill seemed completely unnecessary to us, at least if you have been by the laguna, as you descend to the same level. It would be worth it to walk to the right and ascend directly on the brown mountain, following the GPS from there. The ridge walk was tough as well, a lot of scrambling. The GPS often wanted us to go right of the rocky tops, where going left or directly over often seemed easier/safer. There is no water until the valley between the two passes. There, we also found a nice campsite right after the big stream on the bottom, a little to the left.<br /> After reaching Rio Ñuble, you follow it for a long time. There are multiple streams running towards it where we had to take off our shoes - no lack of water here, though. The alternative also fords Rio Ñuble itself in a different location compared to the rr - we had no problems whatsoever there. It reached mid-thigh and wasn't too strong, and we are both around 160 cm. It is a very low snow year though, and very dry. Here would be a nice place to camp.<br /> <br /> After rejoining the rr, we decided to continue to the waypoint &quot;camp&quot;. That was a mistake, though, as everything around there is fenced in with big signs saying &quot;private property&quot;. The second campsite right after is not fenced in, but doesn't look that good on the first glance. The rest of the way to Puente Ingles is gravel road. El Roble has a house that sells sodas - it has a &quot;bebidas&quot; sign. <br /> We crossed Rio Los Sauces beneath the cable cars quite easily, the water was mid-thigh - again very dry year. <br /> <br /> Puente Ingles<br /> In Puente Ingles we stayed at a campsite a little north of the cable car crossing, marked on the map in Locus Maps as &quot;lugar&quot;. It is 10,000 per tent, there are bathrooms, cold showers and tables. They also have a cabaña which was occupied. Puente Ingles has a small shop with sodas, ice cream, tortillas, biscuits, coffee and chips. It is quite nice to bath in the river. The bus still leaves at 7 and 10 in the morning.<br /> <br /> * '''2021-Dec-15 / 5.5 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR / Marc Anthony'''<br /> <br /> Beautiful view of volcán Antuco when walking up towards the ridge line by Laguna Laja and a staying at Los Peucos camping site was a big highlight on my journey on the GPT. Had my dinner in their wonderful hot spring while staring at the clear starlit sky in the cool night. Two nice guys working here and they even donated me some pasta, fruits and vegetables. Walking near the active Chillán Volcano and watching the fumaroles while being circled by a group of condors was also a cool experience. <br /> <br /> With that said, this section kicked my ass. Mainly due to some bad fitting shoes I recently bought in Los Ángeles and because I suffered from bad chafing in my butt which made me walk like I had shit my pants for a couple of days. This combined with some tough terrain (specially near Laguna Laja) and countless of horseflies made this section quite challenging for me. But definitely worth it! <br /> <br /> Like mentioned by hikers in the previous years fording Rio Ñuble can be a bit demanding especially for shorter people. It was getting late when I reached the river so I decided to camp nearby and cross the river in the morning. Had water up to the balls (i’m 189cm) and the current a bit strong but it was not too bad. <br /> Hitched a ride from Puente El Ingles to San Fabian and later jumped on a bus to Chillán to buy new shoes once again. Room with private bathroom for 15.000 at hostal El Molino in San Fabian, nice lady who owns the place.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2020/21==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> <br /> * '''*2019-Nov-10 / Jan Dudeck'''<br /> Volcan Chillán remains active. The regular route passes the crater closely therefore Option 1 appears currently the saver if someone does not want skip section GPT08 completely. This option passes the danger zone with more distance. In case of an eruption volcanic ash is likely to affect Option 1 but the risk of direct volcanic effects is lower (flash flood from melting snow and glaciers, land slides, lava and flying rocks). <br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-30 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / Ian Hikes + Tobias'''<br /> <br /> Overview: <br /> Just want to say quick that the termas vapaors in Mèdano are worth checking out, I highly recommend them. Please consider checking them out, they are only ½ km off the trail and absolutely worth it. They are sauna boxes built around a few hot rocks emitting hot steam. The result is a steam room/ sauna experience. I personally spend over 4 hours chilling out in the steam rooms.<br /> After a 2-hour road walk on the side of the highway you make your way back on trial. This section takes you thru many areas used for grazing livestock with puestos in sight almost all the time. Carizales a small settlement right on trail has a small store and the family also sells bread. There was also a puesto that sold us fresh goat cheese and Coca Cola. It is marked as a waypoint on the GPX file about 20km south of Carizales. Much of the trail is very dry and exposed and the landscape is void of trees and vegetation. There are many great places to jump into the river and cool off. The section up and around the lake offers great views of the mountains, volcanoes nearby and Laguna Dial. The trail itself is well established and never had any real trouble navigation. There were also quite a few hot springs on trail or close by.<br /> <br /> Difficulties: Hot and Exposed (especially in summertime). Resupply Distance.<br /> <br /> Highlights: Hot springs. Great sweeping views. Pools of cool water to jump into in the middle of the day.<br /> <br /> Please feel free to reach out and ask me any questions at Ultratrailca@gmail.com<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-20 / 3.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / Option l start south OH 08 - 02 / Martin '''<br /> <br /> Solo. Because I was not allowed to walk close to the Volcanoe by the carabineros, following the RR, had to take the optional start south OH 08 - 02, in Nevados de Chillán Ski Resort. Funny enough, I walked the first day across the volcanoe anyway, it had some smoke coming out but nothing dangerous happened. Then followed RR to the end. Cross country segments in the ridge close to Laguna del Laja were demanding and not ideal for a solo hiker. But it was worth the effort, one of the most amazing views I have seen so far. Beautiful section. Resupplied and stayed for one night in Abanico.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-05 / 3 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR /Ty &amp; America '''<br /> <br /> Can ford river @ los sauces easily rather than walking from Puente Ingles. Cable Car was all<br /> Locked up. Registration @ El Roble like the others. We camped at the hot rivers close to Volcan Chillan and I fucked up with the gasoline in my stove. Buzzkill...: but Fortunately there was an exit to Termas De Chillan close. We got rides easily from the road.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-03 / 4.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Maddie &amp; Tom '''<br /> <br /> Starting at El Ingles and hiking southbound towards Abanico. Lovely section however can be slow at times when the track is hard to follow. <br /> We had to register with the Carabineros at El Roble. Before crossing Rio Nuble there is a large gate with ‘private property: no entry’ written on it. We found this off putting. The river crossing itself was fine in the early morning but could be challenging without trekking poles and with a very heavy pack. <br /> After the Laguna de La Laja the track becomes especially more challenging and rocky. In poor weather it could be dangerous given the slippery slopes and steep descents. <br /> We honestly found this section harder than GPT06 and would swap the difficulty ratings. <br /> Took a bus into Los Angeles at 5pm to resupply for the next section. Did not investigate Abanico as we caught the bus as it was leaving.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-02 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + optional hike along Laguna de la Laja / Martina &amp; Ivo '''<br /> <br /> Los Sauces to Abanico.<br /> <br /> Los Sauces: If you tell the bus driver you want to cross the river by cable car (carro azul) he honks at the bus stop and señor Marcial comes from the other side to get you.<br /> Ford Rio Ñuble: If you are a dwarf like me, you should ask your taller hiking partner to carry your backpack, otherwise it will get wet. Demanding.<br /> Volcan Chillan: PLEASE NOTE: We were absolutely aware that our buddy Volcano could erupt or explode at ANY GIVEN MOMENT and that this was NOT a SAFE option to hike. (But it was beautiful! ...and a bit overgrown in some places. There is not much of the trail left before the first pass.)<br /> Laguna de la Laja: It was beautiful but we definitively wouldn't recommend it. There is no trail along the Laguna. At the beginning you can walk on cow tracks close to the waterfront. Afterwards it's 15 km of cross country. The 3 km into the third inlet took us 3 hours and were really dangerous because of loose rocks and steep cliffs. The following investigation part (@08-04-#002) was mainly a quite nice trail, but we lost it twice and it took us ages to find it again, and in this steep and not very easy terrain you don't want to loose the trail. We were really glad when we got back to the regular route.<br /> From Abanico there are several buses per day going directly to Los Angeles. Resupply in Abanico is possible.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-30 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / OH 1 / Matus &amp; Anna '''<br /> <br /> We had to register in Carabinieros. They didn't have a problem with leting us go even regular route, seemed like eventual crossing to Argentina is their primary issue. <br /> Optional 1 - to the juction with valley walk without problem. Cross coutry part on the ridge was easy to navigate. On downhill there is no trail so we went crosscountry again. It's bit overgrown in some spots, we found trail cca after half of descend. Last flowing water is before juction with valley walk. We saw some water holes cca 2-3km before Laguna de Lobo. <br /> Rest of the regular trail - cross coutry sections were demanding. Otherwise no problem. <br /> We got hitch to Los Angeles after CONAF station so no idea about resuply or accomodation.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2018/19==<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Jan-13 / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Martin Lizondo '''<br /> Volcán Chillán was in &quot;alerta naranja&quot;.<br /> Río Ñuble impassable at S36° 50.188' W71° 14.935' Better continue following the minor road in the alternative route.&lt;br /&gt;<br /> When hiking the alternative east route (Paso Aguila) do not descend to the valley at S36° 57.919' W71° 14.752'. It's unmantained and overgrounded, because of recent forest fires. Better stay above the tree line until Laguna El Lobo.&lt;br /&gt;<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> *Abanico<br /> At least one restaurant with pizza<br /> Store?<br /> <br /> *Antuco (from Abanico)<br /> Many smaller supermarkets, which have most things - easy enough to resupply here.<br /> One of the two ferreterías has gas (the one furthest from Abanico).<br /> Many accommodation options and some restaurants. March 2024: Good Accomodation with a nice Mapuche family in a single room, shared bath with hot shower, washing machine and including breakfast 18000 peso: Fanny, +56 9 9404 4771.<br /> There is an ATM (Fee: 5500)at the town square southend of town which even gives some smaller notes.<br /> Bus to Los Angeles<br /> <br /> *Camping Parque Antuco : <br /> 10k for camping. Cabañas also. Nice calm place, swimming pool, shade. Electricity and hot showers. Homemade empanadas. Bernabe the owner is really kind and know about the GPT. His number +56 9 9507 2559. <br /> <br /> *Puente Ingles<br /> Store with chips, ice cream, bread, chocolate, sodas. Possibly some accomodation option at the store. Campground with one cabaña a little further down the room - sign says cabañas - 10,000 per tent, toilets with cold showers and a room with a fireplace for cooking<br /> <br /> *San Fabián (from Puente Ingles)<br /> Many accommodation options - almost everything was fully booked when we were there (Feb 2022). <br /> Supermercado La Montaña seems to be the best option - not the easiest place to resupply, but definitely possible. Harder than in Antuco.<br /> Great Venezuelan restaurant Canela Passion. <br /> Bus to San Carlos<br /> <br /> *San Fabian - Fev 2025 (Clara) : <br /> - Very good resupply possible in the supermarket Los Alvis.<br /> - Accomodation : cabaña nativa : very nice cabanas clean, big confortable bed, climatisation, kitchen, pools, jacuzzi. 35k for a 2 persons cabaña (for 1 person). Just in front when you go out, there is a place where you can buy very good tortillas de rescoldo and pan amasado. Lots of restaurants. <br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> <br /> <br /> * 2025 - 02 : there are direct buses from Chillan to San Fabian. Then San Fabian to Puente Ingles. Buses at 2 pm and 6 p.m. in front of the carabineros including Sundays and Holidays. <br /> <br /> *Puente Ingles to San Fabián<br /> Bus at 7 am and 10 am - leaves from the campground, drives to the shop and the back again towards San Fabián<br /> <br /> *Bus from Antuco to Los Angeles about once an hour in daytime. <br /> <br /> *A few buses from Abanico to Antuco or you can hitch fairly easily.<br /> <br /> * Jan-24 / Joscha<br /> <br /> Bus from Chillan (Terminal La Merced) a Thermas de Chillan at 8 am and 2 pm (weekends at 1:30 pm) for 3900 Pesos. The buscompany is &quot;Rembus&quot;. Their Website isn't up to date, but you can check their Facebook page for informationen.<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> * At the puesto (120,6/1513), the owner does not want us to pass through his land (as of 02/02/2025). He clearly stated that it is private property. It might now be preferable to take a detour through BB, passing well to the right beforehand and rejoining the path well after his house (which was under construction with many tents around it at that time)? (Peggy)<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT08 - Volcán Chillan]]<br /> <br /> =Images=<br /> <br /> [[File:Segundo_Rio_Termal_zona_cascadas.jpg|thumb|center|1100px|This river is hot! Aguas Calientes Valley]]<br /> [[Archivo:Greater Patagonian Trail (8).jpg|thumb|center|1100px|Laguna Laja and [[Volcán Antuco]], by Matúš Lašan]]</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT06_(Descabezado)&diff=120894 2025-04-01T04:07:22Z

<p>MiaimZelt: /* Season 2024/25 */</p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> = Overview =<br /> &lt;div style=&quot;overflow: hidden&quot;&gt;<br /> [[Archivo:GPT 06 options.png|450px|right|GPT 06 route options]]<br /> <br /> ===Routes===<br /> Section 6 leads through the spectacular landscape of the Descabezado volcano. There are three main routes: the regular GPT route, from Parque Ingles to La Mina / Los Cipreses (or vice versa), the Condor Circuit from Parque Ingles to Vilches, which is also popular with non-GPT hikers, and the longer, off-the-beaten-path Descabezado Circuit, which begins at Laguna del Maule and ends in La Mina. Optional trips to volcano peaks include Descabezado Grande, Descabezado Chico and Volcán Azul.<br /> <br /> ===Right of way issues===<br /> Most variations of section 6 will pass by Don Victor at km45.5 of the regular route. Even if you don't pass by there, you are likely to meet him at some point on the trail. He requires prior authorization to go through his land, although only some hikers have been able to obtain such authorization, since he seems to not always reply to messages. Without authorization, it is advisable to try to avoid him, especially on the way into his land, since he might turn you around. This makes a start from Vilches unadvisable. You can minimize the probability of meeting Don Victor by taking a CC route closer to Descabezado Grande, described by Natalie below (as of March 2024 this route is not yet part of the track files), but this is not an easy route, especially if there is snow. An alternative is to do the Descabezado Circuit, but finish in Parque Ingles. This shorter circuit still goes through via almost all highlights, but entirely avoids Don Victor. You can also connect to section 5, which similarly avoids him.<br /> <br /> Starting from Parque Ingles also has restrictions, see the trip reports below. In particular, there are only a limited number of hikers allowed, and you should not disclose your plans to go via Don Victor's land if you don't have authorization.<br /> <br /> Notice that starting from La Mina requires authorization from the hydro company. See the GPT manual on section 6 for details.<br /> &lt;/div&gt;<br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> *'''2025-03-22 to 2025-03-26 / 4.5 days hiking / SOBO / OH 05 + OH 01C + OH 01B + OH 01 + RR + RR GPT 5 + OH GPT 5 H + RR / MiaimZelt'''<br /> <br /> Now a permit is needed to hike in the Descabezado area. I wrote Tamara Galdames (+56987397559) to apply for this permit. I had to print a form, fill it out and send her pictures of it together with my passport. The permit costs 25k per person. Tell her that you need to make the transferencia with &quot;Caja Vecina&quot;. She will give you the information. Then you go to a shop with &quot;Caja Vecina&quot; sign, show them her message and pay 25k cash. They will make the transferencia for you and give you a piece of paper. Send a picture of it to Tamara. <br /> <br /> Day 1: Took the 7:15am bus from Talca to Vilches Alto. Bought the entrance for Reseva National Altos de Lircay online and showed Conaf it and gave them the paper from Tamara (the one i filled out). Could start hiking without issues. Lot's of dayhikers at this weekend. Took OH 01C and was alone for the rest of the day. Trail was in good condition, but less obvious than the trails in the Reserva. It's marked with cairns. Found a great camp with flowing water here: -35.513935, -70.910756<br /> <br /> Day 2: Hiked CC to the MR of OH 01. Continued to the RR and hiked to Laguna Animas. Met friendly Arrieros together with lots of cattle. Hiked RR of GPT 5 to have a look at Laguna Mondaca. Very steep downhill, but easy with the soft sand. Magic moment when 10 condors circled above me in the sky. Skipped detour to Laguna Mondaca, because the hot springs were calling. GPT OH 05H was tricky and dangerous. The flat part leads through a very large boulderfield, not difficult but tiring + slow. Ford {06} [24.6+1.5/1590] was knee high and had a strong current. Later a big stone i was stepping fell down together with me. Hurt my elbow. Met two germans, they told me the beginning of the trail to Termas Azufre is eroded and now very difficult. I tried to follow the suggestion of GPT track, but it was very difficult and dangerous. The lower part of the mountain is indeed very eroded. Climbed a very steep mountainside with loose ground and also loose rocks to get to the trail. Can't recommend this, i slipped in the beginning. When i reached the trail, it was ok. Enjoyable evening in the hot springs, but not so good night with ground heating. <br /> <br /> Day 3: Trail was in mostly in good conditions, only the beginning was not always easy to follow. <br /> Ford {06} [29.4/2190] was knee high. Ford {06} [32.5/2565] was low, but not dry. Views from <br /> Pass {06} [33.8/2695] (El Estadio) and while hiking down were incredible! Easy hiking until <br /> Hot Spring {06} [45.6/1881] (Banos del Blanquillo, lukewarm, only 20 C). Had time left and did a detour to Laguna Blanquillo. Was not really worth it, because at 5pm the Laguna had no sun. Spend the night together with a guided group with local arriero at Baños Blanquillo. They spoiled me with tasty dinner, was a very good evening. Their Guide Barbara speaks english very well, knows everything in Maule region, she even found a new yet unknown flower! If someone is interested in guided tours (options depending on the clients) in Maule region she can help you: +56992599639. <br /> <br /> Day 4: Easy hiking 'til Laguna Caracol. Hiked CC to the crater lake next to Laguna Caracol: incredible! Camp {06} [56.3/2034] is sooo beautiful! Also had a look at Laguna Turbia and in Cráter Los Quillayes. The ascent to Pass {06} [59.3/2518] (Hornitos) was very exhausting with the afternoon heat, but great views! Dark clouds and thunder came, hurried down until Camp {06} [62.2/1999]. Only few drops of rain, i liked this place to camp and enjoyed the stars. Water flowing next to the spot. Was my favorite day according to the views.<br /> <br /> Day 5: Easy hiking 'til the MR. Ford {06} [63.4/1909] was rock hopping. Appletree before Los Cipreses. At <br /> Gate {06} [78.9/865] (Central Hidroelectrica Isla) i had to explain where i came from and whether i registered with Carabinieros (no). Got a hitch until a bus stop near Armerillo, where i took a bus to Talca. Can recommend Hostel 1760 - relaxed place to stay!<br /> <br /> Summary: GPT 6 is absolutely stunning. Most tiring was the sand: had tons of it in my shoes although wearing gaiters. <br /> <br /> <br /> *'''2025-03-24 to 2025-03-28 / 4,5 days / SOBO / RR, Option 2, 3 (Descabezado), 6a, 6D (Cumbre Descabezado) / Thijmen Scholten'''<br /> <br /> As for the permit I met mister Victor and he was not happy to meet me without permit. So if you want to take the RR route apply for a permit (described by Thomas)! If you don't want to, take the high mountain route (variant 2 and 3). Even though you are still on his terrain, you will probably avoid him this way. Going SOBO CONAF will ask for this permit so you have to say you just go to EL Bolson (buy a ticket online?) or you have to sneak past (like Volker explained). <br /> <br /> - First day I hitched from Molina to Parque Ingles , I did not have any ticket or permit but luckely it was Monday which meant CONAF was closed and I could just walk trough the gate on the trail. <br /> <br /> - I met the guard of El Bolson campsite and he was cool with me passing by, even though the park was closed. I wanted to pay him the entrance fee but he wouldn't accept it. <br /> - Camped after the pass at water point 22.0. water point 17.8 before the pass is also a good campspot. <br /> <br /> - Look out after the pass on option 02H that you do not decent too much. I had to climb 200m up again <br /> <br /> - Continued to the high mountain route (02H). There is no water here so fill up at the indicated ford. It's muddy glacial water so if you want to have clear water you have to fill up before the pas. Camped at camp without water. <br /> <br /> - It would have been nice to have some gaiters and sunglasses <br /> <br /> - Summit Descabezado. Take route 03 don't follow the track perfectly but walk on the rocky ridge that's the easiest way to get up. <br /> <br /> - I wanted to climb Vulcan Azul on the same day but when I got to the start of the climb it looked like it was a sandy accent. So I returned packed my tent and went down. Afterwards when I saw the summit from a distance next day I regretted it. I went down to RR and camped at Laguna del Caracol. <br /> <br /> - Next day option 06A which is nice if you have enough time. <br /> <br /> - Look out that you take the right las Hornitos pass and not the one before, I had to climb up again -_-.<br /> <br /> - Camped at Laguna los hornos and next morning down and got a ride from the workers to Talca. <br /> <br /> *'''2025-03-18 to 2025-03-23 / 5.5 days / NOBO / Option 3 (Cumbre Descabezado) + OH-CC-A {06-02H} + RR / Tim &amp; Tobias'''<br /> <br /> We did a relaxed hike through this beautiful section. Got the permission to enter NOBO (Los Cypreces) from natali.veloso@enel.com within 3 days. Visit the carabineros in Colorado, they printed and stamped the form and we hitched to the entry. <br /> <br /> Day 1: Went up to Camp {06} [62.2/1999] at 11 a.m from the security guard, where we had to fill in another form. Struggled a bit on the way up because Río Cipreces is dried out and we had little water. Last source is Bridge {06} [72.4/1018] (NOBO).<br /> <br /> Day 2: To avoid Don Victor, we took Option 3 and camped beside a little Glaciar at -35.60736 -70.78212, close to Camp NO Water {06-03} [5.9/2542]. Filtert the water from the Glaciar. Great spot.<br /> <br /> Day 3: Took Option 3 to get up to the top of the volcano. Loose sand, difficult but stunning day. Decided to stay another day at the camp beside Glaciar. We highly recommend to take this option to get up to the summit because it is much faster than OH-CC-A {06-03A}. Thank you Adrian for the advice!<br /> <br /> Day 4: Went OH-CC-A {06-02H} and RR to hot spring Azure, where we camped. It stinks a bit during the night, but the hot springs have perfect temperatures.<br /> <br /> Day 5: Short day on RR to laguna las animas. Enjoyed the hot springs in the morning, took some fotos with condors. <br /> <br /> Day 6: Went down to Parque Ingles without difficulties.<br /> <br /> *'''2025-MAR-10 to 2025-MAR-15 / 6,5 days / Hiking / Alex, Andrey, Anton / GPT06 NOBO (Option7, Option2, Option8: a new traverse of the Calabozos volcano), GPT05 SOBO (RR)'''<br /> This traverse from Laguna Maule to Reserva Nacional Radal Siete Tazas offers a memorable—and surprisingly straightforward—journey from south to north. Although not technically difficult, the route presents extended stretches of deep sand and volcanic ash that demand physical endurance.<br /> Key Considerations:<br /> There are numerous sections without a defined trail; navigation relies on waypoint guidance.<br /> Glaciers lie concealed beneath sand in several locations—refer to waypoint comments for exact coordinates and cautionary notes.<br /> Reliable water sources are found throughout the route.<br /> Early‑season fords can be hazardous; plan crossings carefully and monitor snowmelt levels.<br /> Our newly established Calabozos volcano traverse direction from the southern approach is strongly advised. The northern slopes feature steep, deep‑sand sections that are more strenuous when tackled uphill.<br /> Mondaca Valley bears signs indicating private property. During our traverse, valley guards granted passage without issue, but this should not be assumed as guaranteed access. Exiting via Mondaca Valley tends to be easier than entering.<br /> The track and more photos at Wikiloc:<br /> https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/sand-traverse-laguna-maule-to-reserva-nacional-radal-siete-tazas-205862875<br /> <br /> *'''2025-02-09 to 2025-02-14 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / Option 1 (Altos de Lircay) 01, RR / Eric and Jakob'''<br /> <br /> Route: <br /> To avoid Camp Bolson and CONAF we started by taking the Option 1 (Altos de Lircay) 01, which is really beautiful but we recommend taking more water than usual when coming across some water spots since most of the rivers are dry. After completing the Option we continued on the main route until the end.<br /> <br /> Travel: <br /> We started from Parque Ingles. Got there by taking a train from Santiago to Curico. After that we took a bus to Molina and another one driving to Parque Ingles. Worked without any complications. Did cost all together around 50 euros for the two of us. <br /> <br /> Permissions: <br /> As mentioned by other people it is really hard to contact Don Victor. We wrote him a text message but we didn’t get an answer. We talked with Don Victor and got to know a really kind and respectful man, who simply tries to keep his land less crowded and free of trash. As Thomas describes in his section log, permits are available through his daughter. The number is provided by Thomas. Therefore it is necessary that every hiker who is trying to hike GPT06 is doing their utmost to get the permission from Don Victors daughter in order to respect his land and his priorities. If you are not able to get a permission the best and only option is to skip this section and continue with a different one. <br /> Since we didn’t have an official permit we tried to avoid CONAF as recommended which worked out fine for us by taking an alternative route in the beginning to avoid Camp Bolson. Not getting the CONAF permission and trying to avoid them was a mistake we aren’t proud of and wouldn’t do again. We don’t recommend doing it this way. The experience can be enjoyed way more when getting every permission necessary before starting with the hike. <br /> <br /> Resupply: <br /> There is no way to resupply on the trail. After the trail there is the possibility in Los Alamos to resupply in a small shop which got everything a hiker needs. We were also offered an apartment for one night in Los Alamos. It included a kitchen, a bath and two sleeping dorms for 46 euros per night. The name of the owner is Samuel.<br /> <br /> Attractiveness: 5/5<br /> Difficulty: 3/5<br /> <br /> * ''' 2025-FEB-15 to 2025-FEB-17 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Martin '''<br /> <br /> Combined sections 5 and 6.<br /> Joined section 6 at the hot springs [27.4/1986]. Got there around 7 pm. And there were two Chilean guys sitting in a hot pool so I joined. It was good to finally meet someone. <br /> <br /> I took the lower camping spot and the ground was a bit warm, so the night wasn’t cold. <br /> <br /> Next day, I went up to the pass. The soft sand makes the climb hard. The way down to the refugio was easier, but still not easy. No sign of Don Victor. The Chileans entered via Parque Inglés and didn’t know about him at all. <br /> <br /> The landscape is out of this world and amazing, but the suck factor on the sand is high for me. I got to camp at km 56.3. Beautiful place for camping. But very cold night. I left the water bottle in the tent vestibule and there was a good amount of ice in it in the morning. <br /> <br /> The last climb was an again challenging for me. Also because I got a cold and I was cold, so I didn’t sleep much. <br /> <br /> Then the way down is more sand. I wanted to get it over with, so I was going fast, around 2000 vertical m/hour. When I got to the gravel road, I had sand everywhere. I do have light gaiters, but they just couldn’t keep up. <br /> <br /> Then it was just a few hours in the heat on the road. I got to the small shop after the bridge over Rio Maule. Got ice cream and coke for 3500 or so. <br /> <br /> Then I washed in the river and tried to hitch hike to Talca. I stayed there from 17:15 to 18:00, but no luck. Not many cars to begin with. So I got to Hostal La Rivera as somebody suggested. Single room with breakfast was 25 USD and together with pasta for dinner and beer it was 35 USD or 36000 pesos. Paid by debit card. I will take the 7 am bus from Medano to Talca. Should be here on the main road around 7:20. <br /> <br /> * ''' 2025-02-10 to 2025-02-13 / 3,5 days / Hiking / SOBO / Option 5 (vilches alto), option 3 (Descabezado Grande), RR / Thomas '''<br /> <br /> As right-of-way issues increased recently, and parque ingles CONAF seemed to be more and more intransigent, I chose to take my chances on Vilches Alto entry (which is easily reached by direct bus from Talca).<br /> I arrived on sunday morning but the park was closed with wildfire red alert. I waited there the opening on next morning. <br /> Walking at the park entrance, I was lucky and met Sebastian, Anete y Tono which was started the Condor Circuit. A week ago, they contacted Don Victor daughter, Tamara, which gave a permit to cross the property. Rangers verified carefuly the permit to let them go. I take my chance then and contact Tamara to ask the same permit. <br /> <br /> &gt;&gt; There is usefull information to planify GPT6 with serenity : <br /> <br /> - From this year, Don Victor's family exiges a permit to enter the property in order to limit the area crowd and waste associated<br /> <br /> - Permits are given by Tamara Galdames, Don Victor daughter : +56987397559<br /> <br /> - She asks for passport picture and a bank transfer of 25,000 per persona to make the permit<br /> <br /> - She told me that she only give permit to 3 people or more<br /> <br /> - CONAF rangers (at least at Vilches) verify very carefully the Tamarla autorization<br /> <br /> - Don Victor checks also every hiker/horse rider he can see at this period (at least between laguna Caracole and Refugio Blanquillo)<br /> <br /> So I was very lucky to met Sebastian &amp; co and I told her I can walk with them, and she said OK. A ranger directly called Tamarly after to make sure I'm not tcheating.<br /> <br /> Day 1 : Vilches Alto &gt; Valle Venado camping <br /> No difficulties, a lot of shadow during the ascent, good views from the valle venado mirador. The camping is fine (shower) but without spectacular view. <br /> <br /> Day 2 : Valle Venado &gt; Camp without water {06-03} [5,9] <br /> Path to Blanquillo refuge is well marked (also a lot of horse poop). Only difficulty : a water canal crossing at the end of the Blanquillo lake (water until my hips with 1m77), but without any flow. <br /> I met Don Victor at Blanquillo refuge which verified my permit (I show him my WhatsApp conversation with Tamara and it was fine). Then he was pretty warm with me and show me water source. <br /> The beginning of Descabezado ascent is well marked equally. At Camp without water [3,3], it becomes easy CC to the second camp [5,9].<br /> Amazing moon landscape there !!<br /> <br /> Day 3 : Descabezado ascent &gt; Laguna de los Hornos by the RR<br /> Start at 6:40, summit at 9:20, only 35min to get back to the camp. Wonderfull sunlights on the moonfield and area volcanos. The way up is demanding, but without any difficulty issue (I followed option 3). The only water source near of the trail is the glaciar crater at this time. <br /> I returned to Blanquillo refuge to get water and met Don Victor and his guests again. They asked me about the volcan and we tchated about previous visitor incivilities and how they want to limit affluence in there. <br /> Then I followed RR SOBO without any issue during the rest of the day until Laguna de los Hornos where I camped. Very scenic and variated views, I definitively recomand this part of RR ! <br /> Near los Hornos, I met a group with guid, horses and montain bike which has been kindly returned by Don Victor the day before at the laguna Caracole because they don't have the permit (and potentially because Victor doesn't like the idea of bikes on the montain...).<br /> <br /> Day 4 morning : Laguna Los Hornos &gt; Los Cipreses<br /> The Volcan los Hornitos ascent and tour worth the extra mile. Easy sandy descent to the minor road and half hitchhike the minor road.<br /> <br /> * ''' 2025-02-05 to 2025-02-10 / 5.5 days / Hiking /SOBO / RR/ Emilie '''<br /> <br /> Day 1: departed from Molina at 9:30 with the bus. Arrived at the trail (parque ingles) and had purchased a day pass for the park. Seeing my big backpack the guards asked me where I was planning to sleep, I said laguna the las animas and they said I couldn’t go there without proper authorization. I then asked if I could simply change my plans and sleep at el bolson (campsite inside the park) and they said it was full for the next 2 days. I was really disappointed and asked where I could find some wifi to look at other passes/trails I could do, they sent me 3kms down at the Conaf office of Radal Sieste Tazas. I walked about 300m and saw the gate and decided to try my luck and jump it to bypass them. It worked although I was really stressed and surely enough I ran into a guard on a motorcycle checking the entry permits. I showed him the day pass but Conaf is supposed to give a registration card which I did not have. He asked me how I came in and I had to explain that I jumped the gate. He was ready to send me back (VHF radio in hand and all) but I asked him if I could try to explain myself which I did, showed him my planned route, explained that I knew abt don victor etc, I told him I would be out of the park by nightfall. He agreed to let me pass but it was a close one. You should definitely buy a pass for el bolson campsite, even if you don’t camp there, you look suspicious with your backpack. Went all the way to laguna las animas and camped there. <br /> <br /> Day 2: started my day with an encounter with wild horses! They ran towards me, there were about 15 of them! Saw them running down a hill up until 2m of me, they were curious and friendly. It’s was surreal. Camped at S (35.508517° O 70.751605°) on an empty pasture that was not wet. <br /> <br /> Day 3: woke up to that empty pasture being filled with cows! One was trying to snatch my bag which woke me up. They were curious and friendly aswell. Hiked until the Refugio camped right next to it (S 35.594815° O 70.825999°) there were other Chileans aswell. All super friendly!<br /> <br /> Day 4: my feet were extremely blistered after day 3. I initially wanted to hike up the volcano but decided for an afternoon at the beach instead to rest my feet; hiked about 8km until Laguna del Caracol where I spent the afternoon, reading swimming and cooking, it was great. <br /> <br /> Day 5: it was a big day, I hiked all the way to water at [73.5/1014] camped right next to it on the shore of the river (S 35.775444° O 70.802768°). Initially wanted to camp at Laguna de los Hornos but the lake seemed pretty eutrophized (? Not sure if it’s the right word) and I did not want to drink it, even filtered. Since it’s downhill from there, it wasn’t too too long. <br /> <br /> Day 6: hiked the remaining few Kms and hitchhiked to Talca. If ever you need accomodation here Hostel 1760 is like a peaceful haven; 30 000cpl and there’s a pool and the rooms are around an interior garden with a fountain. Exactly what I needed. <br /> <br /> The takeaway is to definitely not underestimate the terrain, it is rough on your feet, the sand and dust will stick to your face and lips which made me feel thirsty all the way, I always started the day with 2,5L of water which isn’t necessary since there are a lot of streams but I was still always glad to not have to ration my drinking. The river crossing for me was knee high, not sure if I crossed at the wrong place, the water was lower or if I’m especially tall;) did not meet don victor. <br /> <br /> *'''2Fev2025 - 6fev2025 / hiking SOBO / RR - OH2A-2-2H - OH3A-3 - RR / 5 days / Clara'''<br /> <br /> Parque Ingles : I did the same as Volker (see below) to enter the park cause I couldn't buy a ticket for the park the day before. But I was afraid and I think it would have been bad if I encountered a park ranger. Hopefully I didn't and they didn't ask for park reservation at El Bolson Camping. When I said that I won't come back by this path but go further he didn't say anything (only the owner).<br /> <br /> Camp at laguna las animas. Very nice camp spot and lake to swim. No shade. Some stonewall to pitch the tent and protect a bit from the wind.<br /> <br /> Ford 29.4 : not so easy, up to mid thighs (1.57) but fast flowing in the begining of afternoon. Then it's a loooong way up in soft volcanic sand, very physical. Lot's of water all the way up till ford 32.5. Then there are also still some smaller water flowing around begining of OH2H and the place I camped.<br /> <br /> Camp here -35,54404, -70,75932 : I found a good wind protected spot (for the NNO wind, less for the NNE of the night end but hopefully it decreased) and I made an almost flat spot there. There is multiple little streams with good water flowing just around that spot.<br /> <br /> Up to the pass on 2H was easier that I thought but walking down (or more traverse) on the other side was way more harder. Very steep ups and downs in some canyons in soft sand or sometimes big but no stable rocks, snow covered by sand. Last and only water for now after the pass of 2H is at the ford. Took me almost 4h to get to OH3A.<br /> <br /> I took an OSM path before 3A to gain few meters, a trail is well visible when you arrive from 2H. Around 2900m I went CC to joined OH3A and I found on the way, few meters left to the 3A tracks, some footsteps going up on either big stable rocks or not so soft sand until around 3300m, looks easier than exactly on tracks for the ascent ! Then it's physical soft sand. Went with very small backpack and took me a bit more than 3h to the summit. Descent way much faster.<br /> <br /> Descending at Don Victor refuge, I met a group of chileans. They offered me harina tostada and food (maybe when they see my terrible face after this exhausting day), and we ended up sharing dinner, fried fishes and evening there. If I understood well, they told me that since this year, Don Victor make people pay (25k?!) to camp at his place (or just pass through?), not the locals but the tourists. But since he was not here I didn't need to care about this.<br /> <br /> They learned me their fishing technic the day after at Laguna del Caracol and I had 2!! (They had 10kg in half day). Magic encounters with theses so generous and nice persons. Camp at 62.2 (just a bit upper than the waypoint) is nice.<br /> <br /> Nothing special to add for the last day except not much workers going down the MR even on week days.<br /> <br /> <br /> * ''' 2024-01-20 to 2024-01-22 / 2.5 days / Hiking /SOBO / RR, option 2 &amp; 2H, option 3 &amp; 3A (Ascended Descabezado), Variants G / Elijah &amp; Michael '''<br /> <br /> Plenty of available water from the pass to Descabezado (option 2), however no water available on the climb up. Almost no water around Descabezado, but was able to locate small flow from a snow field. No water available south of Descabezado until end of option 3.<br /> <br /> Descabezado climb took approx 4.5 hours, 1 hour descent. Incredibly draining due to soft ground and fall-line trail.<br /> <br /> Shop at bridge after Los Cipreses had snacks and accomodation but not appropriate for resupply. <br /> <br /> Hostal La Rivera in Los Alamos offered great accommodation for 50,000 CLP per night (including desayuno). Hostal able to provide lunches and dinner.<br /> <br /> Almarcen in Los Alamos looked like it had good options but was closed in afternoon (4pm) and morning (10am) and no one was around.<br /> <br /> Minimarket in La Mina had limited options, possible but difficult resupply.<br /> <br /> Minimarket in El Medano had slightly better options, but still limited resupply.<br /> <br /> * '''25-01-13- 25-01-18/ 5,5 days / SOBO/ RR-OH2A-OH2H-OH3-OH3A-OH4-OH3-RR / Volker / Flowers on the moon… Just a magic section / Parque Ingles - Volcan Descabezado Grande - Volcan Azul - Laguna del Caracol - La Mina'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: Bus from Molina, terminal rural, to Parque Ingles at 8.20. Started there at 10.30. Avoided Conaf: The bus carried a group for the camping in P.I. and stopped 200m after the Conaf. Instead of going back to register (or taking the MR of OH1) I turned left before the bridge and walked on a path along Rio Claro, a fence to my left. After 500m an open gate allows you to go left and enter a huge camping (nobody there). At the very end of the camping the fence is down, once out, I walked CC to join the RR. Minimum three dozens of young Chileans on their way to El Bolson, when I arrived, still nobody there except the owner, who asked me to register. I told him, I go to Laguna Las Animas - all fine. Camped at the Laguna, short day.<br /> <br /> Day 2: 30 min after the Laguna another, smaller lake with camp spots. At the pass I made the short detour for Cerro Las Animas (nice view back on the Laguna) then along volcanic slopes with a lot of various flowers to the hot spring (no bassin, just a hot swamp, go for Fango). For various reasons I changed my original plan to continue on Option 2b direction V. Descabezado Chico, one reason was the (non indicated) ford, which looked very dangerous, at least for a solo hiker. So I continued on RR, quite swampy, the trail dissappears in wet meadows. If you know you want to continue on the RR - better don‘t go down to the river and the hot ‚spring‘, but cut this CC without elevation loss. Lots of cows on the way to the pass. Many small rivers, which all feed Estero El Volcan, therefore the two fords on the RR are way easier. I took Option 2A, then Option 2 and then Option 2H and camped not far from the start of 2H. <br /> <br /> Day 3: On 2H CC to the pass and then down to the start of Option 3a for the V. Descabezado. Ford easy. At S 35.592096° W 70.786105° don‘t go down into the canyon as indicated, but bypass it left by going a bit upwards. Started with a small backpack on option 3a for the summit at noon, arrived at 2.30. At 3400m ff. easy rock climbing some 20 meters left of the indicated route - less physical and more fun than on the gravel/sand. Almost no wind on the summit, just wonderful, highly recommend it! Very quick down to the backpack, while resting there for 15min 6 condors in the air, circling very low directly over me. Breathtaking minutes. Then continued until camp at 06-03: 5,9. The indicated spot is protected, as there was close to no wind, I climbed the next dune with an extraordinary view to the west (sunset!) and camped there. <br /> <br /> Day 4: Volcan Azul - What a great summit! You might think, Descabezado is the highest, why climb another volcano, which is so close? Nothing could be more wrong. They are completely different and V. Azul beats Descabezado in nearly every sense: the landscape, the views (on Laguna La Invernada), the geology. You even can climb the finger at the summit (only the last two meters are technical, there’s a fixed rope, use it, if you trust it, I didn’t). But V. Azul is also way more demanding and you should have a good head for heights for the ascent on the ridge. Very important: when on the ridge, always look, if there are other hikers above or below you: I was alone, but when going down, I several times caused very dangerous falling rocks. All in all the whole way up and down is not difficult, just very steep. But the gravel is very different from Descabezado. This is felt mainly when going down. In large parts you can‘t ski or hop down as on Descabezado. Either the sort of gravel doesn‘t allow it, or the underground (hidden rocks, e.g.). So you have to walk very carefully (it makes no difference if you follow the track files or an OSM route). This slows you down very much and partly is as physical as going up. I started at 6.30 a.m. and it took me 7,5 hours to go up and down (sure, you can camp closer to the ascent, but as I wanted to take option 2H and then option 3 to join the RR at the hot springs, I didn‘t want to walk back with my big backpack). Water: At noon running on the east side of the glacier in the crater, took also snow). Back from the summit I walked the mentioned CC options (however stayed lower to the left and even found a path there, sometimes marked with cairns). When approaching the junction with the RR I saw a lot of horses and people at the refuge. Don Victor had guests. I decided not to bypass them, but to show up and explain, what I am doing here. Good decision! I was offered bread and wine, we chatten, nevertheless I was asked, if I had a permission (could honestly answer, that asking for it is why I came here). Before I left Don Victor and I took a joint selfie… He is not at all a bad guy, he just wants you to show, that you respect his property rights. I also took water there, which allowed me to camp on the magic plateau, that follows on the RR, instead of going down to the indicated camp at 48,1. <br /> <br /> Day 5; A short day, very easy on RR to camp at 62,2. Just enjoyed the landscape and the lagunas. After the pass at 59,3 on the way down I went CC left of the RR, crossed 5 brooks to join variant C. In this part a multitude of flowers, at least a dozen different species in all colours: an integral and unforgettable part of this volcano section.<br /> <br /> Day 6: Very short day, Down to the MR, then an 8km walk to La Mina. The last 2 km I got a ride from a local, who also drove me to the shops on the PR. The changing nature makes the MR walking more interesting, than one might think. You come from a lunar landscape and some hours later almond trees and ripe mirabels! For NOBO hikers: Chilean day-hikers parked their car at the end of the MR. So it should be possible to get a permit from Entel for the entry by car (Uber or arrangement with a local).<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2025-Jan-13 to 2025-Jan-18 / 5,5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Chris &amp; Jule'''<br /> <br /> TLDR: no problems with snow, dusty &amp; exhausting gravel/ashes, absolutely stunning views all along, Don Victor was busy.<br /> <br /> We had an issue with our GPSMAP67 (updated the firmware just prior departure), resulted in weird frozen mode with full backlight brightness in three occasions which drained half the battery. Due to this (despite backups) I was a bit paranoid, so the GPS remained mostly off and we followed footsteps &amp; paths. This worked very well, only one time followed a valley too long. The paths are very obvious, it was easy to navigate. <br /> <br /> Water: in all marked locations and many more. Usually every 1-2hrs we passed some stream. We had expected much worse and were a bit overprepared in the beginning. The ashes take water easily, but also give it as easy.<br /> <br /> Rivercrossings: one, hip-high, quite some current but managable. we crossed where the OSM path crosses the river. Besides, dry feet all along.<br /> <br /> Snow: some snowfields, one at the descend towards laguna las animas had to be crossed, all others were avoided. <br /> <br /> Due the GPS turned off we were very surprised as we suddenly stood infront of Don Victors refugio. We waved and yelled hola, there were about 5-ish tents, so we thought he may have opened a camping space recently. As we wanted to go a bit further, we continued. He either didnt see us, or wasnt too happy - none from the refugio waved back. One person standing at the tents waved back though. <br /> Next morning we met Volker who had gone to Don Victor and had a good chat and a drink with him. He had visitors, therefore was too busy to care for us. Later that day a group from the refugio passed on horses, everyone just friendly hola-ed back to us. <br /> We met some chilean hiker that had tried to obtain all permits for a certain hike, CONAF told them, that since a few days Don Victor does not allow anyone anymore.<br /> <br /> Going back to Talca: we heard busses leave at 7am, 1pm, 3pm, 7pm (at least on saturdays). <br /> We ended up hitchhiking as we didnt want to want for 2hrs. It took us maybe 10min (maybe fourth car) to squeeze into a ride with wonderful chileans returning from bathing in some hotsprings. <br /> <br /> * '''2025-Jan-03 to 2025-Jan-10 / 7,5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Farah &amp; Jan'''<br /> <br /> We started our GPT journey with this section and were amazed by the beauty and diversity of the landscape.<br /> <br /> Challenges were the rocky and sandy terrain, sometimes dangerous paths and the hot summer sun. Sometimes the path disappeared and we lost it, but with a GPS device it was easy to notice and get back on track.<br /> <br /> Dangerous snow bridge at (S 34°31.4980’ W 070°44.8453’). <br /> <br /> River crossings were no problem, one was hip high (we’re 1,75 m and 1,83 m), all the other ones knee high or less.<br /> <br /> Didn’t meet Don Victor.<br /> <br /> Definitely follow Jan Dudeck’s recommendation and use gaitors. We didn’t as we opted for hiking boots instead of low trekking shoes and kept on collecting enough sand and gravel in our boots to build a children’s playground.<br /> <br /> Day 1<br /> <br /> We took the bus from Molina to Parque Inglés and hiked to El Bolsón on the first day, where we camped. Only had tickets for one day for the Parque Nacional Siete Tazas and weren’t sure if we technically would’ve needed one for two days, but the official let us camp there nonetheless after checking our tickets.<br /> <br /> Day 2<br /> <br /> Hiked to Laguna de las Ánimas where we met Sean &amp; Neele on their way NOBO and had a nice quick chat with them.<br /> <br /> At the end of the ascent out of Valley del Indio, right below the pass, there was an icey snowfield, which we traversed using crampons - it would’ve been possible without but felt safer with them. We camped at Laguna de las Animas, which was beautiful.<br /> <br /> Day 3<br /> <br /> From Laguna de las Ánimas we continued over the pass at [19.4/2547] after which we encountered some sketchy paths along steep gravel slopes: At some parts the path had slipped downhill and if doing one wrong step, we would’ve too. Take care at this part of the section! Camped near the Hot Spring del Azufre.<br /> <br /> Day 4<br /> <br /> We weren’t sure if we could drink the water near the hot spring because it all stank like sulfide so we hiked uphill a bit before refilling our water. There, we also encountered the only bigger river crossing at [29.4/2190] - hip high and a bit of a current but still doable at the right spot.<br /> <br /> Higher up that valley (S 34°31.4980’ W 070°44.8453’) we found a pretty dangerous snow bridge over a creek and decided to walk/climb around it which was also a bit dangerous as it took us over very loose rocks right next to an at least 20 m drop but way more controllable than the snow bridge next to it.<br /> <br /> We left the valley behind us and camped at a beautiful spot right next to a river and with a wonderful view of the surrounding rocks and mountains (S 35°31.9714’ W 070°47.4839’).<br /> <br /> Day 5<br /> <br /> Descended the valley, met two French hikers who did the Condor Circuit and had a quick chat with them, passed Descabezado Grande and the Refugio at [45.5/1887] but didn’t meet Don Victor. We camped at the Water/Camp at [48.1/1837] - what a beautiful little oasis!<br /> <br /> Day 6<br /> <br /> Hiked past the Laguna del Caracol and originally wanted to reach the camp at [62.2/1999]. However on the ascent to the pass at [59.3/2518], Farah’s knee started to hurt and the pain got worse, so we decided to take some rest and camped in a small depression right next to a snow field roughly 100 hm below the pass. Despite the exposed location there was almost no wind and we got to enjoy a breathtaking view on the two Descabezados and the valley at their feet.<br /> <br /> Day 7<br /> <br /> Farahs knee got better, we ascended the remaining roughly 100 hm to the pass and from there descended to the water at [73.5/1014] We camped on the shore of the Rio Cipreses nearby.<br /> <br /> Day 8<br /> <br /> In the morning we woke up by the sound of people: Some local fishers from San Clemente walked past our tent, we wished them buenos días and had a friendly chat with them. Later that morning, they gifted us three freshly caught trouts which we happily ate right on spot.<br /> <br /> We then descended the remaining 6 km to the bus stop at {06-E} [0.5/862], where we wanted to catch an afternoon bus to Talca that we found on the bus services Facebook page. However, the bus didn’t come and we learned from the owner of the shop at {06-E} [0.5/856] that the buses only leave once a day at 7 am. He sold us Coca Cola, chips and chocolate bars and rented us a room (without private bathroom but access to his own bathroom) for 30.000 CLP and we spent the night there. The 7 am bus didn’t come either so we hitchhiked to a bus stop west of San Clemente and took a bus to Talca there.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2025-Dec-31 to 2025-Janv-6 / 5.6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + OH 3 (Descabezado) / Peggy &amp; Dorotà'''<br /> Magnificent, grandiose, and isolated section. Difficulty: dryness, sandy and volcanic rocky terrain, sometimes tiring. No water issues, but be sure to drink plenty.<br /> <br /> First part, each on our own. I (Peggy) started the GPT with this section from El Bolson. I chose to take an Uber to get to the entrance of the Siete Tazas park (30k CLP). I had bought the park ticket online beforehand but it wasn't the right one. I should have purchased a ticket specifically for the El Bolson trail. However, the park ranger was accommodating. On my driver's advice, I paid 7k CLP for the El Bolson camping to enter the park but didn't spend the night there. I was given a document that I had to hand over on my way down. I followed this advice for convenience, although maybe it wouldn't have been an issue if I had just explained where I was going?<br /> <br /> I didn't encounter Don Victor throughout the section, though I had sent him a message he didn't see.<br /> <br /> Upon arriving at Laguna de las Animas, I met Dorota, and we decided to do this section together.<br /> <br /> There was little snow, with a few rare snowfields that were easily passable or avoidable, except for a large section where it helped us cross a river. Indeed, after the Termas de Azufre, at the ford at kilometer 29.4, finding the river too strong in the morning, we followed the right bank of the river until we found snow covering the river. After leaving the dangerous start behind us, we crossed the snow where it was thick and could walk on it for a while before crossing to the other side.<br /> <br /> No problems with the other fords.<br /> <br /> A bit past the refuge at the foot of Descabezado Grande (km 45.5), there are good bivouac spots (S 35°35.7470’ W 070°49.5695’).<br /> <br /> We climbed Descabezado Grande from this refuge, starting early in the morning. We made a big mistake by forgetting to take water! It seems we both had a moment of &quot;temporary unconsciousness&quot;! We also thought we would find water from the snow higher up, which we did, but only in the form of snow. We managed to collect what we could by putting the snow in our bottles to melt a bit. There was also a bit of water flowing from a snowfield but only in the last part. So, make sure to think about water! Moreover, it’s better to sleep on the volcanic plateau to get closer to the summit, avoiding the 2000m elevation gain all at once (that was actually our initial plan…) with water! Especially later in the season when the snow has melted.<br /> <br /> The 2000m elevation gain with little water was difficult, especially moving from 3000m to 4000m with some altitude sickness. Nevertheless, it was a good learning experience for both of us. Once at the top, we could appreciate the magnificent view of the snowy crater of Descabezado and the surrounding scenery. The climb is not technical but can be long if started from the bottom and strenuous. But it’s definitely worth it!<br /> <br /> It took me (Peggy) two days to realize that by keeping my pants on, I no longer suffered from sand and stones in my high-top shoes! And yet, I wasn’t suffering from altitude-induced brain fog! ;)<br /> <br /> In summary, a magnificent, wild, grandiose, and isolated section. Perfect to start with!<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> '''2024-Dec-30 to 2025-Jan-5 / 6.5 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR + option 6 + option 3 (Descabezado) / Sean &amp; Neele'''<br /> <br /> Tldr: beautiful section! No problems with snow. Didn't meet Don Victor. Water at all waypoints plus more due to snow.<br /> <br /> Emailed Natali (natali.veloso@enel.com) to get authorisation to enter NOBO, theres a simple form to complete and return. took the bus from Talca to El Colorado to visit the cabinieros they signed and stamped the completed form Natali sent us. Hitched to Central Cipreces, wasn't too difficult, a worker dropped us off right at gate 78.9km. Security guard was very friendly and helpful he was happy with our authorisation and after filling in another form we were on our way.<br /> <br /> Went up to Volcan Los Hornitos took only 10 minutes to get to the crater rim from the pass. Well worth it.<br /> <br /> Camped near camp 62.2km<br /> <br /> Pass 59.3 a patch of snow on the south side but easy to walk around it to the east.<br /> <br /> We decided to do the option 6 loop to see laguna la turbia. Nice enough and easy, western side of the pass is pretty steep.<br /> <br /> Camped at 56.3km - lots of really nice camping around here we couldn't walk past it.<br /> <br /> At water camp 48.1km we went CC straight to camp without water 5.9km to avoid any right of way disputes and to climb dezcabezado grande in the morning. It worked, not sure if I'd recommend it. <br /> <br /> Plenty of snow for water at camp 5.9km we didn't even need to melt it, it was flowing.<br /> <br /> Descabezado (03) 9.4km was surprisingly simple. 4 hours to the crater rim from camp 5.9km, Another 30 minutes to go to the summit and back, hour and a half down. From around 3,700m to the crater rim routes 03 and 03A separate. We took 03A up and 03 down, 03 is much better I'd recommend it.<br /> <br /> Took option 3 to refuge 45.5km all good.<br /> <br /> Pass 33.8km snow mostly avoidable now. We camped up there snow for water.<br /> <br /> Pass 19.4km - small patch of snow easy to avoid <br /> <br /> Pass 15.4km - small patch of unavoidable snow but easy to cross.<br /> <br /> Camped at El Bolson - pretty busy on a Saturday.<br /> <br /> Short walk out to catch the bus to molina at 11<br /> <br /> No entel signal in parque ingles<br /> <br /> <br /> * ''' 2024-DEC-15 to 2024-DEC-21 / 7 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR, OH option 3, CC not on trail from [5.9/2542] to camp [48.1/1837] / Tamar &amp; Nimrod'''<br /> <br /> In short:<br /> A lot of water everywhere.<br /> A lot of snow as well, but we managed without spikes.<br /> The CC ascenting Descabezado is free of snow. The one ascenting Azul might be covered by snow but we didn't climb it.<br /> <br /> First day- We started from Molina on Sunday, and took the bus from the main station that departed at 9:30am (we think on other days of the week it leaves at 11:00am) to parque ingles. The ride took us about 1.5 hours, and costs 4000 clp. At parque ingles there was no phone signal anymore with entel sim card. We payed in advance online 8900 clp per person for entering the park and sleeping at El Bolson. When we arrived we had to pay another 7000 clp each. <br /> Started walking up to El Bolson at noon and got there at 17:00. A ranger on a motorcycle asked to see our ticket in the middle of the trail. <br /> <br /> 2nd- went towards Laguna Las animas. While Ascending to first pass [15.4/2257] there was a lot of snow but we managed to cross without spikes, though it was quite scarry.<br /> It was a long day because the descending from the second pass [19.4/2547] was harder and longer then expected, some parts felt dangerous so we climbed a little to cross at a place with vegetation Wich was less slipery. <br /> We slept at terms de azufres. Beautiful! Extraordinery! Needed time to find a good pool but it had a lot of algae so we didn't go in. There were many pools with different temperatures. <br /> <br /> 3rd- climbed to pass [33.8/2695] (El astadio) a lot of snow along the trail and patches of snow that had to be crossed very carefully, because if falling ment no coming back. The pass itself was completely covered withe snow field! There was some exhusting walk on the spiky snow but then we found foot prints of a horse and poop of sheep and followed it down the pass. Slept at a beautiful place aprox(-35.54190,-70.79507) with a stream from melted snow waterfall (don't know how long it will last). <br /> <br /> 4th day- went towards refugio. There were some cows but no people. Didn't find hot spring. Walked up to camp without water [5.9/2542]. Very good camp, no wind, but watch out from the glacier that looks like it's going to collapse. Drank water from snow we melted. <br /> <br /> 5th day- DESCABEZADO- woke up before sunrise to ascend. We thought there will be snow on the trail that will be easier to climb when frozen. It was not necessary because although there were snow fields along the way, the trail was snow free. <br /> It took us 6 hours to ascend and 3 hours to descend. The view was amazing! Seems that the trail on Azul has more snow on it. The inside of the mountain was covered with snow.<br /> We walked back to our camp and then walked to camp [48.1/1837], not on a trail, which was ok, and camped there.<br /> <br /> 6th day: we continued on RR and camped near Laguna De Los Hornos - approx. (-35.72217, -70.81903).<br /> Sandy and soft ground but quite windi.<br /> <br /> 7th day: hoped to get to El Medano at noon, but got there only by 18:00 :(.<br /> We ran out of food because we planned 6 days hike, so we stopped in the shop in Los Alamos. We bought canned tuna, cheese, and not very fresh bread.<br /> After paying we were invited to seat and eat in the families yard and given tons of fresh bread, cheese, and coke.<br /> We continued on RR. TL (81.2+1.8), and the start of MR (83.0+0.8) are gone because of a big flood (we were told there was a big flood 2 years ago) and it took us almost 2 frustrating hours to walk this trail.<br /> Finally we made it to the bridge, crossed it, and walked on the PR.<br /> A man in the entrance to El Medano arranged us a cabaña and we accepted it.<br /> We stayed 2 nights and continued to GPT07.<br /> The shop in El Medano is very basic and aiming tourist, and we regretted not buying more food in Los Alamos.<br /> We stayed in: cabañas y colaciones sra. Isabel ±56978397080- jose ±56975762613- Isabel.<br /> Very generous warm and friendly people. Helped us with laundry for free, acomidation for 50,000 clp for a night for 2 people and diner for 8,000 clp per person. Also took us to natural sauna and gave us cheap or free products which we couldn't find in the expensive and basic minimarket.<br /> <br /> * ''' 2024-DEC-17 to 2024-DEC-20 / 4 days / hiking / NOBO / RR+option GPT06-01e / Michal a Anna ​'''<br /> <br /> How to obtain the permit to enter the Hidroeléctrica Los Cipreses:<br /> 1. Contact Mrs. Natali Veloso Zuñiga from Enel (natali.veloso@enel.com) to obtain an authorization to visit. It is a simple form, she replied within a day.<br /> 2. With the authorization visit carabinieros at Reten La Mina or El Colorado and obtain permit to enter Los Cipreses. It is a multi-page document summarizing your trip.<br /> 3. Now you can enter and begin your hike NOBO. :)<br /> <br /> Day1: When we came to the Enel gate [78.9/865] we realised that we have to obtain yet another permit from Carabineros at Reten La Mina (as described above). Getting to Reten and back took us 2 hours but Carabinieros were friendly and helpful and there wasn’t any problem with getting the permit. After that we build our first camp at Laguna de Los Hornos [aprox 64.8].<br /> <br /> Day 2: Pass [59.3/2518] (Hornitos) wasn’t fully under show but we used our microspikes to climb two snowfields more easily, but would be definitly ok without them. Then the out-of-this-world beauty began.<br /> <br /> Day 3: We didn’t meet Don Víctor at Refugio [45.5/1887] or around. Just a few cows. Pass [33.8/2695] (El Estadio) was almost completely under snow, microspikes very useful and made our progress faster. When descending from pass there was a lot of melting snow. At [S 35°31.4964', W 070°44.8531'/2427] where the RR goes on the east side of the valley there was a big snow bridge across creek/waterfall which we consider unsafe to step on. We couldn’t find a safe alternative way (only a combination of short downclimb, ford in steep creek and crumbly longer upclimb), so we decided to turn and came back to X [36.7/2423] where we spent night.<br /> <br /> Day 4: We took a variant [GPT06-01e (Laguna Manatial Pelado)] and without a problem descended to Park Inglesé. At [35°28.61331'S, 70°59.63836'W] is a gate where we were informed that we are on private property. Semi friendly guy opened the gate after a while and some negotiations.<br /> <br /> Generally the trail was ok, but it pays off to be very careful this time of year because of the melting snow and rivers flowing under it creating many snow bridges. It may turn you back. Anyways this section is one of the most beautiful places we have ever been to, we were left speachless many times!<br /> <br /> * ''' 2024-DEC-09 &gt; 10 / 1,5 jours / Randonnée / SOBO / Variante Volcan Colorado(voir GPT05)&gt;RR / Pierre-Marie ​​'''<br /> <br /> Etape : GPT04+GPT05+GPT06<br /> | Meteo : soleil<br /> | Eau : facile<br /> | Neige : beaucoup<br /> | Intérêt : 5/5<br /> | Difficulté : 3/5<br /> | Danger : attaque d'oiseaux<br /> <br /> Des Cairns indiquent souvent la route. Beaucoup de poussière sur cette etape.<br /> J'ai subit 1 attaques d'oiseaux apres le lac Caracol sur la partie herbeuse, puis 1 autre le long du lac Hornitos. J'ai marché sur les parties sableuse et degagées pour ne pas ecraser de nids. Apres le volcan Hornitos, la descente est monotone et sans interet.<br /> DEC-11&gt;12 : Repos Talca. A-R bus.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-DEC-05 to 2024-DEC-07 / 2,5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + OH (var. C) / Ivan, Jakub, Daniel'''<br /> <br /> We combined sections 5 and 6.<br /> <br /> We joined section 6 at the hot springs [27.4/1986]. Most tributaries of the river carrying water from the hot springs are too hot for bathing, but one of them has a reasonable temperature. It’s slightly overgrown and more lukewarm than hot, but fine for washing.<br /> <br /> The fords on the Estero El Volcán river [29.4/2190 and 32.5/2565] were both covered by snow, so we didn’t need to ford. Generally, there is still quite a lot of snow, and the area around the pass is almost entirely covered. However, with good equipment (appropriate clothing, microspikes, sunglasses...), it’s not difficult to cross.<br /> <br /> There is plenty of water everywhere due to the melting snow.<br /> <br /> The water at [44.6/1884] is currently a fairly strong flow. We eventually found a spot where we could hop across dry-footed, but it took some time to find. We were there in the morning; by the afternoon, the water level would likely be higher and will by necessery to ford.<br /> <br /> We didn’t meet Don Victor. However, we met another group of hikers near the refugio.<br /> <br /> The climb to the pass [59.3/2518] (Hornitos) from Laguna del Caracol is almost snow-free, except for a few small patches. On the other hand, the southern slope is still covered by a significant layer of snow. Regardless of the trackfiles, we descended in a way that avoided difficult snow patches. Our route was very close to variant C, and it was fine.<br /> <br /> Around km 68, we left the trail and went cross-country directly south, looking for a good campsite. We eventually found one at -35.7569975, -70.7919536, with a nice flat spot and access to water.<br /> <br /> The shop in Los Alamos, marked as a resupply point, is open. It’s very small, but we managed to buy supplies for the next two days. Don’t worry if it seems hidden in someone’s garden—it’s there!<br /> <br /> On the road on the opposite bank (Variant E), there are several small shops where it might also be possible to resupply. There’s also a nice restaurant, Cordillera, where we celebrated the end of the stage.<br /> <br /> <br /> (2024/Nov/26 -2024/Nov/30)/4 Days/ Hiking/ SOBO/ Entry Variation from 05, RR form Banos del Blanquillo/ Lukas, Basil &amp;Tabea<br /> <br /> The national Park was still closed and entry was not possible so we chose a different entry point over lago frio (La Ruca). The expedition guide from the touring company offert to drop us off at this alternative entry point for 15$ p.p. After 10km on good trials we arrived on variation 05, which we followed until the main route. The route was duable, no critical river crossings or hard snow fields. the mountain pass horintos still had snow on the south side, nobo crossing not advisable. Exit at los zypresses.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> <br /> * '''2024-04-03 to 2024-04-05 // 2,5 days // Hiking // NOBO // RR // Quentin Clavel (GPT6)'''<br /> <br /> What an amazing section ! <br /> <br /> I was lucky enough to have all the volcanoes and mountains covered by snow as it was heavy rainy just before I begun this section ! <br /> <br /> The result is blowminding landscapes, but struggle near the pass, to deal with the mix of snow and soft volcanic ground aha. <br /> <br /> I started from El medano, where the shop and most of the cabanas were closed (there's few options to sleep here, cabanas and camping too, but as it was the end of the season, everything was closed). I was lucky enough to found a nice habitant that purpose me to stay at his house for the night for 20K CLP and saved me from a big storm and heavy rain.<br /> <br /> I took the option F then E (basically the road from El Medano to the central hydrauelectruca) because I needed to resupply as the shop in El medano was closed. I found my happiness in La Mina where there's two basics shops (pasta, tomato sauce, biscuits, chips... (but no bread, or fresh products like fruits, cheese, ham ...). Here there's possibility to sleep on cabanas as well. There's a hotel/restaurant just one kilometer before La Mina, but no-one was there. <br /> <br /> I arrived at the gate of the central, knowing that it will be hard without authorisation. I've sent an email to Rene gaillardo as mentioned on the hiker's manual, but no answer. So I dealt with the security guards at the entrance.<br /> <br /> After long negociations the best option (and fastest one to let me pass this day) was to have a writing authorisation to pass from the carabineros. I've been driven to the carabineros by the security guard, and then have hard negotiations again. They finally wrote a paper where I had to explain my expedition and give lot of informations. And they asked me to go on a police station when I finished the section for let them know that I'm still alive aha. <br /> <br /> Anyway, this allowed me to pass. <br /> <br /> But if you're going NOBO and don't want to struggle like that, don't contact Rene Gallardo, he's not working at the Central anymore, the key contact is now Natali Veloso, that you can contact on that mail address : Natali.veloso@enel.com<br /> <br /> Then you hike threw the central on a boring gravel, and arrive to the junction where you find lovely volcanic ground and going up up up to the pass of Los Hornitos. From there it's just landscapes from an other planet, with a very easy to follow path, but not in an easy ground as it's quite sandy. <br /> <br /> Views on Laguna del Caracol was amazing ! As the whole circuito condor on RR ! One of the best section of my GPT so far, alone in the world in this absolute incredible landscape ... Blowminding ! <br /> <br /> I continued threw the pass El estadio PK 33,8, here the snow was very present and the path harder to follow. I continued to the amazing spring del Azufres, very nice landscape to have a hot bath and quite big vapores, nice break during the day ! <br /> <br /> The crossing over Estero El Volcan (X2) was quite demanding and I had to figure it out and check during long times for the best way to cross. Then I took the variant H to linked the GPT 6 to GPT 5. <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Mar-08 to 2024-Mar-16 / 8.5 days / Hiking / Descabezado Circuit / Control Fronterizo Laguna del Maule - Los Cipreses/ Option 02 + RR + Descabezado Chico / Alex &amp; Christophe '''<br /> <br /> This 170km loop was our last section after 3 months on the GPT. It has been one of the most hard, exhausting, and technical section but also one of the most remote, wild, and magnificient we did. We didn't see any humans during 8 days. The extrem wind and cold temperatures, the infinite CC in open areas, the white landscapes without any shadow, and the D+ in soft sand were constantly forgotten thanks to the lunar landscapes. Here are some added informations for the GPT06-02 to the ones given by Natalie &amp; Tomáš. <br /> <br /> Day 1 : We took the bus at 7:30 from Talca to Armerillo. Then we hitchhiked to the beginning of GPT06-02 and began at 11am. After the first pass (-35.94909, -70.45347), we followed the track but going down thru the landslide seems to be a better option. We slept next to the river where there was a good wind shelter (more or less) at (-35.934832, -70.459308). That's a good spot to have the sun early in the morning, which was appreciated since it was -4°C during the night.<br /> Day 2 : The second path (-35.652, -70.43356) was pretty steep and unstable in the last meters but easily doable. The puesto seemed to be unoccupied. There was water every 1 or 2 hours. Then we took the {06-02F} as it looked to avoid swamps and we slept next to the river at (-35.827017, -70.399535) to have the sun as long as possible and to have it early in the morning.<br /> Day 3 : After the pass at (-35.785707, -70.403584), the landscape changed drastically! We took the {06-02E} to avoid the swamps of the other side. It worked but we had to cross the rio san Francisco. Small ford, but not jumpable. We stopped at (-35.693111, -70.427244). There was a clear source and a blue lagoon to take a quick bath. We had wind all night long, maybe there's a better place next to the lagoon. <br /> Day 4: It must be possible to find a camp spot around (-35.667931, -70.422663). After that point, it begins to climb and there's no more flat place. We took the {06-02D} and it was a good option out of the elevation and the crazy wind. When we arrived at the snow limit, we went 20m down to find a good way in the snow. Then we had to run in the flowing sand to the rocks and had to clamber the last meters between two wind gusts throwing us sand in the eyes. It was pretty scary because of the wind conditions but doable. Finally on the plateau, we had to manage with winds at 80km/h and sandstorms. I would definitely not pass in case of bad weather or with stronger wind. We took a break at (-35.613055, -70.423114), first water since the pass. Then we followed the GPX track but the OSM offers to take the westside of the river and it looked to be better as we had to go up and down in the sand many times. Finally after this exhausting day, we found a camp spot with a kind of wind protection at (-35.560315, -70.441588).<br /> Day 5: After a long morning with a NW crazy constant cold wind, we stopped at the hot springs. We tried many places but never found a source warmer than 30°C. After a quick bath, we filled our water bladder at the last point mentioned by Tomas &amp; Natalie (-35.48544, -70.5994) to go to sleep to the pass. There was still a ton of snow next to the pass but didn't see melting snow on the way. There are different camp possibilities with a stunning view in the last 600m before the pass but we slept at (-35.494194, -70.622529) to climb the Descabezado Chico the next day. Ok wind shelter.<br /> Day 6 : We woke up at 6am to go to Descabezado Chico before the sunrise. We crossed a melting snow river at (-35.49828, -70.621259). Even if the last part is steep rocky and sandy, the climb is easy. We reached the summit in 1h20 and had one of the best sunrises of our lives ! There are some places to be sheltered from the freezing wind and enjoy the view. Back to the pass, we followed more or less the track because there was still a lot of snow and some ways didn't look to be the best to follow. Next to Lago de la Mollera (-35.49782, -70.635864), we went down to the lake because we didn't see how to avoid a snow wall and because it was looking to be a nice path to go down (breaking news : no)... We managed to go up a little bit further (-35.501361, -70.641377). When we arrived below Cerro Colorado, we took water in a blue lagoon and we hiked the crest on the left side to avoid deep sand (-35.524775, -70.661721). Then we stayed on the left side of the Cerro Colorado to go down (-35.525073, -70.670594) until the river. That was a quick and good choice. Finally we managed a flat and more or less wind sheltered camp at (-35.55463, -70.708441).<br /> Day 7: There was still a ton of snow at the pass and made our own track in the snow slope a little bit upper than the GPS track to cross more safely. We wanted to follow the high route described by Natalie &amp; Tomás to avoid Don Víctor but as we saw how much snow there still was, how already tired we were (but not as much as our shoes) we decided to take the RR to go south. When we watched the high route from the RR, there was still a lot of snow patches. We finally stopped at Water, Camp [48.1/1837]. Not the best idea because it becomes a freezing hole during the night.<br /> Day 8-9: We followed the RR, nothing more to add to other posts except that we never met Don Victor !<br /> <br /> * '''2024-02-29 to 2024-03-07 / 7.5 days / Descabezado Circuit - Laguna del Maule to Los Cipreses / option 02, off-trail variant, 03, RR + Descabezado Grande and chico / Marilyne (+Fangwen and Tobi for first 3 days)'''<br /> <br /> First section on the GPT and I found it amazing! I won’t repeat anything that Tobi and Fangwen have mentioned below that also applies to my trip.<br /> On day 5, I used the variant suggested by Natalie&amp;Tomas that avoids Refugio Blanquillo and Don Victor. I had met with 3 park rangers earlier in the day who questioned me about my plans and asked if I was planning to go to Refugio blanquillo. When I assured them that I would not they went on their way. I watched them and their 6 horses run over a steep patch of snow and it gave me the confidence to cross it too, otherwise I may have tried to find a different route as a fall there would have been highly consequential.<br /> <br /> Had to cross many patches of snow on Natalie &amp; Tomas alternate route and it includes a stream crossing that could be very dangerous in the wrong season as it is above a waterfall.<br /> <br /> I climbed Descabezado Chico on day 4 and Descabezado Grande using route 3 on day 6. The Grande climb took 6+ hours and I didn’t have any desire to keep fighting scree fields after so I skipped Azul. At the end of that day all my stuff and me were very dusty from that climb.<br /> On day 8 I exited at the hydroelectric station Los Cipreses. A security guard that saw me running down the road to catch the bus offered me a ride to the main gate and we had a pleasant chat. Caught the 3:30pm bus to Talca around 4pm. They seem to start late from Medano.<br /> Very sunny section, I used a small solar panel on my backpack and ended up the section with all my electronics fully charged. <br /> <br /> * 2024-02-29 to 2024-03-08: Fangwen and Tobi (+ parts together with Marilyne) / 8.5 days Descabezado Circuit variant, Laguna del Maule to Vilches (option 02 -- variant 02D -- RR -- option 05)<br /> <br /> What a fantastic trip! Two experienced GPT teams had independently recommended this circuit to us, and both described it as their favorite experience on the GPT. Natalie&amp;Tomas have an extensive trip report below. I don't have a trip report from Markus&amp;Jenni, who hiked this circuit in 2019, but they provided us with very useful waypoints. If you are interested, message us ([[Special:Emailuser/Tobfang]]) and I'll ask if I can share this data.<br /> <br /> It is advisable to start this trip from Laguna del Maule. This way, you can easily lengthen the trip (by climbing the three volcanos) or shorten it (by exiting in Parque Ingles) towards the end of the trip. Also, you start at 2000m, which is a nice in the summer heat. It took us 8.5 days; we had food for 10 days and intended to climb some volcanoes, but when we got there it was quite windy, so we simply went straight to Vilches.<br /> <br /> This hike is definitely off the beaten path: the arriero Christian at S 35° 50.549', W 070° 24.114' said that we were the first hikers this season (in March!). He was very friendly and shared a delicious melon with us.<br /> Our favorite places were a beautiful valley with white sand, and a refreshing Laguna at S 35° 41.643', W 070° 25.651' and the Laguna Aquas Calientes at S 35° 30.441', W 070° 31.990'. The latter is not actually a hot lake, but there are several small streams of warm water. We camped right at S 35° 30.129', W 070° 31.514', right next to a really nice hot pool.<br /> <br /> Things to watch out for: although water was generally abundant, there are some spots where water is a bit more sparse (especially late in the season) and you might have to carry for up to one day. See Natalie's trip report for details. Additionally, earlier in the season there might be snow fields. The winter in 2023 had a crazy amount of snow, so even though we went in March we had a lot of water from snow melt and the two passes at 02D (S 35° 39.116', W 070° 26.016') and S 35° 33.137', W 070° 44.275' had steep snow fields. It was a bit sketchy, but okay. For the first pass, there are other options up, which may open up earlier. For the second pass, Option 2B traverses a lower pass (we didn't go there). A lot of hiking is on cross country, much of it on sand or gravel of different firmness. Sometimes you sink in, sometimes not. Flat or downhill travel is generally efficient, uphill is slow. Bring (mini)-gaiters, not just because of sand but also spikey plants. Also, sun protection is crucial, you won't have any tree for a week.<br /> <br /> Logistics: Interbus (call them on WhatsApp: +56 9 9886 5872) runs a bus Mon-Fri from Talca to Medano (which is a bit further than la Mina). As of March 2024, this bus left at 12:30 and 19:00, returning to Talca from Médano at 7:20 and 15:30. From Médano hitchhike to the border checkpoint. It's not super easy, and you might only get as far as the furthest mine, roughly 5km before the border checkpoint. Alternatively, use a ride sharing app to go to the border checkpoint. We were able to get via multiple rides all the way to the border checkpoint, but it took some time (we arrived at 5.30pm). If you want to check out Laguna del Maule, tell the border guard that you're not crossing into Argentina, and they will let you pass. But the border checkpoint is closed at night (between 6pm and 9am?) and you're not supposed to cross it then. We quickly went to the lake and back before it closed.<br /> Vilches Alto has a daily bus service to Talca at 12:30 and 16:00.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb- 22 to 2024-Feb-27/ 6days/hiking/SOBO/06/RR + volcano Decabezado/Paulina'''<br /> <br /> Amasing section!<br /> <br /> Day 1 <br /> I took a bus from Talca to Molina ( a lot of buses per day, still in February and later to Parque Ingles ( several buses per day in the season, most of them till 12 pm). <br /> As it was a rainy day, my plan was to walk only to El Bolson. I did not have the entrance because I could not pay on the website with my card. I told to the Rangers that I would like to go to Los Cipreses, they where like I need the permition of the landowner to do it. I just ignored it. At first they were saying that it would not be possible to camp on El Bolson the next 2 days. But I waited about one hour, reasked several times, and finally one of the Rangers went with me to the place where you can buy ticket for camping El Bolson ( 7000 CHP), also they told me that I did not need to buy the park entrance. <br /> The El Bolson camping is just huge, I don't understand all the mess with the acces. When I came up, the guy from the camping just took my name and passport number, but did not ask to show the camping payment confirmation, or park payment. <br /> <br /> Day 2 ( El Bolson- Termas de Azufre)<br /> The trail was visible all the time. At this time of the season, no snow on the pass. Termas de Azufre are amasing, so it's good to come there not very late to enjoy them. Just next to the river, there are a few spots for tents.<br /> This day I also met one chilean couple doing curcuito condor, and at Termas a chilean family with kids on horses with an arriero. <br /> The famous owner of the land did not show up this day and the next days. <br /> <br /> Day 3. To refugio Blanquillo<br /> At first there are a lot of animal trails, so you need to check with gps which one is a good one. <br /> The ford on the river on the way to the pass was short but kind of difficult ( almost to the waist, I'm 1,69 cm, strong current). It's because of a heavy 2 days rain two day before. Later I met people doing curcuito condor from the other side and they told me that the rangers did not want to let them do the trail because of this river high level. But I think that after some.more days of a dray weather it's not a difficult ford.The rest of the trail was easy to follow with beautiful views.<br /> At refugio, I met one couple doing curcuito condor and two chilean couple who came to climb Volvano Decapezado. Very nice meeting.<br /> The refugio was already closed. The hot spring was not really hot.<br /> <br /> Day 4<br /> Together with chilean hikers, we climbed Decapezado Grande. It's a long hiking day, but it's really worth to do it. The way down is easy and very fast. <br /> <br /> Day 5 to Laguna de los Hornos<br /> <br /> About 20 min. from the refugio, there are a lot of different animal paths ,so you will need to consult a gps to see which one is a GPT one.<br /> The views around Laguna Caracol are amasing, I think it was my favourite part on this section of an extreme beauty. No navigation difficulties on the trail. Indeed,laguna de los Hornos is in a big part dried. <br /> <br /> Day 6 till La Mina<br /> <br /> I agree that it's really worth to climb the volcano<br /> Los Hornitos. It's a very short way up.The rest of the trail is at first a descend in a deep sand ( so you can go very fast) and than a walk on a gravel road ( I found the valley very nice, I was amased how fast the landscape changes). I got a ride about 2 km from Los Cipreses, very nice people, they took me to the shop in los Alamos , but as the owner was not there they took me to a shop in La Mina ( 500 m before the restaurant La Cordillera). You can find there several little shops, if you go around you can complete the resupply for the next section ( mostly pasta, tuna, tomato souce, ramen, eggs, instant souls). No camping gas.<br /> I camped in a little, very nice camping/ garden with a grape shade in a restaurant La Cordillera place ( 3000 ChP), they have also cabanas but I don't know the price. A really nice place to stay and chill, you can eat all the fruits in the garden. The lady from the restaurant was very nice, they serve nice,food, not expensive ( I paid 18000 for camping, breakfast, big dinner, juice, and a good portion of pisco sour).<br /> <br /> For the next section, it's kind of easy to hitch-hike ( there are a lot of local workers on the road) to the beginning of the trail. <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-13 to 2024-Feb-18 / 5.5 days / SOBO / RR / Gabriele - Trails of Wander'''<br /> <br /> Day 1 - Parque Ingles - Laguna Las Animas. Hernandez bus from Molina to Parque Ingles 8:10 am. I had park entry and camp permit for El Bolson that I bought on-line. I indicated to the Guardiaparque my 6 days itinerary RR to Los Cipreses, no issues but had been told several areas are private land. Met only one hiker after El Bolson (See note below).<br /> <br /> Day 2 - Laguna Las Animas - Termas de Azufres. <br /> <br /> Day 3 - Termas de Azufres - Camp along Rio Blanquillo near Vegas Manantial Pelado RR + small section of OH-Tl-V 06-01. I did not ford Estero El Volcán at Ford 06 [29.4/2190] as with the high snow/water year I felt it was unsafe or risky at best and made little sense to try at that spot. I continued CC on the right bank of Estero El Volcán for about 300-400 m to reach the snow field where I crossed safely without even touching water at all. The CC section had only a handful of spots requiring short scrambles, but no issues. For reference, I crossed the snowfield to reach RR at -35.31196, -70.44898. Given the current water level condition I think this is an easier and safer option.<br /> Originally intended to camp at Laguna Manantial Pelado for the night but the valley below looked great with all surrounding peaks so I camped there.<br /> <br /> Day 4 - Camp near Vegas Manantial Pelado - Camp South of Laguna Caracol (Camp 06 56.3/2034). Based on the conversation I had two days earlier with a Chilean hiker who was doing the Circuito Condor regarding Don Victor the dueno/owner of the land traversed on day 4, including Descabezado Grande, I decided to avoid encountering Don Victor if at all possible. I did not follow the RR directly to the refuge Blanquillo at 45.5/1887 but kept away from it and walked CC to reach RR further South where it climbs up. I did not meet him and cannot say if he was at the refuge, which I only saw from the distance. After reading and listening to multiple reports regarding the situation with Don Victor land ownership it seems to me that the best approach is to avoid or minimize contact with him if possible, in order to reduce escalation of further problems for future hikers, in particular Chileans hikers who appear to really have very hard time gaining approval from him to simply traverse his land.<br /> <br /> Day 5 - Camp South of Laguna Caracol - Laguna de los Hornos.<br /> <br /> Day 6 - Laguna de los Hornos - Los Cipreses. I reached Los Cipreses at about 1 pm on Sunday. The guard at the gate of the Hydroelectrico Los Cipreses told me there are no buses down to Talca on Sunday. I hitchhiked on 115 and got a ride to Talca fairly quickly.<br /> <br /> Water was plentiful for the entire route. Limited snowfields traverse with no issues. 100% full sun exposure all day after El Bolson. Windy at higher elevations. Harsh and dry environment with a lot of sand and dust. Lots of steep climbing in sand. Overall easy orientation and easy trails to follow but GPS track needed. Magnificent hike. <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-08 to 2024-Feb-14 / 5.5 days / SOBO / RR 01c 01e 03 03a/ Matthias de Austria'''<br /> <br /> Bus from Curicó to Molina at 9am, immediate connecting bus to Parque Inglés. Buy a ticket online for the national park (8500 for foreigners, 100% surcharge! If the international debit card selection doesn't work, just try the national one, my card only worked there). You can also add the authorisation for El Bolsón online, but you have to pay for it in cash at a ticket office in Parque Inglés. 80 people per day are allowed for Bolsón, everything is sold out at lunchtime. Night in Parque Ingles at Hostal Valverde 40k for one person in a 4 bed room (solo use) with own toilet and washbasin but shared shower, towel costs extra, quiet, next to river for bathing (lots of local families though).<br /> <br /> At 8am next day, a Wednesday, there are around 50-60 people at the ticket office for Bolsón. I went to the locked gate at the start of the RR and quickly climb over it hoping noone saw me, as I'm not planning to stay in Bolsón anyway. Better not to mention that to the rangers. Also, only gas cookers are allowed. After about an hour, I'm just a little way off by a stream when a ranger rides past on a motorbike. I don't know if he saw me, maybe he thought I was coming back from Bolsón. So if you hear a motorbike, it's might best to change direction shortly and head towards Parque Inglés, or even better, start much earlier in the morning. <br /> <br /> I bypass Bolsón heading south at 01A, shortly after the bridge at -35.4973,-70.9052 is a large private area, no trespassing sign. I don't want to set a bad example for the numerous day trippers around and take a path along the stream (southern side) to the waterfall. Once out of sight of people and Bolsón, I briefly climb up the steep slope and CC to option 1. Water shortly before start of 01c. Next water at -35.5226,-70.8653, even with a small pool.<br /> <br /> Don Victor is the large landowner in the area. His hut is, as far as I understood, the refuge Blanquillo at 45.5/1887. Hikers used to be welcome on his land, but after they left a lot of rubbish behind and invaded his hut, he no longer allows them and sends them back. However, he (sometimes?) makes exceptions for foreigners. You could ask him for permission via whatsapp, but he was so flooded with requests that he can no longer be contacted during the season. I just took a chance and went to his land. A rider around 37.1/2382 asked me what I was doing here, I asked him if he was Don Victor, to which he replied in the affirmative. I then introduced myself, said what my destination was, where I came from and that I am aware of the problem of dirty hikers, but that I am very careful with nature. He then allowed me to continue. I met him twice more in the following days, at Blanquillo 45.5/1887 and at Water 48.1/1837, and he reminded me not to throw away any rubbish.<br /> <br /> At the refuge I met a Chilean-German couple camping, they came from Los Cipreses and didn't know that it was forbidden to enter this land, but Don Victor allowed them to stay after they argued with German cleanliness (I guess he had never been hiking in the Alps before the regular cleaning teams cleaned everything, otherwise his trust in the Europeans would probably not be so great).<br /> <br /> Fordings: All very easy, path at Laguna del Caracol is no longer under water. No snowfields to cross. The water level of the lagunas (except Manantial Pelado) is dropping rapidly, I estimate about 10 to 15cm per day.<br /> <br /> Water: Plenty, except for hiking up Descabezado. Bring as much as possible from Blanquillo.<br /> <br /> Summit day Descabezado: Very strong, cold winds all day. A good windbreaker, hat and gloves are essential. Only cloudy day since I've been in Chile, 20 minutes after I left the summit it cleared up. Extremely strenuous ascent on very loose gravel, almost every step sinks in deeply and slips (I weigh 100kg), takes 6 hours from base camp to the summit, even on the easier route. Descent effortless, under 2h.<br /> <br /> Camps:<br /> Day 1: Laguna Manantial Pelado <br /> Day 2: Basecamp -35.5978,-70.7957 (I widened it, smoothed it out, deepened it and extended the stone wall. Nevertheless, the winds up there can be massive, you have to brace the tent well.)<br /> Day 3: Next to the not existing anymore hot springs at 45.6<br /> Day 4: Laguna la Turbia<br /> Day 5&amp;6: Laguna des los Hornitos (rest day, just beeing naked all day swimming and lying around in the sun)<br /> Hornitos and Turbia were nice for swimming, the others really cold.<br /> <br /> No problems at Los Ciprese, friendly guard spoke good english, gave me water and wifi.<br /> Bus to Talca (3500 peso) at main street came around 15:50-16:00.<br /> <br /> Absolutely incredible landscape. I'm here for dream routes like this. Perhaps the best hiking week of my life. GPT01-04 was nice, but GPT06 is in a completely different league. I loved it and I deeply miss this kind of remoteness in central europe.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-feb-2 to 2024-feb-6 / 5 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR / Juliet and Martin '''<br /> <br /> Day 1 parque ingles - Lagunas las animas<br /> 18km d+1200 d-100<br /> Departure at 6:30 a.m. to pass the conaf. No worries <br /> First part to el bolson. At el bolson we can refuel with water. The campsite attendant asked us for our conaf ticket. After explaining to him that we were going to laguna animas, he let us pass without any trouble. Continuation to laguna animales without shade but no snow. Bivouac spot on the beach but no shade, or to the west on meadows to pitch your tent, but used by a herd of horses. <br /> The trail is generally easy to follow as it is marked by stone markers.<br /> <br /> Day 2 laguna las animas - Therma de azufre<br /> 11km D+400 D-700<br /> Shade-free day. Lots of trails in the sand. <br /> We didn't manage to find a good bivouac spot (mainly because of the heat coming from the ground). <br /> Water spots regularly, especially early in the day. <br /> <br /> Day 3 Therma de azufre - El banquillo refuge <br /> 20km D+ 900 D- 900<br /> The indicated crossing point was not crossable for us in our opinion (no experience in river crossings), so we decided to walk along the river bank in the rocks for several km. We crossed the river higher than indicated thanks to the snow. <br /> Water spot regularly as several rivers crossed. <br /> Arriving at el banquillo, we were disappointed not to meet Umberto. Very good bivouac spot with several pitches already made. <br /> <br /> Day 4 El banquillo refuge - laguna de los hornitos <br /> 20km D+ 900 D- 900<br /> Most of the climb is up to the pass after the laguna. Quite a physical climb in the sand. But we did it in about 1h30. The rest of the day was pretty much the same. <br /> Regular water stops too. <br /> No problem following the trail. <br /> A little extra for a new encounter with a herd of horses. <br /> Bivouac spot around the lake. Nice possibility before descending to the lake (indicated waypoint camp).<br /> <br /> Day 5 laguna de los hornitos - los alamos<br /> All downhill to los cipreses. The first part is in sand, so it's a quick descent. Once on the road, we were often overtaken by cars. No one asked us for a permit (or offered to hitchhike). <br /> We passed guards at the exit/entrance to the power station, who offered us water and no problem getting through. <br /> In los alamos, a small store selling a few products such as pasta, ice cream, batteries, etc. It's run by a lady and her husband. They also sell beds for sleeping. They're very welcoming<br /> <br /> Buses to Talca at 7.30am and 3.30pm. Not many cars passing through. We didn't get picked up hitchhiking. <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-27 to 2024-Jan-30) / 3.5 Days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + OH 01+03+06/ Joscha'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: RR [0-10,1] + OH06-01A + OH06-01[10,7-25,1] + RR [36,9-44,6]<br /> <br /> A few small streams at OH-01 and one bigger one near Laguna Manantial Pelado (ankle high ford). A few snow patches above 2300 m, but you can easily walk over or around them. Water is flowing at all the marked locations.<br /> <br /> Day 2: RR [44,6-45,8] + to Descabezado and back on OH06-03 and OH06-03A + RR [45,8-55,7]<br /> <br /> River at 44,8 was a little over ankle high ford in the morning. The climb up to Descabezado has a lot of steep gravel slopes, which makes it tiresome. Water is flowing at all the marked locations.<br /> <br /> Day 3: RR [55,7-58,3] + to Los Quillayes and back on OH06-06 and OH06-06A + RR [58,3-59,6] + OH06-C + RR [62-69]<br /> <br /> OH06-06A is a steep gravel climb, but worth it. Really nice view from Los Quillayes (but similar to the view from Pass Hornitos. Pass Hornitos has some bigger snowfields on the southern side, but its easy to walk around them. OH06-C was pretty steep at the end, so maybe the RR is more convenient. Little above ankle high Ford north of Laguna de los Hornos in the afternoon.<br /> <br /> Day 4: RR [69-80] + OH06-E + OH06-F<br /> <br /> Small Shop (I bought some Pasta) and Restaurant in Los Alamos. I tried to continue on the RR from Los Alamos to El Medina. But at 81,3 km the trail vanished and I wasn't able to continue. Therefore I walked back and walked on the paved road OH E+F to El Medano. Camping + Thermas in El Medano costs 7000 Pesos. There is a small shop, but it is very expensive (e.g. 1 Ramen Cup costs 2000 Pesos).<br /> <br /> GPT06 has some really spectacular views. Especially Pass Hornitos and Volcan Descabezado. There is no shade, so the sun is gonna burn you all day. This + the sand/gravel is demanding for your body and your equipment. <br /> <br /> * '''Jan-26-2024 to Jan-30-2024 / 4.5 days / SOBO / Oh5, Oh 3, RR / Matthieu'''<br /> <br /> Amazing section, from the entrance in Vilches to the end in los cipreses. Sand and lack of shadow are the main difficulties. <br /> <br /> Right of way : that was my first fear. Concerning guardia parques : en parque ingles, they say that they cannot let officially hikers go to the volcan, as duenos asked (OH1 passes by 4 differents private properties). But if you have a message by don victor it's ok. So no need for discussion there just take a ticket to el bolson and no more words. El bolson was closed for a few days for maintenance, so i just got out of parque ingles. At Alto de Lircay, guardiaparque told me that it was my responsability to enter don Victor's property without his permission. You can legally turn back into the park (or coming from parque ingles) paying for another day at the end, at the entrance, if you want to come back by altos de Lircay after the volcan. <br /> - Don Victor : I had the chance to meet him near the valle del venado, on a horse. I asked for permission to enter his lands and continue south, that he offered me easily with promess to not let garbage in the zone. I was glad to meet him out of his lands, I don't know how he would react into. He especially asked to guardaparques to say to hikers that it was not permitted to go on his lands because it's always full of trash, and he has to clean it up all the time. He told me that foreigners were more respectfull than locals though. His phone is off all season because it became a public number, and he has to many calls to enter the volcan. So if you want permission better send a message before season. To note, his lands go at least to the laguna caracole, don't know after.<br /> I saw another chilean hiker walking up the volcan, didn't seem to be a problem for him. <br /> <br /> Water : often present on RR, in the lagunas or the oasis. A good stream just before the top of the volcan to. No need to carry kgs of it. <br /> No water at the volcan basecamp though, so I carried it from the puesto. <br /> <br /> Snow : From now on, no snow issues from the entrance in Vilches to the end at los cipreses, so no need for crampons (with entrance by option 5, I don't know for the entrance by RR). Few patches you can easily bypass before and after the third pass 59km. <br /> No patches on the way to the top of volcan. <br /> <br /> River crosses (1.78m) : only once Rio blancillo, at the first Ford (water to knees). Then I stayed on the right side of the river until the end. I had to walk inside for 1 minute, water to hips, but no current so it was easy. I bypassed the two other crosses this way. <br /> <br /> Camp : valle venado (conaf), really friendly worker there. - Basecamp Volcan : beware, I made the mistake to not plant my tent well with heavy rocks, and the pikes in the sand are no use... so when I came back from the volcan it was upside down with strong wind... a whole adventure to pack everything ! - Oasis at water 48km. - Around 70 kms, some nice camping spots near the river at the right side of the road. <br /> <br /> Volcan : up to the top by option 3, then down by variant 3A. Taking the variant directly seems like hell, lot of sand. More rocks on regular option 3. Physically demanding, but no other particular difficulties.<br /> <br /> Proposition of new option : as the right of way may evolve badly in the future, I suggest a new option road from el camping valle venado to tricehue, following the rio claro. I asked to the guardaparque at the campsite, he said that there are people doing it usually. This year the river is to strong though, so maybe in march or next year. <br /> <br /> Buses at the end : the lign is from talca to el medano, a stop at the exit of los alamos on the road. From el medano : buses 7h30 and 15h30, monday to Friday (dont know for week ends).<br /> From talca : 12h30 and 19h<br /> At el colorado, buses to talca more often.<br /> * '''2024-Jan-11 to 2024-Jan-17 / 7 Days / Hiking / NOBO / O5, O3, O3A, RR, O1 / Vlad'''<br /> <br /> A spectacular section to end my 5-week trip on the GPT. I’ve never experienced a landscape like this before and the weather (straight up sunshine for the whole week) was a welcome change after the unrelenting wind and rain of Patagonia. There were no other people outside of the start and end of the trail in national parks. Beautiful and desolate wild camping near the volcano. That said, it was very rough on my gear. The dry sand, abrasive rocks, spiky bushes did some damage to my shoes (erased on tread on the soles after sliding down scree slopes for 2 days), socks (holes after rubbing on rocks since I did not have gaiters), trekking poles (they were in a poor shape already but the rocks and sand finished them and the tips got sanded off), pants (got some holes as well). <br /> <br /> Day 1: I took an overnight bus from Puerto Montt to Talca (22k CLP, very comfortable, booked through Rodovairro.cl). After arriving in Talca, there was a bus to Vilches at 10:30. I got off at the last stop and made it to the PN Altos de Lircay entrance around 1 PM. I asked the ranger about access to Descabezado land since I texted the owner, Don Victor (WhatsApp +56998863554) but he didn’t respond to me. The ranger said that Don Victor doesn’t respond at the moment but he said it was okay for the rangers to allow hikers to leave the park and go to his land. <br /> <br /> I was charged 8.5k CLP for park entrance and 10k CLP for 2 nights camping inside the park. This is because I wasn’t allowed to start hiking to Valle el Venado the first day (trail closes at 11:00 am even though it’s only 19 km 🙃) and had to camp at the park entrance, then another night once I get to Valle el Venado. It was a bummer as I already had limited time for this section, but it allowed me to go for a day hike up the mountain in Altos de Lircay and watch a beautiful sunset. The forest in Altos de Lircay is beautiful with teeming wildlife and abundant wildflowers. I saw a woodpecker, a fox, colorful iguanas, a snake, giant spiders, and endless wildflowers. <br /> <br /> You could maybe get to Altos de Lircay on time to start hiking the same day if you leave on the 7 am bus from Talca. They give you a paper at the park ranger’s office and I was asked for it 3 times by different rangers throughout my trip. <br /> <br /> Day 2: Walked from Altos de Lircay to Valle el Venado with a side trip to see the waterfall. Met a group on horses. A few river fords that were all below knee level. Got to the campsite at Valley el Venado which wasn’t very nice. Horse poop everywhere, had to clear the spot for a tent. No one asked to check if I paid for the campsite. The group on horses camped somewhere up the valley from the refugio as I heard them and saw some come down to use the bathroom. <br /> <br /> Day 3: I did the 3 fords of river Blanquillo as suggested on the GPS track. The first one is at the spot where river is widest, so it was only knee deep. On the second ford, it’s narrower and the current was strong, it was crotch deep for me (178 cm). Third ford knee deep. In hindsight I should’ve just stayed on the left side of the river and only crossed it once in the end. <br /> <br /> It was a very short day, 10 km, but I thought it would be nice to arrive at Blanquillo refugio early in case Umberto was there. However, when I got there, the refugio was empty, and I couldn’t find any hot springs. I don’t think the bathing pool is there anymore. I scouted around for half an hour and only saw horse and cow poop in every little stream and pool of water. I followed one of the streams about 100 m uphill to get clean drinking water but I still saw poop on the banks. <br /> <br /> Since Umberto wasn’t there, I cooked dinner by the refugio and kept going to the Descabezado basecamp (-35.59773, -70.79645) 3.4 km further and 600 m of elevation higher up from the Banquillo refugio, which made the next day’s climb up the volcano shorter.<br /> <br /> The sunset at the Descabezado basecamp was out of this world. <br /> <br /> Day 4: I left from basecamp at sunrise since I didn’t want to walk in the dark. I had to cross a few not steep snow fields at the beginning but nothing at higher elevations. Every snow field higher up is easily bypass-able. That said, the climb up to the crater still felt brutal to me. There’s absolutely no sure footing, everything is just a scree slope. When ascending, you can either climb up the 45 degree scree slope or try to walk on the rocks which are easier to plant your foot on. I chose the rocks but they too were sliding sometimes, even large boulders, so I had to be careful not to let a giant rock fall directly on my other foot. It took me 4.5 hours to reach the crater from the basecamp following the less steep option 3. It was very windy, cold, and the sun was shining directly in my face early in the morning as I was climbing up the volcano so it was a little difficult to see the path sometimes.<br /> <br /> On the way down, I saw my tent and was trying to slide down the scree slope directly towards the basecamp roughly following the steep option 3A. Going down was actually really fun and effortless. But be careful and still check GPS regularly when you descend, as there are some scree slopes that end directly in a vertical plunge down to the ice field below. <br /> <br /> I refilled my water bottles with ice cold water flowing from the snow field here (-35.60455, -70.78525), using my trowel as a spout. I’m glad I did because when I got back to basecamp, the water I stashed there in the morning was as warm as a hot soup after baking in the tent in direct sunlight all day. <br /> <br /> I was considering staying at basecamp location for another night because it’s such a visually stunning spot with gorgeous sunsets and incredible stars at night, but it was just way too hot to remain there so I packed up and went back down to Banquillo refugio. Unfortunately, Umberto was still not there so I just enjoyed the company of cows and went to sleep. <br /> <br /> Day 5: I went north in the white sand dunes following Banquillo river which nurtures a breathtaking oasis in the desert. I thought this area was way more beautiful than the Banquillo refugio (especially with all the cow poop there) so I wished I kept going a little further the previous night and set up camp somewhere by the river in this area (-35.53354, -70.79191). Disclaimer: I didn’t actually look for a spot that was flat and sheltered but that whole area just felt like a paradise so I think one could find a suitable spot for a tent there. <br /> <br /> Right at the fork of the trails where one can choose to take Option 1 or continue on RR to Termas del Azufre, I ran into arrieros transporting hundreds of goats through the snow-covered slopes, it was a beautiful scene and a blessing for me as their footprints helped me find a safe way in some semi-steep snow sections I had to cross after 2400 m. I chose to follow Option 1 to El Bolson because the RR on the right at the fork looked like it had loads of snow still. Even on Option 1, I had to be careful and kick-step my way through the snow fields as I had no crampons and my trail runners had virtually no tread left on them after being ground on the volcanic rocks and sand the previous couple of days.<br /> <br /> One particularly dangerous spot is here (-35.51932, -70.82684) just after Laguna Manantial Pelado. It’s a big snow field that started melting and formed a lake that’s not on the map. It was breathtakingly beautiful going west, but if you were coming from the other direction you could not see the collapse of the snow field until it’s too late and you’re on the edge, so stick to the trail and walk on the side of the valley in that spot. <br /> <br /> I got to El Bolson just before sunset. It was surprisingly a beautiful and scenic campground and not too crowded on a Monday night. I spoke a few words to the people in the refugio, they just told me to set up my tent and didn’t ask to pay for camping. <br /> <br /> At Bolson, I met a group of Chilean students from Talca who spoke really good English and we had a lot of fun eating dinner together, smoking weed and going to swim in the nearby waterfall the next morning. There are trails going down the cliff to the swimming pools here (-35.49801, -70.90767). It’s a really pristine swimming spot, just be careful and don’t get too close to the waterfalls as we heard there was an accident the previous night where a rock fell off and pushed a person over the edge of the waterfall so they plunged down into a pool below. <br /> <br /> Day 6: Hiked from Bolson to Parque Ingles entrance, where the ranger once again asked for my paper registration from Altos de Lircay documenting my trip. The shops at Parque Ingles are really tiny and would not be sufficient for another section resupply in my opinion, I just bought some fresh fruit and hitched a 3 KM ride to Siete Tazas. By the time I got there (19:00) all the trails were closed and the ranger told me to go find camping at Valley de las Catas. It was 13k CLP (ouch) for 1 night camping with inclusion of the ticket for a 3-km loop on the southern bank of river Claro to see Siete Tazas. The campground had a hot shower which was very welcomed, but otherwise I think Siete Tazas was not worth it and I wish I spent my last day attempting to hike up to Laguna de las Animas instead. Though I don’t know if it would even be possible as the entire rim of the mountain seemed snow covered so there must’ve still been a very steep, yet short, snow field one would need to cross to get over the pass. <br /> <br /> Day 7: I took a morning walk out of the campground and caught a 11:30 bus back to Molina, then a bus from Molina to Santiago for a flight home the next day. <br /> <br /> * '''2024 Jan 07 / 4.5 days / SOBO / RR / Anh'''<br /> There are many good reports, so I'll keep it short.<br /> <br /> With my information, I could simply walk from Parque Inglés without registration. But I want to hike legal &amp; support Conaf. So I had to register and pay online (not in cash at other national parks) with my conaf account, then offline paper formular. Fortunately, the 2nd payment for Campsite El Bolsón (compulsory) was in cash (200m from Conaf). It had taken me more than an hour.<br /> <br /> There is a lot of hiking in volcanic sand (rough, fine).<br /> At this time there are still many snowfields from 2000 Hm upwards. There are streams under the snowfields, some of which only have a thin layer of snow (danger of collapse).<br /> Ford km 29.4 is quite critical (hip, strong flow in the morning)<br /> <br /> I met two boys at Refugio Blanquillo. They had been hiking for two days on a different route (no RR GPT06) with a text description from the internet (no hiking map/GPS track). They learned &amp; understood that it was very dangerous and could get lost at any time. Luckily they met a hiker with GPS &amp; inReach, otherwise I would have taken them with me.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-03 to 2024-Jan-08 / 6 days / Hiking / round trip anticlockwise / O5 - O3 - RR - O1 - O1c (Condor Circuit) / Lotti and Alex'''<br /> <br /> Originally we wanted to do the Cóndor Circuit, but after we read about the troubles some of you had, we decided to take the safer option 1 to avoid the snow and landslide above Termas de Azufre. This route felt very safe and the snow was not a problem at all. We ended up with a beautiful round trip from Altos de Lircay to Valle Venado, then to the summit of Descabezado, then Valle del Indio and back to Altos de Lircay. The landscape is incredibly beautiful and diverse, and we enjoyed it a lot. The scariest part for us was fording the Rio Blanquillo on day 2.<br /> <br /> Day 1: Altos de Lircay - Valle Venado on option 5 (Sendero de Chile) <br /> We stayed at Hotel Picamaderos in Altos de Lircay, which is a very nice and relaxed place right next to the park entrance of Altos de Lircay. To enter the park we had to show the CONAF officers the WhatsApp message that Victor send us as a permission for entering his land at Refugio Blanquillo. <br /> The hike through the forest was very nice and shady and we enjoyed the view from the mirador where we got a nice overview of our route for the next days. Crossing Rio Claro was easy, not deeper than knee deep. We camped in a shady spot next to Valle Venado.<br /> <br /> Day 2: Valle Venado - Refugio Blanquillo - Descabezado base camp (option 5 and option 3) <br /> Easy walking until Laguna el Blanquillo which was really beautiful. After that the path crosses Rio Blanquillo several times. We tried to avoid it at first because it looked quite intimidating, so we followed some stone men to climb around and walk higher up the valley. When it was not avoidable any more, we forded it. For me, with just 152cm of height, it was intimidatingly deep (almost to the hip) and it had really strong currents. Alex had to help me across, and with him walking in front of me, it worked. We arrived at an empty Refugio Blanquillo, picked up some water there and walked up to Descabezado base camp which has no water. <br /> <br /> Day 3: Descabezado Summit<br /> We left the base camp early at 6:00 and took the southern option 3 trail which was well marked by stone men at the beginning. We used our crampons to climb up some ice fields effectively, but I think they could have been bypassed as well. On the way down we took the steeper option 3A sliding down on soft pumice stones which was a lot of fun. We picked up our tent, walked back down and set up our camp at Refugio Blanquillo. There we searched a while for the hot springs, but couldn't find them.<br /> <br /> Day 4: Refugio Blanquillo - Valle del Indio (RR and option 1 NOBO)<br /> We walked on the regular route for about 8 km until the junction where we changed to option 1. After that we crossed several smaller streams that were not on our map. Snow started around 2300m, but it was easy to walk on and we didn't need our crampons. Laguna Manantial Pelado was incredibly beautiful with its icy shores. There were some camp spots there, but it was much too windy for us to stay there for the night. We kept walking over the pass and down the valley until we found a shady spot in the middle of the valley floor of Valle del Indio. <br /> <br /> Day 5: Valle del Indio - Altos de Lircay (Option 1C)<br /> After the wild vulcanic landscapes of the days before, this day's scenery was not as spectacular, but the hiking was easy and we even met some wild horses. We camped at Punta 6 inside the park Altos de Lircay, where we found a camping spot right next to a very nice swimming hole in the river and met the first people after 5 days of loneliness. <br /> <br /> Day 6: Altos de Lircay - park entrance<br /> Easy walking in the shade of the forest. <br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-29 to 2024-Jan-3 / 6 days / NOBO / Variant 5+3+RR+GPT05(VarG+RR)+RR / Matthias + Johanna '''<br /> <br /> The route:<br /> Basically the route is the Condor Circuit: Reserva Nacional Altos de Lircay - Descabezado Grande - PN Siete Tazas. <br /> We bypassed the part from km 19.4 (Termas) to km 27.4 (pass Portezuelo Las Cruces) via GPT05(VarG+RR) due to the reports of Lilian and Michael &amp; Cassia. By the time we started our tour, Michael had written only a much less intimidating post on the Facebook group (only indicating difficult route conditions). So it was a lucky ad-hoc decision after the difficult descent from pass La Calle the day before not to try their route!!<br /> <br /> The conditions: <br /> Snow +- above 2250m, rivers below snow-filled watersheds with high water levels! Overall quite demanding to us!<br /> <br /> Day 1+2: Easy walking from park entrance (Lircay) to Vegas Blanquillo („basecamp“ Descabezado).<br /> <br /> Day 3: Ascent to Descabezado <br /> Easier than expected but tedious above 3400m due to volcanic ash and steepness. Snowfields below 3400m can be bypassed or safely crossed (surface like a mogul piste). The steep snowfields above can by bypassed. We climbed the right (southern) „couloirs“ on the right margin (beneath the red rock), loose rocks are the main difficulty.<br /> <br /> Day 4: Vegas Blanquillo - Termas Azufre<br /> About 5 km on snow. Some short steep snow passages, soft snow on snow bridges. High water levels.<br /> Easy walking until a height of ca. 2550 (km 32.5) when going down into the valley of Estero Volcán. Next 250hm downhill tricky as while we tried to avoid the quite steep snow on the slopes, we faced the difficulty of avoiding unstable snow bridges in the valley floor. We were happy to have our microspikes with us! Also parts of the summer path seemed to be washed away (around km 30.5) as seen from afar. Forded the river ca. 500m upstream of the place indicated on the track files (50m south of the now collapsed snow bridge of Lilian). Strong current, water up to mid of thighs. Additional fording of the (today roaring) creek coming down from Cerro Colorado (km28.5).<br /> <br /> Day 5: Termas Azufre - Valle del Indio: Difficult fordings <br /> Trail washed away ca. 1 km after Termas. We went up 100 hm to bypass (possibly you could also bypass by descending ca. 50 hm).<br /> Edgy fording of Estero Volcán at ca. 35°28'56&quot;S 70°46'13&quot;W. Strong current, water up to lower waist on the far side for me (188cm) and up to upper waist for Johanna (163cm). I could give her a hold from a rock there! Then ca. 500m north 2 easier fordings back to the western side of the there split river. <br /> We did not stick to RR here (we did not divert from path at „trailhead“), as there was no possible crossing of the river visible and the path seems to be very difficult with large loose rocks and steep slopes). But possibly one could avoid the two fordings by RR and then climbing the rocks near the riverbed.<br /> There are no further fordings of Estero Volcán (km 24.6) as river is flowing on the eastern side of the valley this season.<br /> Loose volcanic ash on parts of the ascent to pass Portozuelo Las Cruzes. Snowfields easy (could be bypassed or safely crossed on the afternoon of the hot day). Laguna Las Animas partly ice-covered, we swam next to the ice :-)<br /> After the pass going down to Valle del Indio there is steep snowfields (former wedges) on most of the rim. Only 4-5 m, but even with microspikes it was too dangerous for us. You can bypass snow by walking some meters to the right (west) from the pass and walking/climbing down the rock pillar (solid).<br /> <br /> Day 6: Easy walk down to Park entrance Parque Ingles<br /> <br /> Camp sites: Valle Venado - Vegas Blanquillo (Descabezado basecamp) 2 nights - 500m north and 50 m uphill of Termas - valleyfloor Valle los Indios<br /> <br /> Basecamp Descabezado - Right of way:<br /> No access given to hikers without a guide to cross the NP to Descabezado. We chose to hire a local arriero who accompanied us the first three days (Pancho 997635447), who got a permission to camp from the land owner in advance. Even though he is a local and has his own cows feeding up there, he had to discuss at the three „checkpoints“ at park entrance, as he had no written prove with him.<br /> The man living at the basecamp was not there in the end, selling some cows in the valley ! <br /> Nice swimming pool with tepid water 5m north of camping site, for drinking water go the long way round the swampy valley to a source on the other side ca. 20m west of the hut.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-19 to 2024-Dec-25/ 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR/ Michael and Kasia '''<br /> <br /> Day 1<br /> We had camped at Rocas Basalticas campground the night before. When we arrived at the gate they asked to see our permission to camp at Bolson. We didn't know that that was required and spent some time going back and forth with them. We finally went to Rocas Basalticas down the road and got them permission to camp at Bolson and they finally let us in. The walk up is pretty, all the snow is gone. All fords are easy. There were a few tábanos, but not many. CONAF did a reroute on a small section of the trail higher up. If you're watching GPS you go off the route, but just follow the sign to Bolson and it goes there. Campground has water and toilets.<br /> <br /> Day 2<br /> We hiked up through Valle del Indio. The route is a little tricky to find and we were moving slow so getting a lot of meander in the GPS marker. Looking for cairns was helpful. Two thirds of the way up there was still snow. By that time it was slushy. We had opted not to buy crampons at the last minute, so we made our way across kicking into the snow. The last 15 m to the pass was an almost straight up in snow. After the pass there was very little snow until the rise up to Laguna de las Ánimas. After that it was a complete snow field and the lake was frozen. We managed to kick out a pad for the tent and camped in the snow. Really beautiful sky that night.<br /> <br /> Day 3<br /> A long day with very little distance covered. Full sun, we both got sunburns despite sunscreen and covering. The snow was heavily pockmarked so it was hard to walk through. It took much longer than we anticipated. We ended up camping just below the pass. We were concerned about wind, so we tied the tent down really well. Fortunately it was a calm night.<br /> <br /> Day 4<br /> We continued on RR. There were several steep ups and downs, mostly on snow, as well as some intimidating traverses. The snow was getting to the point where we were a little uncertain if it would hold or not. We saw a single set of tracks, assume it was Lillian as it looks like she was a day or two ahead of us. 2 km before Termales Azufre we crossed a very steep section of snow. On the way down Kasia fell and hit some small rocks. She got some bruises and cuts, but nothing broken. I tried to slide with the backpack off and in front of me, but I fell too and the bag started tumbling down a steep sandy slope. I chased the bag, fell and rolled twice, and finally managed to jump and tackle the bag about 5 m before it went over the edge. It was a dangerous move, but I had not had a chance to take the GPS off the bag before it started sliding, and without it we couldn't get out and couldn't call for help. It was a long hike back up due to the incline and sand. We made it a little further and then ran into an area of trail wiped out by a landslide where it was impossible to get footing, even without the packs. Every step would cause more sand and rocks to slide down. It was about 18:30 at that point. We backtracked about 100 m to a gap between a snow wall and a large rock and set up a provisional shelter for the night.<br /> <br /> Day 5<br /> After waking up the next day, we tried to see if rest and fresh eyes would give us a better perspective. After discussing it we realized that there was really no way forward or back. We decided it only option was to use the SOS button on the Garmin. I pushed the button at 10:00, and by 16:00 there was a helicopter flying through the valley looking for us. I was surprised that it happened so quickly. They had to land in the valley, and since we could not get ourselves down, they sent a GOPE team of three guys up and the helicopter left for the night. It took them about an hour to get up to us, and then another two hours to do enough provisional maintenance on the trail for us to get down. We camped with them in the valley for the night and the helicopter came to get us in the morning.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-25 to 2023-Dec-26/ 2 days / Hiking / NOBO / off RR / Jens, Nolwenn, Yannick'''<br /> <br /> To enter the Hydroelectrico Los Cipreses you need a permit, which we did not get in advance. The guard at the gate said we could get it by emailing his boss. <br /> As it was Christmas Day, it was not possible to get the permit. <br /> The guard told us to take a route along the perimeter fence. We did that until we couldn't get further. We entered the compound through a hole in the fence and walked to the end of the road on the right side of the river. The bridge on the map is destroyed. The current was too strong to cross. Turned around and went back.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-18 to 2023-Dec-21 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR+{06-D} / Lilian'''<br /> It is the most amazing section from GPT01 to here so far!<br /> <br /> I hiked RR, it is still covered by tons of snow, i recommend use ice axe and micro spikes if you want to hike from Portezuelo Las Cruces(pass) to El Estadio(pass), there is some really steep snow slope. (RR-TL-V)<br /> <br /> Parque Ingles have a restaurant and a tiny store selling food, fruits, drinks and some 230g gas canisters.<br /> <br /> I hopped the gate to the park at 6:30. No one was there.<br /> <br /> There are 3 main pass for RR.<br /> <br /> First pass, snow start at km14.3(2050m), not difficult for climbing up to pass[15.4/2257].<br /> <br /> Laguna Las Animas(lake)[16.7/2286] is still frozen, very beautiful. I climbed up on some rocks at the north side of the lake, then mostly choose my own way to climb up to pass, because RR look steep.<br /> <br /> Arrive the pass[19.4/2547], if you are not comfortable with snow, it is the LAST CHANCE to turn back.<br /> <br /> Pass is flat and dry, you can camping here but windy.<br /> <br /> There are no RR after the pass because covered by many snow, find a way go down to valley by snow slope, then walk all the way on snow to km20.2, you can see the trail but on the other side at km20.2, steep go down the snow slope then connect to RR.<br /> <br /> Follow the trail about 5min, you will go into a big valley, trail and the whole valley covered by snow, but you can see a trail is at the far away other side of valley.<br /> <br /> Go your own way to water[22.0/2279], i think it is lot ways to go down, but dont too close to cliff side, it is steep and easily to fall off.<br /> <br /> After you arrive water[22.0/2279], then straight forward to km22.6.<br /> <br /> A large flat area can fit lot of tents at the downhill side of km22.6.<br /> <br /> After km22.6, the most dangerous part begins, from here to km26, lot of steep snow slope you need to cross, be careful, kick step and don't slide.<br /> <br /> Km26 is another large flat area for camping, i camped here with nice sunrise.<br /> <br /> Snow continues to km26.6, but easy way. The first pass's snow end.<br /> <br /> About the second pass, snow start at ford[29.4/2190], strong flow and look like up to thighs, i cross it on snow bridge.<br /> <br /> Stay on east side until km31.25, then stay down walking in the valley, easier than on the slope.<br /> <br /> Although full of snow, but I think it is easy to go to the pass[33.8/2695] from here, so i dont mention the details. It is also easy to go down, most of them are gentle slope.<br /> <br /> Snow end at km41.4, but mostly you can find some flat sandy spot start at km39.1.<br /> <br /> Hot spring[45.6/1881] : completely dry. Some camping spots with rock wall nearby.<br /> <br /> Water,camp[48.1/1837] : amazing oasis in desert! Clear and cold water, some shade, also lot of swallows flying in the sky catching some food for their kid.<br /> <br /> Km49.1 - km49.8 : best view point of Volcán Descabezado Grande and Volcán Azul! If you want to camp with stunning views, bring water at oasis then climb up here, lot of sandy spots beside some rocks, enjoy you sleep with volcano.<br /> <br /> Km53.2 - km54.7 : Laguna del Caracol(lake), maybe because too much snow melts? Trail underwater, you need to walk in the lake shore for a while.<br /> <br /> Camp[56.3/2034] : oasis again! Crystal clear and cold water! It is possible to cut off from km56 to x[57.3/2073] directly, stream flowing slow and up to knee.<br /> <br /> Third pass, steep climb up to km57.9, if you follow RR, then you will turn right and face some steep snow climbing up.<br /> <br /> If you look up at left side, there is some foot steps straight climb up on a dry slope, which is no snow but looses sand.<br /> <br /> I go for the left one to the pass, ok but steep and really tried.<br /> <br /> Most of the snow is after pass, from pass[59.3/2518] to km61.5, first go to east side go around the snow, then you will find a trail, follow it a little then go your own way in snow valley. <br /> <br /> I follow RR, mostly easy to go down until km61.5, a steep slope. I don't want to take the risk, so i crossed a snow bridge to a sandy slope at south side. Go down the slope and rejoin RR about km62.1.<br /> <br /> Ford[63.4/1909] : i crossed the river before a huge rock, below knee at morning. The huge rock also provide some wind protection, i saw some camping trace beside it.<br /> <br /> Volcán Los Hornitos : km65.3, {06-D}, just beside RR, no need CC, a trail leads you to the top, just climb up 70m! Go for it!<br /> <br /> Lastly with no luck, i saw a car going down just 10min before i arrived the road, then no more cars, so i walk all the way to Los Cipreses.<br /> <br /> Met a super friendly worker at Los Cipreses, he give me some cherry to eat and a ride to Los Alamos. A tiny shop there , if you are not picky, a little pricey but enough food resupply for 1 people six days. It have a sign &quot;Almacen&quot; at its front gate. You can ask locals where it is, i saw many workers go to there buy things.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-dec-3/ 4 days / hiking / SOBO / RR &amp; 6 option 1 / Lukas en Tess'''<br /> <br /> As this was our first section on the GPT and there still was a lot of snow in the mountains we decided to play it safe and folow option 1 from el Bolsón. It is less steep and less long above the snoweline about 2000m at the time. It went great but Tess burned her eyes so good sunglasses are definetly a must when hiking in the snow. From there we continued the RR at Laguna del Caracol we had to walk in the lake on the edge, no idea if that's normal but it was funny. The next and final big obstacle was the pass on k59 we decided to try and bypass it because it looked very steep with a lot of snow and ice and Tess with her burning eyes had a hard time looking at any snow at her feet. So we went up right next to it (north). Realy though rock scrambling but we managed. Going down the next valley was okay with the snow but crossing rivers covered in snow is tricky so try to avoid it. Walking into los Cipreces we were told we were not supposed to be there but still we had lunch in the cafeteria and they fixed a ride to bring us to the road, realy nice people there. From there we hitchhiked to el colorado where we stayed for two days to let Tess' eyes heal.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Mar-14 to 2023-Mar-19 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / Parque Ingles - Los Cipreses / Noemie'''<br /> <br /> Parque Inglés - El Bolsón - Termas de Azufre - Blanquillo - Laguna Hornitos - Los Cipreses<br /> <br /> First try on the GPT and amazing section to start. There were buses from Molina at 10am and 5pm going to Parque Ingles. You must arrive there before 1pm and buy an entrance for El Bolson (with camping) to enter the Park. It's also possible to camp in Parque Ingles (7.000 CLP/night). When I entered, CONAF asked me where I was going, if I had a GPS, and gave me some kind of permit to show in Los Cipreses. I wasn't asked to show it when I arrived there though. <br /> Landscapes and panoramas were extremely beautiful and very impressive. There was still water in all marked points and fords were easy to cross. Trail is easy to follow almost everywhere, except after Termas de Azufre (be careful to look for the right pools on the map and do not go up too much, I ended up in a place with almost boiling water). The whole section is full of beautiful sand dunes, so gaiters were extremely useful. In Blanquillo, you are supposed to get an authorization from the dueño to stay there, but it looks like it is not really enforced. I spent a day in Blanquillo to rest, drink maté and learn how to make sopaipillas with Umberto. I hitchhiked from Los Cipreses to San Clemente (one hostel, two supermarkets, decent to resupply) so I can't comment on the bus schedule. However, to come back to Los Cipreses/Termas del Médano, be aware that there is now only a bus leaving at 3pm from Talca, going up until La Mina. I took a small bus to Colorado on morning (every 45 min.) and hitchhiked easily back until Laguna del Maule for GPT 07.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Mar-21 to 2023-Mar-25 / 5 days / Hiking / NOBO / Vilches — Volcan – Parque Ingles / Iris, Alexis '''<br /> <br /> Our last section on the GPT for this year! We started in Vilches Alto with the option 06-05 because we rented horses with the arriero Jose Lopez. The beginning is placed in the Reserva Nacional Altos de Lircay, which requires a permit to go until the Volcan. The entrance fee is also 7k pp. We finished our first day at Camp, CONAF {06-05} [10.2/1158]. I believe we mostly followed the GPS track. <br /> <br /> On the second day, we continued with the horses until Hot Spring {06} [45.6/1881] (Banos del Blanquillo) still following the track. We then were disappointed because the arriero left us here whereas our agreement (clearly stated by messages before the rent) was to climb the volcano with the horses (it turns to be not possible, too steep).<br /> Thankfully, we had an excess day of food so we could attempt the climb the next day. We also met Umberto, the guy staying in the refugio, who was extremely friendly. He told us to start the volcano climb early in the night to avoid heavy winds. <br /> <br /> On Day 3, we started the ascent at 2am with our headlights. 6h30 later we were on the top, with the morning lights rewarding us and stunning landscape. The ascent was extremely tiresome (sand material), as always with volcanos, and it was very cold but the crater and the views were very worth it. After a breakfast at the top, the descent, mostly running, took us about 2h. We rested for the rest of day at Banos del Blanquillo and even got a sopapilla making class with Umberto.<br /> <br /> On Day 4, we followed the RR in the beautiful Descabezado landscape. Expect no shade but stunning dunes of white sand. There is plenty of water during the day because you will cross at least 2 rivers that were not dry this late in the season. The trail is easy to follow (because that is the only one) and is also part of the Circuit of the Condores. However, after Ford {06} [29.4/2190], you have about a dozen of options and the navigation until Hot Spring {06} [27.4/1986] (Hot Sping del Azufre) is more challenging. We decided to ignore the GPS and follow our instinct - just aim for the fumerolles. There you can enjoy a hot bath in one of the three hot natural pools (along some weird soft alguees). <br /> <br /> On Day 5, we simply followed the RR until Parque Ingles. The trail is well marked until the end, you just have to enjoy multiple highlights in the landscape. Of note, when reaching El Bolsón, the CONAF ranger forbid us to bath in the pools because it was too late (3PM) and told us to leave the park before 5:30. He was not friendly and also checked the entrance tickets of Livan Ray. We got extremely lucky and caught a bus leaving Parque Ingles when we reached it (it leaves at 5:00).<br /> <br /> This hike concludes our GPT adventure. We loved to start it riding horses to feel a bit more like the trails main user. The final day hiking and the volcano ascent were astonishing, truly one of (or even the) best section of our GPT.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Feb-03 to 2023-Feb-08 / 6 days/ Hiking / SOBO / RR + Descabezado / Louis, Rémi &amp; Noé'''<br /> <br /> Our first trip on the GPT, plenty of water, we didnt carry more than 1.5L each. Here is our trip :<br /> <br /> Day 1 - Laguna Las Animas - 18km - +1200m/-100m<br /> We entered the parc illegally at 7:30 in the morning as some others hikers have done reading the wiki. We did this because the parc was full for the next 3 days. I can only advise you to book in advance on internet (conaf). We slept at a camping in front of the entrance for 7k CLP per person. Plenty of buses goes up there from Molina in 2 hours. At least a dozen. Same for going back. If you buy your ticket online : if you sleep at El Bolson, you can enter the park until 3pm, if you go further with only the El Bolson ticket, you can entered until 11am only!<br /> So, we hiked until the Laguna las Animas, a rather long day for the first one.<br /> The camp on the beach was quite windy too.<br /> <br /> Day 2 - Termas de Azufre - 11km - +400m/-700m<br /> A short day, nice to enjoy the hot springs in the afternoon. The pass in the morning was very windy too.<br /> <br /> Day 3 - Refugio El Blanquillo - 20km - +800m/-900m<br /> A long but beautiful day. Leave early the camp to avoid hot temperatures while ascending the pass. Well welcomed by the arrierio Umberto ! Very kind.<br /> <br /> Day 4 - Volcan Descabezado Grande - 16km - +2000m/-2000m<br /> We did the ascent without our bags, we went back to our camp in the night. It's long and hard. According to Umberto, 12h are needed in total, we did in 10h. Same, Leave early to avoid hot temperatures. <br /> <br /> Day 5 - Laguna los Hornitos - 20km - +900m/-900m<br /> Another nice day, passing next to Laguna Caracol. The descent from the pass is a bit annoying if you didnt follow the track (as we did). So, advice : follow the RR and go down on your right. The Laguna is very dry, just enough to have a bath. Hard to maintain the pitch of the tent in the dry dirt.<br /> <br /> Day 6 - Los Cipreses - 15km - +100m/-1000m<br /> Last short day to end this beautiful section. The gravel road is a bit boring but passing pickup are proposing you to get you down to the main road. Here, only one bus at 7am. And a little shop selling ice cream, chips and drinks. We hitchiked to El Colorado where plenty of buses are going down to Talca for 2 000 CLP (+ 400 CLP per bag)<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-24 to 2023-Jan-30/ 7 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Descabezado / Martial'''<br /> <br /> First trip 6 days on GPT being a wonderfully intense experience ! Lunar landscapes, silent and remote, few but great people. No particular difficulty.<br /> Started park ingles with a mandatory 7000peso night at quiet camping near the river and bought ticket for Bolsón overnight 8$. Finally did not stay at Bolson a half day walk from entrance and camped in Laguna de las Animas instead. Great spot for Condors watching. After that follow Will’s advice and put on your mandatory gaiters till the end of the section ! + Walking on sand can be tough for the ankle. Don’t resist and don’t do too much !! Learned it the painfull way.. Trail visible but don’t get confused at termas Azufres especially if you try the (very) hot pools ! RR way is up the valley. Camp with water possible before the pass. The way down called « la Calle » is beautifull sandy dune remote desert. Exceptional. Aimed for Blanquillo refugio aka best basecamp for Descabezado intent. Meet Umberto the arriero at the hut and ask him where the termal pool and the drinking water are. He may be offended if you don’t show up and is a nice generous guy ! Also had a Chilean horse riding group intended the Descabezado so were a nice bunch by the camp fire. As weather window was fine, I decided to try a high camp in order to preserve weak foot from a very long ascent (10h). Took plenty of water as they are only glaciar dirty patches up there and aimed for Descabezado to Cerra Azul osm trail just as Nat and Tomas did (so i could have a chance to summit both also). Finally chose not to cross the nasty glaciar but found a very well sheltered highcamp here (-35.60569, -70.76147). Incredible sunset ! Not advisable in case of rain coming (a storm was growing in Argentina so stayed prepared for an emergency descent). Next day summited Descabezado at 11AM with no wind ideal conditions. Dive your front foot flat in sand just like snow climb when it gets to steep ! Nice ski descent sensations straight to the termas for a well deserved rest at the termas ! Also met Carlos a local climbing half way up so we would share joy later at the camp :).<br /> Exit through RR is also nice but regreted haven’t camped here (-35.67102, -70.83649) for there was some playfull trouts to catch with my survival fishing kit !<br /> Beautiful view from the pass to sandyland and then landscape changes and recommend OH variant C descending (less overgrown). Trail not so visible till laguna los hornos witch i climbed volcano to enjoy the crater caldera. After that descent to los Cipreses is kind of boring and hot so was definitely happy to find a camping by the bridge after the gate with lovely Victorina and her family here (-35.81524, -70.83224). They have been incredibly carring, fed me and brought me to the termas caves (also worth it) in El Medano !<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-16 to 2023-Jan-25 / 10 days / Hiking / NOBO / Descabezado Circuit variant: OH 06-02 &amp; 06-03 Laguna Maule to Vilches w/ volcans / Natalie &amp; Tomáš '''<br /> <br /> An extremely long description so my apologies but hopefully it will help someone. We Started in Laguna del Maule and ended in Vilches with inclusion of volcanoes Descabezado Grande, Azul, Descabezado Chico and Colorado.<br /> <br /> All fords super easy or jump-able. Only times water was scarce was Descabezado and Azul (technically there is melt water from glaciers at Azul), the afternoon around Descanezado Chico and also water was scarce around the Laguna Acquas Calientes because I would not trust drinking that water (some springs are cold water though). Weather turned bad only once while we were climbing Azul, the change happened rapidly and we went from blue skies to total white out (~10m or less visibility) within an hour. Other than that weather was amazing, a little cold at night and a little warm in the day.<br /> <br /> Happy we started in Laguna del Maule and finished in Vilches. This saved elevation gain and let us decide whether or not we had enough food in the end to climb Descabezado, Azul, Chico and for Tomáš Colorado.<br /> <br /> Day 1.<br /> Starting in Talca, due to a certain someone (me) I accidentally sent Tomáš and I to Molina on a bus instead of &quot;La Mina&quot;, so our day was very messed up, but we still managed to take a bus to Colorado and hitchhike to the start of this route. Buses from Talca to la Mina go at: 7:00am, 1:00pm (only to la Suiza), 3:00pm and 7:00pm. We took a bus to Colorado due to time and hitched the rest of the way. The last hitch was in a snowplow truck and he dropped us off miraculously at the start of the trail and before any customs or checks.<br /> <br /> OH-TL-V {06-02} (109.1). Straight away the trail is hard to see, do not take the road-looking trail on the side of the mountain because it ends, stick to the gps. However, soon we were walking on the correct route through the sand and down to a creek with fun boulders. Easy to follow. After this first creek we followed option OH-CC-A (06-02) {98} For only ~5km until making camp in -between a river and canal with flowing water. Bogs in this area slowed us down a lot.<br /> <br /> Day2. <br /> OH- {06-02} -[ (93) &amp; (86) ]<br /> This day seemed long, we crossed two passes, one small (-35.94909, -70.45347) and one much larger (-35.88855, -70.46776). I liked the entire area south of the second pass, many beautiful camp spots, water was available almost to the top of the pass and there is also a nice waterfall/swimming pool located roughly around (-35.90452, -70.45218). Trail to first pass was easy, but trail between first and second was much more cross country, there are many animal tracks, I followed the GPX and Tomáš followed a trail closer to the river and we both ended up at the same spot... After the second pass, the GPX goes cross-country right away, but one can follow a trail that goes left and later reconnects with GPX.<br /> <br /> After the second pass, there is a small plateau and then it follows down a creek with water until you must cross an east hill and go towards your first mountain puesto to the east (noone home). There is only a little bit of water here, better water at the creek you came from and or a few creeks ahead. <br /> <br /> From the puesto (-35.86707, -70.47589), there is a good trail that traverses the slope ahead. We should have camped but we continued. There were a few nice creeks that we passed along the way. We were forced to make a &quot;make-shift&quot; camp before hitting a much nicer plateau because it was dark and I was not having a good day 😅. It is about 6 km between the puesto and the plateau.<br /> <br /> Day 3<br /> OH {06-02} [78.6] + [75.7] + [63.6]<br /> Easy day, only one small pass. There is an ex-carabiniero puesto at (-35.84277, -70.40285) and a highlight was two rivers, one at (-35.76317, -70.42051) and one river at (-35.74734, -70.45623). The GPX is marked as trail a bit further than the actual trail goes (the trail continues to a puesto down-river). You need to go down a ridge and ford the river, there were some footsteps that can be followed. We walked near {06-02E} along a river filled with sand and not great for drinking but there is a creek that starts/ends here (-35.72759, -70.44125). We camped near this way point in the sand but it got windy at night, we wished we camped a bit further from the river in the little hills where it was considerably less windy. <br /> <br /> Day4<br /> OH {06-02} [59.6] + [29.1] + {06-02D}<br /> <br /> This day we passed a large pass (-35.65200, -70.43356) via {06-02D}. This option was more direct and involved a very short and easy scramble onto a windy plateau. Surprisingly lots of water up towards the pass, last one being (-35.66343, -70.42666) , however the water available had a lot of sand in it, fyi. From camp we followed a cow trail until a lake like feature (-35.70057, -70.42733) and then went cross country. I hope my cairns marking the turn for {06-02D} survive. <br /> <br /> After the pass the true Descabezado environment begins. We both made note of how terrible it would be to be on this plateau in bad weather, very open and CC. Next water source would be a couple of creeks here (-35.61215, -70.42156). From a break at this creek we ended up going straight down the creek bed. Kind of exhausting mentally and would not be possible in early season due to water levels but it shot us out directly in line for making a green camp here (-35.56164, -70.44009). <br /> <br /> Day 05<br /> OH {06-02} [29.1] + [20]<br /> Laguna Aquas Calientes day. <br /> An easy day with a lot of time spent at Aquas Caliente, true to the name. <br /> Trail from camp was easy to follow until (-35.53519, -70.46551) and then it went CC to the Laguna. If shelter is needed in this open landscape, we found a rock shelter (agains wind, not rain) here (-35.51276, -70.51035). The creek feeding the Laguna was fabulously warm in places - either at the source of the creek or at a spring on the right side about 100m upriver. Tomáš found the proper source of the spring here (-35.50395, -70.52347). It is easy to get sunburn while bathing mid-day though. There are some camping spots near the creek. After this Laguna there is a nasty and windy sand stretch until a creek located here (-35.48980, -70.57667). On this stretch I chose not to follow the sand but detoured on more solid ground to the east (-35.48839, -70.56200) and was glad I did. Later on we found snow melt here (-35.48544, -70.59940) and loaded all the water we would need for night/morning and exploring Descabozado Chico the next day. <br /> <br /> Day 06<br /> OH {06-02} [20] + {06-02C Chico} + [4.5]<br /> Descabozado Chico + Vulcan Colorado (Tomáš)<br /> <br /> Went up and around the crater of Descabozado Chico in the morning which I highly recommend. The crater is easy to walk around and gives an amazing 360 experience. The climb up is tedious but non-dangerous scree that makes for a super fast decent. Make sure you have enough water because water is scarce there. I saw a waterfall on the NE side the lake but did not go to it, Tomáš got water somewhere off trail around here (-35.51226, -70.65626) and I drank out of the next lake -35.52036, -70.65873 (questionable, but nothing happened to me). <br /> From the lake the next pass begins and I stupidly made Tomáš and I carry 5L of water up it because I did not think there would be water on the south side (both of us overlooking the river indicated on the map)...I was wrong, no water high up but lots of water down low. For the pass we opted not to follow the route because it was thick steep sand so we instead climbed a more solid ridge here (-35.52506, -70.66854). Tomáš went to continue up Vulcan Colorado and I boringly traversed to the normal pass and enjoyed a very fun sand ski down the south side. The Vulcan is a steep but not technical hike up, the crater can be walked around with a steep but fun sand descent on the other side in SW direction. This pass would be very tiresome climbing up due to sand. If you are coming from the opposite direction and do not trust the lagoon water, then you should aim for (-35.51226, -70.65626) or bring water.<br /> <br /> Everything this day was CC. I found it to be the hardest day navigation-wise but still not troublesome. We finished the day in a nice valley before the next day's climb here (-35.55427, -70.70793). The water around this area is a bit sandy but better further up.<br /> <br /> Day 07 <br /> Last pass and New route possibly. <br /> <br /> From camp a trail existed to the pass at -35.55228, -70.73791. There was a little bit of snow at the top but since there were already steps made, it was zero problem. Lots of water on the SE of this pass but only a trickle of water on the NW side at -35.54575, -70.75672. This water trickle point is where we left the trail to make a short cut to Descabezado. To our surprise our route worked and in 4hrs we were making a camp at 2630m next to the approach trail to Descabezado, therefore saving a lot of time, distance and elevation. In our route there was only one difficulty and that was a deep gorge and creek &quot;jump&quot; at -35.57904, -70.77929. Personally I would not recommend this in early season because the consequence of falling in the river might take you down a waterfall and the traverse may otherwise be nasty if there are still snowfields around altitude 2700m. The gorge is fed by the glacier in the crater of Descabezado so in the morning, it should be better but the water is very dirty.<br /> <br /> I drew the route on my photos of the pass if anyone wants them. Otherwise here is my description of our route.<br /> <br /> From the small trickle creek at -35.54575, -70.75672 head SW up the creek bed in the direction of this easy pass -35.55513, -70.76977. Nearby spots would work too except for the pass directly above the creek bed, the other side of that one had snow and rocks. After this pass I believe it is easiest to just go straight down and up like a half pipe rather than trying to traverse and keep elevation, we aimed for a middle looking plateau on the other side, this middle plateau took us to the proper crossing of the gorge here, -35.57923, -70.77864 (más o menos). We jumped the gorge and climbed easily up the other side although the other side looks like a scramble, it was actually just walking. We travesed at this altitude for a little longer (although I would suggest easier walking a little lower) until we made camp in a ravine very close to the Descabezado approach route. Our camp even had a small amount of flowing snow melt so it was heaven in my mind! (Camp with water; -35.59280, -70.78723). <br /> <br /> Day 8<br /> Descabezado &amp; Azul.<br /> <br /> This is turning into a novel so I will keep this short. We left our tent in place and set off early to do Descabezado and Azul as a day trip. Descabezado was straightforward, it seems the trail will change slightly every year depending on who makes the tracks (neither the route in OSM or GPT seem to follow the actual trail from about 2600 to 3300). If wanting to make the true summit, it looks like you have to go down into the crater, cross the glacier and approach it from the other side. Coming down Descabezado was very fast but we made a huge mistake and left the GPT trail to follow the other osm route that heads east then west called &quot;Descabezado Grande - Quizapu - cerro Azul&quot;. <br /> <br /> This route should be avoided [2024: Tomáš removed it from OSM] for many reasons apart from the fact that the other route is easier despite elevation gain (we took the other route back). This osm route took us here -35.61301, -70.75604 which was actually a glacier covered in sand with a small hanging glacier above causing a lot of rockfall. It was a very ugly place and we carefully got out of there and made or way to the proper route to Azul. Despite losing almost 2hours on an already tight day we continued (although I wasted an extra 30min due to making up my mind🙄). Once again on the way up to Azul, we did not follow the normal way but went to the east side of the crater of Azul where the bad osm route is. There were a foot print here and there but it was CC. The crater was amazing but too windy to enjoy much, we saw a few fumaroles. We continued CC to the base of Azul, a tiny bit of snow (or glacier remnants?) but posed no difficulties. The base of Azul is beautiful with melt water if needed. We followed the ridge to Azul, it was more involved than Descabezado but no more than a low 3rd class (it is a bit exposed and steep but almost exclusively hiking). There is an interesting summit tower on Azul but because of the wind and time we had no desire to stretch our limits. Weather moved in fast and before we were off the ridge of Azul, we were completely covered in a white out, maybe maximum 10m of visibility. Navigation was incredibly hard, but we took our chances and took the other (&quot;valle&quot;) OSM route down and luckily it was a very easy route and we were down below the clouds and able to see again. The rest of the night was CC back to our camp ~1030pm. It was a good day. <br /> <br /> Day 9.<br /> <br /> From our camp in the ravine we headed CC and then onto the trail that lead to the puesto at basecamp Blancquillo and from then on we were on a good trail. While walking down we opted to stay in sandals and just walk in the river, it was refreshing. We didn't have clean water until the valley bottom at the CONAF camp (valley El Venado) where there was also lots of pear trees and yellow plum-like trees. Many people there (first people seen). We made camp at the river before the pass (Mirador del Valle del Venado) but the walk from the CONAF camp until then was slower than expected because it was along a river bed with confusing tracks.<br /> <br /> Day 10.<br /> <br /> Good trail up and down from Mirador del Valle del Venado with lots of water and trees for shade. Took us almost half the time we thought it would take. Note that you cannot actually camp at campsites/resting areas on this trail after the Mirador. The CONAF guards asked us where we were coming from and when we said Laguna del Maule, he just sounded impressed and let us go on our way. There was a decent restaurant with empanadas, beer, etc. near the bus stop . There was a posted schedule of the bus but it clearly did not follow this schedule so if you are there just ask the many locals around what time the bus comes, we caught the 1230 bus. <br /> <br /> Great trip, beautiful views and details and just the right amount of challenge.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-20 to 2023-Jan-23 / 3.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Ondrej '''<br /> <br /> I got to Parque Inglés from Santiago de Chile by taking a train to Curico (advice: if you want to travel by train, buy a ticket online at least 2 days in advance as it books out quickly). From Curico I took a blue collectivo to Molina and then a bus to Parque Ingles.<br /> <br /> At the park entrance I was turned away by a CONAF officer because I bought a “day trip” ticket (El bolson - para día) and not the one with overnight camping. For the ticket I bought they allow entry only by 11:00am. I did not explain that I will continue beyond El Bolson - maybe I should have done that but did not want to get myself into more unnecessary discussions. CONAF said they cannot change my ticket to the “camping” type and when I tried to book the other one, it was booked out for the next two days, so the advice is book early and the right ticket type (el bolson - camping)!<br /> <br /> I ended up camping at the Rocas Basilicas for the night.<br /> <br /> On the first hike day hopped the gate to the park at 7:00. No one was there so no issues. I hiked to Thermas de Azufre. It was a very long day. There is no shade at all after El Bolson. I made a provisional shade using my tent’s footprint during lunchbreaks. Once I arrived to the Azufre hotsprings, a few arrieros were there. I decided to camp further up the river.<br /> <br /> On the second day I hiked to Refugio Blanquillo, met a settler who resides there for three months each year (if I understood correctly). The scenery before the refugio was otherwoŕldy and beautiful. Gaiters, good hat, sunscreen and sunglasses were my most loved pieces of gear. I camped at the first “camp” waypoint after Refugio Blanquillo. Amazing place to camp (but no grass), with a good stream and even some small shade thanks to the bushes. <br /> <br /> My third day was quite straightforward, I made it almost to Los Cipresses but decided to camp close to the last “water” checkpoint, shortly before the gate with the guard. It was alright but I would recommend walking all the way to the shop and camp there for the night.<br /> <br /> On the fourth day I walked through the gate with the security guard. I also met a number of the power station workers and all were friendly. We waved at each other. The guard at the gate was nice, took my passport number and name. Once at the shop I found it was closed (9am). I needed to get to El Medano to join GPT07 and decided to continue hiking through Los Alamos. It might have been to early (10am) as also the almacén in Los Alamos was closed. The road after Los Almacén was uneventful and a bit sketchy at places, so I forded the river at the “bridge” waypoint after Los Alamos to get to the main road and hitchike to El Medáno. Got a ride in approx 20 min. El Medáno is a great base - the thermals are nice and there is an electricity socket next to the toilets. They have shade for the tent too. There is also a restaurant with filling foods and a small shop.<br /> <br /> Overall a fantstic section but I wasn’t expecting the heat to be that oppresive!<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-31 to 2023-Jan-3 / 5 day / Hiking / SOBO / RR / David and Erika'''<br /> <br /> Get to TH Parque ingle before 1:00 pm, otherwise they close it for entrance. We did get internet and got the correct CONAF ticket -the one heading to El Bolsón. Once you get out of the park and into the Cuesta Las Anima, the wild parts begin. Hope you got your dirty girl gaiters; cause you’re going to need them. Sand city. Gaiters worked great. Remote and desolately beautiful. Water up at the end of Laguna del Caracol, at the river that comes out of the ground, you have a dry climb ahead. Walk out was straightforward. Got a lift from ENEL employee.<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-28 to 2022-Dec-29 / 2 days/ Hiking / SOBO / RR / Tomáš'''<br /> <br /> I connected in Thermas Azufre from GPT 05. I recommend it as a camping spot. I have seen the tracks of people staying on the western side of the valley but I think it is better to ford, there is a nice trail there on the eastern side. There is a place with an island where I needed to remove my shoes just for about three meters (the stream was not strong enough for me to keep the shoes on).<br /> <br /> I took a detour to the lake at the pass - nice. No snow anymore. Reached the Refugio Blanquillo (which is a puesto, an arriero had two dogs and a thousand shep there), met a group of tourists on horses and two Chilean hikers there, so crowded all of a sudden. The pool there is indeed lukewarm. The water from the stream is said not to be good - I filtered it (for the first time on GPT) and was fine. But if not climbing the volcano, I would recommend to camp 2 km further at the next water source. I no longer carry water with me and just drink a lot when I find a source, there is a lot of them, even in the semidesert (the sand is actually white pumice from the volcanoes). It is quite dusty, my hands got dry and that normally does not happen to me. I agree with the recommendation to apply sunscreen at least three times a day! <br /> <br /> The second day I walked all the way to the main road. In the pass, there is still a bit of snow but quite manageable. Going down from the lake, there is no water until around half or one third of the minor road in the valley, beware. Walking-wise, this was the easiest section on GPT for me. At the mainroad, the camping at the shop after the bridge was closed. I hitched somebody in a truck who knew the owners, called them and they came to open it for me. 5000 pesos but I gave the lady 10000 as she had to drive here to open the camping for me. There is electricity and cold shower and shadow. Almost nothing at the shop. The bus is said to leave at seven. I slept and now will try hitchhiking.<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-20 to 2022-Dec-24 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Will '''<br /> <br /> Amazing trail! It's quite desolate but the landscape varies enough to always keep things interesting. Trudging up the sandy hills could be demoralizing, but getting to run down the other side more than made up for it. Water was still plentiful though not much snow was left, I only had to cross a few small patches. Thankfully heat wasn't a problem at all for me, I even felt cold a few times with the altitude and wind.<br /> <br /> Caught the 5pm bus from Molina to Radal for 3000 pesos, then a van came by a few minutes later to take us to parque inglés for another 3000. Was nice to meet a bunch of Chilean hikers, who were all going to El Bolson and back. We camped at the Rocas Basílicas campsite right at parque inglés, 7000 pesos next to a beautiful river.<br /> <br /> I had phone signal at parque inglés, so I bought the pass online for 8 USD. There was no one at the Conaf office at 7 30 the next morning, so I just hopped the gate and walked through. <br /> <br /> I ran into a few arrieros relaxing at the Azufre hot springs, the only people I saw along the trail. They were friendly but it was tough to understand their heavy Chilean Spanish. They said I could camp with them but there wasn't a ton of room so I walked on.<br /> <br /> There were some geysers shooting up from the muddy riverbank near the gpx track so I took a wider route around. An arriero also told me to take a trail higher up along the dunes so I followed that to the ford. The ford looked tough so I kept walking 2ish km along the other side until I could easily hop across. But it was slow going, probably not worth it.<br /> <br /> I ended up having to camp on a random sand dune. I had some trouble getting my tent to stay up tied to rocks, since I couldn't get stakes in. I'd definitely recommend using tieouts you can really secure to rocks, or even a freestanding tent.<br /> <br /> The rest of the hike went smoothly. I easily made it to los cipreses in three days of hiking from parque inglés. The guard was super friendly, inviting me in and giving me a bunch of water. I camped across the street from the shop near the bus stop, ask at the shop if you want to camp there. The guy running the camping was also super nice, he messaged the bus driver and told me it would be at 9 or 9 30 the next morning, because it was a Saturday (it was also Christmas eve). The bus ended up showing up at 9 45, and costed 3200 pesos to Talca.<br /> <br /> The side trip up Volcan Los Hornitos was very worth it, there's a fairly gradual trail up and you can just sprint straight down. I didn't even need to bring any water (just some gummy bears).<br /> <br /> I got by without gaiters, but bring them if you can. I should have used more sunscreen, the reflection off the sand is strong.<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-17 to 2022-Dec-20 / 2.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Martin &amp; Helena'''<br /> <br /> Joining section 6 directly from the previous one with a little challenging connection trail (see our comment from section 5), we continued to the Hot Spring del Azufre. On the way there is one steep traverse. We used hot spring to cook our rice which really saved us as we run out of gas. The landscape on the whole section is amazing, we really enjoyed it! Ascent to the pass is nice and gradual, hiking in the sand is a little slower, but the opposite when going down. We camped at the El Estadio, almost no wind that day, great place to sleep . In the morning we continued on a nice and easy trail, great views around the volcanos… short break by the laguna thats great for swimming. We camped a little before the camp marked in the gps, there is one place, probably used by arrieros, with a fireplace and a few rocks around it. Being out of the gas we set a fire using wood that was already in there and some others we gather during the day. The view to the volcanos must be one of the best we have seen here so far! The next day we continued to the last Hornitos pass and through the valley, again really nice hiking on a clear trail. Last few kms on the road and since we missed the only bus to Talca that is leaving early in the morning (7:00) and did not have luck with hitchhiking, we stayed in a camp right next to the road. Its just a few meters before it, in the same direction we came from. On the left side is a house with some old advertisment sign (coca-cola or similir) on its fence, and the lady there has a small shop. The camp is on the other side - cold shower, toilets, electricity and access to the river, all for 5000 for 2 people. We even got sandwiches for dinner as there was no other place around to eat. Overall, when combining both sections we recommend to plan carefully, but its definitely worth the effort, especially this section 6.<br /> <br /> Contact: @martin_hanzelka @helenneka<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-14 to 2022-Dec-16 / 3 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Anna&amp;Christopher '''<br /> <br /> The section is pretty tough, but beautiful with a quite unique landscape. We definetly would do it again.<br /> <br /> Recomendations: bring lots of suncreme, a good hat, gaiters.<br /> <br /> How to get there:<br /> We took a bus from Santiago (terminal at the metro station Universidad de Santiago) to Curico. Across the street from the bus terminal in Curico leaves a blue bus to Molina for 1k CLP. From Molina we hitchhiked to Parque Inglés.<br /> You have to be there before 3 pm to be allowed to hike up to El Bolson. To camp they charge 8k CLP p.p and the park entry is also 8k CLP p.p.<br /> <br /> The first day we started early from El Bolson. From midday on it was super tough due to the white sand which makes walking really tiring and reflects the sun which makes it super hot without shade. The next day was pretty similar.<br /> The whole section there was plenty of water. There was no much snow left at the passes, so we had no trouble without spikes.<br /> On the last day, after arriving to the dirtroad (8 km from los Cipreses), we got offered a ride after a while and the guy brought us directly to El Médano.<br /> The shop there has pasta, rice, bread, tomato salsa, mayo, chips, biscuits/chocolate and suncreme (but quite pricey).<br /> In El Médano we camped for 6k CLP p.p.<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-03 to 2022-Dec-06 / 3.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Véronica'''<br /> <br /> Route: Parque Inglés - Laguna Ánimas - Termas del Azufre - Termas del Blanquillo - Laguna del Caracol - Laguna de los Hornos - Los Cipreses<br /> <br /> A beautiful, remote section of true mountain wilderness. It took me 4 days, but only 2 hours hiking the dirt road to Los Cipreses on the last day (so very doable in 3 days). The only people I saw were a couple of arrieros at Termas del Blanquillo who told me they hadn't had a winter as snowy as this one in over 10 years. I was glad to have my microspikes for the vast snow fields near/on the passes. A couple places would have felt quite unsafe without them. <br /> <br /> Notable tidbits: <br /> <br /> Took a bus from Molina at 5pm (on a Friday) to El Radal, then hitchhiked to Parque Inglés. I camped there the first night for 7000 pesos. Pricey, but at least I had a beautiful and secluded spot by Rio Claro. <br /> <br /> The stretch between Las Ánimas Pass and Termas de Azufre had some sketchy traverses across disintegrating scree slopes that were downright nerve-wracking. I suppose if you go down to Laguna Mondaca, then back up to the Termas, you may not encounter this hazard. But I did get to observe a condor soar above my head on thermals for an hour as he surveilled his domain, that was super cool. <br /> <br /> For the first ford after Termas de Azufre, I crossed further upstream than indicated on the GPS track (see Carlos's comment below). It looked a lot safer there than downstream. There's continuous snow for about 3 km going over the pass after Thermas de Azufre, best to cross in the morning to avoid postholing when the snow gets too soft. <br /> <br /> Los Hornitos pass has a large, very steep lip of snow (leftover cornice) on its south side. It's possible to go around it by heading north for 50-100 meters and then making your way down on the volcanic sand.<br /> <br /> The spring between Termas del Blanquillo and Laguna del Caracol is a beautiful little desert oasis in an orherwise hot and dry stretch. It was a splendid spot to camp. <br /> <br /> There is LOTS of water. Laguna del Caracol and Laguna de los Hornos are both full of clear, refreshing water. A lot of the &quot;water&quot; GPS waypoints are actually fords this time of year (easy ones), and there's a lot of other water sources not listed on the tracks. But the section is very exposed, no shade, and very hot in the midday sun unless a breeze is blowing. <br /> <br /> No issues with the guards at Los Cipreses, they were friendly and let me pass no problem. From the first bus stop on the road, I hitched easily to Talca to resupply.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Feb-20 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Molly '''<br /> <br /> Amazing section! I found the landscape to be very varied despite the lack of vegetation - and even with many pretty flowers near the streams. I personally found it to be a great ending to my GPT journey, a big contrast to the landscapes further south. Would make for a tough start though.<br /> Plenty of water. Met one hiker doing Circuito el Cóndor and three Chilean tourists on horseback. No arrieros, but plenty of cows and horses. The weather was cold and windy, sometimes veritable sandstorms which meant I almost couldn't open my eyes - maybe sunglasses could have helped. I wore my long pants over my boots instead of gaiters - should have listened to the advice, so much sand! <br /> <br /> Signs on the way to parque inglés say that you can only buy tickets online - don't know how strict they are, but no cell phone coverage at parque inglés and long before in case they insist. You have to be there before 15 to be let through to El Bolsón.<br /> Easy 11 km to El Bolsón through a young forest. No water at the first &quot;ford&quot; waypoint. Campground has toilets and showers, it's the only place you're allowed to camp until after Valle del Indio. Nice enough place next to the impressive Colmillo del Diablo. In hot weather it might be nice to camp here to take the long ascent in the morning.<br /> Laguna de las Animas would be a good campsite plus a nice place to swim. The first &quot;water&quot; waypoint afterwards is also great for camping - there is a nice little meadow.<br /> Las Animas pass is gorgeous!<br /> After Termas Azufre there are many confusing paths. They mostly seem to lead to the same place, but keep an eye on the GPS. When descending from the 2700 m pass towards Termas Blanquillo, you don't have to cross the stream to your right even though many paths do it. As noted by others, the hot springs Baños del Blanquillo are luke warm - but fine if you want to wash yourself a little and the stream is too cold. The refuge is locked.<br /> The next camp waypoint is in a cute valley with many streams, bushes and flowers. No grass, though. <br /> Laguna Caracol is beautiful as well, but very bare, surrounded by sand. I really liked the campsite afterwards, with views of both Volcán Descabezado and Cerro Azul. From there, a small CC section to the ascent where the path picks up again towards the Hornitos pass. Even more gorgeous with great and very different views to each site. Volcán Hornitos and the other little craters look really funny and special. Some hail was coming in, though, so I quickly slided down to the next camp waypoint, again a nice flat meadow. No water on the ascent. The first streams at the top of the pass were dry, but the path crosses a stream in 2100 m altitude. If you fill up at the water waypoint before the pass I agree you wouldn't have to carry extra water, the time between these two water points is around 2-3 hours.<br /> I climbed to the rim of Volcán Hornitos, there's nothing in there, but if you walk to the highest point the view is nice enough. It took me 20 minutes in total, and it was about worth that.<br /> The gravel road is nice the first kilometres, but then it gets pretty boring. The security guard at the end was very nice and welcoming.<br /> I camped at the shop just before the road - nice place by the river, 3000 per person with toilets and a cold shower, or 50,000 for a cabaña. From there I hitched the 3 km down the road to Restaurant Cordillera, nice enough, great with a beer, meat and fries. <br /> Bus left from the bus shed at 7:20 next morning - think it depends whether it goes to El Médano or not <br /> <br /> * '''2022-Jan-20 to 2022-Jan-25 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Carlos '''<br /> Route: Parque Inglés - El Bolsón (Colmillo del Diablo summit) - Termas del Azufre - Termas del Blanquillo - Laguna Caracol - First bus stop on CH115 road.<br /> <br /> I hiked this route only a couple of days after Verónica &amp; Jo. Not much to add except:<br /> <br /> First day just hiked to El Bolsón (easy 4 hours), pitched my tent on the gorgeous campsite, left the heavy load and climbed the imposing &quot;Colmillo del Diablo&quot; (easy hike on a trail that goes around the back of the mountain).<br /> <br /> From Termas del Azufre climbing to the pass I followed a faint track on the steep loose slope instead of crossing at the first river ford. After a few hundred meters the track takes you to a flat wide rocky area (just before the slope becomes impossibly steep), where you can very easily ford the river (I didn't even get my feet wet).<br /> <br /> Plenty of buses Molina - Parque Inglés. But only one bus from el Médano - Los Cipreses to Talca, at around 7 am, which returns at 15:00. Only week days. Basic camping just in front of Los Cipreses shop (only ice cream, drinks, choco bars, biscuits): $4.000 pp.<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Jan-10 to 2022-Jan-15 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Veronika &amp; Jo '''<br /> <br /> Route: Parque Inglès -&gt; Laguna de las Animas -&gt; Termas de Azufre -&gt; Descabezado base camp -&gt; Laguna del Caracol -&gt; Laguna Hornitos -&gt; First bus stop on 115-CH<br /> <br /> The five nights we just spent in a tent was the longest stretch we have ever gone without a decent bed on a hike. We skipped Radal, Laguna Mondaca and Termas de Medano, but still hiked in 6 days what others did in 3-4. We're basically easing into the GPT, gaining some fitness and experience before taking on the harder challenges.<br /> <br /> As others have said: the views are otherworldly and stunning. We felt like Touaregs traveling from oasis to oasis in the Saharan desert. Except that there actually are plenty of springs and little rivers flowing in most valleys.<br /> <br /> Useful tidbits:<br /> <br /> - There really is no shade after El Bolsòn. Either you make your own (e.g., adapting your tent to not trap heat) or you dress like a Touareg (loose clothing fully blocking the sun). For us, this was the hardest to deal with. We got up early but often stopped hiking at 13:00, enjoying the lakes or even just sitting down doing nothing that takes energy.<br /> <br /> - High-heeled boots and long trousers work well to keep the sand out.<br /> <br /> - Confirming Shn0rhelez: going up from Termas de Azufre until the second ford indeed passes plenty of water, no need to carry any.<br /> <br /> - Laguna Hornitos is drying up and hence less beautiful than the other lakes. Maybe it's better to camp at the start of the Hornitos plateau (SOBO, so north entry) as the area is flat and there is reasonably clean running water there.<br /> <br /> - There is no bus to Talca from Los Cipreses on saturdays or sundays. We asked at the shop and got a ride to Colorado from the brother-in-law of the shopkeeper for 15000 CLP.<br /> <br /> - In supermarkets, you can buy alcohol desnaturalizado cheaply in the nail polish section, or alternatively, use alcohol de quemar from the combustibles section.<br /> <br /> * '''2021-Dec-26 to 2022-Jan-04 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / '''<br /> <br /> From Parque Inglés to the entrance of Reserva Achibueno<br /> Buy your ticket online for “El Bolsón” on the CONAF website and get to the trailhead before 3pm<br /> 4hrs hike to El Bolsón, a great place with waterfall, great views, nice camping spots, hikers<br /> TO CHECK: Bus from Molina to Parque Ingles leaves at 9 am (not positive) on week-ends and holidays <br /> Easy hitch from Radal to Parque Ingles coz lots of campers going there on week-ends<br /> Be careful a ranger told me the park closes on Mondays <br /> It took me around 4 days from Parque Siete Tazas Park entrance to the road Q115 (Central Cipreses)<br /> From Road 115 I hitched to a village by Colbún lake where I resupplied : good supermarkets (a little on the expensive side), food truck , pastry shop <br /> I didn't like Altos de Lircay NP : after El Bolson (4 hrs in) no fucking shade for 3 days and an half except that of a shelter a little off trail, blazing sun all day, sand sand sand, I found the place so inhospitable, monotonous sights : sand dunes for ever, quite some struggling pedalling in the soft sand, plus I had no gaiters (stupid me) and low heels shoes so that was a bummer. However the place is super special, feels like on the moon (beautiful pictures) and I can understand why many love it<br /> Some “hot springs” are actually just luke and others just a hole or boiling hot (I added these informations to the track and waypoints I sent to Jan Dudek) so don't be like me fantasizing all day on that fantastic bath you will get or wait for Jan's update (thanks so so much for all you do mate).<br /> After resupplying I hitched on option 7 XXX all the way the Mellado cañon (really nice, by the river all the time), communities. After hiking South from Carizales (which has a very limited “store”) I was short on time and food and realized bare landscapes over the tree line were not my cup of tea (I prefer hiking below 1700 m in this part of Patagonia) so I left RR and took another option all the way to the West to Reserva Achibueno which I really enjoyed : great landscapes, lakes, rivers and met some cool hikers and fishermen<br /> <br /> * '''2021-Dec-09 to 2021-Dec-12 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / AR past Laguna Manatial Pelado / Vera &amp; James'''<br /> <br /> We arrived the day before at Parque Ingles and camped the night there. From Molina there is a bus to Radal at 5pm wed-fri, and direct to Parque Ingles on weekends. The only way to pay for park entry is online at www.aspticket.cl.<br /> <br /> As an aside, we really liked Molina. It has plenty for resupply whilst being nice and small. There is a fishing shop opposite the Santa Isabel supermarket that sells gas.<br /> <br /> Day 1 we headed up the RR as far as just above Laguna de las Animas by 2pm, a brutal climb in the midday sun! At this point the sun disappeared and clouds quickly rolled in, within 10 minutes lightning was hitting the peaks directly around us. We beat a hasty retreat back to El Bolsen and camped there.<br /> <br /> We decided to take the alternate route past Laguna Manatial Pelado. A beautiful route if hot and sandy. We have realised the best time time to take on a long, sandy ascent in sunny weather is very early in the morning, after 9am it was brutally hot. <br /> <br /> We then continued on the regular route. As has been said before, it's remote and stunning. We had some strong winds coming over Pass de Hornitos, and even some sleet on the final day!<br /> <br /> Arrived in Los Cipreses on a Sunday and we didn't see a single person except the security guard. We got mixed messages from him and then the mini shop owner about buses to Talca. I would assume there isn't one on a Sunday. We hitched to El Colorado then got a bus from there to Talca.<br /> <br /> * '''2021-Dec-03 to 2021-Dec-09 / 7 days (GPT 05 + 06) / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Kris&amp;Stiina'''<br /> <br /> We also decided to combine sections 5 and 6 to avoid in’n’out to and from Parque Inglés. It took us 6 and a half days and some of it was bloody hard. I have never before experienced my ass being handed over to me by a trail. We got beaten to the point where first signs of weakness started to show and I have to admit we kind of even started discussing a plan B and bailing this ditch trail. But only for a moment, once you hit the rock bottom there is only one way to go - up! It was literally and figuratively, and as terrain improved so did our mood and we laughed off the silly thoughts we had had earlier. <br /> <br /> The first 45km of the section 5 were great, awesome hiking and then shit hit the fan real quick. Ascent up from the ford at km 45 was hard but alright. And then came the descent down to Rio Negro (51km), very steep and very loose scree slope. We wanted to make it to Rio Colorado for the night to cross it early in the morning in case there is no bridge. But because the trail or I must rather say the lack of it was really taking more time than we expected, by the time we got to Rio Negro it was already getting dark. The river was very rapid and murky so you couldn’t gauge the depth of it and couldn’t see where to step, we had to really concentrate to cross it, luckily it was only balls deep.<br /> <br /> It was dark as we got across it and we continued the fun, albeit type 2 fun, illuminated by our headlamps. Then came the insanely steep gully that allowed you to enter the valley of Rio Colorado. Something was off with the elevation lines on Gaia and it showed that we will be descending right over the cliff, it was luckily only a glitch. As we couldn’t see much ahead we kept descending ever so carefully on this very very challenging terrain, I would even go as far as to say that it was stupid and outright dangerous. But there was no other way, you just had to stay focused. There were also some rocks falling off the cliff under which we were descending. In a sense night was a good time to do it because you couldn’t see all the dangers - only what lie within the beam of the headlamp. <br /> <br /> Then came an extremely slow going, pretty much crawling speed traverse down to Rio Colorado, which we fully improvised as there was no trail anyway and got down to Rio colorado about a kilometer before the bridge, where we set up camp abit past midnight. <br /> <br /> So yes, the bridge was there - a decent one, seemed permanent and it was a relief that we at least don’t have to start the day by risking our lives fording Rio Colorado. The river was pretty wide and the current seemed pretty fast, it wasn’t murky though but you couldn’t see how deep it really was. But we think it could have been forded in case there would be no bridge. There were a few places that looked doable with somewhat laminar flow. The excitement of the existence of the bridge didn’t last too long as we were slapped back into reality by the difficult terrain, it wasn’t as dangerous anymore as the previous night but difficult nevertheless. Once we got closer to the pass the trail appeared and it was actually pleasant hiking once again. <br /> <br /> To sum it up the descent down to the Rio Colorado valley, then traversing it and the first part of crawling out of the valley sucks big time, but the rest of the section is really nice and not too challenging terrain-wise. I wouldn’t want to skip this section because it had some breathingtaking views. Just that on the hard part of it you can’t really enjoy any of it as all your effort is elsewhere. <br /> <br /> The guards at Laguna Mondaca were the nicest people we have met in Chile so far. They invited us to stay at the property, gave us food and drinks. They insisted we don’t use any of our supplies or gear. They even provided us with a room with a bed and we got to recharge all of our electronics and got a hot shower aswell. It was perfect! And just to make it clear there are no fancy villas there just a few small simple houses where the owner of the property comes for fishing once in a while. And guards weren’t armed either.<br /> <br /> It took us 4 days to get to Laguna Mondaca and not far after it we joined the section 6 which took 2 and a half more days. <br /> <br /> Section 6 was really something, we haven’t had such a strong otherworldly experience anywhere else. It was really like being on another planet at times. The blue sky was the only thing that gave it away that we were still on Earth. Really bizarre landscape and definitely the most beautiful breathtaking section of the six that we have done so far. <br /> <br /> Regarding the difficulty, compared to section 5 it didn’t feel that difficult at all. Walking on sand is challenging, yes, especially going uphill. But on the other side going down is much easier on the soft sand - you can just run/jog without much impact on your body as the sand absorbs it all. Shoes got completely wrecked and we took many “shoe-emptying” breaks because they were just filled with rocks and coarse sand. <br /> <br /> We even took a dip in one of the lakes close to Descabezado and seeing how water is just coming out of the sand and turning into a river was really really cool, just as the whole landscape around there. <br /> <br /> We camped at the lake about 5km from Los Cipreses. When we arrived to the road to take bus to Talca the bus stop didn’t have any schedule and the shop close by was closed. So we couldn’t find out about the bus schedule and the traffic on the road seemed pretty dead. But luckily after 15 min of waiting a car that was going to Talca picked us up, perfecto! <br /> <br /> Overall plenty of water on both sections, a lot of exposure to the sun, and some challenging terrain. It all together made for a great experience, just what we were looking for. It humbled us and we definitely had to adjust our expectations and recalibrate our way of hiking, it is GPT - not more and not less. <br /> <br /> 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<br /> <br /> ==Season 2020/21==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Feb-12 / 2.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / OH to Laguna Manantial / Frank '''<br /> <br /> At Parque Ingles I registered with Conaf, they record your route &amp; where you will camp. Deregistered by email later. Easy 3 hour walk to El Bolson, lots of people camping there but they don't go any further. Took optional route to Laguna Manantial. At 2160M there is a small meadow &amp; stream, this is last water &amp; last camp before the lake. You go over a pass @ 2560M then drop 80M to the lake. Camped on the lakeshore. <br /> Termas Blanquillo were only tepid. Camped on a small beach @ S end of Laguna de Los Hornos. The lake is nearly dried out, only a little semi stagnant water left. Best to carry water in from one of the streams a little above the lake. Last 11KM are on dirt roads, you could hitch easily if you want. Met 2 security guards, they were both friendly, no access problems if you are Southbound. Small campsite @ shop on way out. Amazing section, some tough uphill on sand but scenery is like Mars. Definitely use small gaiters or you will be emptying sand out of your shoes every 10 mins.<br /> <br /> At the end of GPT06 if you go on the north bank of Rio Maule the route is blocked by a cliff beyond Los Alamos &amp; you need to cross the river to continue. Better to go on the road. After 2KM on the road you pass 2 shops, better food selection than in El Medano. They have accommodation also. At Bridge 17 you can rejoin RR or continue on road but RR is nicer.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-24 / 7 days (GPT 05 + 06) / Hiking / SOBO / Ian Hikes + Tobias'''<br /> <br /> Overview: <br /> So, I decided to combine GPT sections 5 and 6 in order to avoid a 30k out and back resupply section into parque ingles. I thought this was a good decision for me and really enjoyed being out there for a week. In my opinion this was the hardest section of the GPT in between sections GPT 01-10. I went the first 5 days without seeing another person which I thought was quite cool. So, these two sections are quite remote, and you are way out there in the mountains. There was also some pretty intense river crossing in “GPT Section 5” that I found to be manageable (keep in mind I’m 185cm and have lots of thru hiking experience.) but still a little difficult. The rivers were also very dark and murky which made it hard to see where you would step. There was also an improvised bridge crossing the Colorado River that I used, and thought was safe to use. These two sections are dominated by a volcanic profile with much of the route on ash and volcanic rock. Most of the route is very exposed and there are not many trees or vegetation that grow in the volcanic ash/rocks. There was plenty of water with springs coming out of the hills everywhere and then disappearing into the sand.<br /> <br /> Difficulties:<br /> It was slow going walking thru the sand, especially when hiking vertically. Exposure to the sun. River crossings. Isolation and remoteness. Hiking up and down lose rock and scree fields.<br /> <br /> Highlights:<br /> Hot Springs. Great views of the volcanic region. Mountain Lakes. Sunrise and Sunsets were epic with the landscape. <br /> <br /> Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions at ultratrailca@gmail.com<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-23 / 7 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Shn0rhelez'''<br /> <br /> Parque Ingles to El Medano southbound/main route ... 7 days duration(2 nights spent on laguna Las Animas)...section passable...Strong sun, no shadow after the park... Gaiters strongly recommended...the SUBsection between termas del azufre and second ford Before the pass (2700m) is full with water... my personal opinion is the backpack weight can be minimized... Good luck! <br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-09 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Bruno &amp; Martin'''<br /> <br /> Parque Inglés to El Medano<br /> 5 days for this amazing section. We started in Parque Inglés in Radal 7 Tazas National Park. Had to wait for one more day because of limited hiking permits towards El Bolsón. 80 daily permits allowed and delivered at 8:30 in the morning, to be minded on weekends when the park is full. Followed Regular Route Laguna Las Ánimas, Azufre Hotsprings, Descabezado base camp, Laguna Caracol and then down to Los Cipreses. Cold section and bad weather towards the end, some rain and freezing wind. Had to camp in Laguna Caracol waiting for the storm to pass and hike the last pass. <br /> The use of lightweight gaiters is advised for keeping the sand out of your shoes.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-25 / 3 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Tom &amp; Maddie '''<br /> <br /> Parque Ingles to El Medano. Very beautiful (and exposed) section. Lots of water. The track from Los Cipreses to El Medano suffered from a few landslides meaning the route was slower than anticipated. I would consider taking the road next time as there is no loss of scenery. We resupplied in El Medano by basically buying all the food at the tienda (60000 CP for food for two people for the next section). Selection was good enough. <br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-18 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR from Vilches Alto / Tyler &amp; America '''<br /> <br /> A Stunning section. Vilches Alto made for a great optional start; rather than returning to Parque Ingles. (We came from Talca by bus - 2100 CP). Entrance fee was 6000 and camping 3000 PP. All trails were beautiful and a bit more trodden that sections before. Arrieros at thermal pools (not hot) were welcoming and friendly for us to camp. We took our sweet time in the beautiful section. We bussed from the first road access (south of town Los Cipreses/ OH-MR-V@06-E-#001) to Talca for a good re supply before the long next section, 2200 CP. Bus leaves this stop around 11.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-18 / 2.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR with optional start coming from GPT 5 / Matus &amp; Anna'''<br /> <br /> We combined sections 5 and 6 via optional trail. <br /> GPT06 took us 2 days and bit (first day we did just 4km from 6th section).<br /> I agree with everything what was written in previous updates.<br /> Nice sandy trails. Mornings were freezing cold. No problems while crossing rivers. After optional start regular trail didn't correspond with any trail. We finally took one on the right side and after while they merged. And I don't know who was so commited, but thanks for marking the trail 😊<br /> <br /> There is a small tienda with coke and crisps before entering a main road from Los Cipress. If you continue by main road toward El Medano there is restaurant Cordillera where we refueled again. Accomodation in El Medano. I will edit with ressuply options later. <br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-14 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR (mainly) / Martina &amp; Ivo '''<br /> <br /> As we came from GPT05 and didn't want to go all the way &quot;back&quot; to the Paso Las Animas, we tried the Optional Investigation Route which starts at Parque Ingles right at the other side (South) of Rio Claro. It leads through private property, so we went to the guard, showed him the CONAF Permit (we bought one just in case, and of course they said it's not possible to walk on the other side of the river), explained him that we would only hike through and gave him some cerezas. He informed his Colleagues via radio to let us pass. It was a nice and easy hike. Nothing to add to Linda's remarks for the rest of the trail.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-06 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Linda '''<br /> <br /> Start = Parque Ingles <br /> Finish = Las Termas El Medano<br /> <br /> GENERAL FEELING<br /> <br /> Amazing section !!!! Incredible mineral landscapes as soon as you go beyond Laguna Las Animas. It was tough because of the passes (and this was also my first hiking days and I carried too much food ... ) and the ground around the volcanoes is sand ! So it makes each step even more difficult. I loved the contrast between the areas around the volcanoes and the Laguna Caracol is just one of the most beautiful place I've ever seen !!! <br /> <br /> LOGISTICS<br /> <br /> - Bus from Molina to El Radal (off season and weekdays = only one bus at 5pm in Molina that stops in El Radal. Weekend : it goes directly to Parque Ingles and the schedule may also be different)<br /> <br /> - Hitchhiked from El Radal to Parque Ingles<br /> <br /> - First night in a camping in Parque Ingles = 5000 CLP<br /> <br /> - The day after, I had to register to CONAF. Office opening at 8:30 am. Entrance fee = 6000 CLP<br /> Some people (5 or 6) were going to El Bolson for the day but after Laguna Las Animas, there was absolutely nobody till the end !<br /> <br /> - Still snow when you go beyond the 2300 meters high<br /> <br /> - Be careful for the last pass Las Hornitos, a lot of snow at the top and it makes it impossible to follow the GPS track to go down. I found my way on the left when you face the valley and then got back to the GPS track<br /> <br /> - No problem to go out from the mine. Actually, workers I met on my way down to Los Cipreses suggestedto drop me by car to the main road. The guard was just smiling when he saw me in the car and when I told him I was hiking<br /> <br /> - Mini market where you can find basic food (eggs, spaghetti, chocolate ...) in Las Termas El Medano<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Feb-07 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Arnaud'''<br /> <br /> Amazing but hard section with a lot of denivelation. <br /> As we did not walk the section 5, we took the bus from Molina to Parque Ingles-7 Tazas (many buses, 4-5 buses per day). We registered to the Conaf Office and paid the entrance fee 6000 clp for foreigners. They gave us a mail adress so that we can announce our exit of the parque, to check the security.<br /> We walked the first 11km to the campspot El Bolson. It costs 4000 clp per person but has no interest. As the zone is protected, it is possible to freecamp only after el Bolson, before, it is prohibited.<br /> The Laguna Las Animas is very very beautiful and is welcome for a bath with the heat of this season.<br /> Then the paso las animas is easy and ashes are fun for downhills!<br /> We met nobody on the trail after el Bolson. So great! Except at one spot with termas with full of chilenos there.<br /> We lacked a bit of water at the laguna el Caracol but found 3kms further (just before the strong uphill) a source with drinkable water.<br /> No problem then to exit los cypress. We hitchhiked on the road with workers until the road to los Medanos.<br /> We stayed one day in los termas de los Medanos, at the camping and exit quickly (too many noise, people). The water is hot and nice after a hard section like this one. <br /> We resupplied at los termas (with pasta, arros, pancito, manjar). No gas available there.<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> You need to carry all the food for the entire trail. There is no food supply after Parque Ingles. If you meet arrieros at one of the Puestos you may ask for some goat or lamb meet but if you are not ready to take an entire or at least half an animal they may be reluctant to sell. Refill your water supply at the marked river crossings and the camps. In between these waypoints your will find only ocasinally some trickling water because water trickles away easily into the volcanic soil.<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> <br /> * 02-2025 / Clara : <br /> Los alamos : Hostal la Riviera 25k/n con desayuno. Possible to have lunch and dinner also (9500). <br /> <br /> El colorado is a good for full resupply. Several bus per days to and from Talca. 1 per day to and from El medano<br /> <br /> <br /> * 2023 / Michael and Kasia<br /> Molina: Hostal Nativos is three blocks off the main square. Run by very nice people, they have private rooms with shared bathroom for 25.000 CLP for the room. They also have a nice garden area with space if you need to clean gear. Ferreteria Franco had gas canisters for stoves. Unimarc on the plaza had cans for recharging, but didn't carry the screw route for stoves.<br /> <br /> * 2021 / Vera &amp; James<br /> <br /> Molina: It has plenty for resupply whilst being nice and small. There is a fishing shop opposite the Santa Isabel supermarket that sells gas.<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> * 2022 / Martin &amp; Helena<br /> <br /> Los Cipresses: small shop (only ice cream, drinks, choco bars, biscuits) + camp with cold shower, toilets, electricity and access to the river, all for 5000 for 2 people. We even got sandwiches for dinner as there was no other place around to eat. <br /> <br /> * 2022 7 Anna&amp;Christopher <br /> <br /> El Médano: The shop there has pasta, rice, bread, tomato salsa, mayo, chips, biscuits/chocolate and suncreme (but quite pricey).<br /> In El Médano we camped for 6k CLP p.p.<br /> <br /> * 2020 / Frank <br /> After 2KM on the road after Los Alamos (to El Medano) you pass 2 shops, better food selection than in El Medano. They have accommodation also.<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route= <br /> <br /> ==Parque Ingles==<br /> <br /> During the main season in January and February several buses go from Molina and Curico to Radal and some even go all the way to Parque Ingles. Outside of the main season there is only one daily bus from Molina to Radal leaving in the afternoon from the rural bus station in Molina.<br /> <br /> * Jan-24 / Joscha<br /> The Bus between Molina and Parque Ingles is run by the company &quot;Buses Hernández&quot;. You can check the departure times on their website.<br /> <br /> *2020 / Frank In summer there are 6 buses a day Molina-Parque Ingles.<br /> <br /> Mon-Sat they leave Molina @ 10:20, 11:30, 12:40, 3PM, 6:15PM, 8:15 PM Sunday Molina- Parque Ingles 7:45, 9:30, 2PM, 7:30PM, 10PM 2 hours to Parque Ingles, buses leave from terminal near main plaza in Molina. Parque Ingles-Molina 7:10, 11, 1PM, 3:45PM, 4:45PM, 6:30PM Mon-Sat Sun. 10:30, 1:30PM, 3:30PM, 5:45PM, 6:45PM <br /> <br /> *2019/ Martina &amp; Ivo <br /> <br /> Monday to Thursday: Molina-Radal: 17:00 // Radal-Molina: 07:30<br /> <br /> Friday: Molina-P.Ingles: 17:00 // Radal-Molina: 07:30<br /> <br /> Saturday: Molina-P.Ingles: 11:30 // 13:30 / P.Ingles-Molina: 18:00<br /> <br /> Sunday: Molina-P.Ingles: 09:00 // P.Ingles-Molina: 15:30 / 17:00<br /> <br /> ==Los Cipreses / El Medano ==<br /> <br /> * Dec 2024 / Sean <br /> One bus a day from El Medano to Talca 7:15 and Talca to El Medano 15:00 Monday to Saturday:<br /> [[Archivo:IMG-20241229-WA0000.jpg|thumbnailimage|Talca bus timetable December 2024 - Sean]]<br /> <br /> <br /> * 7 am in front of Los Cipreses - someone has to call in advance for the bus to go all the way to el Médano - loads of tourists there, though, so someone might have called. Other connections should be at 9:15 and 17:20 (one at 1620 l3aves from further downstream). The other way around, the buses leave Talca at 7, 13, 15 and 19, according to the schedule at Talca bus station.<br /> <br /> *This trail section finished at the Route 115 to Talca. Big road with many cars (hitchhiking possible)<br /> <br /> * 2023 / Louis, Rémi &amp; Noé <br /> <br /> From Los Cipreses only one bus at 7am. We hitchiked to El Colorado where plenty of buses are going down to Talca for 2 000 CLP (+ 400 CLP per bag)<br /> <br /> * 2023 / Natalie &amp; Tomáš <br /> <br /> Buses from Talca to la Mina go at; 7:00am, 1:00pm (only to la Suiza), 3:00pm and 7:00pm. <br /> Vilches: bus clearly did not follow the posted schedule so if you are there just ask the many locals around what time the bus comes, we caught the 1230 bus. <br /> <br /> * 2022 / Veronika &amp; Jo <br /> <br /> - There is no bus to Talca from Los Cipreses on saturdays or sundays. We asked at the shop and got a ride to Colorado from the brother-in-law of the shopkeeper for 15000 CLP.<br /> <br /> == Vilches ==<br /> <br /> * 2023 / Natalie &amp; Tomáš <br /> <br /> Bus clearly did not follow the posted schedule so if you are there just ask the many locals around what time the bus comes, we caught the 1230 bus.<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> * CONAF does register all trekkers at Parque Ingles (GPT01-WP004) but does not charge an entrance fee. Camp fires are not permitted within the national park that reaches from Radal (GPT01-WP001) to the Laguna las Ánimas (GPT01-WP013).<br /> <br /> * 2024 SOBO Permit required at Parque Inglés:<br /> - payment 8500 Pesos online! (not in cash) with online your Conaf account<br /> <br /> https:// shop.pasesparques.cl/evento/2564/radal-siete-tazas<br /> <br /> - offline formular at Conaf station<br /> <br /> - payment 7000 Pesos for Campsite El Bolsón in Cash (not possible with credit card, 200m from Conaf Station)<br /> <br /> * 2023<br /> <br /> When starting from Vilches and going northbound, a permit to access the Volcano (or the Condor Circuit) is required. CONAF won't let you enter in Altos de Lircay without it. Call them or write an email to get the correct number. The number ending with 554 works on WhatsApp, and a WhatsApp message from the land owner counts as &quot;written permission&quot;. Moreover, you have to pay the entrance fee to the reserve and it is closed on Mondays in March.<br /> <br /> *2023 <br /> <br /> Start at Parque Ingles: <br /> Entry ticket for Bolsón overnight needed: $10 USD (book it before online at www.aspticket.cl + get to the trailhead before 13:00) It needs to be purchased online in advance. There is good Entel service at the gate for last minute purchases. After purchase one change can be made to the date of the ticket, and there is no additional charge. After that you need to repurchase the ticket. Entrance for the camping permit is until 13:00. After that they refuse entry.<br /> In addition, you need to show CONAF proof of permission to camp at Bolsón, even if you do not plan to camp there. Bolsón is a privately operated concession within the park. Camping is 7.000 CLP pp and you buy the tickets at Rocas Basalticas campground about 50 meters down the road on the opposite side of the street from the entrance. The only way around this is to have contacted land owners that live beyond the park boundary and show CONAF proof of permission to camp on their land.<br /> They also require that you show them your gas stove, as all other cooking systems (alcohol, wood, etc.) are prohibited within the park, so have it handy.<br /> <br /> The parc can be entered illegally in the morning (around 7 pm).<br /> <br /> * 2019<br /> <br /> Optional start Vilches Alto: Entrance fee was 6000 and camping 3000 PP.<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT06 - Volcán Descabezado]]<br /> <br /> =Images=<br /> <br /> [[File:18 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.PNG|thumb|1100px|center|In the huge ash field]]<br /> [[File:10 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[Archivo:Greater Patagonian Trail (9).jpg|thumb|1100px|center|GPT06 - Volcán Descabezado]]<br /> [[Archivo:Greater Patagonian Trail (5).jpg|thumb|1100px|center|Greater Patagonian Trail]]<br /> [[Archivo:Greater Patagonian Trail (17).jpg|thumb|1100px|center|[[Cerro Azul]].]]<br /> [[Archivo:Greater Patagonian Trail (11).jpg|thumb|1100px|center|Greater Patagonian Trail, section 6]]<br /> [[File:01 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, El Bolsón.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|El Bolsón]]<br /> [[File:02 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Leaving El Bolsón.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|Leaving El Bolsón]]<br /> [[File:03 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|GPT 06]]<br /> [[File:04 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Laguna Las Ánimas.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|Laguna Las Ánimas]]<br /> [[File:05 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Pass 2560 m.PNG|thumb|1100px|center|Pass 2560 m]]<br /> [[File:06 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Approaching Laguna Mondaca.PNG|thumb|1100px|center|Approaching Laguna Mondaca]]<br /> [[File:07 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Laguna Mondaca.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|Laguna Mondaca]]<br /> [[File:08 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, that bypasses Laguna Mondaca.PNG|thumb|1100px|center|Bypasses Laguna Mondaca]]<br /> [[File:09 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|GPT 06]]<br /> [[File:11 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Termas de Azufre.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|Termas de Azufre]]<br /> [[File:12 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|GPT 06]]<br /> [[File:13 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|GPT 06]]<br /> [[File:16 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|GPT 06]]<br /> [[File:17 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|GPT 06]]<br /> [[File:19 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.PNG|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:20 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.PNG|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:21 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:23 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.PNG|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:24 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:25 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:26 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Leaving the Base Camp Descabezado Grande.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|Leaving the Base Camp Descabezado Grande]]<br /> [[File:27 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Hot springs at Base Camp Descabezado Grande.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|Hot springs at Base Camp Descabezado Grande]]<br /> [[File:28 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:29 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:31 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:32 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.PNG|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:33 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:34 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.PNG|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:35 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.PNG|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:37 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:38 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.PNG|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:39 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:40 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.PNG|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:41 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.PNG|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:43 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Camp near Laguna Los Hornitos.jpg|Camp near Laguna Los Hornitos]]<br /> [[File:44 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Laguna Los Hornitos.PNG|thumb|1100px|center|Laguna Los Hornitos]]<br /> [[File:45 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Laguna Los Hornitos.PNG|thumb|1100px|center|Laguna Los Hornitos]]<br /> [[File:46 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:47 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:48 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT06_(Descabezado)&diff=120893 2025-04-01T03:25:34Z

<p>MiaimZelt: </p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> = Overview =<br /> &lt;div style=&quot;overflow: hidden&quot;&gt;<br /> [[Archivo:GPT 06 options.png|450px|right|GPT 06 route options]]<br /> <br /> ===Routes===<br /> Section 6 leads through the spectacular landscape of the Descabezado volcano. There are three main routes: the regular GPT route, from Parque Ingles to La Mina / Los Cipreses (or vice versa), the Condor Circuit from Parque Ingles to Vilches, which is also popular with non-GPT hikers, and the longer, off-the-beaten-path Descabezado Circuit, which begins at Laguna del Maule and ends in La Mina. Optional trips to volcano peaks include Descabezado Grande, Descabezado Chico and Volcán Azul.<br /> <br /> ===Right of way issues===<br /> Most variations of section 6 will pass by Don Victor at km45.5 of the regular route. Even if you don't pass by there, you are likely to meet him at some point on the trail. He requires prior authorization to go through his land, although only some hikers have been able to obtain such authorization, since he seems to not always reply to messages. Without authorization, it is advisable to try to avoid him, especially on the way into his land, since he might turn you around. This makes a start from Vilches unadvisable. You can minimize the probability of meeting Don Victor by taking a CC route closer to Descabezado Grande, described by Natalie below (as of March 2024 this route is not yet part of the track files), but this is not an easy route, especially if there is snow. An alternative is to do the Descabezado Circuit, but finish in Parque Ingles. This shorter circuit still goes through via almost all highlights, but entirely avoids Don Victor. You can also connect to section 5, which similarly avoids him.<br /> <br /> Starting from Parque Ingles also has restrictions, see the trip reports below. In particular, there are only a limited number of hikers allowed, and you should not disclose your plans to go via Don Victor's land if you don't have authorization.<br /> <br /> Notice that starting from La Mina requires authorization from the hydro company. See the GPT manual on section 6 for details.<br /> &lt;/div&gt;<br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> *'''2025-03-22 to 2025-03-26 / 4.5 days hiking / SOBO / OH 05 + OH 01C + OH 01B + OH 01 + RR + RR GPT 5 + OH GPT 5 H + RR / MiaimZelt'''<br /> <br /> Now a permit is needed to hike in the Descabezado area. I wrote Tamara Galdames (+56987397559) to apply for this permit. I had to print a form, fill it out and send her pictures of it together with my passport. The permit costs 25k per person. Tell her that you need to make the transferencia with &quot;Caja Vecina&quot;. She will give you the information. Then you go to a shop with &quot;Caja Vecina&quot; sign, show them her message and pay 25k cash. They will make the transferencia for you and give you a piece of paper. Send a picture of it to Tamara. <br /> <br /> Day 1: Took the 7:15am bus from Talca to Vilches Alto. Bought the entrance for Reseva National Altos de Lircay online and showed Conaf it and gave them the paper from Tamara (the one i filled out). Could start hiking without issues. Lot's of dayhikers at this weekend. Took OH 01C and was alone for the rest of the day. Trail was in good condition, but less obvious than the trails in the Reserva. It's marked with cairns. Found a great camp with flowing water here: -35.513935, -70.910756<br /> <br /> Day 2: Hiked CC to the MR of OH 01. Continued to the RR and hiked to Laguna Animas. Met friendly Arrieros together with lots of cattle. Hiked RR of GPT 5 to have a look at Laguna Mondaca. Very steep downhill, but easy with the soft sand. Magic moment when 10 condors circled above me in the sky. Skipped detour to Laguna Mondaca, because the hot springs were calling. GPT OH 05H was tricky and dangerous. The flat part leads through a huge boulderfield, not difficult but tiring. Ford {06} [24.6+1.5/1590] was knee high and had a strong current. Later a big stone i was stepping fell down together with me. Hurt my elbow. Met two germans, they told me the beginning of the trail to Termas Azufre is eroded and now very difficult. I tried to follow the suggestion of GPT track, but it was very difficult and dangerous. The lower part of the mountain is indeed eroded. Climbed a very steep mountainside with loose ground and also loose rocks. Can't recommend this, i slipped in the beginning. When i reached the trail, it was ok. Enjoyable evening in the hot springs, but not so good night with ground heating. <br /> <br /> Day 3: Trail was in mostly in good conditions, only the beginning was not always easy to follow. <br /> Ford {06} [29.4/2190] was knee high. Ford {06} [32.5/2565] was low, but not dry. Views from <br /> Pass {06} [33.8/2695] (El Estadio) and while hiking down were incredible! Easy hiking until <br /> Hot Spring {06} [45.6/1881] (Banos del Blanquillo, lukewarm, only 20 C). Had time left and did a detour to Laguna Blanquillo. Was not really worth it, because at 5pm the Laguna had no sun. Spend the night together with a guided group with local arriero at Baños Blanquillo. They spoiled me with tasty dinner, was a very good evening. Their Guide Barbara speaks english very well, knows everything in Maule region, she even found a new yet unknown flower! If someone is interested in guided tours (options depending on the clients) in Maule region she can help you: +56992599639. <br /> <br /> Day 4: Easy hiking 'til Laguna Caracol. Hiked CC to the crater lake next to Laguna Caracol: incredible! Camp {06} [56.3/2034] is sooo beautiful! Also had a look at Laguna Turbia and in Cráter Los Quillayes. The ascent to Pass {06} [59.3/2518] (Hornitos) was very exhausting with the afternoon heat, but great views! Dark clouds and thunder came, hurried down until Camp {06} [62.2/1999]. Only few drops of rain, i liked this place to camp and enjoyed the stars. Water flowing next to the spot. Was my favorite day according to the views.<br /> <br /> Day 5: Easy hiking 'til the MR. Ford {06} [63.4/1909] was rock hopping. Appletree before Los Cipreses. At <br /> Gate {06} [78.9/865] (Central Hidroelectrica Isla) i had to explain where i came from and whether i registered with Carabinieros (no). Got a hitch until a bus stop near Armerillo, where i took a bus to Talca. Can recommend Hostel 1760 - relaxed place to stay!<br /> <br /> Summary: GPT 6 is absolutely stunning. Most tiring was the sand: had tons of it in my shoes although wearing gaiters. <br /> <br /> <br /> *'''2025-03-24 to 2025-03-28 / 4,5 days / SOBO / RR, Option 2, 3 (Descabezado), 6a, 6D (Cumbre Descabezado) / Thijmen Scholten'''<br /> <br /> As for the permit I met mister Victor and he was not happy to meet me without permit. So if you want to take the RR route apply for a permit (described by Thomas)! If you don't want to, take the high mountain route (variant 2 and 3). Even though you are still on his terrain, you will probably avoid him this way. Going SOBO CONAF will ask for this permit so you have to say you just go to EL Bolson (buy a ticket online?) or you have to sneak past (like Volker explained). <br /> <br /> - First day I hitched from Molina to Parque Ingles , I did not have any ticket or permit but luckely it was Monday which meant CONAF was closed and I could just walk trough the gate on the trail. <br /> <br /> - I met the guard of El Bolson campsite and he was cool with me passing by, even though the park was closed. I wanted to pay him the entrance fee but he wouldn't accept it. <br /> - Camped after the pass at water point 22.0. water point 17.8 before the pass is also a good campspot. <br /> <br /> - Look out after the pass on option 02H that you do not decent too much. I had to climb 200m up again <br /> <br /> - Continued to the high mountain route (02H). There is no water here so fill up at the indicated ford. It's muddy glacial water so if you want to have clear water you have to fill up before the pas. Camped at camp without water. <br /> <br /> - It would have been nice to have some gaiters and sunglasses <br /> <br /> - Summit Descabezado. Take route 03 don't follow the track perfectly but walk on the rocky ridge that's the easiest way to get up. <br /> <br /> - I wanted to climb Vulcan Azul on the same day but when I got to the start of the climb it looked like it was a sandy accent. So I returned packed my tent and went down. Afterwards when I saw the summit from a distance next day I regretted it. I went down to RR and camped at Laguna del Caracol. <br /> <br /> - Next day option 06A which is nice if you have enough time. <br /> <br /> - Look out that you take the right las Hornitos pass and not the one before, I had to climb up again -_-.<br /> <br /> - Camped at Laguna los hornos and next morning down and got a ride from the workers to Talca. <br /> <br /> *'''2025-03-18 to 2025-03-23 / 5.5 days / NOBO / Option 3 (Cumbre Descabezado) + OH-CC-A {06-02H} + RR / Tim &amp; Tobias'''<br /> <br /> We did a relaxed hike through this beautiful section. Got the permission to enter NOBO (Los Cypreces) from natali.veloso@enel.com within 3 days. Visit the carabineros in Colorado, they printed and stamped the form and we hitched to the entry. <br /> <br /> Day 1: Went up to Camp {06} [62.2/1999] at 11 a.m from the security guard, where we had to fill in another form. Struggled a bit on the way up because Río Cipreces is dried out and we had little water. Last source is Bridge {06} [72.4/1018] (NOBO).<br /> <br /> Day 2: To avoid Don Victor, we took Option 3 and camped beside a little Glaciar at -35.60736 -70.78212, close to Camp NO Water {06-03} [5.9/2542]. Filtert the water from the Glaciar. Great spot.<br /> <br /> Day 3: Took Option 3 to get up to the top of the volcano. Loose sand, difficult but stunning day. Decided to stay another day at the camp beside Glaciar. We highly recommend to take this option to get up to the summit because it is much faster than OH-CC-A {06-03A}. Thank you Adrian for the advice!<br /> <br /> Day 4: Went OH-CC-A {06-02H} and RR to hot spring Azure, where we camped. It stinks a bit during the night, but the hot springs have perfect temperatures.<br /> <br /> Day 5: Short day on RR to laguna las animas. Enjoyed the hot springs in the morning, took some fotos with condors. <br /> <br /> Day 6: Went down to Parque Ingles without difficulties.<br /> <br /> *'''2025-MAR-10 to 2025-MAR-15 / 6,5 days / Hiking / Alex, Andrey, Anton / GPT06 NOBO (Option7, Option2, Option8: a new traverse of the Calabozos volcano), GPT05 SOBO (RR)'''<br /> This traverse from Laguna Maule to Reserva Nacional Radal Siete Tazas offers a memorable—and surprisingly straightforward—journey from south to north. Although not technically difficult, the route presents extended stretches of deep sand and volcanic ash that demand physical endurance.<br /> Key Considerations:<br /> There are numerous sections without a defined trail; navigation relies on waypoint guidance.<br /> Glaciers lie concealed beneath sand in several locations—refer to waypoint comments for exact coordinates and cautionary notes.<br /> Reliable water sources are found throughout the route.<br /> Early‑season fords can be hazardous; plan crossings carefully and monitor snowmelt levels.<br /> Our newly established Calabozos volcano traverse direction from the southern approach is strongly advised. The northern slopes feature steep, deep‑sand sections that are more strenuous when tackled uphill.<br /> Mondaca Valley bears signs indicating private property. During our traverse, valley guards granted passage without issue, but this should not be assumed as guaranteed access. Exiting via Mondaca Valley tends to be easier than entering.<br /> The track and more photos at Wikiloc:<br /> https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/sand-traverse-laguna-maule-to-reserva-nacional-radal-siete-tazas-205862875<br /> <br /> *'''2025-02-09 to 2025-02-14 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / Option 1 (Altos de Lircay) 01, RR / Eric and Jakob'''<br /> <br /> Route: <br /> To avoid Camp Bolson and CONAF we started by taking the Option 1 (Altos de Lircay) 01, which is really beautiful but we recommend taking more water than usual when coming across some water spots since most of the rivers are dry. After completing the Option we continued on the main route until the end.<br /> <br /> Travel: <br /> We started from Parque Ingles. Got there by taking a train from Santiago to Curico. After that we took a bus to Molina and another one driving to Parque Ingles. Worked without any complications. Did cost all together around 50 euros for the two of us. <br /> <br /> Permissions: <br /> As mentioned by other people it is really hard to contact Don Victor. We wrote him a text message but we didn’t get an answer. We talked with Don Victor and got to know a really kind and respectful man, who simply tries to keep his land less crowded and free of trash. As Thomas describes in his section log, permits are available through his daughter. The number is provided by Thomas. Therefore it is necessary that every hiker who is trying to hike GPT06 is doing their utmost to get the permission from Don Victors daughter in order to respect his land and his priorities. If you are not able to get a permission the best and only option is to skip this section and continue with a different one. <br /> Since we didn’t have an official permit we tried to avoid CONAF as recommended which worked out fine for us by taking an alternative route in the beginning to avoid Camp Bolson. Not getting the CONAF permission and trying to avoid them was a mistake we aren’t proud of and wouldn’t do again. We don’t recommend doing it this way. The experience can be enjoyed way more when getting every permission necessary before starting with the hike. <br /> <br /> Resupply: <br /> There is no way to resupply on the trail. After the trail there is the possibility in Los Alamos to resupply in a small shop which got everything a hiker needs. We were also offered an apartment for one night in Los Alamos. It included a kitchen, a bath and two sleeping dorms for 46 euros per night. The name of the owner is Samuel.<br /> <br /> Attractiveness: 5/5<br /> Difficulty: 3/5<br /> <br /> * ''' 2025-FEB-15 to 2025-FEB-17 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Martin '''<br /> <br /> Combined sections 5 and 6.<br /> Joined section 6 at the hot springs [27.4/1986]. Got there around 7 pm. And there were two Chilean guys sitting in a hot pool so I joined. It was good to finally meet someone. <br /> <br /> I took the lower camping spot and the ground was a bit warm, so the night wasn’t cold. <br /> <br /> Next day, I went up to the pass. The soft sand makes the climb hard. The way down to the refugio was easier, but still not easy. No sign of Don Victor. The Chileans entered via Parque Inglés and didn’t know about him at all. <br /> <br /> The landscape is out of this world and amazing, but the suck factor on the sand is high for me. I got to camp at km 56.3. Beautiful place for camping. But very cold night. I left the water bottle in the tent vestibule and there was a good amount of ice in it in the morning. <br /> <br /> The last climb was an again challenging for me. Also because I got a cold and I was cold, so I didn’t sleep much. <br /> <br /> Then the way down is more sand. I wanted to get it over with, so I was going fast, around 2000 vertical m/hour. When I got to the gravel road, I had sand everywhere. I do have light gaiters, but they just couldn’t keep up. <br /> <br /> Then it was just a few hours in the heat on the road. I got to the small shop after the bridge over Rio Maule. Got ice cream and coke for 3500 or so. <br /> <br /> Then I washed in the river and tried to hitch hike to Talca. I stayed there from 17:15 to 18:00, but no luck. Not many cars to begin with. So I got to Hostal La Rivera as somebody suggested. Single room with breakfast was 25 USD and together with pasta for dinner and beer it was 35 USD or 36000 pesos. Paid by debit card. I will take the 7 am bus from Medano to Talca. Should be here on the main road around 7:20. <br /> <br /> * ''' 2025-02-10 to 2025-02-13 / 3,5 days / Hiking / SOBO / Option 5 (vilches alto), option 3 (Descabezado Grande), RR / Thomas '''<br /> <br /> As right-of-way issues increased recently, and parque ingles CONAF seemed to be more and more intransigent, I chose to take my chances on Vilches Alto entry (which is easily reached by direct bus from Talca).<br /> I arrived on sunday morning but the park was closed with wildfire red alert. I waited there the opening on next morning. <br /> Walking at the park entrance, I was lucky and met Sebastian, Anete y Tono which was started the Condor Circuit. A week ago, they contacted Don Victor daughter, Tamara, which gave a permit to cross the property. Rangers verified carefuly the permit to let them go. I take my chance then and contact Tamara to ask the same permit. <br /> <br /> &gt;&gt; There is usefull information to planify GPT6 with serenity : <br /> <br /> - From this year, Don Victor's family exiges a permit to enter the property in order to limit the area crowd and waste associated<br /> <br /> - Permits are given by Tamara Galdames, Don Victor daughter : +56987397559<br /> <br /> - She asks for passport picture and a bank transfer of 25,000 per persona to make the permit<br /> <br /> - She told me that she only give permit to 3 people or more<br /> <br /> - CONAF rangers (at least at Vilches) verify very carefully the Tamarla autorization<br /> <br /> - Don Victor checks also every hiker/horse rider he can see at this period (at least between laguna Caracole and Refugio Blanquillo)<br /> <br /> So I was very lucky to met Sebastian &amp; co and I told her I can walk with them, and she said OK. A ranger directly called Tamarly after to make sure I'm not tcheating.<br /> <br /> Day 1 : Vilches Alto &gt; Valle Venado camping <br /> No difficulties, a lot of shadow during the ascent, good views from the valle venado mirador. The camping is fine (shower) but without spectacular view. <br /> <br /> Day 2 : Valle Venado &gt; Camp without water {06-03} [5,9] <br /> Path to Blanquillo refuge is well marked (also a lot of horse poop). Only difficulty : a water canal crossing at the end of the Blanquillo lake (water until my hips with 1m77), but without any flow. <br /> I met Don Victor at Blanquillo refuge which verified my permit (I show him my WhatsApp conversation with Tamara and it was fine). Then he was pretty warm with me and show me water source. <br /> The beginning of Descabezado ascent is well marked equally. At Camp without water [3,3], it becomes easy CC to the second camp [5,9].<br /> Amazing moon landscape there !!<br /> <br /> Day 3 : Descabezado ascent &gt; Laguna de los Hornos by the RR<br /> Start at 6:40, summit at 9:20, only 35min to get back to the camp. Wonderfull sunlights on the moonfield and area volcanos. The way up is demanding, but without any difficulty issue (I followed option 3). The only water source near of the trail is the glaciar crater at this time. <br /> I returned to Blanquillo refuge to get water and met Don Victor and his guests again. They asked me about the volcan and we tchated about previous visitor incivilities and how they want to limit affluence in there. <br /> Then I followed RR SOBO without any issue during the rest of the day until Laguna de los Hornos where I camped. Very scenic and variated views, I definitively recomand this part of RR ! <br /> Near los Hornos, I met a group with guid, horses and montain bike which has been kindly returned by Don Victor the day before at the laguna Caracole because they don't have the permit (and potentially because Victor doesn't like the idea of bikes on the montain...).<br /> <br /> Day 4 morning : Laguna Los Hornos &gt; Los Cipreses<br /> The Volcan los Hornitos ascent and tour worth the extra mile. Easy sandy descent to the minor road and half hitchhike the minor road.<br /> <br /> * ''' 2025-02-05 to 2025-02-10 / 5.5 days / Hiking /SOBO / RR/ Emilie '''<br /> <br /> Day 1: departed from Molina at 9:30 with the bus. Arrived at the trail (parque ingles) and had purchased a day pass for the park. Seeing my big backpack the guards asked me where I was planning to sleep, I said laguna the las animas and they said I couldn’t go there without proper authorization. I then asked if I could simply change my plans and sleep at el bolson (campsite inside the park) and they said it was full for the next 2 days. I was really disappointed and asked where I could find some wifi to look at other passes/trails I could do, they sent me 3kms down at the Conaf office of Radal Sieste Tazas. I walked about 300m and saw the gate and decided to try my luck and jump it to bypass them. It worked although I was really stressed and surely enough I ran into a guard on a motorcycle checking the entry permits. I showed him the day pass but Conaf is supposed to give a registration card which I did not have. He asked me how I came in and I had to explain that I jumped the gate. He was ready to send me back (VHF radio in hand and all) but I asked him if I could try to explain myself which I did, showed him my planned route, explained that I knew abt don victor etc, I told him I would be out of the park by nightfall. He agreed to let me pass but it was a close one. You should definitely buy a pass for el bolson campsite, even if you don’t camp there, you look suspicious with your backpack. Went all the way to laguna las animas and camped there. <br /> <br /> Day 2: started my day with an encounter with wild horses! They ran towards me, there were about 15 of them! Saw them running down a hill up until 2m of me, they were curious and friendly. It’s was surreal. Camped at S (35.508517° O 70.751605°) on an empty pasture that was not wet. <br /> <br /> Day 3: woke up to that empty pasture being filled with cows! One was trying to snatch my bag which woke me up. They were curious and friendly aswell. Hiked until the Refugio camped right next to it (S 35.594815° O 70.825999°) there were other Chileans aswell. All super friendly!<br /> <br /> Day 4: my feet were extremely blistered after day 3. I initially wanted to hike up the volcano but decided for an afternoon at the beach instead to rest my feet; hiked about 8km until Laguna del Caracol where I spent the afternoon, reading swimming and cooking, it was great. <br /> <br /> Day 5: it was a big day, I hiked all the way to water at [73.5/1014] camped right next to it on the shore of the river (S 35.775444° O 70.802768°). Initially wanted to camp at Laguna de los Hornos but the lake seemed pretty eutrophized (? Not sure if it’s the right word) and I did not want to drink it, even filtered. Since it’s downhill from there, it wasn’t too too long. <br /> <br /> Day 6: hiked the remaining few Kms and hitchhiked to Talca. If ever you need accomodation here Hostel 1760 is like a peaceful haven; 30 000cpl and there’s a pool and the rooms are around an interior garden with a fountain. Exactly what I needed. <br /> <br /> The takeaway is to definitely not underestimate the terrain, it is rough on your feet, the sand and dust will stick to your face and lips which made me feel thirsty all the way, I always started the day with 2,5L of water which isn’t necessary since there are a lot of streams but I was still always glad to not have to ration my drinking. The river crossing for me was knee high, not sure if I crossed at the wrong place, the water was lower or if I’m especially tall;) did not meet don victor. <br /> <br /> *'''2Fev2025 - 6fev2025 / hiking SOBO / RR - OH2A-2-2H - OH3A-3 - RR / 5 days / Clara'''<br /> <br /> Parque Ingles : I did the same as Volker (see below) to enter the park cause I couldn't buy a ticket for the park the day before. But I was afraid and I think it would have been bad if I encountered a park ranger. Hopefully I didn't and they didn't ask for park reservation at El Bolson Camping. When I said that I won't come back by this path but go further he didn't say anything (only the owner).<br /> <br /> Camp at laguna las animas. Very nice camp spot and lake to swim. No shade. Some stonewall to pitch the tent and protect a bit from the wind.<br /> <br /> Ford 29.4 : not so easy, up to mid thighs (1.57) but fast flowing in the begining of afternoon. Then it's a loooong way up in soft volcanic sand, very physical. Lot's of water all the way up till ford 32.5. Then there are also still some smaller water flowing around begining of OH2H and the place I camped.<br /> <br /> Camp here -35,54404, -70,75932 : I found a good wind protected spot (for the NNO wind, less for the NNE of the night end but hopefully it decreased) and I made an almost flat spot there. There is multiple little streams with good water flowing just around that spot.<br /> <br /> Up to the pass on 2H was easier that I thought but walking down (or more traverse) on the other side was way more harder. Very steep ups and downs in some canyons in soft sand or sometimes big but no stable rocks, snow covered by sand. Last and only water for now after the pass of 2H is at the ford. Took me almost 4h to get to OH3A.<br /> <br /> I took an OSM path before 3A to gain few meters, a trail is well visible when you arrive from 2H. Around 2900m I went CC to joined OH3A and I found on the way, few meters left to the 3A tracks, some footsteps going up on either big stable rocks or not so soft sand until around 3300m, looks easier than exactly on tracks for the ascent ! Then it's physical soft sand. Went with very small backpack and took me a bit more than 3h to the summit. Descent way much faster.<br /> <br /> Descending at Don Victor refuge, I met a group of chileans. They offered me harina tostada and food (maybe when they see my terrible face after this exhausting day), and we ended up sharing dinner, fried fishes and evening there. If I understood well, they told me that since this year, Don Victor make people pay (25k?!) to camp at his place (or just pass through?), not the locals but the tourists. But since he was not here I didn't need to care about this.<br /> <br /> They learned me their fishing technic the day after at Laguna del Caracol and I had 2!! (They had 10kg in half day). Magic encounters with theses so generous and nice persons. Camp at 62.2 (just a bit upper than the waypoint) is nice.<br /> <br /> Nothing special to add for the last day except not much workers going down the MR even on week days.<br /> <br /> <br /> * ''' 2024-01-20 to 2024-01-22 / 2.5 days / Hiking /SOBO / RR, option 2 &amp; 2H, option 3 &amp; 3A (Ascended Descabezado), Variants G / Elijah &amp; Michael '''<br /> <br /> Plenty of available water from the pass to Descabezado (option 2), however no water available on the climb up. Almost no water around Descabezado, but was able to locate small flow from a snow field. No water available south of Descabezado until end of option 3.<br /> <br /> Descabezado climb took approx 4.5 hours, 1 hour descent. Incredibly draining due to soft ground and fall-line trail.<br /> <br /> Shop at bridge after Los Cipreses had snacks and accomodation but not appropriate for resupply. <br /> <br /> Hostal La Rivera in Los Alamos offered great accommodation for 50,000 CLP per night (including desayuno). Hostal able to provide lunches and dinner.<br /> <br /> Almarcen in Los Alamos looked like it had good options but was closed in afternoon (4pm) and morning (10am) and no one was around.<br /> <br /> Minimarket in La Mina had limited options, possible but difficult resupply.<br /> <br /> Minimarket in El Medano had slightly better options, but still limited resupply.<br /> <br /> * '''25-01-13- 25-01-18/ 5,5 days / SOBO/ RR-OH2A-OH2H-OH3-OH3A-OH4-OH3-RR / Volker / Flowers on the moon… Just a magic section / Parque Ingles - Volcan Descabezado Grande - Volcan Azul - Laguna del Caracol - La Mina'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: Bus from Molina, terminal rural, to Parque Ingles at 8.20. Started there at 10.30. Avoided Conaf: The bus carried a group for the camping in P.I. and stopped 200m after the Conaf. Instead of going back to register (or taking the MR of OH1) I turned left before the bridge and walked on a path along Rio Claro, a fence to my left. After 500m an open gate allows you to go left and enter a huge camping (nobody there). At the very end of the camping the fence is down, once out, I walked CC to join the RR. Minimum three dozens of young Chileans on their way to El Bolson, when I arrived, still nobody there except the owner, who asked me to register. I told him, I go to Laguna Las Animas - all fine. Camped at the Laguna, short day.<br /> <br /> Day 2: 30 min after the Laguna another, smaller lake with camp spots. At the pass I made the short detour for Cerro Las Animas (nice view back on the Laguna) then along volcanic slopes with a lot of various flowers to the hot spring (no bassin, just a hot swamp, go for Fango). For various reasons I changed my original plan to continue on Option 2b direction V. Descabezado Chico, one reason was the (non indicated) ford, which looked very dangerous, at least for a solo hiker. So I continued on RR, quite swampy, the trail dissappears in wet meadows. If you know you want to continue on the RR - better don‘t go down to the river and the hot ‚spring‘, but cut this CC without elevation loss. Lots of cows on the way to the pass. Many small rivers, which all feed Estero El Volcan, therefore the two fords on the RR are way easier. I took Option 2A, then Option 2 and then Option 2H and camped not far from the start of 2H. <br /> <br /> Day 3: On 2H CC to the pass and then down to the start of Option 3a for the V. Descabezado. Ford easy. At S 35.592096° W 70.786105° don‘t go down into the canyon as indicated, but bypass it left by going a bit upwards. Started with a small backpack on option 3a for the summit at noon, arrived at 2.30. At 3400m ff. easy rock climbing some 20 meters left of the indicated route - less physical and more fun than on the gravel/sand. Almost no wind on the summit, just wonderful, highly recommend it! Very quick down to the backpack, while resting there for 15min 6 condors in the air, circling very low directly over me. Breathtaking minutes. Then continued until camp at 06-03: 5,9. The indicated spot is protected, as there was close to no wind, I climbed the next dune with an extraordinary view to the west (sunset!) and camped there. <br /> <br /> Day 4: Volcan Azul - What a great summit! You might think, Descabezado is the highest, why climb another volcano, which is so close? Nothing could be more wrong. They are completely different and V. Azul beats Descabezado in nearly every sense: the landscape, the views (on Laguna La Invernada), the geology. You even can climb the finger at the summit (only the last two meters are technical, there’s a fixed rope, use it, if you trust it, I didn’t). But V. Azul is also way more demanding and you should have a good head for heights for the ascent on the ridge. Very important: when on the ridge, always look, if there are other hikers above or below you: I was alone, but when going down, I several times caused very dangerous falling rocks. All in all the whole way up and down is not difficult, just very steep. But the gravel is very different from Descabezado. This is felt mainly when going down. In large parts you can‘t ski or hop down as on Descabezado. Either the sort of gravel doesn‘t allow it, or the underground (hidden rocks, e.g.). So you have to walk very carefully (it makes no difference if you follow the track files or an OSM route). This slows you down very much and partly is as physical as going up. I started at 6.30 a.m. and it took me 7,5 hours to go up and down (sure, you can camp closer to the ascent, but as I wanted to take option 2H and then option 3 to join the RR at the hot springs, I didn‘t want to walk back with my big backpack). Water: At noon running on the east side of the glacier in the crater, took also snow). Back from the summit I walked the mentioned CC options (however stayed lower to the left and even found a path there, sometimes marked with cairns). When approaching the junction with the RR I saw a lot of horses and people at the refuge. Don Victor had guests. I decided not to bypass them, but to show up and explain, what I am doing here. Good decision! I was offered bread and wine, we chatten, nevertheless I was asked, if I had a permission (could honestly answer, that asking for it is why I came here). Before I left Don Victor and I took a joint selfie… He is not at all a bad guy, he just wants you to show, that you respect his property rights. I also took water there, which allowed me to camp on the magic plateau, that follows on the RR, instead of going down to the indicated camp at 48,1. <br /> <br /> Day 5; A short day, very easy on RR to camp at 62,2. Just enjoyed the landscape and the lagunas. After the pass at 59,3 on the way down I went CC left of the RR, crossed 5 brooks to join variant C. In this part a multitude of flowers, at least a dozen different species in all colours: an integral and unforgettable part of this volcano section.<br /> <br /> Day 6: Very short day, Down to the MR, then an 8km walk to La Mina. The last 2 km I got a ride from a local, who also drove me to the shops on the PR. The changing nature makes the MR walking more interesting, than one might think. You come from a lunar landscape and some hours later almond trees and ripe mirabels! For NOBO hikers: Chilean day-hikers parked their car at the end of the MR. So it should be possible to get a permit from Entel for the entry by car (Uber or arrangement with a local).<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2025-Jan-13 to 2025-Jan-18 / 5,5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Chris &amp; Jule'''<br /> <br /> TLDR: no problems with snow, dusty &amp; exhausting gravel/ashes, absolutely stunning views all along, Don Victor was busy.<br /> <br /> We had an issue with our GPSMAP67 (updated the firmware just prior departure), resulted in weird frozen mode with full backlight brightness in three occasions which drained half the battery. Due to this (despite backups) I was a bit paranoid, so the GPS remained mostly off and we followed footsteps &amp; paths. This worked very well, only one time followed a valley too long. The paths are very obvious, it was easy to navigate. <br /> <br /> Water: in all marked locations and many more. Usually every 1-2hrs we passed some stream. We had expected much worse and were a bit overprepared in the beginning. The ashes take water easily, but also give it as easy.<br /> <br /> Rivercrossings: one, hip-high, quite some current but managable. we crossed where the OSM path crosses the river. Besides, dry feet all along.<br /> <br /> Snow: some snowfields, one at the descend towards laguna las animas had to be crossed, all others were avoided. <br /> <br /> Due the GPS turned off we were very surprised as we suddenly stood infront of Don Victors refugio. We waved and yelled hola, there were about 5-ish tents, so we thought he may have opened a camping space recently. As we wanted to go a bit further, we continued. He either didnt see us, or wasnt too happy - none from the refugio waved back. One person standing at the tents waved back though. <br /> Next morning we met Volker who had gone to Don Victor and had a good chat and a drink with him. He had visitors, therefore was too busy to care for us. Later that day a group from the refugio passed on horses, everyone just friendly hola-ed back to us. <br /> We met some chilean hiker that had tried to obtain all permits for a certain hike, CONAF told them, that since a few days Don Victor does not allow anyone anymore.<br /> <br /> Going back to Talca: we heard busses leave at 7am, 1pm, 3pm, 7pm (at least on saturdays). <br /> We ended up hitchhiking as we didnt want to want for 2hrs. It took us maybe 10min (maybe fourth car) to squeeze into a ride with wonderful chileans returning from bathing in some hotsprings. <br /> <br /> * '''2025-Jan-03 to 2025-Jan-10 / 7,5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Farah &amp; Jan'''<br /> <br /> We started our GPT journey with this section and were amazed by the beauty and diversity of the landscape.<br /> <br /> Challenges were the rocky and sandy terrain, sometimes dangerous paths and the hot summer sun. Sometimes the path disappeared and we lost it, but with a GPS device it was easy to notice and get back on track.<br /> <br /> Dangerous snow bridge at (S 34°31.4980’ W 070°44.8453’). <br /> <br /> River crossings were no problem, one was hip high (we’re 1,75 m and 1,83 m), all the other ones knee high or less.<br /> <br /> Didn’t meet Don Victor.<br /> <br /> Definitely follow Jan Dudeck’s recommendation and use gaitors. We didn’t as we opted for hiking boots instead of low trekking shoes and kept on collecting enough sand and gravel in our boots to build a children’s playground.<br /> <br /> Day 1<br /> <br /> We took the bus from Molina to Parque Inglés and hiked to El Bolsón on the first day, where we camped. Only had tickets for one day for the Parque Nacional Siete Tazas and weren’t sure if we technically would’ve needed one for two days, but the official let us camp there nonetheless after checking our tickets.<br /> <br /> Day 2<br /> <br /> Hiked to Laguna de las Ánimas where we met Sean &amp; Neele on their way NOBO and had a nice quick chat with them.<br /> <br /> At the end of the ascent out of Valley del Indio, right below the pass, there was an icey snowfield, which we traversed using crampons - it would’ve been possible without but felt safer with them. We camped at Laguna de las Animas, which was beautiful.<br /> <br /> Day 3<br /> <br /> From Laguna de las Ánimas we continued over the pass at [19.4/2547] after which we encountered some sketchy paths along steep gravel slopes: At some parts the path had slipped downhill and if doing one wrong step, we would’ve too. Take care at this part of the section! Camped near the Hot Spring del Azufre.<br /> <br /> Day 4<br /> <br /> We weren’t sure if we could drink the water near the hot spring because it all stank like sulfide so we hiked uphill a bit before refilling our water. There, we also encountered the only bigger river crossing at [29.4/2190] - hip high and a bit of a current but still doable at the right spot.<br /> <br /> Higher up that valley (S 34°31.4980’ W 070°44.8453’) we found a pretty dangerous snow bridge over a creek and decided to walk/climb around it which was also a bit dangerous as it took us over very loose rocks right next to an at least 20 m drop but way more controllable than the snow bridge next to it.<br /> <br /> We left the valley behind us and camped at a beautiful spot right next to a river and with a wonderful view of the surrounding rocks and mountains (S 35°31.9714’ W 070°47.4839’).<br /> <br /> Day 5<br /> <br /> Descended the valley, met two French hikers who did the Condor Circuit and had a quick chat with them, passed Descabezado Grande and the Refugio at [45.5/1887] but didn’t meet Don Victor. We camped at the Water/Camp at [48.1/1837] - what a beautiful little oasis!<br /> <br /> Day 6<br /> <br /> Hiked past the Laguna del Caracol and originally wanted to reach the camp at [62.2/1999]. However on the ascent to the pass at [59.3/2518], Farah’s knee started to hurt and the pain got worse, so we decided to take some rest and camped in a small depression right next to a snow field roughly 100 hm below the pass. Despite the exposed location there was almost no wind and we got to enjoy a breathtaking view on the two Descabezados and the valley at their feet.<br /> <br /> Day 7<br /> <br /> Farahs knee got better, we ascended the remaining roughly 100 hm to the pass and from there descended to the water at [73.5/1014] We camped on the shore of the Rio Cipreses nearby.<br /> <br /> Day 8<br /> <br /> In the morning we woke up by the sound of people: Some local fishers from San Clemente walked past our tent, we wished them buenos días and had a friendly chat with them. Later that morning, they gifted us three freshly caught trouts which we happily ate right on spot.<br /> <br /> We then descended the remaining 6 km to the bus stop at {06-E} [0.5/862], where we wanted to catch an afternoon bus to Talca that we found on the bus services Facebook page. However, the bus didn’t come and we learned from the owner of the shop at {06-E} [0.5/856] that the buses only leave once a day at 7 am. He sold us Coca Cola, chips and chocolate bars and rented us a room (without private bathroom but access to his own bathroom) for 30.000 CLP and we spent the night there. The 7 am bus didn’t come either so we hitchhiked to a bus stop west of San Clemente and took a bus to Talca there.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2025-Dec-31 to 2025-Janv-6 / 5.6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + OH 3 (Descabezado) / Peggy &amp; Dorotà'''<br /> Magnificent, grandiose, and isolated section. Difficulty: dryness, sandy and volcanic rocky terrain, sometimes tiring. No water issues, but be sure to drink plenty.<br /> <br /> First part, each on our own. I (Peggy) started the GPT with this section from El Bolson. I chose to take an Uber to get to the entrance of the Siete Tazas park (30k CLP). I had bought the park ticket online beforehand but it wasn't the right one. I should have purchased a ticket specifically for the El Bolson trail. However, the park ranger was accommodating. On my driver's advice, I paid 7k CLP for the El Bolson camping to enter the park but didn't spend the night there. I was given a document that I had to hand over on my way down. I followed this advice for convenience, although maybe it wouldn't have been an issue if I had just explained where I was going?<br /> <br /> I didn't encounter Don Victor throughout the section, though I had sent him a message he didn't see.<br /> <br /> Upon arriving at Laguna de las Animas, I met Dorota, and we decided to do this section together.<br /> <br /> There was little snow, with a few rare snowfields that were easily passable or avoidable, except for a large section where it helped us cross a river. Indeed, after the Termas de Azufre, at the ford at kilometer 29.4, finding the river too strong in the morning, we followed the right bank of the river until we found snow covering the river. After leaving the dangerous start behind us, we crossed the snow where it was thick and could walk on it for a while before crossing to the other side.<br /> <br /> No problems with the other fords.<br /> <br /> A bit past the refuge at the foot of Descabezado Grande (km 45.5), there are good bivouac spots (S 35°35.7470’ W 070°49.5695’).<br /> <br /> We climbed Descabezado Grande from this refuge, starting early in the morning. We made a big mistake by forgetting to take water! It seems we both had a moment of &quot;temporary unconsciousness&quot;! We also thought we would find water from the snow higher up, which we did, but only in the form of snow. We managed to collect what we could by putting the snow in our bottles to melt a bit. There was also a bit of water flowing from a snowfield but only in the last part. So, make sure to think about water! Moreover, it’s better to sleep on the volcanic plateau to get closer to the summit, avoiding the 2000m elevation gain all at once (that was actually our initial plan…) with water! Especially later in the season when the snow has melted.<br /> <br /> The 2000m elevation gain with little water was difficult, especially moving from 3000m to 4000m with some altitude sickness. Nevertheless, it was a good learning experience for both of us. Once at the top, we could appreciate the magnificent view of the snowy crater of Descabezado and the surrounding scenery. The climb is not technical but can be long if started from the bottom and strenuous. But it’s definitely worth it!<br /> <br /> It took me (Peggy) two days to realize that by keeping my pants on, I no longer suffered from sand and stones in my high-top shoes! And yet, I wasn’t suffering from altitude-induced brain fog! ;)<br /> <br /> In summary, a magnificent, wild, grandiose, and isolated section. Perfect to start with!<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> '''2024-Dec-30 to 2025-Jan-5 / 6.5 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR + option 6 + option 3 (Descabezado) / Sean &amp; Neele'''<br /> <br /> Tldr: beautiful section! No problems with snow. Didn't meet Don Victor. Water at all waypoints plus more due to snow.<br /> <br /> Emailed Natali (natali.veloso@enel.com) to get authorisation to enter NOBO, theres a simple form to complete and return. took the bus from Talca to El Colorado to visit the cabinieros they signed and stamped the completed form Natali sent us. Hitched to Central Cipreces, wasn't too difficult, a worker dropped us off right at gate 78.9km. Security guard was very friendly and helpful he was happy with our authorisation and after filling in another form we were on our way.<br /> <br /> Went up to Volcan Los Hornitos took only 10 minutes to get to the crater rim from the pass. Well worth it.<br /> <br /> Camped near camp 62.2km<br /> <br /> Pass 59.3 a patch of snow on the south side but easy to walk around it to the east.<br /> <br /> We decided to do the option 6 loop to see laguna la turbia. Nice enough and easy, western side of the pass is pretty steep.<br /> <br /> Camped at 56.3km - lots of really nice camping around here we couldn't walk past it.<br /> <br /> At water camp 48.1km we went CC straight to camp without water 5.9km to avoid any right of way disputes and to climb dezcabezado grande in the morning. It worked, not sure if I'd recommend it. <br /> <br /> Plenty of snow for water at camp 5.9km we didn't even need to melt it, it was flowing.<br /> <br /> Descabezado (03) 9.4km was surprisingly simple. 4 hours to the crater rim from camp 5.9km, Another 30 minutes to go to the summit and back, hour and a half down. From around 3,700m to the crater rim routes 03 and 03A separate. We took 03A up and 03 down, 03 is much better I'd recommend it.<br /> <br /> Took option 3 to refuge 45.5km all good.<br /> <br /> Pass 33.8km snow mostly avoidable now. We camped up there snow for water.<br /> <br /> Pass 19.4km - small patch of snow easy to avoid <br /> <br /> Pass 15.4km - small patch of unavoidable snow but easy to cross.<br /> <br /> Camped at El Bolson - pretty busy on a Saturday.<br /> <br /> Short walk out to catch the bus to molina at 11<br /> <br /> No entel signal in parque ingles<br /> <br /> <br /> * ''' 2024-DEC-15 to 2024-DEC-21 / 7 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR, OH option 3, CC not on trail from [5.9/2542] to camp [48.1/1837] / Tamar &amp; Nimrod'''<br /> <br /> In short:<br /> A lot of water everywhere.<br /> A lot of snow as well, but we managed without spikes.<br /> The CC ascenting Descabezado is free of snow. The one ascenting Azul might be covered by snow but we didn't climb it.<br /> <br /> First day- We started from Molina on Sunday, and took the bus from the main station that departed at 9:30am (we think on other days of the week it leaves at 11:00am) to parque ingles. The ride took us about 1.5 hours, and costs 4000 clp. At parque ingles there was no phone signal anymore with entel sim card. We payed in advance online 8900 clp per person for entering the park and sleeping at El Bolson. When we arrived we had to pay another 7000 clp each. <br /> Started walking up to El Bolson at noon and got there at 17:00. A ranger on a motorcycle asked to see our ticket in the middle of the trail. <br /> <br /> 2nd- went towards Laguna Las animas. While Ascending to first pass [15.4/2257] there was a lot of snow but we managed to cross without spikes, though it was quite scarry.<br /> It was a long day because the descending from the second pass [19.4/2547] was harder and longer then expected, some parts felt dangerous so we climbed a little to cross at a place with vegetation Wich was less slipery. <br /> We slept at terms de azufres. Beautiful! Extraordinery! Needed time to find a good pool but it had a lot of algae so we didn't go in. There were many pools with different temperatures. <br /> <br /> 3rd- climbed to pass [33.8/2695] (El astadio) a lot of snow along the trail and patches of snow that had to be crossed very carefully, because if falling ment no coming back. The pass itself was completely covered withe snow field! There was some exhusting walk on the spiky snow but then we found foot prints of a horse and poop of sheep and followed it down the pass. Slept at a beautiful place aprox(-35.54190,-70.79507) with a stream from melted snow waterfall (don't know how long it will last). <br /> <br /> 4th day- went towards refugio. There were some cows but no people. Didn't find hot spring. Walked up to camp without water [5.9/2542]. Very good camp, no wind, but watch out from the glacier that looks like it's going to collapse. Drank water from snow we melted. <br /> <br /> 5th day- DESCABEZADO- woke up before sunrise to ascend. We thought there will be snow on the trail that will be easier to climb when frozen. It was not necessary because although there were snow fields along the way, the trail was snow free. <br /> It took us 6 hours to ascend and 3 hours to descend. The view was amazing! Seems that the trail on Azul has more snow on it. The inside of the mountain was covered with snow.<br /> We walked back to our camp and then walked to camp [48.1/1837], not on a trail, which was ok, and camped there.<br /> <br /> 6th day: we continued on RR and camped near Laguna De Los Hornos - approx. (-35.72217, -70.81903).<br /> Sandy and soft ground but quite windi.<br /> <br /> 7th day: hoped to get to El Medano at noon, but got there only by 18:00 :(.<br /> We ran out of food because we planned 6 days hike, so we stopped in the shop in Los Alamos. We bought canned tuna, cheese, and not very fresh bread.<br /> After paying we were invited to seat and eat in the families yard and given tons of fresh bread, cheese, and coke.<br /> We continued on RR. TL (81.2+1.8), and the start of MR (83.0+0.8) are gone because of a big flood (we were told there was a big flood 2 years ago) and it took us almost 2 frustrating hours to walk this trail.<br /> Finally we made it to the bridge, crossed it, and walked on the PR.<br /> A man in the entrance to El Medano arranged us a cabaña and we accepted it.<br /> We stayed 2 nights and continued to GPT07.<br /> The shop in El Medano is very basic and aiming tourist, and we regretted not buying more food in Los Alamos.<br /> We stayed in: cabañas y colaciones sra. Isabel ±56978397080- jose ±56975762613- Isabel.<br /> Very generous warm and friendly people. Helped us with laundry for free, acomidation for 50,000 clp for a night for 2 people and diner for 8,000 clp per person. Also took us to natural sauna and gave us cheap or free products which we couldn't find in the expensive and basic minimarket.<br /> <br /> * ''' 2024-DEC-17 to 2024-DEC-20 / 4 days / hiking / NOBO / RR+option GPT06-01e / Michal a Anna ​'''<br /> <br /> How to obtain the permit to enter the Hidroeléctrica Los Cipreses:<br /> 1. Contact Mrs. Natali Veloso Zuñiga from Enel (natali.veloso@enel.com) to obtain an authorization to visit. It is a simple form, she replied within a day.<br /> 2. With the authorization visit carabinieros at Reten La Mina or El Colorado and obtain permit to enter Los Cipreses. It is a multi-page document summarizing your trip.<br /> 3. Now you can enter and begin your hike NOBO. :)<br /> <br /> Day1: When we came to the Enel gate [78.9/865] we realised that we have to obtain yet another permit from Carabineros at Reten La Mina (as described above). Getting to Reten and back took us 2 hours but Carabinieros were friendly and helpful and there wasn’t any problem with getting the permit. After that we build our first camp at Laguna de Los Hornos [aprox 64.8].<br /> <br /> Day 2: Pass [59.3/2518] (Hornitos) wasn’t fully under show but we used our microspikes to climb two snowfields more easily, but would be definitly ok without them. Then the out-of-this-world beauty began.<br /> <br /> Day 3: We didn’t meet Don Víctor at Refugio [45.5/1887] or around. Just a few cows. Pass [33.8/2695] (El Estadio) was almost completely under snow, microspikes very useful and made our progress faster. When descending from pass there was a lot of melting snow. At [S 35°31.4964', W 070°44.8531'/2427] where the RR goes on the east side of the valley there was a big snow bridge across creek/waterfall which we consider unsafe to step on. We couldn’t find a safe alternative way (only a combination of short downclimb, ford in steep creek and crumbly longer upclimb), so we decided to turn and came back to X [36.7/2423] where we spent night.<br /> <br /> Day 4: We took a variant [GPT06-01e (Laguna Manatial Pelado)] and without a problem descended to Park Inglesé. At [35°28.61331'S, 70°59.63836'W] is a gate where we were informed that we are on private property. Semi friendly guy opened the gate after a while and some negotiations.<br /> <br /> Generally the trail was ok, but it pays off to be very careful this time of year because of the melting snow and rivers flowing under it creating many snow bridges. It may turn you back. Anyways this section is one of the most beautiful places we have ever been to, we were left speachless many times!<br /> <br /> * ''' 2024-DEC-09 &gt; 10 / 1,5 jours / Randonnée / SOBO / Variante Volcan Colorado(voir GPT05)&gt;RR / Pierre-Marie ​​'''<br /> <br /> Etape : GPT04+GPT05+GPT06<br /> | Meteo : soleil<br /> | Eau : facile<br /> | Neige : beaucoup<br /> | Intérêt : 5/5<br /> | Difficulté : 3/5<br /> | Danger : attaque d'oiseaux<br /> <br /> Des Cairns indiquent souvent la route. Beaucoup de poussière sur cette etape.<br /> J'ai subit 1 attaques d'oiseaux apres le lac Caracol sur la partie herbeuse, puis 1 autre le long du lac Hornitos. J'ai marché sur les parties sableuse et degagées pour ne pas ecraser de nids. Apres le volcan Hornitos, la descente est monotone et sans interet.<br /> DEC-11&gt;12 : Repos Talca. A-R bus.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-DEC-05 to 2024-DEC-07 / 2,5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + OH (var. C) / Ivan, Jakub, Daniel'''<br /> <br /> We combined sections 5 and 6.<br /> <br /> We joined section 6 at the hot springs [27.4/1986]. Most tributaries of the river carrying water from the hot springs are too hot for bathing, but one of them has a reasonable temperature. It’s slightly overgrown and more lukewarm than hot, but fine for washing.<br /> <br /> The fords on the Estero El Volcán river [29.4/2190 and 32.5/2565] were both covered by snow, so we didn’t need to ford. Generally, there is still quite a lot of snow, and the area around the pass is almost entirely covered. However, with good equipment (appropriate clothing, microspikes, sunglasses...), it’s not difficult to cross.<br /> <br /> There is plenty of water everywhere due to the melting snow.<br /> <br /> The water at [44.6/1884] is currently a fairly strong flow. We eventually found a spot where we could hop across dry-footed, but it took some time to find. We were there in the morning; by the afternoon, the water level would likely be higher and will by necessery to ford.<br /> <br /> We didn’t meet Don Victor. However, we met another group of hikers near the refugio.<br /> <br /> The climb to the pass [59.3/2518] (Hornitos) from Laguna del Caracol is almost snow-free, except for a few small patches. On the other hand, the southern slope is still covered by a significant layer of snow. Regardless of the trackfiles, we descended in a way that avoided difficult snow patches. Our route was very close to variant C, and it was fine.<br /> <br /> Around km 68, we left the trail and went cross-country directly south, looking for a good campsite. We eventually found one at -35.7569975, -70.7919536, with a nice flat spot and access to water.<br /> <br /> The shop in Los Alamos, marked as a resupply point, is open. It’s very small, but we managed to buy supplies for the next two days. Don’t worry if it seems hidden in someone’s garden—it’s there!<br /> <br /> On the road on the opposite bank (Variant E), there are several small shops where it might also be possible to resupply. There’s also a nice restaurant, Cordillera, where we celebrated the end of the stage.<br /> <br /> <br /> (2024/Nov/26 -2024/Nov/30)/4 Days/ Hiking/ SOBO/ Entry Variation from 05, RR form Banos del Blanquillo/ Lukas, Basil &amp;Tabea<br /> <br /> The national Park was still closed and entry was not possible so we chose a different entry point over lago frio (La Ruca). The expedition guide from the touring company offert to drop us off at this alternative entry point for 15$ p.p. After 10km on good trials we arrived on variation 05, which we followed until the main route. The route was duable, no critical river crossings or hard snow fields. the mountain pass horintos still had snow on the south side, nobo crossing not advisable. Exit at los zypresses.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> <br /> * '''2024-04-03 to 2024-04-05 // 2,5 days // Hiking // NOBO // RR // Quentin Clavel (GPT6)'''<br /> <br /> What an amazing section ! <br /> <br /> I was lucky enough to have all the volcanoes and mountains covered by snow as it was heavy rainy just before I begun this section ! <br /> <br /> The result is blowminding landscapes, but struggle near the pass, to deal with the mix of snow and soft volcanic ground aha. <br /> <br /> I started from El medano, where the shop and most of the cabanas were closed (there's few options to sleep here, cabanas and camping too, but as it was the end of the season, everything was closed). I was lucky enough to found a nice habitant that purpose me to stay at his house for the night for 20K CLP and saved me from a big storm and heavy rain.<br /> <br /> I took the option F then E (basically the road from El Medano to the central hydrauelectruca) because I needed to resupply as the shop in El medano was closed. I found my happiness in La Mina where there's two basics shops (pasta, tomato sauce, biscuits, chips... (but no bread, or fresh products like fruits, cheese, ham ...). Here there's possibility to sleep on cabanas as well. There's a hotel/restaurant just one kilometer before La Mina, but no-one was there. <br /> <br /> I arrived at the gate of the central, knowing that it will be hard without authorisation. I've sent an email to Rene gaillardo as mentioned on the hiker's manual, but no answer. So I dealt with the security guards at the entrance.<br /> <br /> After long negociations the best option (and fastest one to let me pass this day) was to have a writing authorisation to pass from the carabineros. I've been driven to the carabineros by the security guard, and then have hard negotiations again. They finally wrote a paper where I had to explain my expedition and give lot of informations. And they asked me to go on a police station when I finished the section for let them know that I'm still alive aha. <br /> <br /> Anyway, this allowed me to pass. <br /> <br /> But if you're going NOBO and don't want to struggle like that, don't contact Rene Gallardo, he's not working at the Central anymore, the key contact is now Natali Veloso, that you can contact on that mail address : Natali.veloso@enel.com<br /> <br /> Then you hike threw the central on a boring gravel, and arrive to the junction where you find lovely volcanic ground and going up up up to the pass of Los Hornitos. From there it's just landscapes from an other planet, with a very easy to follow path, but not in an easy ground as it's quite sandy. <br /> <br /> Views on Laguna del Caracol was amazing ! As the whole circuito condor on RR ! One of the best section of my GPT so far, alone in the world in this absolute incredible landscape ... Blowminding ! <br /> <br /> I continued threw the pass El estadio PK 33,8, here the snow was very present and the path harder to follow. I continued to the amazing spring del Azufres, very nice landscape to have a hot bath and quite big vapores, nice break during the day ! <br /> <br /> The crossing over Estero El Volcan (X2) was quite demanding and I had to figure it out and check during long times for the best way to cross. Then I took the variant H to linked the GPT 6 to GPT 5. <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Mar-08 to 2024-Mar-16 / 8.5 days / Hiking / Descabezado Circuit / Control Fronterizo Laguna del Maule - Los Cipreses/ Option 02 + RR + Descabezado Chico / Alex &amp; Christophe '''<br /> <br /> This 170km loop was our last section after 3 months on the GPT. It has been one of the most hard, exhausting, and technical section but also one of the most remote, wild, and magnificient we did. We didn't see any humans during 8 days. The extrem wind and cold temperatures, the infinite CC in open areas, the white landscapes without any shadow, and the D+ in soft sand were constantly forgotten thanks to the lunar landscapes. Here are some added informations for the GPT06-02 to the ones given by Natalie &amp; Tomáš. <br /> <br /> Day 1 : We took the bus at 7:30 from Talca to Armerillo. Then we hitchhiked to the beginning of GPT06-02 and began at 11am. After the first pass (-35.94909, -70.45347), we followed the track but going down thru the landslide seems to be a better option. We slept next to the river where there was a good wind shelter (more or less) at (-35.934832, -70.459308). That's a good spot to have the sun early in the morning, which was appreciated since it was -4°C during the night.<br /> Day 2 : The second path (-35.652, -70.43356) was pretty steep and unstable in the last meters but easily doable. The puesto seemed to be unoccupied. There was water every 1 or 2 hours. Then we took the {06-02F} as it looked to avoid swamps and we slept next to the river at (-35.827017, -70.399535) to have the sun as long as possible and to have it early in the morning.<br /> Day 3 : After the pass at (-35.785707, -70.403584), the landscape changed drastically! We took the {06-02E} to avoid the swamps of the other side. It worked but we had to cross the rio san Francisco. Small ford, but not jumpable. We stopped at (-35.693111, -70.427244). There was a clear source and a blue lagoon to take a quick bath. We had wind all night long, maybe there's a better place next to the lagoon. <br /> Day 4: It must be possible to find a camp spot around (-35.667931, -70.422663). After that point, it begins to climb and there's no more flat place. We took the {06-02D} and it was a good option out of the elevation and the crazy wind. When we arrived at the snow limit, we went 20m down to find a good way in the snow. Then we had to run in the flowing sand to the rocks and had to clamber the last meters between two wind gusts throwing us sand in the eyes. It was pretty scary because of the wind conditions but doable. Finally on the plateau, we had to manage with winds at 80km/h and sandstorms. I would definitely not pass in case of bad weather or with stronger wind. We took a break at (-35.613055, -70.423114), first water since the pass. Then we followed the GPX track but the OSM offers to take the westside of the river and it looked to be better as we had to go up and down in the sand many times. Finally after this exhausting day, we found a camp spot with a kind of wind protection at (-35.560315, -70.441588).<br /> Day 5: After a long morning with a NW crazy constant cold wind, we stopped at the hot springs. We tried many places but never found a source warmer than 30°C. After a quick bath, we filled our water bladder at the last point mentioned by Tomas &amp; Natalie (-35.48544, -70.5994) to go to sleep to the pass. There was still a ton of snow next to the pass but didn't see melting snow on the way. There are different camp possibilities with a stunning view in the last 600m before the pass but we slept at (-35.494194, -70.622529) to climb the Descabezado Chico the next day. Ok wind shelter.<br /> Day 6 : We woke up at 6am to go to Descabezado Chico before the sunrise. We crossed a melting snow river at (-35.49828, -70.621259). Even if the last part is steep rocky and sandy, the climb is easy. We reached the summit in 1h20 and had one of the best sunrises of our lives ! There are some places to be sheltered from the freezing wind and enjoy the view. Back to the pass, we followed more or less the track because there was still a lot of snow and some ways didn't look to be the best to follow. Next to Lago de la Mollera (-35.49782, -70.635864), we went down to the lake because we didn't see how to avoid a snow wall and because it was looking to be a nice path to go down (breaking news : no)... We managed to go up a little bit further (-35.501361, -70.641377). When we arrived below Cerro Colorado, we took water in a blue lagoon and we hiked the crest on the left side to avoid deep sand (-35.524775, -70.661721). Then we stayed on the left side of the Cerro Colorado to go down (-35.525073, -70.670594) until the river. That was a quick and good choice. Finally we managed a flat and more or less wind sheltered camp at (-35.55463, -70.708441).<br /> Day 7: There was still a ton of snow at the pass and made our own track in the snow slope a little bit upper than the GPS track to cross more safely. We wanted to follow the high route described by Natalie &amp; Tomás to avoid Don Víctor but as we saw how much snow there still was, how already tired we were (but not as much as our shoes) we decided to take the RR to go south. When we watched the high route from the RR, there was still a lot of snow patches. We finally stopped at Water, Camp [48.1/1837]. Not the best idea because it becomes a freezing hole during the night.<br /> Day 8-9: We followed the RR, nothing more to add to other posts except that we never met Don Victor !<br /> <br /> * '''2024-02-29 to 2024-03-07 / 7.5 days / Descabezado Circuit - Laguna del Maule to Los Cipreses / option 02, off-trail variant, 03, RR + Descabezado Grande and chico / Marilyne (+Fangwen and Tobi for first 3 days)'''<br /> <br /> First section on the GPT and I found it amazing! I won’t repeat anything that Tobi and Fangwen have mentioned below that also applies to my trip.<br /> On day 5, I used the variant suggested by Natalie&amp;Tomas that avoids Refugio Blanquillo and Don Victor. I had met with 3 park rangers earlier in the day who questioned me about my plans and asked if I was planning to go to Refugio blanquillo. When I assured them that I would not they went on their way. I watched them and their 6 horses run over a steep patch of snow and it gave me the confidence to cross it too, otherwise I may have tried to find a different route as a fall there would have been highly consequential.<br /> <br /> Had to cross many patches of snow on Natalie &amp; Tomas alternate route and it includes a stream crossing that could be very dangerous in the wrong season as it is above a waterfall.<br /> <br /> I climbed Descabezado Chico on day 4 and Descabezado Grande using route 3 on day 6. The Grande climb took 6+ hours and I didn’t have any desire to keep fighting scree fields after so I skipped Azul. At the end of that day all my stuff and me were very dusty from that climb.<br /> On day 8 I exited at the hydroelectric station Los Cipreses. A security guard that saw me running down the road to catch the bus offered me a ride to the main gate and we had a pleasant chat. Caught the 3:30pm bus to Talca around 4pm. They seem to start late from Medano.<br /> Very sunny section, I used a small solar panel on my backpack and ended up the section with all my electronics fully charged. <br /> <br /> * 2024-02-29 to 2024-03-08: Fangwen and Tobi (+ parts together with Marilyne) / 8.5 days Descabezado Circuit variant, Laguna del Maule to Vilches (option 02 -- variant 02D -- RR -- option 05)<br /> <br /> What a fantastic trip! Two experienced GPT teams had independently recommended this circuit to us, and both described it as their favorite experience on the GPT. Natalie&amp;Tomas have an extensive trip report below. I don't have a trip report from Markus&amp;Jenni, who hiked this circuit in 2019, but they provided us with very useful waypoints. If you are interested, message us ([[Special:Emailuser/Tobfang]]) and I'll ask if I can share this data.<br /> <br /> It is advisable to start this trip from Laguna del Maule. This way, you can easily lengthen the trip (by climbing the three volcanos) or shorten it (by exiting in Parque Ingles) towards the end of the trip. Also, you start at 2000m, which is a nice in the summer heat. It took us 8.5 days; we had food for 10 days and intended to climb some volcanoes, but when we got there it was quite windy, so we simply went straight to Vilches.<br /> <br /> This hike is definitely off the beaten path: the arriero Christian at S 35° 50.549', W 070° 24.114' said that we were the first hikers this season (in March!). He was very friendly and shared a delicious melon with us.<br /> Our favorite places were a beautiful valley with white sand, and a refreshing Laguna at S 35° 41.643', W 070° 25.651' and the Laguna Aquas Calientes at S 35° 30.441', W 070° 31.990'. The latter is not actually a hot lake, but there are several small streams of warm water. We camped right at S 35° 30.129', W 070° 31.514', right next to a really nice hot pool.<br /> <br /> Things to watch out for: although water was generally abundant, there are some spots where water is a bit more sparse (especially late in the season) and you might have to carry for up to one day. See Natalie's trip report for details. Additionally, earlier in the season there might be snow fields. The winter in 2023 had a crazy amount of snow, so even though we went in March we had a lot of water from snow melt and the two passes at 02D (S 35° 39.116', W 070° 26.016') and S 35° 33.137', W 070° 44.275' had steep snow fields. It was a bit sketchy, but okay. For the first pass, there are other options up, which may open up earlier. For the second pass, Option 2B traverses a lower pass (we didn't go there). A lot of hiking is on cross country, much of it on sand or gravel of different firmness. Sometimes you sink in, sometimes not. Flat or downhill travel is generally efficient, uphill is slow. Bring (mini)-gaiters, not just because of sand but also spikey plants. Also, sun protection is crucial, you won't have any tree for a week.<br /> <br /> Logistics: Interbus (call them on WhatsApp: +56 9 9886 5872) runs a bus Mon-Fri from Talca to Medano (which is a bit further than la Mina). As of March 2024, this bus left at 12:30 and 19:00, returning to Talca from Médano at 7:20 and 15:30. From Médano hitchhike to the border checkpoint. It's not super easy, and you might only get as far as the furthest mine, roughly 5km before the border checkpoint. Alternatively, use a ride sharing app to go to the border checkpoint. We were able to get via multiple rides all the way to the border checkpoint, but it took some time (we arrived at 5.30pm). If you want to check out Laguna del Maule, tell the border guard that you're not crossing into Argentina, and they will let you pass. But the border checkpoint is closed at night (between 6pm and 9am?) and you're not supposed to cross it then. We quickly went to the lake and back before it closed.<br /> Vilches Alto has a daily bus service to Talca at 12:30 and 16:00.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb- 22 to 2024-Feb-27/ 6days/hiking/SOBO/06/RR + volcano Decabezado/Paulina'''<br /> <br /> Amasing section!<br /> <br /> Day 1 <br /> I took a bus from Talca to Molina ( a lot of buses per day, still in February and later to Parque Ingles ( several buses per day in the season, most of them till 12 pm). <br /> As it was a rainy day, my plan was to walk only to El Bolson. I did not have the entrance because I could not pay on the website with my card. I told to the Rangers that I would like to go to Los Cipreses, they where like I need the permition of the landowner to do it. I just ignored it. At first they were saying that it would not be possible to camp on El Bolson the next 2 days. But I waited about one hour, reasked several times, and finally one of the Rangers went with me to the place where you can buy ticket for camping El Bolson ( 7000 CHP), also they told me that I did not need to buy the park entrance. <br /> The El Bolson camping is just huge, I don't understand all the mess with the acces. When I came up, the guy from the camping just took my name and passport number, but did not ask to show the camping payment confirmation, or park payment. <br /> <br /> Day 2 ( El Bolson- Termas de Azufre)<br /> The trail was visible all the time. At this time of the season, no snow on the pass. Termas de Azufre are amasing, so it's good to come there not very late to enjoy them. Just next to the river, there are a few spots for tents.<br /> This day I also met one chilean couple doing curcuito condor, and at Termas a chilean family with kids on horses with an arriero. <br /> The famous owner of the land did not show up this day and the next days. <br /> <br /> Day 3. To refugio Blanquillo<br /> At first there are a lot of animal trails, so you need to check with gps which one is a good one. <br /> The ford on the river on the way to the pass was short but kind of difficult ( almost to the waist, I'm 1,69 cm, strong current). It's because of a heavy 2 days rain two day before. Later I met people doing curcuito condor from the other side and they told me that the rangers did not want to let them do the trail because of this river high level. But I think that after some.more days of a dray weather it's not a difficult ford.The rest of the trail was easy to follow with beautiful views.<br /> At refugio, I met one couple doing curcuito condor and two chilean couple who came to climb Volvano Decapezado. Very nice meeting.<br /> The refugio was already closed. The hot spring was not really hot.<br /> <br /> Day 4<br /> Together with chilean hikers, we climbed Decapezado Grande. It's a long hiking day, but it's really worth to do it. The way down is easy and very fast. <br /> <br /> Day 5 to Laguna de los Hornos<br /> <br /> About 20 min. from the refugio, there are a lot of different animal paths ,so you will need to consult a gps to see which one is a GPT one.<br /> The views around Laguna Caracol are amasing, I think it was my favourite part on this section of an extreme beauty. No navigation difficulties on the trail. Indeed,laguna de los Hornos is in a big part dried. <br /> <br /> Day 6 till La Mina<br /> <br /> I agree that it's really worth to climb the volcano<br /> Los Hornitos. It's a very short way up.The rest of the trail is at first a descend in a deep sand ( so you can go very fast) and than a walk on a gravel road ( I found the valley very nice, I was amased how fast the landscape changes). I got a ride about 2 km from Los Cipreses, very nice people, they took me to the shop in los Alamos , but as the owner was not there they took me to a shop in La Mina ( 500 m before the restaurant La Cordillera). You can find there several little shops, if you go around you can complete the resupply for the next section ( mostly pasta, tuna, tomato souce, ramen, eggs, instant souls). No camping gas.<br /> I camped in a little, very nice camping/ garden with a grape shade in a restaurant La Cordillera place ( 3000 ChP), they have also cabanas but I don't know the price. A really nice place to stay and chill, you can eat all the fruits in the garden. The lady from the restaurant was very nice, they serve nice,food, not expensive ( I paid 18000 for camping, breakfast, big dinner, juice, and a good portion of pisco sour).<br /> <br /> For the next section, it's kind of easy to hitch-hike ( there are a lot of local workers on the road) to the beginning of the trail. <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-13 to 2024-Feb-18 / 5.5 days / SOBO / RR / Gabriele - Trails of Wander'''<br /> <br /> Day 1 - Parque Ingles - Laguna Las Animas. Hernandez bus from Molina to Parque Ingles 8:10 am. I had park entry and camp permit for El Bolson that I bought on-line. I indicated to the Guardiaparque my 6 days itinerary RR to Los Cipreses, no issues but had been told several areas are private land. Met only one hiker after El Bolson (See note below).<br /> <br /> Day 2 - Laguna Las Animas - Termas de Azufres. <br /> <br /> Day 3 - Termas de Azufres - Camp along Rio Blanquillo near Vegas Manantial Pelado RR + small section of OH-Tl-V 06-01. I did not ford Estero El Volcán at Ford 06 [29.4/2190] as with the high snow/water year I felt it was unsafe or risky at best and made little sense to try at that spot. I continued CC on the right bank of Estero El Volcán for about 300-400 m to reach the snow field where I crossed safely without even touching water at all. The CC section had only a handful of spots requiring short scrambles, but no issues. For reference, I crossed the snowfield to reach RR at -35.31196, -70.44898. Given the current water level condition I think this is an easier and safer option.<br /> Originally intended to camp at Laguna Manantial Pelado for the night but the valley below looked great with all surrounding peaks so I camped there.<br /> <br /> Day 4 - Camp near Vegas Manantial Pelado - Camp South of Laguna Caracol (Camp 06 56.3/2034). Based on the conversation I had two days earlier with a Chilean hiker who was doing the Circuito Condor regarding Don Victor the dueno/owner of the land traversed on day 4, including Descabezado Grande, I decided to avoid encountering Don Victor if at all possible. I did not follow the RR directly to the refuge Blanquillo at 45.5/1887 but kept away from it and walked CC to reach RR further South where it climbs up. I did not meet him and cannot say if he was at the refuge, which I only saw from the distance. After reading and listening to multiple reports regarding the situation with Don Victor land ownership it seems to me that the best approach is to avoid or minimize contact with him if possible, in order to reduce escalation of further problems for future hikers, in particular Chileans hikers who appear to really have very hard time gaining approval from him to simply traverse his land.<br /> <br /> Day 5 - Camp South of Laguna Caracol - Laguna de los Hornos.<br /> <br /> Day 6 - Laguna de los Hornos - Los Cipreses. I reached Los Cipreses at about 1 pm on Sunday. The guard at the gate of the Hydroelectrico Los Cipreses told me there are no buses down to Talca on Sunday. I hitchhiked on 115 and got a ride to Talca fairly quickly.<br /> <br /> Water was plentiful for the entire route. Limited snowfields traverse with no issues. 100% full sun exposure all day after El Bolson. Windy at higher elevations. Harsh and dry environment with a lot of sand and dust. Lots of steep climbing in sand. Overall easy orientation and easy trails to follow but GPS track needed. Magnificent hike. <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-08 to 2024-Feb-14 / 5.5 days / SOBO / RR 01c 01e 03 03a/ Matthias de Austria'''<br /> <br /> Bus from Curicó to Molina at 9am, immediate connecting bus to Parque Inglés. Buy a ticket online for the national park (8500 for foreigners, 100% surcharge! If the international debit card selection doesn't work, just try the national one, my card only worked there). You can also add the authorisation for El Bolsón online, but you have to pay for it in cash at a ticket office in Parque Inglés. 80 people per day are allowed for Bolsón, everything is sold out at lunchtime. Night in Parque Ingles at Hostal Valverde 40k for one person in a 4 bed room (solo use) with own toilet and washbasin but shared shower, towel costs extra, quiet, next to river for bathing (lots of local families though).<br /> <br /> At 8am next day, a Wednesday, there are around 50-60 people at the ticket office for Bolsón. I went to the locked gate at the start of the RR and quickly climb over it hoping noone saw me, as I'm not planning to stay in Bolsón anyway. Better not to mention that to the rangers. Also, only gas cookers are allowed. After about an hour, I'm just a little way off by a stream when a ranger rides past on a motorbike. I don't know if he saw me, maybe he thought I was coming back from Bolsón. So if you hear a motorbike, it's might best to change direction shortly and head towards Parque Inglés, or even better, start much earlier in the morning. <br /> <br /> I bypass Bolsón heading south at 01A, shortly after the bridge at -35.4973,-70.9052 is a large private area, no trespassing sign. I don't want to set a bad example for the numerous day trippers around and take a path along the stream (southern side) to the waterfall. Once out of sight of people and Bolsón, I briefly climb up the steep slope and CC to option 1. Water shortly before start of 01c. Next water at -35.5226,-70.8653, even with a small pool.<br /> <br /> Don Victor is the large landowner in the area. His hut is, as far as I understood, the refuge Blanquillo at 45.5/1887. Hikers used to be welcome on his land, but after they left a lot of rubbish behind and invaded his hut, he no longer allows them and sends them back. However, he (sometimes?) makes exceptions for foreigners. You could ask him for permission via whatsapp, but he was so flooded with requests that he can no longer be contacted during the season. I just took a chance and went to his land. A rider around 37.1/2382 asked me what I was doing here, I asked him if he was Don Victor, to which he replied in the affirmative. I then introduced myself, said what my destination was, where I came from and that I am aware of the problem of dirty hikers, but that I am very careful with nature. He then allowed me to continue. I met him twice more in the following days, at Blanquillo 45.5/1887 and at Water 48.1/1837, and he reminded me not to throw away any rubbish.<br /> <br /> At the refuge I met a Chilean-German couple camping, they came from Los Cipreses and didn't know that it was forbidden to enter this land, but Don Victor allowed them to stay after they argued with German cleanliness (I guess he had never been hiking in the Alps before the regular cleaning teams cleaned everything, otherwise his trust in the Europeans would probably not be so great).<br /> <br /> Fordings: All very easy, path at Laguna del Caracol is no longer under water. No snowfields to cross. The water level of the lagunas (except Manantial Pelado) is dropping rapidly, I estimate about 10 to 15cm per day.<br /> <br /> Water: Plenty, except for hiking up Descabezado. Bring as much as possible from Blanquillo.<br /> <br /> Summit day Descabezado: Very strong, cold winds all day. A good windbreaker, hat and gloves are essential. Only cloudy day since I've been in Chile, 20 minutes after I left the summit it cleared up. Extremely strenuous ascent on very loose gravel, almost every step sinks in deeply and slips (I weigh 100kg), takes 6 hours from base camp to the summit, even on the easier route. Descent effortless, under 2h.<br /> <br /> Camps:<br /> Day 1: Laguna Manantial Pelado <br /> Day 2: Basecamp -35.5978,-70.7957 (I widened it, smoothed it out, deepened it and extended the stone wall. Nevertheless, the winds up there can be massive, you have to brace the tent well.)<br /> Day 3: Next to the not existing anymore hot springs at 45.6<br /> Day 4: Laguna la Turbia<br /> Day 5&amp;6: Laguna des los Hornitos (rest day, just beeing naked all day swimming and lying around in the sun)<br /> Hornitos and Turbia were nice for swimming, the others really cold.<br /> <br /> No problems at Los Ciprese, friendly guard spoke good english, gave me water and wifi.<br /> Bus to Talca (3500 peso) at main street came around 15:50-16:00.<br /> <br /> Absolutely incredible landscape. I'm here for dream routes like this. Perhaps the best hiking week of my life. GPT01-04 was nice, but GPT06 is in a completely different league. I loved it and I deeply miss this kind of remoteness in central europe.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-feb-2 to 2024-feb-6 / 5 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR / Juliet and Martin '''<br /> <br /> Day 1 parque ingles - Lagunas las animas<br /> 18km d+1200 d-100<br /> Departure at 6:30 a.m. to pass the conaf. No worries <br /> First part to el bolson. At el bolson we can refuel with water. The campsite attendant asked us for our conaf ticket. After explaining to him that we were going to laguna animas, he let us pass without any trouble. Continuation to laguna animales without shade but no snow. Bivouac spot on the beach but no shade, or to the west on meadows to pitch your tent, but used by a herd of horses. <br /> The trail is generally easy to follow as it is marked by stone markers.<br /> <br /> Day 2 laguna las animas - Therma de azufre<br /> 11km D+400 D-700<br /> Shade-free day. Lots of trails in the sand. <br /> We didn't manage to find a good bivouac spot (mainly because of the heat coming from the ground). <br /> Water spots regularly, especially early in the day. <br /> <br /> Day 3 Therma de azufre - El banquillo refuge <br /> 20km D+ 900 D- 900<br /> The indicated crossing point was not crossable for us in our opinion (no experience in river crossings), so we decided to walk along the river bank in the rocks for several km. We crossed the river higher than indicated thanks to the snow. <br /> Water spot regularly as several rivers crossed. <br /> Arriving at el banquillo, we were disappointed not to meet Umberto. Very good bivouac spot with several pitches already made. <br /> <br /> Day 4 El banquillo refuge - laguna de los hornitos <br /> 20km D+ 900 D- 900<br /> Most of the climb is up to the pass after the laguna. Quite a physical climb in the sand. But we did it in about 1h30. The rest of the day was pretty much the same. <br /> Regular water stops too. <br /> No problem following the trail. <br /> A little extra for a new encounter with a herd of horses. <br /> Bivouac spot around the lake. Nice possibility before descending to the lake (indicated waypoint camp).<br /> <br /> Day 5 laguna de los hornitos - los alamos<br /> All downhill to los cipreses. The first part is in sand, so it's a quick descent. Once on the road, we were often overtaken by cars. No one asked us for a permit (or offered to hitchhike). <br /> We passed guards at the exit/entrance to the power station, who offered us water and no problem getting through. <br /> In los alamos, a small store selling a few products such as pasta, ice cream, batteries, etc. It's run by a lady and her husband. They also sell beds for sleeping. They're very welcoming<br /> <br /> Buses to Talca at 7.30am and 3.30pm. Not many cars passing through. We didn't get picked up hitchhiking. <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-27 to 2024-Jan-30) / 3.5 Days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + OH 01+03+06/ Joscha'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: RR [0-10,1] + OH06-01A + OH06-01[10,7-25,1] + RR [36,9-44,6]<br /> <br /> A few small streams at OH-01 and one bigger one near Laguna Manantial Pelado (ankle high ford). A few snow patches above 2300 m, but you can easily walk over or around them. Water is flowing at all the marked locations.<br /> <br /> Day 2: RR [44,6-45,8] + to Descabezado and back on OH06-03 and OH06-03A + RR [45,8-55,7]<br /> <br /> River at 44,8 was a little over ankle high ford in the morning. The climb up to Descabezado has a lot of steep gravel slopes, which makes it tiresome. Water is flowing at all the marked locations.<br /> <br /> Day 3: RR [55,7-58,3] + to Los Quillayes and back on OH06-06 and OH06-06A + RR [58,3-59,6] + OH06-C + RR [62-69]<br /> <br /> OH06-06A is a steep gravel climb, but worth it. Really nice view from Los Quillayes (but similar to the view from Pass Hornitos. Pass Hornitos has some bigger snowfields on the southern side, but its easy to walk around them. OH06-C was pretty steep at the end, so maybe the RR is more convenient. Little above ankle high Ford north of Laguna de los Hornos in the afternoon.<br /> <br /> Day 4: RR [69-80] + OH06-E + OH06-F<br /> <br /> Small Shop (I bought some Pasta) and Restaurant in Los Alamos. I tried to continue on the RR from Los Alamos to El Medina. But at 81,3 km the trail vanished and I wasn't able to continue. Therefore I walked back and walked on the paved road OH E+F to El Medano. Camping + Thermas in El Medano costs 7000 Pesos. There is a small shop, but it is very expensive (e.g. 1 Ramen Cup costs 2000 Pesos).<br /> <br /> GPT06 has some really spectacular views. Especially Pass Hornitos and Volcan Descabezado. There is no shade, so the sun is gonna burn you all day. This + the sand/gravel is demanding for your body and your equipment. <br /> <br /> * '''Jan-26-2024 to Jan-30-2024 / 4.5 days / SOBO / Oh5, Oh 3, RR / Matthieu'''<br /> <br /> Amazing section, from the entrance in Vilches to the end in los cipreses. Sand and lack of shadow are the main difficulties. <br /> <br /> Right of way : that was my first fear. Concerning guardia parques : en parque ingles, they say that they cannot let officially hikers go to the volcan, as duenos asked (OH1 passes by 4 differents private properties). But if you have a message by don victor it's ok. So no need for discussion there just take a ticket to el bolson and no more words. El bolson was closed for a few days for maintenance, so i just got out of parque ingles. At Alto de Lircay, guardiaparque told me that it was my responsability to enter don Victor's property without his permission. You can legally turn back into the park (or coming from parque ingles) paying for another day at the end, at the entrance, if you want to come back by altos de Lircay after the volcan. <br /> - Don Victor : I had the chance to meet him near the valle del venado, on a horse. I asked for permission to enter his lands and continue south, that he offered me easily with promess to not let garbage in the zone. I was glad to meet him out of his lands, I don't know how he would react into. He especially asked to guardaparques to say to hikers that it was not permitted to go on his lands because it's always full of trash, and he has to clean it up all the time. He told me that foreigners were more respectfull than locals though. His phone is off all season because it became a public number, and he has to many calls to enter the volcan. So if you want permission better send a message before season. To note, his lands go at least to the laguna caracole, don't know after.<br /> I saw another chilean hiker walking up the volcan, didn't seem to be a problem for him. <br /> <br /> Water : often present on RR, in the lagunas or the oasis. A good stream just before the top of the volcan to. No need to carry kgs of it. <br /> No water at the volcan basecamp though, so I carried it from the puesto. <br /> <br /> Snow : From now on, no snow issues from the entrance in Vilches to the end at los cipreses, so no need for crampons (with entrance by option 5, I don't know for the entrance by RR). Few patches you can easily bypass before and after the third pass 59km. <br /> No patches on the way to the top of volcan. <br /> <br /> River crosses (1.78m) : only once Rio blancillo, at the first Ford (water to knees). Then I stayed on the right side of the river until the end. I had to walk inside for 1 minute, water to hips, but no current so it was easy. I bypassed the two other crosses this way. <br /> <br /> Camp : valle venado (conaf), really friendly worker there. - Basecamp Volcan : beware, I made the mistake to not plant my tent well with heavy rocks, and the pikes in the sand are no use... so when I came back from the volcan it was upside down with strong wind... a whole adventure to pack everything ! - Oasis at water 48km. - Around 70 kms, some nice camping spots near the river at the right side of the road. <br /> <br /> Volcan : up to the top by option 3, then down by variant 3A. Taking the variant directly seems like hell, lot of sand. More rocks on regular option 3. Physically demanding, but no other particular difficulties.<br /> <br /> Proposition of new option : as the right of way may evolve badly in the future, I suggest a new option road from el camping valle venado to tricehue, following the rio claro. I asked to the guardaparque at the campsite, he said that there are people doing it usually. This year the river is to strong though, so maybe in march or next year. <br /> <br /> Buses at the end : the lign is from talca to el medano, a stop at the exit of los alamos on the road. From el medano : buses 7h30 and 15h30, monday to Friday (dont know for week ends).<br /> From talca : 12h30 and 19h<br /> At el colorado, buses to talca more often.<br /> * '''2024-Jan-11 to 2024-Jan-17 / 7 Days / Hiking / NOBO / O5, O3, O3A, RR, O1 / Vlad'''<br /> <br /> A spectacular section to end my 5-week trip on the GPT. I’ve never experienced a landscape like this before and the weather (straight up sunshine for the whole week) was a welcome change after the unrelenting wind and rain of Patagonia. There were no other people outside of the start and end of the trail in national parks. Beautiful and desolate wild camping near the volcano. That said, it was very rough on my gear. The dry sand, abrasive rocks, spiky bushes did some damage to my shoes (erased on tread on the soles after sliding down scree slopes for 2 days), socks (holes after rubbing on rocks since I did not have gaiters), trekking poles (they were in a poor shape already but the rocks and sand finished them and the tips got sanded off), pants (got some holes as well). <br /> <br /> Day 1: I took an overnight bus from Puerto Montt to Talca (22k CLP, very comfortable, booked through Rodovairro.cl). After arriving in Talca, there was a bus to Vilches at 10:30. I got off at the last stop and made it to the PN Altos de Lircay entrance around 1 PM. I asked the ranger about access to Descabezado land since I texted the owner, Don Victor (WhatsApp +56998863554) but he didn’t respond to me. The ranger said that Don Victor doesn’t respond at the moment but he said it was okay for the rangers to allow hikers to leave the park and go to his land. <br /> <br /> I was charged 8.5k CLP for park entrance and 10k CLP for 2 nights camping inside the park. This is because I wasn’t allowed to start hiking to Valle el Venado the first day (trail closes at 11:00 am even though it’s only 19 km 🙃) and had to camp at the park entrance, then another night once I get to Valle el Venado. It was a bummer as I already had limited time for this section, but it allowed me to go for a day hike up the mountain in Altos de Lircay and watch a beautiful sunset. The forest in Altos de Lircay is beautiful with teeming wildlife and abundant wildflowers. I saw a woodpecker, a fox, colorful iguanas, a snake, giant spiders, and endless wildflowers. <br /> <br /> You could maybe get to Altos de Lircay on time to start hiking the same day if you leave on the 7 am bus from Talca. They give you a paper at the park ranger’s office and I was asked for it 3 times by different rangers throughout my trip. <br /> <br /> Day 2: Walked from Altos de Lircay to Valle el Venado with a side trip to see the waterfall. Met a group on horses. A few river fords that were all below knee level. Got to the campsite at Valley el Venado which wasn’t very nice. Horse poop everywhere, had to clear the spot for a tent. No one asked to check if I paid for the campsite. The group on horses camped somewhere up the valley from the refugio as I heard them and saw some come down to use the bathroom. <br /> <br /> Day 3: I did the 3 fords of river Blanquillo as suggested on the GPS track. The first one is at the spot where river is widest, so it was only knee deep. On the second ford, it’s narrower and the current was strong, it was crotch deep for me (178 cm). Third ford knee deep. In hindsight I should’ve just stayed on the left side of the river and only crossed it once in the end. <br /> <br /> It was a very short day, 10 km, but I thought it would be nice to arrive at Blanquillo refugio early in case Umberto was there. However, when I got there, the refugio was empty, and I couldn’t find any hot springs. I don’t think the bathing pool is there anymore. I scouted around for half an hour and only saw horse and cow poop in every little stream and pool of water. I followed one of the streams about 100 m uphill to get clean drinking water but I still saw poop on the banks. <br /> <br /> Since Umberto wasn’t there, I cooked dinner by the refugio and kept going to the Descabezado basecamp (-35.59773, -70.79645) 3.4 km further and 600 m of elevation higher up from the Banquillo refugio, which made the next day’s climb up the volcano shorter.<br /> <br /> The sunset at the Descabezado basecamp was out of this world. <br /> <br /> Day 4: I left from basecamp at sunrise since I didn’t want to walk in the dark. I had to cross a few not steep snow fields at the beginning but nothing at higher elevations. Every snow field higher up is easily bypass-able. That said, the climb up to the crater still felt brutal to me. There’s absolutely no sure footing, everything is just a scree slope. When ascending, you can either climb up the 45 degree scree slope or try to walk on the rocks which are easier to plant your foot on. I chose the rocks but they too were sliding sometimes, even large boulders, so I had to be careful not to let a giant rock fall directly on my other foot. It took me 4.5 hours to reach the crater from the basecamp following the less steep option 3. It was very windy, cold, and the sun was shining directly in my face early in the morning as I was climbing up the volcano so it was a little difficult to see the path sometimes.<br /> <br /> On the way down, I saw my tent and was trying to slide down the scree slope directly towards the basecamp roughly following the steep option 3A. Going down was actually really fun and effortless. But be careful and still check GPS regularly when you descend, as there are some scree slopes that end directly in a vertical plunge down to the ice field below. <br /> <br /> I refilled my water bottles with ice cold water flowing from the snow field here (-35.60455, -70.78525), using my trowel as a spout. I’m glad I did because when I got back to basecamp, the water I stashed there in the morning was as warm as a hot soup after baking in the tent in direct sunlight all day. <br /> <br /> I was considering staying at basecamp location for another night because it’s such a visually stunning spot with gorgeous sunsets and incredible stars at night, but it was just way too hot to remain there so I packed up and went back down to Banquillo refugio. Unfortunately, Umberto was still not there so I just enjoyed the company of cows and went to sleep. <br /> <br /> Day 5: I went north in the white sand dunes following Banquillo river which nurtures a breathtaking oasis in the desert. I thought this area was way more beautiful than the Banquillo refugio (especially with all the cow poop there) so I wished I kept going a little further the previous night and set up camp somewhere by the river in this area (-35.53354, -70.79191). Disclaimer: I didn’t actually look for a spot that was flat and sheltered but that whole area just felt like a paradise so I think one could find a suitable spot for a tent there. <br /> <br /> Right at the fork of the trails where one can choose to take Option 1 or continue on RR to Termas del Azufre, I ran into arrieros transporting hundreds of goats through the snow-covered slopes, it was a beautiful scene and a blessing for me as their footprints helped me find a safe way in some semi-steep snow sections I had to cross after 2400 m. I chose to follow Option 1 to El Bolson because the RR on the right at the fork looked like it had loads of snow still. Even on Option 1, I had to be careful and kick-step my way through the snow fields as I had no crampons and my trail runners had virtually no tread left on them after being ground on the volcanic rocks and sand the previous couple of days.<br /> <br /> One particularly dangerous spot is here (-35.51932, -70.82684) just after Laguna Manantial Pelado. It’s a big snow field that started melting and formed a lake that’s not on the map. It was breathtakingly beautiful going west, but if you were coming from the other direction you could not see the collapse of the snow field until it’s too late and you’re on the edge, so stick to the trail and walk on the side of the valley in that spot. <br /> <br /> I got to El Bolson just before sunset. It was surprisingly a beautiful and scenic campground and not too crowded on a Monday night. I spoke a few words to the people in the refugio, they just told me to set up my tent and didn’t ask to pay for camping. <br /> <br /> At Bolson, I met a group of Chilean students from Talca who spoke really good English and we had a lot of fun eating dinner together, smoking weed and going to swim in the nearby waterfall the next morning. There are trails going down the cliff to the swimming pools here (-35.49801, -70.90767). It’s a really pristine swimming spot, just be careful and don’t get too close to the waterfalls as we heard there was an accident the previous night where a rock fell off and pushed a person over the edge of the waterfall so they plunged down into a pool below. <br /> <br /> Day 6: Hiked from Bolson to Parque Ingles entrance, where the ranger once again asked for my paper registration from Altos de Lircay documenting my trip. The shops at Parque Ingles are really tiny and would not be sufficient for another section resupply in my opinion, I just bought some fresh fruit and hitched a 3 KM ride to Siete Tazas. By the time I got there (19:00) all the trails were closed and the ranger told me to go find camping at Valley de las Catas. It was 13k CLP (ouch) for 1 night camping with inclusion of the ticket for a 3-km loop on the southern bank of river Claro to see Siete Tazas. The campground had a hot shower which was very welcomed, but otherwise I think Siete Tazas was not worth it and I wish I spent my last day attempting to hike up to Laguna de las Animas instead. Though I don’t know if it would even be possible as the entire rim of the mountain seemed snow covered so there must’ve still been a very steep, yet short, snow field one would need to cross to get over the pass. <br /> <br /> Day 7: I took a morning walk out of the campground and caught a 11:30 bus back to Molina, then a bus from Molina to Santiago for a flight home the next day. <br /> <br /> * '''2024 Jan 07 / 4.5 days / SOBO / RR / Anh'''<br /> There are many good reports, so I'll keep it short.<br /> <br /> With my information, I could simply walk from Parque Inglés without registration. But I want to hike legal &amp; support Conaf. So I had to register and pay online (not in cash at other national parks) with my conaf account, then offline paper formular. Fortunately, the 2nd payment for Campsite El Bolsón (compulsory) was in cash (200m from Conaf). It had taken me more than an hour.<br /> <br /> There is a lot of hiking in volcanic sand (rough, fine).<br /> At this time there are still many snowfields from 2000 Hm upwards. There are streams under the snowfields, some of which only have a thin layer of snow (danger of collapse).<br /> Ford km 29.4 is quite critical (hip, strong flow in the morning)<br /> <br /> I met two boys at Refugio Blanquillo. They had been hiking for two days on a different route (no RR GPT06) with a text description from the internet (no hiking map/GPS track). They learned &amp; understood that it was very dangerous and could get lost at any time. Luckily they met a hiker with GPS &amp; inReach, otherwise I would have taken them with me.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-03 to 2024-Jan-08 / 6 days / Hiking / round trip anticlockwise / O5 - O3 - RR - O1 - O1c (Condor Circuit) / Lotti and Alex'''<br /> <br /> Originally we wanted to do the Cóndor Circuit, but after we read about the troubles some of you had, we decided to take the safer option 1 to avoid the snow and landslide above Termas de Azufre. This route felt very safe and the snow was not a problem at all. We ended up with a beautiful round trip from Altos de Lircay to Valle Venado, then to the summit of Descabezado, then Valle del Indio and back to Altos de Lircay. The landscape is incredibly beautiful and diverse, and we enjoyed it a lot. The scariest part for us was fording the Rio Blanquillo on day 2.<br /> <br /> Day 1: Altos de Lircay - Valle Venado on option 5 (Sendero de Chile) <br /> We stayed at Hotel Picamaderos in Altos de Lircay, which is a very nice and relaxed place right next to the park entrance of Altos de Lircay. To enter the park we had to show the CONAF officers the WhatsApp message that Victor send us as a permission for entering his land at Refugio Blanquillo. <br /> The hike through the forest was very nice and shady and we enjoyed the view from the mirador where we got a nice overview of our route for the next days. Crossing Rio Claro was easy, not deeper than knee deep. We camped in a shady spot next to Valle Venado.<br /> <br /> Day 2: Valle Venado - Refugio Blanquillo - Descabezado base camp (option 5 and option 3) <br /> Easy walking until Laguna el Blanquillo which was really beautiful. After that the path crosses Rio Blanquillo several times. We tried to avoid it at first because it looked quite intimidating, so we followed some stone men to climb around and walk higher up the valley. When it was not avoidable any more, we forded it. For me, with just 152cm of height, it was intimidatingly deep (almost to the hip) and it had really strong currents. Alex had to help me across, and with him walking in front of me, it worked. We arrived at an empty Refugio Blanquillo, picked up some water there and walked up to Descabezado base camp which has no water. <br /> <br /> Day 3: Descabezado Summit<br /> We left the base camp early at 6:00 and took the southern option 3 trail which was well marked by stone men at the beginning. We used our crampons to climb up some ice fields effectively, but I think they could have been bypassed as well. On the way down we took the steeper option 3A sliding down on soft pumice stones which was a lot of fun. We picked up our tent, walked back down and set up our camp at Refugio Blanquillo. There we searched a while for the hot springs, but couldn't find them.<br /> <br /> Day 4: Refugio Blanquillo - Valle del Indio (RR and option 1 NOBO)<br /> We walked on the regular route for about 8 km until the junction where we changed to option 1. After that we crossed several smaller streams that were not on our map. Snow started around 2300m, but it was easy to walk on and we didn't need our crampons. Laguna Manantial Pelado was incredibly beautiful with its icy shores. There were some camp spots there, but it was much too windy for us to stay there for the night. We kept walking over the pass and down the valley until we found a shady spot in the middle of the valley floor of Valle del Indio. <br /> <br /> Day 5: Valle del Indio - Altos de Lircay (Option 1C)<br /> After the wild vulcanic landscapes of the days before, this day's scenery was not as spectacular, but the hiking was easy and we even met some wild horses. We camped at Punta 6 inside the park Altos de Lircay, where we found a camping spot right next to a very nice swimming hole in the river and met the first people after 5 days of loneliness. <br /> <br /> Day 6: Altos de Lircay - park entrance<br /> Easy walking in the shade of the forest. <br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-29 to 2024-Jan-3 / 6 days / NOBO / Variant 5+3+RR+GPT05(VarG+RR)+RR / Matthias + Johanna '''<br /> <br /> The route:<br /> Basically the route is the Condor Circuit: Reserva Nacional Altos de Lircay - Descabezado Grande - PN Siete Tazas. <br /> We bypassed the part from km 19.4 (Termas) to km 27.4 (pass Portezuelo Las Cruces) via GPT05(VarG+RR) due to the reports of Lilian and Michael &amp; Cassia. By the time we started our tour, Michael had written only a much less intimidating post on the Facebook group (only indicating difficult route conditions). So it was a lucky ad-hoc decision after the difficult descent from pass La Calle the day before not to try their route!!<br /> <br /> The conditions: <br /> Snow +- above 2250m, rivers below snow-filled watersheds with high water levels! Overall quite demanding to us!<br /> <br /> Day 1+2: Easy walking from park entrance (Lircay) to Vegas Blanquillo („basecamp“ Descabezado).<br /> <br /> Day 3: Ascent to Descabezado <br /> Easier than expected but tedious above 3400m due to volcanic ash and steepness. Snowfields below 3400m can be bypassed or safely crossed (surface like a mogul piste). The steep snowfields above can by bypassed. We climbed the right (southern) „couloirs“ on the right margin (beneath the red rock), loose rocks are the main difficulty.<br /> <br /> Day 4: Vegas Blanquillo - Termas Azufre<br /> About 5 km on snow. Some short steep snow passages, soft snow on snow bridges. High water levels.<br /> Easy walking until a height of ca. 2550 (km 32.5) when going down into the valley of Estero Volcán. Next 250hm downhill tricky as while we tried to avoid the quite steep snow on the slopes, we faced the difficulty of avoiding unstable snow bridges in the valley floor. We were happy to have our microspikes with us! Also parts of the summer path seemed to be washed away (around km 30.5) as seen from afar. Forded the river ca. 500m upstream of the place indicated on the track files (50m south of the now collapsed snow bridge of Lilian). Strong current, water up to mid of thighs. Additional fording of the (today roaring) creek coming down from Cerro Colorado (km28.5).<br /> <br /> Day 5: Termas Azufre - Valle del Indio: Difficult fordings <br /> Trail washed away ca. 1 km after Termas. We went up 100 hm to bypass (possibly you could also bypass by descending ca. 50 hm).<br /> Edgy fording of Estero Volcán at ca. 35°28'56&quot;S 70°46'13&quot;W. Strong current, water up to lower waist on the far side for me (188cm) and up to upper waist for Johanna (163cm). I could give her a hold from a rock there! Then ca. 500m north 2 easier fordings back to the western side of the there split river. <br /> We did not stick to RR here (we did not divert from path at „trailhead“), as there was no possible crossing of the river visible and the path seems to be very difficult with large loose rocks and steep slopes). But possibly one could avoid the two fordings by RR and then climbing the rocks near the riverbed.<br /> There are no further fordings of Estero Volcán (km 24.6) as river is flowing on the eastern side of the valley this season.<br /> Loose volcanic ash on parts of the ascent to pass Portozuelo Las Cruzes. Snowfields easy (could be bypassed or safely crossed on the afternoon of the hot day). Laguna Las Animas partly ice-covered, we swam next to the ice :-)<br /> After the pass going down to Valle del Indio there is steep snowfields (former wedges) on most of the rim. Only 4-5 m, but even with microspikes it was too dangerous for us. You can bypass snow by walking some meters to the right (west) from the pass and walking/climbing down the rock pillar (solid).<br /> <br /> Day 6: Easy walk down to Park entrance Parque Ingles<br /> <br /> Camp sites: Valle Venado - Vegas Blanquillo (Descabezado basecamp) 2 nights - 500m north and 50 m uphill of Termas - valleyfloor Valle los Indios<br /> <br /> Basecamp Descabezado - Right of way:<br /> No access given to hikers without a guide to cross the NP to Descabezado. We chose to hire a local arriero who accompanied us the first three days (Pancho 997635447), who got a permission to camp from the land owner in advance. Even though he is a local and has his own cows feeding up there, he had to discuss at the three „checkpoints“ at park entrance, as he had no written prove with him.<br /> The man living at the basecamp was not there in the end, selling some cows in the valley ! <br /> Nice swimming pool with tepid water 5m north of camping site, for drinking water go the long way round the swampy valley to a source on the other side ca. 20m west of the hut.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-19 to 2024-Dec-25/ 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR/ Michael and Kasia '''<br /> <br /> Day 1<br /> We had camped at Rocas Basalticas campground the night before. When we arrived at the gate they asked to see our permission to camp at Bolson. We didn't know that that was required and spent some time going back and forth with them. We finally went to Rocas Basalticas down the road and got them permission to camp at Bolson and they finally let us in. The walk up is pretty, all the snow is gone. All fords are easy. There were a few tábanos, but not many. CONAF did a reroute on a small section of the trail higher up. If you're watching GPS you go off the route, but just follow the sign to Bolson and it goes there. Campground has water and toilets.<br /> <br /> Day 2<br /> We hiked up through Valle del Indio. The route is a little tricky to find and we were moving slow so getting a lot of meander in the GPS marker. Looking for cairns was helpful. Two thirds of the way up there was still snow. By that time it was slushy. We had opted not to buy crampons at the last minute, so we made our way across kicking into the snow. The last 15 m to the pass was an almost straight up in snow. After the pass there was very little snow until the rise up to Laguna de las Ánimas. After that it was a complete snow field and the lake was frozen. We managed to kick out a pad for the tent and camped in the snow. Really beautiful sky that night.<br /> <br /> Day 3<br /> A long day with very little distance covered. Full sun, we both got sunburns despite sunscreen and covering. The snow was heavily pockmarked so it was hard to walk through. It took much longer than we anticipated. We ended up camping just below the pass. We were concerned about wind, so we tied the tent down really well. Fortunately it was a calm night.<br /> <br /> Day 4<br /> We continued on RR. There were several steep ups and downs, mostly on snow, as well as some intimidating traverses. The snow was getting to the point where we were a little uncertain if it would hold or not. We saw a single set of tracks, assume it was Lillian as it looks like she was a day or two ahead of us. 2 km before Termales Azufre we crossed a very steep section of snow. On the way down Kasia fell and hit some small rocks. She got some bruises and cuts, but nothing broken. I tried to slide with the backpack off and in front of me, but I fell too and the bag started tumbling down a steep sandy slope. I chased the bag, fell and rolled twice, and finally managed to jump and tackle the bag about 5 m before it went over the edge. It was a dangerous move, but I had not had a chance to take the GPS off the bag before it started sliding, and without it we couldn't get out and couldn't call for help. It was a long hike back up due to the incline and sand. We made it a little further and then ran into an area of trail wiped out by a landslide where it was impossible to get footing, even without the packs. Every step would cause more sand and rocks to slide down. It was about 18:30 at that point. We backtracked about 100 m to a gap between a snow wall and a large rock and set up a provisional shelter for the night.<br /> <br /> Day 5<br /> After waking up the next day, we tried to see if rest and fresh eyes would give us a better perspective. After discussing it we realized that there was really no way forward or back. We decided it only option was to use the SOS button on the Garmin. I pushed the button at 10:00, and by 16:00 there was a helicopter flying through the valley looking for us. I was surprised that it happened so quickly. They had to land in the valley, and since we could not get ourselves down, they sent a GOPE team of three guys up and the helicopter left for the night. It took them about an hour to get up to us, and then another two hours to do enough provisional maintenance on the trail for us to get down. We camped with them in the valley for the night and the helicopter came to get us in the morning.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-25 to 2023-Dec-26/ 2 days / Hiking / NOBO / off RR / Jens, Nolwenn, Yannick'''<br /> <br /> To enter the Hydroelectrico Los Cipreses you need a permit, which we did not get in advance. The guard at the gate said we could get it by emailing his boss. <br /> As it was Christmas Day, it was not possible to get the permit. <br /> The guard told us to take a route along the perimeter fence. We did that until we couldn't get further. We entered the compound through a hole in the fence and walked to the end of the road on the right side of the river. The bridge on the map is destroyed. The current was too strong to cross. Turned around and went back.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-18 to 2023-Dec-21 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR+{06-D} / Lilian'''<br /> It is the most amazing section from GPT01 to here so far!<br /> <br /> I hiked RR, it is still covered by tons of snow, i recommend use ice axe and micro spikes if you want to hike from Portezuelo Las Cruces(pass) to El Estadio(pass), there is some really steep snow slope. (RR-TL-V)<br /> <br /> Parque Ingles have a restaurant and a tiny store selling food, fruits, drinks and some 230g gas canisters.<br /> <br /> I hopped the gate to the park at 6:30. No one was there.<br /> <br /> There are 3 main pass for RR.<br /> <br /> First pass, snow start at km14.3(2050m), not difficult for climbing up to pass[15.4/2257].<br /> <br /> Laguna Las Animas(lake)[16.7/2286] is still frozen, very beautiful. I climbed up on some rocks at the north side of the lake, then mostly choose my own way to climb up to pass, because RR look steep.<br /> <br /> Arrive the pass[19.4/2547], if you are not comfortable with snow, it is the LAST CHANCE to turn back.<br /> <br /> Pass is flat and dry, you can camping here but windy.<br /> <br /> There are no RR after the pass because covered by many snow, find a way go down to valley by snow slope, then walk all the way on snow to km20.2, you can see the trail but on the other side at km20.2, steep go down the snow slope then connect to RR.<br /> <br /> Follow the trail about 5min, you will go into a big valley, trail and the whole valley covered by snow, but you can see a trail is at the far away other side of valley.<br /> <br /> Go your own way to water[22.0/2279], i think it is lot ways to go down, but dont too close to cliff side, it is steep and easily to fall off.<br /> <br /> After you arrive water[22.0/2279], then straight forward to km22.6.<br /> <br /> A large flat area can fit lot of tents at the downhill side of km22.6.<br /> <br /> After km22.6, the most dangerous part begins, from here to km26, lot of steep snow slope you need to cross, be careful, kick step and don't slide.<br /> <br /> Km26 is another large flat area for camping, i camped here with nice sunrise.<br /> <br /> Snow continues to km26.6, but easy way. The first pass's snow end.<br /> <br /> About the second pass, snow start at ford[29.4/2190], strong flow and look like up to thighs, i cross it on snow bridge.<br /> <br /> Stay on east side until km31.25, then stay down walking in the valley, easier than on the slope.<br /> <br /> Although full of snow, but I think it is easy to go to the pass[33.8/2695] from here, so i dont mention the details. It is also easy to go down, most of them are gentle slope.<br /> <br /> Snow end at km41.4, but mostly you can find some flat sandy spot start at km39.1.<br /> <br /> Hot spring[45.6/1881] : completely dry. Some camping spots with rock wall nearby.<br /> <br /> Water,camp[48.1/1837] : amazing oasis in desert! Clear and cold water, some shade, also lot of swallows flying in the sky catching some food for their kid.<br /> <br /> Km49.1 - km49.8 : best view point of Volcán Descabezado Grande and Volcán Azul! If you want to camp with stunning views, bring water at oasis then climb up here, lot of sandy spots beside some rocks, enjoy you sleep with volcano.<br /> <br /> Km53.2 - km54.7 : Laguna del Caracol(lake), maybe because too much snow melts? Trail underwater, you need to walk in the lake shore for a while.<br /> <br /> Camp[56.3/2034] : oasis again! Crystal clear and cold water! It is possible to cut off from km56 to x[57.3/2073] directly, stream flowing slow and up to knee.<br /> <br /> Third pass, steep climb up to km57.9, if you follow RR, then you will turn right and face some steep snow climbing up.<br /> <br /> If you look up at left side, there is some foot steps straight climb up on a dry slope, which is no snow but looses sand.<br /> <br /> I go for the left one to the pass, ok but steep and really tried.<br /> <br /> Most of the snow is after pass, from pass[59.3/2518] to km61.5, first go to east side go around the snow, then you will find a trail, follow it a little then go your own way in snow valley. <br /> <br /> I follow RR, mostly easy to go down until km61.5, a steep slope. I don't want to take the risk, so i crossed a snow bridge to a sandy slope at south side. Go down the slope and rejoin RR about km62.1.<br /> <br /> Ford[63.4/1909] : i crossed the river before a huge rock, below knee at morning. The huge rock also provide some wind protection, i saw some camping trace beside it.<br /> <br /> Volcán Los Hornitos : km65.3, {06-D}, just beside RR, no need CC, a trail leads you to the top, just climb up 70m! Go for it!<br /> <br /> Lastly with no luck, i saw a car going down just 10min before i arrived the road, then no more cars, so i walk all the way to Los Cipreses.<br /> <br /> Met a super friendly worker at Los Cipreses, he give me some cherry to eat and a ride to Los Alamos. A tiny shop there , if you are not picky, a little pricey but enough food resupply for 1 people six days. It have a sign &quot;Almacen&quot; at its front gate. You can ask locals where it is, i saw many workers go to there buy things.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-dec-3/ 4 days / hiking / SOBO / RR &amp; 6 option 1 / Lukas en Tess'''<br /> <br /> As this was our first section on the GPT and there still was a lot of snow in the mountains we decided to play it safe and folow option 1 from el Bolsón. It is less steep and less long above the snoweline about 2000m at the time. It went great but Tess burned her eyes so good sunglasses are definetly a must when hiking in the snow. From there we continued the RR at Laguna del Caracol we had to walk in the lake on the edge, no idea if that's normal but it was funny. The next and final big obstacle was the pass on k59 we decided to try and bypass it because it looked very steep with a lot of snow and ice and Tess with her burning eyes had a hard time looking at any snow at her feet. So we went up right next to it (north). Realy though rock scrambling but we managed. Going down the next valley was okay with the snow but crossing rivers covered in snow is tricky so try to avoid it. Walking into los Cipreces we were told we were not supposed to be there but still we had lunch in the cafeteria and they fixed a ride to bring us to the road, realy nice people there. From there we hitchhiked to el colorado where we stayed for two days to let Tess' eyes heal.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Mar-14 to 2023-Mar-19 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / Parque Ingles - Los Cipreses / Noemie'''<br /> <br /> Parque Inglés - El Bolsón - Termas de Azufre - Blanquillo - Laguna Hornitos - Los Cipreses<br /> <br /> First try on the GPT and amazing section to start. There were buses from Molina at 10am and 5pm going to Parque Ingles. You must arrive there before 1pm and buy an entrance for El Bolson (with camping) to enter the Park. It's also possible to camp in Parque Ingles (7.000 CLP/night). When I entered, CONAF asked me where I was going, if I had a GPS, and gave me some kind of permit to show in Los Cipreses. I wasn't asked to show it when I arrived there though. <br /> Landscapes and panoramas were extremely beautiful and very impressive. There was still water in all marked points and fords were easy to cross. Trail is easy to follow almost everywhere, except after Termas de Azufre (be careful to look for the right pools on the map and do not go up too much, I ended up in a place with almost boiling water). The whole section is full of beautiful sand dunes, so gaiters were extremely useful. In Blanquillo, you are supposed to get an authorization from the dueño to stay there, but it looks like it is not really enforced. I spent a day in Blanquillo to rest, drink maté and learn how to make sopaipillas with Umberto. I hitchhiked from Los Cipreses to San Clemente (one hostel, two supermarkets, decent to resupply) so I can't comment on the bus schedule. However, to come back to Los Cipreses/Termas del Médano, be aware that there is now only a bus leaving at 3pm from Talca, going up until La Mina. I took a small bus to Colorado on morning (every 45 min.) and hitchhiked easily back until Laguna del Maule for GPT 07.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Mar-21 to 2023-Mar-25 / 5 days / Hiking / NOBO / Vilches — Volcan – Parque Ingles / Iris, Alexis '''<br /> <br /> Our last section on the GPT for this year! We started in Vilches Alto with the option 06-05 because we rented horses with the arriero Jose Lopez. The beginning is placed in the Reserva Nacional Altos de Lircay, which requires a permit to go until the Volcan. The entrance fee is also 7k pp. We finished our first day at Camp, CONAF {06-05} [10.2/1158]. I believe we mostly followed the GPS track. <br /> <br /> On the second day, we continued with the horses until Hot Spring {06} [45.6/1881] (Banos del Blanquillo) still following the track. We then were disappointed because the arriero left us here whereas our agreement (clearly stated by messages before the rent) was to climb the volcano with the horses (it turns to be not possible, too steep).<br /> Thankfully, we had an excess day of food so we could attempt the climb the next day. We also met Umberto, the guy staying in the refugio, who was extremely friendly. He told us to start the volcano climb early in the night to avoid heavy winds. <br /> <br /> On Day 3, we started the ascent at 2am with our headlights. 6h30 later we were on the top, with the morning lights rewarding us and stunning landscape. The ascent was extremely tiresome (sand material), as always with volcanos, and it was very cold but the crater and the views were very worth it. After a breakfast at the top, the descent, mostly running, took us about 2h. We rested for the rest of day at Banos del Blanquillo and even got a sopapilla making class with Umberto.<br /> <br /> On Day 4, we followed the RR in the beautiful Descabezado landscape. Expect no shade but stunning dunes of white sand. There is plenty of water during the day because you will cross at least 2 rivers that were not dry this late in the season. The trail is easy to follow (because that is the only one) and is also part of the Circuit of the Condores. However, after Ford {06} [29.4/2190], you have about a dozen of options and the navigation until Hot Spring {06} [27.4/1986] (Hot Sping del Azufre) is more challenging. We decided to ignore the GPS and follow our instinct - just aim for the fumerolles. There you can enjoy a hot bath in one of the three hot natural pools (along some weird soft alguees). <br /> <br /> On Day 5, we simply followed the RR until Parque Ingles. The trail is well marked until the end, you just have to enjoy multiple highlights in the landscape. Of note, when reaching El Bolsón, the CONAF ranger forbid us to bath in the pools because it was too late (3PM) and told us to leave the park before 5:30. He was not friendly and also checked the entrance tickets of Livan Ray. We got extremely lucky and caught a bus leaving Parque Ingles when we reached it (it leaves at 5:00).<br /> <br /> This hike concludes our GPT adventure. We loved to start it riding horses to feel a bit more like the trails main user. The final day hiking and the volcano ascent were astonishing, truly one of (or even the) best section of our GPT.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Feb-03 to 2023-Feb-08 / 6 days/ Hiking / SOBO / RR + Descabezado / Louis, Rémi &amp; Noé'''<br /> <br /> Our first trip on the GPT, plenty of water, we didnt carry more than 1.5L each. Here is our trip :<br /> <br /> Day 1 - Laguna Las Animas - 18km - +1200m/-100m<br /> We entered the parc illegally at 7:30 in the morning as some others hikers have done reading the wiki. We did this because the parc was full for the next 3 days. I can only advise you to book in advance on internet (conaf). We slept at a camping in front of the entrance for 7k CLP per person. Plenty of buses goes up there from Molina in 2 hours. At least a dozen. Same for going back. If you buy your ticket online : if you sleep at El Bolson, you can enter the park until 3pm, if you go further with only the El Bolson ticket, you can entered until 11am only!<br /> So, we hiked until the Laguna las Animas, a rather long day for the first one.<br /> The camp on the beach was quite windy too.<br /> <br /> Day 2 - Termas de Azufre - 11km - +400m/-700m<br /> A short day, nice to enjoy the hot springs in the afternoon. The pass in the morning was very windy too.<br /> <br /> Day 3 - Refugio El Blanquillo - 20km - +800m/-900m<br /> A long but beautiful day. Leave early the camp to avoid hot temperatures while ascending the pass. Well welcomed by the arrierio Umberto ! Very kind.<br /> <br /> Day 4 - Volcan Descabezado Grande - 16km - +2000m/-2000m<br /> We did the ascent without our bags, we went back to our camp in the night. It's long and hard. According to Umberto, 12h are needed in total, we did in 10h. Same, Leave early to avoid hot temperatures. <br /> <br /> Day 5 - Laguna los Hornitos - 20km - +900m/-900m<br /> Another nice day, passing next to Laguna Caracol. The descent from the pass is a bit annoying if you didnt follow the track (as we did). So, advice : follow the RR and go down on your right. The Laguna is very dry, just enough to have a bath. Hard to maintain the pitch of the tent in the dry dirt.<br /> <br /> Day 6 - Los Cipreses - 15km - +100m/-1000m<br /> Last short day to end this beautiful section. The gravel road is a bit boring but passing pickup are proposing you to get you down to the main road. Here, only one bus at 7am. And a little shop selling ice cream, chips and drinks. We hitchiked to El Colorado where plenty of buses are going down to Talca for 2 000 CLP (+ 400 CLP per bag)<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-24 to 2023-Jan-30/ 7 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Descabezado / Martial'''<br /> <br /> First trip 6 days on GPT being a wonderfully intense experience ! Lunar landscapes, silent and remote, few but great people. No particular difficulty.<br /> Started park ingles with a mandatory 7000peso night at quiet camping near the river and bought ticket for Bolsón overnight 8$. Finally did not stay at Bolson a half day walk from entrance and camped in Laguna de las Animas instead. Great spot for Condors watching. After that follow Will’s advice and put on your mandatory gaiters till the end of the section ! + Walking on sand can be tough for the ankle. Don’t resist and don’t do too much !! Learned it the painfull way.. Trail visible but don’t get confused at termas Azufres especially if you try the (very) hot pools ! RR way is up the valley. Camp with water possible before the pass. The way down called « la Calle » is beautifull sandy dune remote desert. Exceptional. Aimed for Blanquillo refugio aka best basecamp for Descabezado intent. Meet Umberto the arriero at the hut and ask him where the termal pool and the drinking water are. He may be offended if you don’t show up and is a nice generous guy ! Also had a Chilean horse riding group intended the Descabezado so were a nice bunch by the camp fire. As weather window was fine, I decided to try a high camp in order to preserve weak foot from a very long ascent (10h). Took plenty of water as they are only glaciar dirty patches up there and aimed for Descabezado to Cerra Azul osm trail just as Nat and Tomas did (so i could have a chance to summit both also). Finally chose not to cross the nasty glaciar but found a very well sheltered highcamp here (-35.60569, -70.76147). Incredible sunset ! Not advisable in case of rain coming (a storm was growing in Argentina so stayed prepared for an emergency descent). Next day summited Descabezado at 11AM with no wind ideal conditions. Dive your front foot flat in sand just like snow climb when it gets to steep ! Nice ski descent sensations straight to the termas for a well deserved rest at the termas ! Also met Carlos a local climbing half way up so we would share joy later at the camp :).<br /> Exit through RR is also nice but regreted haven’t camped here (-35.67102, -70.83649) for there was some playfull trouts to catch with my survival fishing kit !<br /> Beautiful view from the pass to sandyland and then landscape changes and recommend OH variant C descending (less overgrown). Trail not so visible till laguna los hornos witch i climbed volcano to enjoy the crater caldera. After that descent to los Cipreses is kind of boring and hot so was definitely happy to find a camping by the bridge after the gate with lovely Victorina and her family here (-35.81524, -70.83224). They have been incredibly carring, fed me and brought me to the termas caves (also worth it) in El Medano !<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-16 to 2023-Jan-25 / 10 days / Hiking / NOBO / Descabezado Circuit variant: OH 06-02 &amp; 06-03 Laguna Maule to Vilches w/ volcans / Natalie &amp; Tomáš '''<br /> <br /> An extremely long description so my apologies but hopefully it will help someone. We Started in Laguna del Maule and ended in Vilches with inclusion of volcanoes Descabezado Grande, Azul, Descabezado Chico and Colorado.<br /> <br /> All fords super easy or jump-able. Only times water was scarce was Descabezado and Azul (technically there is melt water from glaciers at Azul), the afternoon around Descanezado Chico and also water was scarce around the Laguna Acquas Calientes because I would not trust drinking that water (some springs are cold water though). Weather turned bad only once while we were climbing Azul, the change happened rapidly and we went from blue skies to total white out (~10m or less visibility) within an hour. Other than that weather was amazing, a little cold at night and a little warm in the day.<br /> <br /> Happy we started in Laguna del Maule and finished in Vilches. This saved elevation gain and let us decide whether or not we had enough food in the end to climb Descabezado, Azul, Chico and for Tomáš Colorado.<br /> <br /> Day 1.<br /> Starting in Talca, due to a certain someone (me) I accidentally sent Tomáš and I to Molina on a bus instead of &quot;La Mina&quot;, so our day was very messed up, but we still managed to take a bus to Colorado and hitchhike to the start of this route. Buses from Talca to la Mina go at: 7:00am, 1:00pm (only to la Suiza), 3:00pm and 7:00pm. We took a bus to Colorado due to time and hitched the rest of the way. The last hitch was in a snowplow truck and he dropped us off miraculously at the start of the trail and before any customs or checks.<br /> <br /> OH-TL-V {06-02} (109.1). Straight away the trail is hard to see, do not take the road-looking trail on the side of the mountain because it ends, stick to the gps. However, soon we were walking on the correct route through the sand and down to a creek with fun boulders. Easy to follow. After this first creek we followed option OH-CC-A (06-02) {98} For only ~5km until making camp in -between a river and canal with flowing water. Bogs in this area slowed us down a lot.<br /> <br /> Day2. <br /> OH- {06-02} -[ (93) &amp; (86) ]<br /> This day seemed long, we crossed two passes, one small (-35.94909, -70.45347) and one much larger (-35.88855, -70.46776). I liked the entire area south of the second pass, many beautiful camp spots, water was available almost to the top of the pass and there is also a nice waterfall/swimming pool located roughly around (-35.90452, -70.45218). Trail to first pass was easy, but trail between first and second was much more cross country, there are many animal tracks, I followed the GPX and Tomáš followed a trail closer to the river and we both ended up at the same spot... After the second pass, the GPX goes cross-country right away, but one can follow a trail that goes left and later reconnects with GPX.<br /> <br /> After the second pass, there is a small plateau and then it follows down a creek with water until you must cross an east hill and go towards your first mountain puesto to the east (noone home). There is only a little bit of water here, better water at the creek you came from and or a few creeks ahead. <br /> <br /> From the puesto (-35.86707, -70.47589), there is a good trail that traverses the slope ahead. We should have camped but we continued. There were a few nice creeks that we passed along the way. We were forced to make a &quot;make-shift&quot; camp before hitting a much nicer plateau because it was dark and I was not having a good day 😅. It is about 6 km between the puesto and the plateau.<br /> <br /> Day 3<br /> OH {06-02} [78.6] + [75.7] + [63.6]<br /> Easy day, only one small pass. There is an ex-carabiniero puesto at (-35.84277, -70.40285) and a highlight was two rivers, one at (-35.76317, -70.42051) and one river at (-35.74734, -70.45623). The GPX is marked as trail a bit further than the actual trail goes (the trail continues to a puesto down-river). You need to go down a ridge and ford the river, there were some footsteps that can be followed. We walked near {06-02E} along a river filled with sand and not great for drinking but there is a creek that starts/ends here (-35.72759, -70.44125). We camped near this way point in the sand but it got windy at night, we wished we camped a bit further from the river in the little hills where it was considerably less windy. <br /> <br /> Day4<br /> OH {06-02} [59.6] + [29.1] + {06-02D}<br /> <br /> This day we passed a large pass (-35.65200, -70.43356) via {06-02D}. This option was more direct and involved a very short and easy scramble onto a windy plateau. Surprisingly lots of water up towards the pass, last one being (-35.66343, -70.42666) , however the water available had a lot of sand in it, fyi. From camp we followed a cow trail until a lake like feature (-35.70057, -70.42733) and then went cross country. I hope my cairns marking the turn for {06-02D} survive. <br /> <br /> After the pass the true Descabezado environment begins. We both made note of how terrible it would be to be on this plateau in bad weather, very open and CC. Next water source would be a couple of creeks here (-35.61215, -70.42156). From a break at this creek we ended up going straight down the creek bed. Kind of exhausting mentally and would not be possible in early season due to water levels but it shot us out directly in line for making a green camp here (-35.56164, -70.44009). <br /> <br /> Day 05<br /> OH {06-02} [29.1] + [20]<br /> Laguna Aquas Calientes day. <br /> An easy day with a lot of time spent at Aquas Caliente, true to the name. <br /> Trail from camp was easy to follow until (-35.53519, -70.46551) and then it went CC to the Laguna. If shelter is needed in this open landscape, we found a rock shelter (agains wind, not rain) here (-35.51276, -70.51035). The creek feeding the Laguna was fabulously warm in places - either at the source of the creek or at a spring on the right side about 100m upriver. Tomáš found the proper source of the spring here (-35.50395, -70.52347). It is easy to get sunburn while bathing mid-day though. There are some camping spots near the creek. After this Laguna there is a nasty and windy sand stretch until a creek located here (-35.48980, -70.57667). On this stretch I chose not to follow the sand but detoured on more solid ground to the east (-35.48839, -70.56200) and was glad I did. Later on we found snow melt here (-35.48544, -70.59940) and loaded all the water we would need for night/morning and exploring Descabozado Chico the next day. <br /> <br /> Day 06<br /> OH {06-02} [20] + {06-02C Chico} + [4.5]<br /> Descabozado Chico + Vulcan Colorado (Tomáš)<br /> <br /> Went up and around the crater of Descabozado Chico in the morning which I highly recommend. The crater is easy to walk around and gives an amazing 360 experience. The climb up is tedious but non-dangerous scree that makes for a super fast decent. Make sure you have enough water because water is scarce there. I saw a waterfall on the NE side the lake but did not go to it, Tomáš got water somewhere off trail around here (-35.51226, -70.65626) and I drank out of the next lake -35.52036, -70.65873 (questionable, but nothing happened to me). <br /> From the lake the next pass begins and I stupidly made Tomáš and I carry 5L of water up it because I did not think there would be water on the south side (both of us overlooking the river indicated on the map)...I was wrong, no water high up but lots of water down low. For the pass we opted not to follow the route because it was thick steep sand so we instead climbed a more solid ridge here (-35.52506, -70.66854). Tomáš went to continue up Vulcan Colorado and I boringly traversed to the normal pass and enjoyed a very fun sand ski down the south side. The Vulcan is a steep but not technical hike up, the crater can be walked around with a steep but fun sand descent on the other side in SW direction. This pass would be very tiresome climbing up due to sand. If you are coming from the opposite direction and do not trust the lagoon water, then you should aim for (-35.51226, -70.65626) or bring water.<br /> <br /> Everything this day was CC. I found it to be the hardest day navigation-wise but still not troublesome. We finished the day in a nice valley before the next day's climb here (-35.55427, -70.70793). The water around this area is a bit sandy but better further up.<br /> <br /> Day 07 <br /> Last pass and New route possibly. <br /> <br /> From camp a trail existed to the pass at -35.55228, -70.73791. There was a little bit of snow at the top but since there were already steps made, it was zero problem. Lots of water on the SE of this pass but only a trickle of water on the NW side at -35.54575, -70.75672. This water trickle point is where we left the trail to make a short cut to Descabezado. To our surprise our route worked and in 4hrs we were making a camp at 2630m next to the approach trail to Descabezado, therefore saving a lot of time, distance and elevation. In our route there was only one difficulty and that was a deep gorge and creek &quot;jump&quot; at -35.57904, -70.77929. Personally I would not recommend this in early season because the consequence of falling in the river might take you down a waterfall and the traverse may otherwise be nasty if there are still snowfields around altitude 2700m. The gorge is fed by the glacier in the crater of Descabezado so in the morning, it should be better but the water is very dirty.<br /> <br /> I drew the route on my photos of the pass if anyone wants them. Otherwise here is my description of our route.<br /> <br /> From the small trickle creek at -35.54575, -70.75672 head SW up the creek bed in the direction of this easy pass -35.55513, -70.76977. Nearby spots would work too except for the pass directly above the creek bed, the other side of that one had snow and rocks. After this pass I believe it is easiest to just go straight down and up like a half pipe rather than trying to traverse and keep elevation, we aimed for a middle looking plateau on the other side, this middle plateau took us to the proper crossing of the gorge here, -35.57923, -70.77864 (más o menos). We jumped the gorge and climbed easily up the other side although the other side looks like a scramble, it was actually just walking. We travesed at this altitude for a little longer (although I would suggest easier walking a little lower) until we made camp in a ravine very close to the Descabezado approach route. Our camp even had a small amount of flowing snow melt so it was heaven in my mind! (Camp with water; -35.59280, -70.78723). <br /> <br /> Day 8<br /> Descabezado &amp; Azul.<br /> <br /> This is turning into a novel so I will keep this short. We left our tent in place and set off early to do Descabezado and Azul as a day trip. Descabezado was straightforward, it seems the trail will change slightly every year depending on who makes the tracks (neither the route in OSM or GPT seem to follow the actual trail from about 2600 to 3300). If wanting to make the true summit, it looks like you have to go down into the crater, cross the glacier and approach it from the other side. Coming down Descabezado was very fast but we made a huge mistake and left the GPT trail to follow the other osm route that heads east then west called &quot;Descabezado Grande - Quizapu - cerro Azul&quot;. <br /> <br /> This route should be avoided [2024: Tomáš removed it from OSM] for many reasons apart from the fact that the other route is easier despite elevation gain (we took the other route back). This osm route took us here -35.61301, -70.75604 which was actually a glacier covered in sand with a small hanging glacier above causing a lot of rockfall. It was a very ugly place and we carefully got out of there and made or way to the proper route to Azul. Despite losing almost 2hours on an already tight day we continued (although I wasted an extra 30min due to making up my mind🙄). Once again on the way up to Azul, we did not follow the normal way but went to the east side of the crater of Azul where the bad osm route is. There were a foot print here and there but it was CC. The crater was amazing but too windy to enjoy much, we saw a few fumaroles. We continued CC to the base of Azul, a tiny bit of snow (or glacier remnants?) but posed no difficulties. The base of Azul is beautiful with melt water if needed. We followed the ridge to Azul, it was more involved than Descabezado but no more than a low 3rd class (it is a bit exposed and steep but almost exclusively hiking). There is an interesting summit tower on Azul but because of the wind and time we had no desire to stretch our limits. Weather moved in fast and before we were off the ridge of Azul, we were completely covered in a white out, maybe maximum 10m of visibility. Navigation was incredibly hard, but we took our chances and took the other (&quot;valle&quot;) OSM route down and luckily it was a very easy route and we were down below the clouds and able to see again. The rest of the night was CC back to our camp ~1030pm. It was a good day. <br /> <br /> Day 9.<br /> <br /> From our camp in the ravine we headed CC and then onto the trail that lead to the puesto at basecamp Blancquillo and from then on we were on a good trail. While walking down we opted to stay in sandals and just walk in the river, it was refreshing. We didn't have clean water until the valley bottom at the CONAF camp (valley El Venado) where there was also lots of pear trees and yellow plum-like trees. Many people there (first people seen). We made camp at the river before the pass (Mirador del Valle del Venado) but the walk from the CONAF camp until then was slower than expected because it was along a river bed with confusing tracks.<br /> <br /> Day 10.<br /> <br /> Good trail up and down from Mirador del Valle del Venado with lots of water and trees for shade. Took us almost half the time we thought it would take. Note that you cannot actually camp at campsites/resting areas on this trail after the Mirador. The CONAF guards asked us where we were coming from and when we said Laguna del Maule, he just sounded impressed and let us go on our way. There was a decent restaurant with empanadas, beer, etc. near the bus stop . There was a posted schedule of the bus but it clearly did not follow this schedule so if you are there just ask the many locals around what time the bus comes, we caught the 1230 bus. <br /> <br /> Great trip, beautiful views and details and just the right amount of challenge.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-20 to 2023-Jan-23 / 3.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Ondrej '''<br /> <br /> I got to Parque Inglés from Santiago de Chile by taking a train to Curico (advice: if you want to travel by train, buy a ticket online at least 2 days in advance as it books out quickly). From Curico I took a blue collectivo to Molina and then a bus to Parque Ingles.<br /> <br /> At the park entrance I was turned away by a CONAF officer because I bought a “day trip” ticket (El bolson - para día) and not the one with overnight camping. For the ticket I bought they allow entry only by 11:00am. I did not explain that I will continue beyond El Bolson - maybe I should have done that but did not want to get myself into more unnecessary discussions. CONAF said they cannot change my ticket to the “camping” type and when I tried to book the other one, it was booked out for the next two days, so the advice is book early and the right ticket type (el bolson - camping)!<br /> <br /> I ended up camping at the Rocas Basilicas for the night.<br /> <br /> On the first hike day hopped the gate to the park at 7:00. No one was there so no issues. I hiked to Thermas de Azufre. It was a very long day. There is no shade at all after El Bolson. I made a provisional shade using my tent’s footprint during lunchbreaks. Once I arrived to the Azufre hotsprings, a few arrieros were there. I decided to camp further up the river.<br /> <br /> On the second day I hiked to Refugio Blanquillo, met a settler who resides there for three months each year (if I understood correctly). The scenery before the refugio was otherwoŕldy and beautiful. Gaiters, good hat, sunscreen and sunglasses were my most loved pieces of gear. I camped at the first “camp” waypoint after Refugio Blanquillo. Amazing place to camp (but no grass), with a good stream and even some small shade thanks to the bushes. <br /> <br /> My third day was quite straightforward, I made it almost to Los Cipresses but decided to camp close to the last “water” checkpoint, shortly before the gate with the guard. It was alright but I would recommend walking all the way to the shop and camp there for the night.<br /> <br /> On the fourth day I walked through the gate with the security guard. I also met a number of the power station workers and all were friendly. We waved at each other. The guard at the gate was nice, took my passport number and name. Once at the shop I found it was closed (9am). I needed to get to El Medano to join GPT07 and decided to continue hiking through Los Alamos. It might have been to early (10am) as also the almacén in Los Alamos was closed. The road after Los Almacén was uneventful and a bit sketchy at places, so I forded the river at the “bridge” waypoint after Los Alamos to get to the main road and hitchike to El Medáno. Got a ride in approx 20 min. El Medáno is a great base - the thermals are nice and there is an electricity socket next to the toilets. They have shade for the tent too. There is also a restaurant with filling foods and a small shop.<br /> <br /> Overall a fantstic section but I wasn’t expecting the heat to be that oppresive!<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-31 to 2023-Jan-3 / 5 day / Hiking / SOBO / RR / David and Erika'''<br /> <br /> Get to TH Parque ingle before 1:00 pm, otherwise they close it for entrance. We did get internet and got the correct CONAF ticket -the one heading to El Bolsón. Once you get out of the park and into the Cuesta Las Anima, the wild parts begin. Hope you got your dirty girl gaiters; cause you’re going to need them. Sand city. Gaiters worked great. Remote and desolately beautiful. Water up at the end of Laguna del Caracol, at the river that comes out of the ground, you have a dry climb ahead. Walk out was straightforward. Got a lift from ENEL employee.<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-28 to 2022-Dec-29 / 2 days/ Hiking / SOBO / RR / Tomáš'''<br /> <br /> I connected in Thermas Azufre from GPT 05. I recommend it as a camping spot. I have seen the tracks of people staying on the western side of the valley but I think it is better to ford, there is a nice trail there on the eastern side. There is a place with an island where I needed to remove my shoes just for about three meters (the stream was not strong enough for me to keep the shoes on).<br /> <br /> I took a detour to the lake at the pass - nice. No snow anymore. Reached the Refugio Blanquillo (which is a puesto, an arriero had two dogs and a thousand shep there), met a group of tourists on horses and two Chilean hikers there, so crowded all of a sudden. The pool there is indeed lukewarm. The water from the stream is said not to be good - I filtered it (for the first time on GPT) and was fine. But if not climbing the volcano, I would recommend to camp 2 km further at the next water source. I no longer carry water with me and just drink a lot when I find a source, there is a lot of them, even in the semidesert (the sand is actually white pumice from the volcanoes). It is quite dusty, my hands got dry and that normally does not happen to me. I agree with the recommendation to apply sunscreen at least three times a day! <br /> <br /> The second day I walked all the way to the main road. In the pass, there is still a bit of snow but quite manageable. Going down from the lake, there is no water until around half or one third of the minor road in the valley, beware. Walking-wise, this was the easiest section on GPT for me. At the mainroad, the camping at the shop after the bridge was closed. I hitched somebody in a truck who knew the owners, called them and they came to open it for me. 5000 pesos but I gave the lady 10000 as she had to drive here to open the camping for me. There is electricity and cold shower and shadow. Almost nothing at the shop. The bus is said to leave at seven. I slept and now will try hitchhiking.<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-20 to 2022-Dec-24 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Will '''<br /> <br /> Amazing trail! It's quite desolate but the landscape varies enough to always keep things interesting. Trudging up the sandy hills could be demoralizing, but getting to run down the other side more than made up for it. Water was still plentiful though not much snow was left, I only had to cross a few small patches. Thankfully heat wasn't a problem at all for me, I even felt cold a few times with the altitude and wind.<br /> <br /> Caught the 5pm bus from Molina to Radal for 3000 pesos, then a van came by a few minutes later to take us to parque inglés for another 3000. Was nice to meet a bunch of Chilean hikers, who were all going to El Bolson and back. We camped at the Rocas Basílicas campsite right at parque inglés, 7000 pesos next to a beautiful river.<br /> <br /> I had phone signal at parque inglés, so I bought the pass online for 8 USD. There was no one at the Conaf office at 7 30 the next morning, so I just hopped the gate and walked through. <br /> <br /> I ran into a few arrieros relaxing at the Azufre hot springs, the only people I saw along the trail. They were friendly but it was tough to understand their heavy Chilean Spanish. They said I could camp with them but there wasn't a ton of room so I walked on.<br /> <br /> There were some geysers shooting up from the muddy riverbank near the gpx track so I took a wider route around. An arriero also told me to take a trail higher up along the dunes so I followed that to the ford. The ford looked tough so I kept walking 2ish km along the other side until I could easily hop across. But it was slow going, probably not worth it.<br /> <br /> I ended up having to camp on a random sand dune. I had some trouble getting my tent to stay up tied to rocks, since I couldn't get stakes in. I'd definitely recommend using tieouts you can really secure to rocks, or even a freestanding tent.<br /> <br /> The rest of the hike went smoothly. I easily made it to los cipreses in three days of hiking from parque inglés. The guard was super friendly, inviting me in and giving me a bunch of water. I camped across the street from the shop near the bus stop, ask at the shop if you want to camp there. The guy running the camping was also super nice, he messaged the bus driver and told me it would be at 9 or 9 30 the next morning, because it was a Saturday (it was also Christmas eve). The bus ended up showing up at 9 45, and costed 3200 pesos to Talca.<br /> <br /> The side trip up Volcan Los Hornitos was very worth it, there's a fairly gradual trail up and you can just sprint straight down. I didn't even need to bring any water (just some gummy bears).<br /> <br /> I got by without gaiters, but bring them if you can. I should have used more sunscreen, the reflection off the sand is strong.<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-17 to 2022-Dec-20 / 2.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Martin &amp; Helena'''<br /> <br /> Joining section 6 directly from the previous one with a little challenging connection trail (see our comment from section 5), we continued to the Hot Spring del Azufre. On the way there is one steep traverse. We used hot spring to cook our rice which really saved us as we run out of gas. The landscape on the whole section is amazing, we really enjoyed it! Ascent to the pass is nice and gradual, hiking in the sand is a little slower, but the opposite when going down. We camped at the El Estadio, almost no wind that day, great place to sleep . In the morning we continued on a nice and easy trail, great views around the volcanos… short break by the laguna thats great for swimming. We camped a little before the camp marked in the gps, there is one place, probably used by arrieros, with a fireplace and a few rocks around it. Being out of the gas we set a fire using wood that was already in there and some others we gather during the day. The view to the volcanos must be one of the best we have seen here so far! The next day we continued to the last Hornitos pass and through the valley, again really nice hiking on a clear trail. Last few kms on the road and since we missed the only bus to Talca that is leaving early in the morning (7:00) and did not have luck with hitchhiking, we stayed in a camp right next to the road. Its just a few meters before it, in the same direction we came from. On the left side is a house with some old advertisment sign (coca-cola or similir) on its fence, and the lady there has a small shop. The camp is on the other side - cold shower, toilets, electricity and access to the river, all for 5000 for 2 people. We even got sandwiches for dinner as there was no other place around to eat. Overall, when combining both sections we recommend to plan carefully, but its definitely worth the effort, especially this section 6.<br /> <br /> Contact: @martin_hanzelka @helenneka<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-14 to 2022-Dec-16 / 3 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Anna&amp;Christopher '''<br /> <br /> The section is pretty tough, but beautiful with a quite unique landscape. We definetly would do it again.<br /> <br /> Recomendations: bring lots of suncreme, a good hat, gaiters.<br /> <br /> How to get there:<br /> We took a bus from Santiago (terminal at the metro station Universidad de Santiago) to Curico. Across the street from the bus terminal in Curico leaves a blue bus to Molina for 1k CLP. From Molina we hitchhiked to Parque Inglés.<br /> You have to be there before 3 pm to be allowed to hike up to El Bolson. To camp they charge 8k CLP p.p and the park entry is also 8k CLP p.p.<br /> <br /> The first day we started early from El Bolson. From midday on it was super tough due to the white sand which makes walking really tiring and reflects the sun which makes it super hot without shade. The next day was pretty similar.<br /> The whole section there was plenty of water. There was no much snow left at the passes, so we had no trouble without spikes.<br /> On the last day, after arriving to the dirtroad (8 km from los Cipreses), we got offered a ride after a while and the guy brought us directly to El Médano.<br /> The shop there has pasta, rice, bread, tomato salsa, mayo, chips, biscuits/chocolate and suncreme (but quite pricey).<br /> In El Médano we camped for 6k CLP p.p.<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-03 to 2022-Dec-06 / 3.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Véronica'''<br /> <br /> Route: Parque Inglés - Laguna Ánimas - Termas del Azufre - Termas del Blanquillo - Laguna del Caracol - Laguna de los Hornos - Los Cipreses<br /> <br /> A beautiful, remote section of true mountain wilderness. It took me 4 days, but only 2 hours hiking the dirt road to Los Cipreses on the last day (so very doable in 3 days). The only people I saw were a couple of arrieros at Termas del Blanquillo who told me they hadn't had a winter as snowy as this one in over 10 years. I was glad to have my microspikes for the vast snow fields near/on the passes. A couple places would have felt quite unsafe without them. <br /> <br /> Notable tidbits: <br /> <br /> Took a bus from Molina at 5pm (on a Friday) to El Radal, then hitchhiked to Parque Inglés. I camped there the first night for 7000 pesos. Pricey, but at least I had a beautiful and secluded spot by Rio Claro. <br /> <br /> The stretch between Las Ánimas Pass and Termas de Azufre had some sketchy traverses across disintegrating scree slopes that were downright nerve-wracking. I suppose if you go down to Laguna Mondaca, then back up to the Termas, you may not encounter this hazard. But I did get to observe a condor soar above my head on thermals for an hour as he surveilled his domain, that was super cool. <br /> <br /> For the first ford after Termas de Azufre, I crossed further upstream than indicated on the GPS track (see Carlos's comment below). It looked a lot safer there than downstream. There's continuous snow for about 3 km going over the pass after Thermas de Azufre, best to cross in the morning to avoid postholing when the snow gets too soft. <br /> <br /> Los Hornitos pass has a large, very steep lip of snow (leftover cornice) on its south side. It's possible to go around it by heading north for 50-100 meters and then making your way down on the volcanic sand.<br /> <br /> The spring between Termas del Blanquillo and Laguna del Caracol is a beautiful little desert oasis in an orherwise hot and dry stretch. It was a splendid spot to camp. <br /> <br /> There is LOTS of water. Laguna del Caracol and Laguna de los Hornos are both full of clear, refreshing water. A lot of the &quot;water&quot; GPS waypoints are actually fords this time of year (easy ones), and there's a lot of other water sources not listed on the tracks. But the section is very exposed, no shade, and very hot in the midday sun unless a breeze is blowing. <br /> <br /> No issues with the guards at Los Cipreses, they were friendly and let me pass no problem. From the first bus stop on the road, I hitched easily to Talca to resupply.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Feb-20 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Molly '''<br /> <br /> Amazing section! I found the landscape to be very varied despite the lack of vegetation - and even with many pretty flowers near the streams. I personally found it to be a great ending to my GPT journey, a big contrast to the landscapes further south. Would make for a tough start though.<br /> Plenty of water. Met one hiker doing Circuito el Cóndor and three Chilean tourists on horseback. No arrieros, but plenty of cows and horses. The weather was cold and windy, sometimes veritable sandstorms which meant I almost couldn't open my eyes - maybe sunglasses could have helped. I wore my long pants over my boots instead of gaiters - should have listened to the advice, so much sand! <br /> <br /> Signs on the way to parque inglés say that you can only buy tickets online - don't know how strict they are, but no cell phone coverage at parque inglés and long before in case they insist. You have to be there before 15 to be let through to El Bolsón.<br /> Easy 11 km to El Bolsón through a young forest. No water at the first &quot;ford&quot; waypoint. Campground has toilets and showers, it's the only place you're allowed to camp until after Valle del Indio. Nice enough place next to the impressive Colmillo del Diablo. In hot weather it might be nice to camp here to take the long ascent in the morning.<br /> Laguna de las Animas would be a good campsite plus a nice place to swim. The first &quot;water&quot; waypoint afterwards is also great for camping - there is a nice little meadow.<br /> Las Animas pass is gorgeous!<br /> After Termas Azufre there are many confusing paths. They mostly seem to lead to the same place, but keep an eye on the GPS. When descending from the 2700 m pass towards Termas Blanquillo, you don't have to cross the stream to your right even though many paths do it. As noted by others, the hot springs Baños del Blanquillo are luke warm - but fine if you want to wash yourself a little and the stream is too cold. The refuge is locked.<br /> The next camp waypoint is in a cute valley with many streams, bushes and flowers. No grass, though. <br /> Laguna Caracol is beautiful as well, but very bare, surrounded by sand. I really liked the campsite afterwards, with views of both Volcán Descabezado and Cerro Azul. From there, a small CC section to the ascent where the path picks up again towards the Hornitos pass. Even more gorgeous with great and very different views to each site. Volcán Hornitos and the other little craters look really funny and special. Some hail was coming in, though, so I quickly slided down to the next camp waypoint, again a nice flat meadow. No water on the ascent. The first streams at the top of the pass were dry, but the path crosses a stream in 2100 m altitude. If you fill up at the water waypoint before the pass I agree you wouldn't have to carry extra water, the time between these two water points is around 2-3 hours.<br /> I climbed to the rim of Volcán Hornitos, there's nothing in there, but if you walk to the highest point the view is nice enough. It took me 20 minutes in total, and it was about worth that.<br /> The gravel road is nice the first kilometres, but then it gets pretty boring. The security guard at the end was very nice and welcoming.<br /> I camped at the shop just before the road - nice place by the river, 3000 per person with toilets and a cold shower, or 50,000 for a cabaña. From there I hitched the 3 km down the road to Restaurant Cordillera, nice enough, great with a beer, meat and fries. <br /> Bus left from the bus shed at 7:20 next morning - think it depends whether it goes to El Médano or not <br /> <br /> * '''2022-Jan-20 to 2022-Jan-25 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Carlos '''<br /> Route: Parque Inglés - El Bolsón (Colmillo del Diablo summit) - Termas del Azufre - Termas del Blanquillo - Laguna Caracol - First bus stop on CH115 road.<br /> <br /> I hiked this route only a couple of days after Verónica &amp; Jo. Not much to add except:<br /> <br /> First day just hiked to El Bolsón (easy 4 hours), pitched my tent on the gorgeous campsite, left the heavy load and climbed the imposing &quot;Colmillo del Diablo&quot; (easy hike on a trail that goes around the back of the mountain).<br /> <br /> From Termas del Azufre climbing to the pass I followed a faint track on the steep loose slope instead of crossing at the first river ford. After a few hundred meters the track takes you to a flat wide rocky area (just before the slope becomes impossibly steep), where you can very easily ford the river (I didn't even get my feet wet).<br /> <br /> Plenty of buses Molina - Parque Inglés. But only one bus from el Médano - Los Cipreses to Talca, at around 7 am, which returns at 15:00. Only week days. Basic camping just in front of Los Cipreses shop (only ice cream, drinks, choco bars, biscuits): $4.000 pp.<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Jan-10 to 2022-Jan-15 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Veronika &amp; Jo '''<br /> <br /> Route: Parque Inglès -&gt; Laguna de las Animas -&gt; Termas de Azufre -&gt; Descabezado base camp -&gt; Laguna del Caracol -&gt; Laguna Hornitos -&gt; First bus stop on 115-CH<br /> <br /> The five nights we just spent in a tent was the longest stretch we have ever gone without a decent bed on a hike. We skipped Radal, Laguna Mondaca and Termas de Medano, but still hiked in 6 days what others did in 3-4. We're basically easing into the GPT, gaining some fitness and experience before taking on the harder challenges.<br /> <br /> As others have said: the views are otherworldly and stunning. We felt like Touaregs traveling from oasis to oasis in the Saharan desert. Except that there actually are plenty of springs and little rivers flowing in most valleys.<br /> <br /> Useful tidbits:<br /> <br /> - There really is no shade after El Bolsòn. Either you make your own (e.g., adapting your tent to not trap heat) or you dress like a Touareg (loose clothing fully blocking the sun). For us, this was the hardest to deal with. We got up early but often stopped hiking at 13:00, enjoying the lakes or even just sitting down doing nothing that takes energy.<br /> <br /> - High-heeled boots and long trousers work well to keep the sand out.<br /> <br /> - Confirming Shn0rhelez: going up from Termas de Azufre until the second ford indeed passes plenty of water, no need to carry any.<br /> <br /> - Laguna Hornitos is drying up and hence less beautiful than the other lakes. Maybe it's better to camp at the start of the Hornitos plateau (SOBO, so north entry) as the area is flat and there is reasonably clean running water there.<br /> <br /> - There is no bus to Talca from Los Cipreses on saturdays or sundays. We asked at the shop and got a ride to Colorado from the brother-in-law of the shopkeeper for 15000 CLP.<br /> <br /> - In supermarkets, you can buy alcohol desnaturalizado cheaply in the nail polish section, or alternatively, use alcohol de quemar from the combustibles section.<br /> <br /> * '''2021-Dec-26 to 2022-Jan-04 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / '''<br /> <br /> From Parque Inglés to the entrance of Reserva Achibueno<br /> Buy your ticket online for “El Bolsón” on the CONAF website and get to the trailhead before 3pm<br /> 4hrs hike to El Bolsón, a great place with waterfall, great views, nice camping spots, hikers<br /> TO CHECK: Bus from Molina to Parque Ingles leaves at 9 am (not positive) on week-ends and holidays <br /> Easy hitch from Radal to Parque Ingles coz lots of campers going there on week-ends<br /> Be careful a ranger told me the park closes on Mondays <br /> It took me around 4 days from Parque Siete Tazas Park entrance to the road Q115 (Central Cipreses)<br /> From Road 115 I hitched to a village by Colbún lake where I resupplied : good supermarkets (a little on the expensive side), food truck , pastry shop <br /> I didn't like Altos de Lircay NP : after El Bolson (4 hrs in) no fucking shade for 3 days and an half except that of a shelter a little off trail, blazing sun all day, sand sand sand, I found the place so inhospitable, monotonous sights : sand dunes for ever, quite some struggling pedalling in the soft sand, plus I had no gaiters (stupid me) and low heels shoes so that was a bummer. However the place is super special, feels like on the moon (beautiful pictures) and I can understand why many love it<br /> Some “hot springs” are actually just luke and others just a hole or boiling hot (I added these informations to the track and waypoints I sent to Jan Dudek) so don't be like me fantasizing all day on that fantastic bath you will get or wait for Jan's update (thanks so so much for all you do mate).<br /> After resupplying I hitched on option 7 XXX all the way the Mellado cañon (really nice, by the river all the time), communities. After hiking South from Carizales (which has a very limited “store”) I was short on time and food and realized bare landscapes over the tree line were not my cup of tea (I prefer hiking below 1700 m in this part of Patagonia) so I left RR and took another option all the way to the West to Reserva Achibueno which I really enjoyed : great landscapes, lakes, rivers and met some cool hikers and fishermen<br /> <br /> * '''2021-Dec-09 to 2021-Dec-12 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / AR past Laguna Manatial Pelado / Vera &amp; James'''<br /> <br /> We arrived the day before at Parque Ingles and camped the night there. From Molina there is a bus to Radal at 5pm wed-fri, and direct to Parque Ingles on weekends. The only way to pay for park entry is online at www.aspticket.cl.<br /> <br /> As an aside, we really liked Molina. It has plenty for resupply whilst being nice and small. There is a fishing shop opposite the Santa Isabel supermarket that sells gas.<br /> <br /> Day 1 we headed up the RR as far as just above Laguna de las Animas by 2pm, a brutal climb in the midday sun! At this point the sun disappeared and clouds quickly rolled in, within 10 minutes lightning was hitting the peaks directly around us. We beat a hasty retreat back to El Bolsen and camped there.<br /> <br /> We decided to take the alternate route past Laguna Manatial Pelado. A beautiful route if hot and sandy. We have realised the best time time to take on a long, sandy ascent in sunny weather is very early in the morning, after 9am it was brutally hot. <br /> <br /> We then continued on the regular route. As has been said before, it's remote and stunning. We had some strong winds coming over Pass de Hornitos, and even some sleet on the final day!<br /> <br /> Arrived in Los Cipreses on a Sunday and we didn't see a single person except the security guard. We got mixed messages from him and then the mini shop owner about buses to Talca. I would assume there isn't one on a Sunday. We hitched to El Colorado then got a bus from there to Talca.<br /> <br /> * '''2021-Dec-03 to 2021-Dec-09 / 7 days (GPT 05 + 06) / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Kris&amp;Stiina'''<br /> <br /> We also decided to combine sections 5 and 6 to avoid in’n’out to and from Parque Inglés. It took us 6 and a half days and some of it was bloody hard. I have never before experienced my ass being handed over to me by a trail. We got beaten to the point where first signs of weakness started to show and I have to admit we kind of even started discussing a plan B and bailing this ditch trail. But only for a moment, once you hit the rock bottom there is only one way to go - up! It was literally and figuratively, and as terrain improved so did our mood and we laughed off the silly thoughts we had had earlier. <br /> <br /> The first 45km of the section 5 were great, awesome hiking and then shit hit the fan real quick. Ascent up from the ford at km 45 was hard but alright. And then came the descent down to Rio Negro (51km), very steep and very loose scree slope. We wanted to make it to Rio Colorado for the night to cross it early in the morning in case there is no bridge. But because the trail or I must rather say the lack of it was really taking more time than we expected, by the time we got to Rio Negro it was already getting dark. The river was very rapid and murky so you couldn’t gauge the depth of it and couldn’t see where to step, we had to really concentrate to cross it, luckily it was only balls deep.<br /> <br /> It was dark as we got across it and we continued the fun, albeit type 2 fun, illuminated by our headlamps. Then came the insanely steep gully that allowed you to enter the valley of Rio Colorado. Something was off with the elevation lines on Gaia and it showed that we will be descending right over the cliff, it was luckily only a glitch. As we couldn’t see much ahead we kept descending ever so carefully on this very very challenging terrain, I would even go as far as to say that it was stupid and outright dangerous. But there was no other way, you just had to stay focused. There were also some rocks falling off the cliff under which we were descending. In a sense night was a good time to do it because you couldn’t see all the dangers - only what lie within the beam of the headlamp. <br /> <br /> Then came an extremely slow going, pretty much crawling speed traverse down to Rio Colorado, which we fully improvised as there was no trail anyway and got down to Rio colorado about a kilometer before the bridge, where we set up camp abit past midnight. <br /> <br /> So yes, the bridge was there - a decent one, seemed permanent and it was a relief that we at least don’t have to start the day by risking our lives fording Rio Colorado. The river was pretty wide and the current seemed pretty fast, it wasn’t murky though but you couldn’t see how deep it really was. But we think it could have been forded in case there would be no bridge. There were a few places that looked doable with somewhat laminar flow. The excitement of the existence of the bridge didn’t last too long as we were slapped back into reality by the difficult terrain, it wasn’t as dangerous anymore as the previous night but difficult nevertheless. Once we got closer to the pass the trail appeared and it was actually pleasant hiking once again. <br /> <br /> To sum it up the descent down to the Rio Colorado valley, then traversing it and the first part of crawling out of the valley sucks big time, but the rest of the section is really nice and not too challenging terrain-wise. I wouldn’t want to skip this section because it had some breathingtaking views. Just that on the hard part of it you can’t really enjoy any of it as all your effort is elsewhere. <br /> <br /> The guards at Laguna Mondaca were the nicest people we have met in Chile so far. They invited us to stay at the property, gave us food and drinks. They insisted we don’t use any of our supplies or gear. They even provided us with a room with a bed and we got to recharge all of our electronics and got a hot shower aswell. It was perfect! And just to make it clear there are no fancy villas there just a few small simple houses where the owner of the property comes for fishing once in a while. And guards weren’t armed either.<br /> <br /> It took us 4 days to get to Laguna Mondaca and not far after it we joined the section 6 which took 2 and a half more days. <br /> <br /> Section 6 was really something, we haven’t had such a strong otherworldly experience anywhere else. It was really like being on another planet at times. The blue sky was the only thing that gave it away that we were still on Earth. Really bizarre landscape and definitely the most beautiful breathtaking section of the six that we have done so far. <br /> <br /> Regarding the difficulty, compared to section 5 it didn’t feel that difficult at all. Walking on sand is challenging, yes, especially going uphill. But on the other side going down is much easier on the soft sand - you can just run/jog without much impact on your body as the sand absorbs it all. Shoes got completely wrecked and we took many “shoe-emptying” breaks because they were just filled with rocks and coarse sand. <br /> <br /> We even took a dip in one of the lakes close to Descabezado and seeing how water is just coming out of the sand and turning into a river was really really cool, just as the whole landscape around there. <br /> <br /> We camped at the lake about 5km from Los Cipreses. When we arrived to the road to take bus to Talca the bus stop didn’t have any schedule and the shop close by was closed. So we couldn’t find out about the bus schedule and the traffic on the road seemed pretty dead. But luckily after 15 min of waiting a car that was going to Talca picked us up, perfecto! <br /> <br /> Overall plenty of water on both sections, a lot of exposure to the sun, and some challenging terrain. It all together made for a great experience, just what we were looking for. It humbled us and we definitely had to adjust our expectations and recalibrate our way of hiking, it is GPT - not more and not less. <br /> <br /> 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<br /> <br /> ==Season 2020/21==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Feb-12 / 2.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / OH to Laguna Manantial / Frank '''<br /> <br /> At Parque Ingles I registered with Conaf, they record your route &amp; where you will camp. Deregistered by email later. Easy 3 hour walk to El Bolson, lots of people camping there but they don't go any further. Took optional route to Laguna Manantial. At 2160M there is a small meadow &amp; stream, this is last water &amp; last camp before the lake. You go over a pass @ 2560M then drop 80M to the lake. Camped on the lakeshore. <br /> Termas Blanquillo were only tepid. Camped on a small beach @ S end of Laguna de Los Hornos. The lake is nearly dried out, only a little semi stagnant water left. Best to carry water in from one of the streams a little above the lake. Last 11KM are on dirt roads, you could hitch easily if you want. Met 2 security guards, they were both friendly, no access problems if you are Southbound. Small campsite @ shop on way out. Amazing section, some tough uphill on sand but scenery is like Mars. Definitely use small gaiters or you will be emptying sand out of your shoes every 10 mins.<br /> <br /> At the end of GPT06 if you go on the north bank of Rio Maule the route is blocked by a cliff beyond Los Alamos &amp; you need to cross the river to continue. Better to go on the road. After 2KM on the road you pass 2 shops, better food selection than in El Medano. They have accommodation also. At Bridge 17 you can rejoin RR or continue on road but RR is nicer.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-24 / 7 days (GPT 05 + 06) / Hiking / SOBO / Ian Hikes + Tobias'''<br /> <br /> Overview: <br /> So, I decided to combine GPT sections 5 and 6 in order to avoid a 30k out and back resupply section into parque ingles. I thought this was a good decision for me and really enjoyed being out there for a week. In my opinion this was the hardest section of the GPT in between sections GPT 01-10. I went the first 5 days without seeing another person which I thought was quite cool. So, these two sections are quite remote, and you are way out there in the mountains. There was also some pretty intense river crossing in “GPT Section 5” that I found to be manageable (keep in mind I’m 185cm and have lots of thru hiking experience.) but still a little difficult. The rivers were also very dark and murky which made it hard to see where you would step. There was also an improvised bridge crossing the Colorado River that I used, and thought was safe to use. These two sections are dominated by a volcanic profile with much of the route on ash and volcanic rock. Most of the route is very exposed and there are not many trees or vegetation that grow in the volcanic ash/rocks. There was plenty of water with springs coming out of the hills everywhere and then disappearing into the sand.<br /> <br /> Difficulties:<br /> It was slow going walking thru the sand, especially when hiking vertically. Exposure to the sun. River crossings. Isolation and remoteness. Hiking up and down lose rock and scree fields.<br /> <br /> Highlights:<br /> Hot Springs. Great views of the volcanic region. Mountain Lakes. Sunrise and Sunsets were epic with the landscape. <br /> <br /> Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions at ultratrailca@gmail.com<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-23 / 7 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Shn0rhelez'''<br /> <br /> Parque Ingles to El Medano southbound/main route ... 7 days duration(2 nights spent on laguna Las Animas)...section passable...Strong sun, no shadow after the park... Gaiters strongly recommended...the SUBsection between termas del azufre and second ford Before the pass (2700m) is full with water... my personal opinion is the backpack weight can be minimized... Good luck! <br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-09 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Bruno &amp; Martin'''<br /> <br /> Parque Inglés to El Medano<br /> 5 days for this amazing section. We started in Parque Inglés in Radal 7 Tazas National Park. Had to wait for one more day because of limited hiking permits towards El Bolsón. 80 daily permits allowed and delivered at 8:30 in the morning, to be minded on weekends when the park is full. Followed Regular Route Laguna Las Ánimas, Azufre Hotsprings, Descabezado base camp, Laguna Caracol and then down to Los Cipreses. Cold section and bad weather towards the end, some rain and freezing wind. Had to camp in Laguna Caracol waiting for the storm to pass and hike the last pass. <br /> The use of lightweight gaiters is advised for keeping the sand out of your shoes.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-25 / 3 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Tom &amp; Maddie '''<br /> <br /> Parque Ingles to El Medano. Very beautiful (and exposed) section. Lots of water. The track from Los Cipreses to El Medano suffered from a few landslides meaning the route was slower than anticipated. I would consider taking the road next time as there is no loss of scenery. We resupplied in El Medano by basically buying all the food at the tienda (60000 CP for food for two people for the next section). Selection was good enough. <br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-18 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR from Vilches Alto / Tyler &amp; America '''<br /> <br /> A Stunning section. Vilches Alto made for a great optional start; rather than returning to Parque Ingles. (We came from Talca by bus - 2100 CP). Entrance fee was 6000 and camping 3000 PP. All trails were beautiful and a bit more trodden that sections before. Arrieros at thermal pools (not hot) were welcoming and friendly for us to camp. We took our sweet time in the beautiful section. We bussed from the first road access (south of town Los Cipreses/ OH-MR-V@06-E-#001) to Talca for a good re supply before the long next section, 2200 CP. Bus leaves this stop around 11.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-18 / 2.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR with optional start coming from GPT 5 / Matus &amp; Anna'''<br /> <br /> We combined sections 5 and 6 via optional trail. <br /> GPT06 took us 2 days and bit (first day we did just 4km from 6th section).<br /> I agree with everything what was written in previous updates.<br /> Nice sandy trails. Mornings were freezing cold. No problems while crossing rivers. After optional start regular trail didn't correspond with any trail. We finally took one on the right side and after while they merged. And I don't know who was so commited, but thanks for marking the trail 😊<br /> <br /> There is a small tienda with coke and crisps before entering a main road from Los Cipress. If you continue by main road toward El Medano there is restaurant Cordillera where we refueled again. Accomodation in El Medano. I will edit with ressuply options later. <br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-14 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR (mainly) / Martina &amp; Ivo '''<br /> <br /> As we came from GPT05 and didn't want to go all the way &quot;back&quot; to the Paso Las Animas, we tried the Optional Investigation Route which starts at Parque Ingles right at the other side (South) of Rio Claro. It leads through private property, so we went to the guard, showed him the CONAF Permit (we bought one just in case, and of course they said it's not possible to walk on the other side of the river), explained him that we would only hike through and gave him some cerezas. He informed his Colleagues via radio to let us pass. It was a nice and easy hike. Nothing to add to Linda's remarks for the rest of the trail.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-06 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Linda '''<br /> <br /> Start = Parque Ingles <br /> Finish = Las Termas El Medano<br /> <br /> GENERAL FEELING<br /> <br /> Amazing section !!!! Incredible mineral landscapes as soon as you go beyond Laguna Las Animas. It was tough because of the passes (and this was also my first hiking days and I carried too much food ... ) and the ground around the volcanoes is sand ! So it makes each step even more difficult. I loved the contrast between the areas around the volcanoes and the Laguna Caracol is just one of the most beautiful place I've ever seen !!! <br /> <br /> LOGISTICS<br /> <br /> - Bus from Molina to El Radal (off season and weekdays = only one bus at 5pm in Molina that stops in El Radal. Weekend : it goes directly to Parque Ingles and the schedule may also be different)<br /> <br /> - Hitchhiked from El Radal to Parque Ingles<br /> <br /> - First night in a camping in Parque Ingles = 5000 CLP<br /> <br /> - The day after, I had to register to CONAF. Office opening at 8:30 am. Entrance fee = 6000 CLP<br /> Some people (5 or 6) were going to El Bolson for the day but after Laguna Las Animas, there was absolutely nobody till the end !<br /> <br /> - Still snow when you go beyond the 2300 meters high<br /> <br /> - Be careful for the last pass Las Hornitos, a lot of snow at the top and it makes it impossible to follow the GPS track to go down. I found my way on the left when you face the valley and then got back to the GPS track<br /> <br /> - No problem to go out from the mine. Actually, workers I met on my way down to Los Cipreses suggestedto drop me by car to the main road. The guard was just smiling when he saw me in the car and when I told him I was hiking<br /> <br /> - Mini market where you can find basic food (eggs, spaghetti, chocolate ...) in Las Termas El Medano<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Feb-07 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Arnaud'''<br /> <br /> Amazing but hard section with a lot of denivelation. <br /> As we did not walk the section 5, we took the bus from Molina to Parque Ingles-7 Tazas (many buses, 4-5 buses per day). We registered to the Conaf Office and paid the entrance fee 6000 clp for foreigners. They gave us a mail adress so that we can announce our exit of the parque, to check the security.<br /> We walked the first 11km to the campspot El Bolson. It costs 4000 clp per person but has no interest. As the zone is protected, it is possible to freecamp only after el Bolson, before, it is prohibited.<br /> The Laguna Las Animas is very very beautiful and is welcome for a bath with the heat of this season.<br /> Then the paso las animas is easy and ashes are fun for downhills!<br /> We met nobody on the trail after el Bolson. So great! Except at one spot with termas with full of chilenos there.<br /> We lacked a bit of water at the laguna el Caracol but found 3kms further (just before the strong uphill) a source with drinkable water.<br /> No problem then to exit los cypress. We hitchhiked on the road with workers until the road to los Medanos.<br /> We stayed one day in los termas de los Medanos, at the camping and exit quickly (too many noise, people). The water is hot and nice after a hard section like this one. <br /> We resupplied at los termas (with pasta, arros, pancito, manjar). No gas available there.<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> You need to carry all the food for the entire trail. There is no food supply after Parque Ingles. If you meet arrieros at one of the Puestos you may ask for some goat or lamb meet but if you are not ready to take an entire or at least half an animal they may be reluctant to sell. Refill your water supply at the marked river crossings and the camps. In between these waypoints your will find only ocasinally some trickling water because water trickles away easily into the volcanic soil.<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> <br /> * 02-2025 / Clara : <br /> Los alamos : Hostal la Riviera 25k/n con desayuno. Possible to have lunch and dinner also (9500). <br /> <br /> El colorado is a good for full resupply. Several bus per days to and from Talca. 1 per day to and from El medano<br /> <br /> <br /> * 2023 / Michael and Kasia<br /> Molina: Hostal Nativos is three blocks off the main square. Run by very nice people, they have private rooms with shared bathroom for 25.000 CLP for the room. They also have a nice garden area with space if you need to clean gear. Ferreteria Franco had gas canisters for stoves. Unimarc on the plaza had cans for recharging, but didn't carry the screw route for stoves.<br /> <br /> * 2021 / Vera &amp; James<br /> <br /> Molina: It has plenty for resupply whilst being nice and small. There is a fishing shop opposite the Santa Isabel supermarket that sells gas.<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> * 2022 / Martin &amp; Helena<br /> <br /> Los Cipresses: small shop (only ice cream, drinks, choco bars, biscuits) + camp with cold shower, toilets, electricity and access to the river, all for 5000 for 2 people. We even got sandwiches for dinner as there was no other place around to eat. <br /> <br /> * 2022 7 Anna&amp;Christopher <br /> <br /> El Médano: The shop there has pasta, rice, bread, tomato salsa, mayo, chips, biscuits/chocolate and suncreme (but quite pricey).<br /> In El Médano we camped for 6k CLP p.p.<br /> <br /> * 2020 / Frank <br /> After 2KM on the road after Los Alamos (to El Medano) you pass 2 shops, better food selection than in El Medano. They have accommodation also.<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route= <br /> <br /> ==Parque Ingles==<br /> <br /> During the main season in January and February several buses go from Molina and Curico to Radal and some even go all the way to Parque Ingles. Outside of the main season there is only one daily bus from Molina to Radal leaving in the afternoon from the rural bus station in Molina.<br /> <br /> * Jan-24 / Joscha<br /> The Bus between Molina and Parque Ingles is run by the company &quot;Buses Hernández&quot;. You can check the departure times on their website.<br /> <br /> *2020 / Frank In summer there are 6 buses a day Molina-Parque Ingles.<br /> <br /> Mon-Sat they leave Molina @ 10:20, 11:30, 12:40, 3PM, 6:15PM, 8:15 PM Sunday Molina- Parque Ingles 7:45, 9:30, 2PM, 7:30PM, 10PM 2 hours to Parque Ingles, buses leave from terminal near main plaza in Molina. Parque Ingles-Molina 7:10, 11, 1PM, 3:45PM, 4:45PM, 6:30PM Mon-Sat Sun. 10:30, 1:30PM, 3:30PM, 5:45PM, 6:45PM <br /> <br /> *2019/ Martina &amp; Ivo <br /> <br /> Monday to Thursday: Molina-Radal: 17:00 // Radal-Molina: 07:30<br /> <br /> Friday: Molina-P.Ingles: 17:00 // Radal-Molina: 07:30<br /> <br /> Saturday: Molina-P.Ingles: 11:30 // 13:30 / P.Ingles-Molina: 18:00<br /> <br /> Sunday: Molina-P.Ingles: 09:00 // P.Ingles-Molina: 15:30 / 17:00<br /> <br /> ==Los Cipreses / El Medano ==<br /> <br /> * Dec 2024 / Sean <br /> One bus a day from El Medano to Talca 7:15 and Talca to El Medano 15:00 Monday to Saturday:<br /> [[Archivo:IMG-20241229-WA0000.jpg|thumbnailimage|Talca bus timetable December 2024 - Sean]]<br /> <br /> <br /> * 7 am in front of Los Cipreses - someone has to call in advance for the bus to go all the way to el Médano - loads of tourists there, though, so someone might have called. Other connections should be at 9:15 and 17:20 (one at 1620 l3aves from further downstream). The other way around, the buses leave Talca at 7, 13, 15 and 19, according to the schedule at Talca bus station.<br /> <br /> *This trail section finished at the Route 115 to Talca. Big road with many cars (hitchhiking possible)<br /> <br /> * 2023 / Louis, Rémi &amp; Noé <br /> <br /> From Los Cipreses only one bus at 7am. We hitchiked to El Colorado where plenty of buses are going down to Talca for 2 000 CLP (+ 400 CLP per bag)<br /> <br /> * 2023 / Natalie &amp; Tomáš <br /> <br /> Buses from Talca to la Mina go at; 7:00am, 1:00pm (only to la Suiza), 3:00pm and 7:00pm. <br /> Vilches: bus clearly did not follow the posted schedule so if you are there just ask the many locals around what time the bus comes, we caught the 1230 bus. <br /> <br /> * 2022 / Veronika &amp; Jo <br /> <br /> - There is no bus to Talca from Los Cipreses on saturdays or sundays. We asked at the shop and got a ride to Colorado from the brother-in-law of the shopkeeper for 15000 CLP.<br /> <br /> == Vilches ==<br /> <br /> * 2023 / Natalie &amp; Tomáš <br /> <br /> Bus clearly did not follow the posted schedule so if you are there just ask the many locals around what time the bus comes, we caught the 1230 bus.<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> * CONAF does register all trekkers at Parque Ingles (GPT01-WP004) but does not charge an entrance fee. Camp fires are not permitted within the national park that reaches from Radal (GPT01-WP001) to the Laguna las Ánimas (GPT01-WP013).<br /> <br /> * 2024 SOBO Permit required at Parque Inglés:<br /> - payment 8500 Pesos online! (not in cash) with online your Conaf account<br /> <br /> https:// shop.pasesparques.cl/evento/2564/radal-siete-tazas<br /> <br /> - offline formular at Conaf station<br /> <br /> - payment 7000 Pesos for Campsite El Bolsón in Cash (not possible with credit card, 200m from Conaf Station)<br /> <br /> * 2023<br /> <br /> When starting from Vilches and going northbound, a permit to access the Volcano (or the Condor Circuit) is required. CONAF won't let you enter in Altos de Lircay without it. Call them or write an email to get the correct number. The number ending with 554 works on WhatsApp, and a WhatsApp message from the land owner counts as &quot;written permission&quot;. Moreover, you have to pay the entrance fee to the reserve and it is closed on Mondays in March.<br /> <br /> *2023 <br /> <br /> Start at Parque Ingles: <br /> Entry ticket for Bolsón overnight needed: $10 USD (book it before online at www.aspticket.cl + get to the trailhead before 13:00) It needs to be purchased online in advance. There is good Entel service at the gate for last minute purchases. After purchase one change can be made to the date of the ticket, and there is no additional charge. After that you need to repurchase the ticket. Entrance for the camping permit is until 13:00. After that they refuse entry.<br /> In addition, you need to show CONAF proof of permission to camp at Bolsón, even if you do not plan to camp there. Bolsón is a privately operated concession within the park. Camping is 7.000 CLP pp and you buy the tickets at Rocas Basalticas campground about 50 meters down the road on the opposite side of the street from the entrance. The only way around this is to have contacted land owners that live beyond the park boundary and show CONAF proof of permission to camp on their land.<br /> They also require that you show them your gas stove, as all other cooking systems (alcohol, wood, etc.) are prohibited within the park, so have it handy.<br /> <br /> The parc can be entered illegally in the morning (around 7 pm).<br /> <br /> * 2019<br /> <br /> Optional start Vilches Alto: Entrance fee was 6000 and camping 3000 PP.<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT06 - Volcán Descabezado]]<br /> <br /> =Images=<br /> <br /> [[File:18 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.PNG|thumb|1100px|center|In the huge ash field]]<br /> [[File:10 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[Archivo:Greater Patagonian Trail (9).jpg|thumb|1100px|center|GPT06 - Volcán Descabezado]]<br /> [[Archivo:Greater Patagonian Trail (5).jpg|thumb|1100px|center|Greater Patagonian Trail]]<br /> [[Archivo:Greater Patagonian Trail (17).jpg|thumb|1100px|center|[[Cerro Azul]].]]<br /> [[Archivo:Greater Patagonian Trail (11).jpg|thumb|1100px|center|Greater Patagonian Trail, section 6]]<br /> [[File:01 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, El Bolsón.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|El Bolsón]]<br /> [[File:02 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Leaving El Bolsón.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|Leaving El Bolsón]]<br /> [[File:03 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|GPT 06]]<br /> [[File:04 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Laguna Las Ánimas.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|Laguna Las Ánimas]]<br /> [[File:05 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Pass 2560 m.PNG|thumb|1100px|center|Pass 2560 m]]<br /> [[File:06 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Approaching Laguna Mondaca.PNG|thumb|1100px|center|Approaching Laguna Mondaca]]<br /> [[File:07 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Laguna Mondaca.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|Laguna Mondaca]]<br /> [[File:08 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, that bypasses Laguna Mondaca.PNG|thumb|1100px|center|Bypasses Laguna Mondaca]]<br /> [[File:09 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|GPT 06]]<br /> [[File:11 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Termas de Azufre.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|Termas de Azufre]]<br /> [[File:12 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|GPT 06]]<br /> [[File:13 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|GPT 06]]<br /> [[File:16 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|GPT 06]]<br /> [[File:17 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|GPT 06]]<br /> [[File:19 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.PNG|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:20 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.PNG|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:21 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:23 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.PNG|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:24 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:25 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:26 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Leaving the Base Camp Descabezado Grande.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|Leaving the Base Camp Descabezado Grande]]<br /> [[File:27 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Hot springs at Base Camp Descabezado Grande.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|Hot springs at Base Camp Descabezado Grande]]<br /> [[File:28 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:29 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:31 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:32 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.PNG|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:33 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:34 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.PNG|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:35 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.PNG|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:37 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:38 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.PNG|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:39 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:40 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.PNG|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:41 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.PNG|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:43 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Camp near Laguna Los Hornitos.jpg|Camp near Laguna Los Hornitos]]<br /> [[File:44 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Laguna Los Hornitos.PNG|thumb|1100px|center|Laguna Los Hornitos]]<br /> [[File:45 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Laguna Los Hornitos.PNG|thumb|1100px|center|Laguna Los Hornitos]]<br /> [[File:46 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:47 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:48 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT06_(Descabezado)&diff=120892 2025-04-01T03:21:17Z

<p>MiaimZelt: </p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> = Overview =<br /> &lt;div style=&quot;overflow: hidden&quot;&gt;<br /> [[Archivo:GPT 06 options.png|450px|right|GPT 06 route options]]<br /> <br /> ===Routes===<br /> Section 6 leads through the spectacular landscape of the Descabezado volcano. There are three main routes: the regular GPT route, from Parque Ingles to La Mina / Los Cipreses (or vice versa), the Condor Circuit from Parque Ingles to Vilches, which is also popular with non-GPT hikers, and the longer, off-the-beaten-path Descabezado Circuit, which begins at Laguna del Maule and ends in La Mina. Optional trips to volcano peaks include Descabezado Grande, Descabezado Chico and Volcán Azul.<br /> <br /> ===Right of way issues===<br /> Most variations of section 6 will pass by Don Victor at km45.5 of the regular route. Even if you don't pass by there, you are likely to meet him at some point on the trail. He requires prior authorization to go through his land, although only some hikers have been able to obtain such authorization, since he seems to not always reply to messages. Without authorization, it is advisable to try to avoid him, especially on the way into his land, since he might turn you around. This makes a start from Vilches unadvisable. You can minimize the probability of meeting Don Victor by taking a CC route closer to Descabezado Grande, described by Natalie below (as of March 2024 this route is not yet part of the track files), but this is not an easy route, especially if there is snow. An alternative is to do the Descabezado Circuit, but finish in Parque Ingles. This shorter circuit still goes through via almost all highlights, but entirely avoids Don Victor. You can also connect to section 5, which similarly avoids him.<br /> <br /> Starting from Parque Ingles also has restrictions, see the trip reports below. In particular, there are only a limited number of hikers allowed, and you should not disclose your plans to go via Don Victor's land if you don't have authorization.<br /> <br /> Notice that starting from La Mina requires authorization from the hydro company. See the GPT manual on section 6 for details.<br /> &lt;/div&gt;<br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> *'''2025-03-22 to 2025-03-26 / 4.5 days hiking / SOBO / OH 05 + OH 01C + OH 01B + OH 01 + RR + RR GPT 5 + OH GPT 5 H + RR / MiaimZelt'''<br /> <br /> Now a permit is needed to hike in the Descabezado area. I wrote Tamara Galdames (+56987397559) to apply for this permit. I had to print a form, fill it out and send her pictures of it together with my passport. The permit costs 25k per person. Tell her that you need to make the transferencia with &quot;Caja Vecina&quot;. She will give you the information. Then you go to a shop with &quot;Caja Vecina&quot; sign, show them her message and pay 25k cash. They will make the transferencia for you and give you a piece of paper. Send a picture of it to Tamara. <br /> <br /> Day 1: Took the 7:15am bus from Talca to Vilches Alto. Bought the entrance for Reseva National Altos de Lircay online and showed Conaf it and gave them the paper from Tamara (the one i filled out). Could start hiking without issues. Lot's of dayhikers at this weekend. Took OH 01C and was alone for the rest of the day. Trail was in good condition, but less obvious than the trails in the Reserva. It's marked with cairns. Found a great camp with flowing water here: -35.513935, -70.910756<br /> <br /> Day 2: Hiked CC to the MR of OH 01. Continued to the RR and hiked to Laguna Animas. Met friendly Arrieros together with lots of cattle. Hiked RR of GPT 5 to have a look at Laguna Mondaca. Very steep downhill, but easy with the soft sand. Magic moment when 10 condors circled above me in the sky. Skipped detour to Laguna Mondaca, because the hot springs were calling. GPT OH 05H was tricky and dangerous. The flat part leads through a huge boulderfield, not difficult but tiring. Ford {06} [24.6+1.5/1590] was knee high and had a strong current. Later a big stone i was stepping fell down together with me. Hurt my elbow. Met two germans, they told me the beginning of the trail to Termas Azufre is eroded and now very difficult. I tried to follow the suggestion of GPT track, but it was very difficult and dangerous. The lower part of the mountain is indeed eroded. Climbed a very steep mountainside with loose ground and also loose rocks. Can't recommend this, i slipped in the beginning. When i reached the trail, it was ok. Enjoyable evening in the hot springs, but not so good night with ground heating. <br /> <br /> Day 3: Trail was in mostly in good conditions, only the beginning was not always easy to follow. <br /> Ford {06} [29.4/2190] was knee high. Ford {06} [32.5/2565] was low, but not dry. Views from <br /> Pass {06} [33.8/2695] (El Estadio) and while hiking down were incredible! Easy hiking until <br /> Hot Spring {06} [45.6/1881] (Banos del Blanquillo, lukewarm, only 20 C). Had time left and did a detour to Laguna Blanquillo. Was not really worth it, because at 5pm the Laguna had no sun. Spend the night together with a guided group with local arriero at Baños Blanquillo. They spoiled me with tasty dinner, was a very good evening. Their Guide Barbara speaks english very well, knows everything in Maule region, she even found a new yet unknown flower! If someone is interested in guided tours (options depending on the clients) in Maule region she can help you: +56992599639. <br /> <br /> Day 4: Easy hiking 'til Laguna Caracol. Hiked CC to the crater lake next to Laguna Caracol: incredible! Camp {06} [56.3/2034] is sooo beautiful! Also had a look at Laguna Turbia and in Cráter Los Quillayes. The ascent to Pass {06} [59.3/2518] (Hornitos) was very exhausting with the afternoon heat, but great views! Dark clouds and thunder came, hurried down until Camp {06} [62.2/1999]. Only few drops of rain, i liked this place to camp and enjoyed the stars. Water flowing next to the spot. Was my favorite day according to the views.<br /> <br /> Day 5: Easy hiking 'til the MR. Ford {06} [63.4/1909] was rock hopping. Appletree before Los Cipreses. At <br /> Gate {06} [78.9/865] (Central Hidroelectrica Isla) i had to explain where i came from and wether i registered with Carabinieros (no). Got a hitch until a bus stop near Armerillo, where i took a bus to Talca. Can recommend Hostel 1760 - relaxed place to stay!<br /> <br /> Summary: GPT 6 is absolutely stunning. Most tiring was the sand: had tons of it in my shoes although wearing gaiters. <br /> <br /> <br /> *'''2025-03-24 to 2025-03-28 / 4,5 days / SOBO / RR, Option 2, 3 (Descabezado), 6a, 6D (Cumbre Descabezado) / Thijmen Scholten'''<br /> <br /> As for the permit I met mister Victor and he was not happy to meet me without permit. So if you want to take the RR route apply for a permit (described by Thomas)! If you don't want to, take the high mountain route (variant 2 and 3). Even though you are still on his terrain, you will probably avoid him this way. Going SOBO CONAF will ask for this permit so you have to say you just go to EL Bolson (buy a ticket online?) or you have to sneak past (like Volker explained). <br /> <br /> - First day I hitched from Molina to Parque Ingles , I did not have any ticket or permit but luckely it was Monday which meant CONAF was closed and I could just walk trough the gate on the trail. <br /> <br /> - I met the guard of El Bolson campsite and he was cool with me passing by, even though the park was closed. I wanted to pay him the entrance fee but he wouldn't accept it. <br /> - Camped after the pass at water point 22.0. water point 17.8 before the pass is also a good campspot. <br /> <br /> - Look out after the pass on option 02H that you do not decent too much. I had to climb 200m up again <br /> <br /> - Continued to the high mountain route (02H). There is no water here so fill up at the indicated ford. It's muddy glacial water so if you want to have clear water you have to fill up before the pas. Camped at camp without water. <br /> <br /> - It would have been nice to have some gaiters and sunglasses <br /> <br /> - Summit Descabezado. Take route 03 don't follow the track perfectly but walk on the rocky ridge that's the easiest way to get up. <br /> <br /> - I wanted to climb Vulcan Azul on the same day but when I got to the start of the climb it looked like it was a sandy accent. So I returned packed my tent and went down. Afterwards when I saw the summit from a distance next day I regretted it. I went down to RR and camped at Laguna del Caracol. <br /> <br /> - Next day option 06A which is nice if you have enough time. <br /> <br /> - Look out that you take the right las Hornitos pass and not the one before, I had to climb up again -_-.<br /> <br /> - Camped at Laguna los hornos and next morning down and got a ride from the workers to Talca. <br /> <br /> *'''2025-03-18 to 2025-03-23 / 5.5 days / NOBO / Option 3 (Cumbre Descabezado) + OH-CC-A {06-02H} + RR / Tim &amp; Tobias'''<br /> <br /> We did a relaxed hike through this beautiful section. Got the permission to enter NOBO (Los Cypreces) from natali.veloso@enel.com within 3 days. Visit the carabineros in Colorado, they printed and stamped the form and we hitched to the entry. <br /> <br /> Day 1: Went up to Camp {06} [62.2/1999] at 11 a.m from the security guard, where we had to fill in another form. Struggled a bit on the way up because Río Cipreces is dried out and we had little water. Last source is Bridge {06} [72.4/1018] (NOBO).<br /> <br /> Day 2: To avoid Don Victor, we took Option 3 and camped beside a little Glaciar at -35.60736 -70.78212, close to Camp NO Water {06-03} [5.9/2542]. Filtert the water from the Glaciar. Great spot.<br /> <br /> Day 3: Took Option 3 to get up to the top of the volcano. Loose sand, difficult but stunning day. Decided to stay another day at the camp beside Glaciar. We highly recommend to take this option to get up to the summit because it is much faster than OH-CC-A {06-03A}. Thank you Adrian for the advice!<br /> <br /> Day 4: Went OH-CC-A {06-02H} and RR to hot spring Azure, where we camped. It stinks a bit during the night, but the hot springs have perfect temperatures.<br /> <br /> Day 5: Short day on RR to laguna las animas. Enjoyed the hot springs in the morning, took some fotos with condors. <br /> <br /> Day 6: Went down to Parque Ingles without difficulties.<br /> <br /> *'''2025-MAR-10 to 2025-MAR-15 / 6,5 days / Hiking / Alex, Andrey, Anton / GPT06 NOBO (Option7, Option2, Option8: a new traverse of the Calabozos volcano), GPT05 SOBO (RR)'''<br /> This traverse from Laguna Maule to Reserva Nacional Radal Siete Tazas offers a memorable—and surprisingly straightforward—journey from south to north. Although not technically difficult, the route presents extended stretches of deep sand and volcanic ash that demand physical endurance.<br /> Key Considerations:<br /> There are numerous sections without a defined trail; navigation relies on waypoint guidance.<br /> Glaciers lie concealed beneath sand in several locations—refer to waypoint comments for exact coordinates and cautionary notes.<br /> Reliable water sources are found throughout the route.<br /> Early‑season fords can be hazardous; plan crossings carefully and monitor snowmelt levels.<br /> Our newly established Calabozos volcano traverse direction from the southern approach is strongly advised. The northern slopes feature steep, deep‑sand sections that are more strenuous when tackled uphill.<br /> Mondaca Valley bears signs indicating private property. During our traverse, valley guards granted passage without issue, but this should not be assumed as guaranteed access. Exiting via Mondaca Valley tends to be easier than entering.<br /> The track and more photos at Wikiloc:<br /> https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/sand-traverse-laguna-maule-to-reserva-nacional-radal-siete-tazas-205862875<br /> <br /> *'''2025-02-09 to 2025-02-14 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / Option 1 (Altos de Lircay) 01, RR / Eric and Jakob'''<br /> <br /> Route: <br /> To avoid Camp Bolson and CONAF we started by taking the Option 1 (Altos de Lircay) 01, which is really beautiful but we recommend taking more water than usual when coming across some water spots since most of the rivers are dry. After completing the Option we continued on the main route until the end.<br /> <br /> Travel: <br /> We started from Parque Ingles. Got there by taking a train from Santiago to Curico. After that we took a bus to Molina and another one driving to Parque Ingles. Worked without any complications. Did cost all together around 50 euros for the two of us. <br /> <br /> Permissions: <br /> As mentioned by other people it is really hard to contact Don Victor. We wrote him a text message but we didn’t get an answer. We talked with Don Victor and got to know a really kind and respectful man, who simply tries to keep his land less crowded and free of trash. As Thomas describes in his section log, permits are available through his daughter. The number is provided by Thomas. Therefore it is necessary that every hiker who is trying to hike GPT06 is doing their utmost to get the permission from Don Victors daughter in order to respect his land and his priorities. If you are not able to get a permission the best and only option is to skip this section and continue with a different one. <br /> Since we didn’t have an official permit we tried to avoid CONAF as recommended which worked out fine for us by taking an alternative route in the beginning to avoid Camp Bolson. Not getting the CONAF permission and trying to avoid them was a mistake we aren’t proud of and wouldn’t do again. We don’t recommend doing it this way. The experience can be enjoyed way more when getting every permission necessary before starting with the hike. <br /> <br /> Resupply: <br /> There is no way to resupply on the trail. After the trail there is the possibility in Los Alamos to resupply in a small shop which got everything a hiker needs. We were also offered an apartment for one night in Los Alamos. It included a kitchen, a bath and two sleeping dorms for 46 euros per night. The name of the owner is Samuel.<br /> <br /> Attractiveness: 5/5<br /> Difficulty: 3/5<br /> <br /> * ''' 2025-FEB-15 to 2025-FEB-17 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Martin '''<br /> <br /> Combined sections 5 and 6.<br /> Joined section 6 at the hot springs [27.4/1986]. Got there around 7 pm. And there were two Chilean guys sitting in a hot pool so I joined. It was good to finally meet someone. <br /> <br /> I took the lower camping spot and the ground was a bit warm, so the night wasn’t cold. <br /> <br /> Next day, I went up to the pass. The soft sand makes the climb hard. The way down to the refugio was easier, but still not easy. No sign of Don Victor. The Chileans entered via Parque Inglés and didn’t know about him at all. <br /> <br /> The landscape is out of this world and amazing, but the suck factor on the sand is high for me. I got to camp at km 56.3. Beautiful place for camping. But very cold night. I left the water bottle in the tent vestibule and there was a good amount of ice in it in the morning. <br /> <br /> The last climb was an again challenging for me. Also because I got a cold and I was cold, so I didn’t sleep much. <br /> <br /> Then the way down is more sand. I wanted to get it over with, so I was going fast, around 2000 vertical m/hour. When I got to the gravel road, I had sand everywhere. I do have light gaiters, but they just couldn’t keep up. <br /> <br /> Then it was just a few hours in the heat on the road. I got to the small shop after the bridge over Rio Maule. Got ice cream and coke for 3500 or so. <br /> <br /> Then I washed in the river and tried to hitch hike to Talca. I stayed there from 17:15 to 18:00, but no luck. Not many cars to begin with. So I got to Hostal La Rivera as somebody suggested. Single room with breakfast was 25 USD and together with pasta for dinner and beer it was 35 USD or 36000 pesos. Paid by debit card. I will take the 7 am bus from Medano to Talca. Should be here on the main road around 7:20. <br /> <br /> * ''' 2025-02-10 to 2025-02-13 / 3,5 days / Hiking / SOBO / Option 5 (vilches alto), option 3 (Descabezado Grande), RR / Thomas '''<br /> <br /> As right-of-way issues increased recently, and parque ingles CONAF seemed to be more and more intransigent, I chose to take my chances on Vilches Alto entry (which is easily reached by direct bus from Talca).<br /> I arrived on sunday morning but the park was closed with wildfire red alert. I waited there the opening on next morning. <br /> Walking at the park entrance, I was lucky and met Sebastian, Anete y Tono which was started the Condor Circuit. A week ago, they contacted Don Victor daughter, Tamara, which gave a permit to cross the property. Rangers verified carefuly the permit to let them go. I take my chance then and contact Tamara to ask the same permit. <br /> <br /> &gt;&gt; There is usefull information to planify GPT6 with serenity : <br /> <br /> - From this year, Don Victor's family exiges a permit to enter the property in order to limit the area crowd and waste associated<br /> <br /> - Permits are given by Tamara Galdames, Don Victor daughter : +56987397559<br /> <br /> - She asks for passport picture and a bank transfer of 25,000 per persona to make the permit<br /> <br /> - She told me that she only give permit to 3 people or more<br /> <br /> - CONAF rangers (at least at Vilches) verify very carefully the Tamarla autorization<br /> <br /> - Don Victor checks also every hiker/horse rider he can see at this period (at least between laguna Caracole and Refugio Blanquillo)<br /> <br /> So I was very lucky to met Sebastian &amp; co and I told her I can walk with them, and she said OK. A ranger directly called Tamarly after to make sure I'm not tcheating.<br /> <br /> Day 1 : Vilches Alto &gt; Valle Venado camping <br /> No difficulties, a lot of shadow during the ascent, good views from the valle venado mirador. The camping is fine (shower) but without spectacular view. <br /> <br /> Day 2 : Valle Venado &gt; Camp without water {06-03} [5,9] <br /> Path to Blanquillo refuge is well marked (also a lot of horse poop). Only difficulty : a water canal crossing at the end of the Blanquillo lake (water until my hips with 1m77), but without any flow. <br /> I met Don Victor at Blanquillo refuge which verified my permit (I show him my WhatsApp conversation with Tamara and it was fine). Then he was pretty warm with me and show me water source. <br /> The beginning of Descabezado ascent is well marked equally. At Camp without water [3,3], it becomes easy CC to the second camp [5,9].<br /> Amazing moon landscape there !!<br /> <br /> Day 3 : Descabezado ascent &gt; Laguna de los Hornos by the RR<br /> Start at 6:40, summit at 9:20, only 35min to get back to the camp. Wonderfull sunlights on the moonfield and area volcanos. The way up is demanding, but without any difficulty issue (I followed option 3). The only water source near of the trail is the glaciar crater at this time. <br /> I returned to Blanquillo refuge to get water and met Don Victor and his guests again. They asked me about the volcan and we tchated about previous visitor incivilities and how they want to limit affluence in there. <br /> Then I followed RR SOBO without any issue during the rest of the day until Laguna de los Hornos where I camped. Very scenic and variated views, I definitively recomand this part of RR ! <br /> Near los Hornos, I met a group with guid, horses and montain bike which has been kindly returned by Don Victor the day before at the laguna Caracole because they don't have the permit (and potentially because Victor doesn't like the idea of bikes on the montain...).<br /> <br /> Day 4 morning : Laguna Los Hornos &gt; Los Cipreses<br /> The Volcan los Hornitos ascent and tour worth the extra mile. Easy sandy descent to the minor road and half hitchhike the minor road.<br /> <br /> * ''' 2025-02-05 to 2025-02-10 / 5.5 days / Hiking /SOBO / RR/ Emilie '''<br /> <br /> Day 1: departed from Molina at 9:30 with the bus. Arrived at the trail (parque ingles) and had purchased a day pass for the park. Seeing my big backpack the guards asked me where I was planning to sleep, I said laguna the las animas and they said I couldn’t go there without proper authorization. I then asked if I could simply change my plans and sleep at el bolson (campsite inside the park) and they said it was full for the next 2 days. I was really disappointed and asked where I could find some wifi to look at other passes/trails I could do, they sent me 3kms down at the Conaf office of Radal Sieste Tazas. I walked about 300m and saw the gate and decided to try my luck and jump it to bypass them. It worked although I was really stressed and surely enough I ran into a guard on a motorcycle checking the entry permits. I showed him the day pass but Conaf is supposed to give a registration card which I did not have. He asked me how I came in and I had to explain that I jumped the gate. He was ready to send me back (VHF radio in hand and all) but I asked him if I could try to explain myself which I did, showed him my planned route, explained that I knew abt don victor etc, I told him I would be out of the park by nightfall. He agreed to let me pass but it was a close one. You should definitely buy a pass for el bolson campsite, even if you don’t camp there, you look suspicious with your backpack. Went all the way to laguna las animas and camped there. <br /> <br /> Day 2: started my day with an encounter with wild horses! They ran towards me, there were about 15 of them! Saw them running down a hill up until 2m of me, they were curious and friendly. It’s was surreal. Camped at S (35.508517° O 70.751605°) on an empty pasture that was not wet. <br /> <br /> Day 3: woke up to that empty pasture being filled with cows! One was trying to snatch my bag which woke me up. They were curious and friendly aswell. Hiked until the Refugio camped right next to it (S 35.594815° O 70.825999°) there were other Chileans aswell. All super friendly!<br /> <br /> Day 4: my feet were extremely blistered after day 3. I initially wanted to hike up the volcano but decided for an afternoon at the beach instead to rest my feet; hiked about 8km until Laguna del Caracol where I spent the afternoon, reading swimming and cooking, it was great. <br /> <br /> Day 5: it was a big day, I hiked all the way to water at [73.5/1014] camped right next to it on the shore of the river (S 35.775444° O 70.802768°). Initially wanted to camp at Laguna de los Hornos but the lake seemed pretty eutrophized (? Not sure if it’s the right word) and I did not want to drink it, even filtered. Since it’s downhill from there, it wasn’t too too long. <br /> <br /> Day 6: hiked the remaining few Kms and hitchhiked to Talca. If ever you need accomodation here Hostel 1760 is like a peaceful haven; 30 000cpl and there’s a pool and the rooms are around an interior garden with a fountain. Exactly what I needed. <br /> <br /> The takeaway is to definitely not underestimate the terrain, it is rough on your feet, the sand and dust will stick to your face and lips which made me feel thirsty all the way, I always started the day with 2,5L of water which isn’t necessary since there are a lot of streams but I was still always glad to not have to ration my drinking. The river crossing for me was knee high, not sure if I crossed at the wrong place, the water was lower or if I’m especially tall;) did not meet don victor. <br /> <br /> *'''2Fev2025 - 6fev2025 / hiking SOBO / RR - OH2A-2-2H - OH3A-3 - RR / 5 days / Clara'''<br /> <br /> Parque Ingles : I did the same as Volker (see below) to enter the park cause I couldn't buy a ticket for the park the day before. But I was afraid and I think it would have been bad if I encountered a park ranger. Hopefully I didn't and they didn't ask for park reservation at El Bolson Camping. When I said that I won't come back by this path but go further he didn't say anything (only the owner).<br /> <br /> Camp at laguna las animas. Very nice camp spot and lake to swim. No shade. Some stonewall to pitch the tent and protect a bit from the wind.<br /> <br /> Ford 29.4 : not so easy, up to mid thighs (1.57) but fast flowing in the begining of afternoon. Then it's a loooong way up in soft volcanic sand, very physical. Lot's of water all the way up till ford 32.5. Then there are also still some smaller water flowing around begining of OH2H and the place I camped.<br /> <br /> Camp here -35,54404, -70,75932 : I found a good wind protected spot (for the NNO wind, less for the NNE of the night end but hopefully it decreased) and I made an almost flat spot there. There is multiple little streams with good water flowing just around that spot.<br /> <br /> Up to the pass on 2H was easier that I thought but walking down (or more traverse) on the other side was way more harder. Very steep ups and downs in some canyons in soft sand or sometimes big but no stable rocks, snow covered by sand. Last and only water for now after the pass of 2H is at the ford. Took me almost 4h to get to OH3A.<br /> <br /> I took an OSM path before 3A to gain few meters, a trail is well visible when you arrive from 2H. Around 2900m I went CC to joined OH3A and I found on the way, few meters left to the 3A tracks, some footsteps going up on either big stable rocks or not so soft sand until around 3300m, looks easier than exactly on tracks for the ascent ! Then it's physical soft sand. Went with very small backpack and took me a bit more than 3h to the summit. Descent way much faster.<br /> <br /> Descending at Don Victor refuge, I met a group of chileans. They offered me harina tostada and food (maybe when they see my terrible face after this exhausting day), and we ended up sharing dinner, fried fishes and evening there. If I understood well, they told me that since this year, Don Victor make people pay (25k?!) to camp at his place (or just pass through?), not the locals but the tourists. But since he was not here I didn't need to care about this.<br /> <br /> They learned me their fishing technic the day after at Laguna del Caracol and I had 2!! (They had 10kg in half day). Magic encounters with theses so generous and nice persons. Camp at 62.2 (just a bit upper than the waypoint) is nice.<br /> <br /> Nothing special to add for the last day except not much workers going down the MR even on week days.<br /> <br /> <br /> * ''' 2024-01-20 to 2024-01-22 / 2.5 days / Hiking /SOBO / RR, option 2 &amp; 2H, option 3 &amp; 3A (Ascended Descabezado), Variants G / Elijah &amp; Michael '''<br /> <br /> Plenty of available water from the pass to Descabezado (option 2), however no water available on the climb up. Almost no water around Descabezado, but was able to locate small flow from a snow field. No water available south of Descabezado until end of option 3.<br /> <br /> Descabezado climb took approx 4.5 hours, 1 hour descent. Incredibly draining due to soft ground and fall-line trail.<br /> <br /> Shop at bridge after Los Cipreses had snacks and accomodation but not appropriate for resupply. <br /> <br /> Hostal La Rivera in Los Alamos offered great accommodation for 50,000 CLP per night (including desayuno). Hostal able to provide lunches and dinner.<br /> <br /> Almarcen in Los Alamos looked like it had good options but was closed in afternoon (4pm) and morning (10am) and no one was around.<br /> <br /> Minimarket in La Mina had limited options, possible but difficult resupply.<br /> <br /> Minimarket in El Medano had slightly better options, but still limited resupply.<br /> <br /> * '''25-01-13- 25-01-18/ 5,5 days / SOBO/ RR-OH2A-OH2H-OH3-OH3A-OH4-OH3-RR / Volker / Flowers on the moon… Just a magic section / Parque Ingles - Volcan Descabezado Grande - Volcan Azul - Laguna del Caracol - La Mina'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: Bus from Molina, terminal rural, to Parque Ingles at 8.20. Started there at 10.30. Avoided Conaf: The bus carried a group for the camping in P.I. and stopped 200m after the Conaf. Instead of going back to register (or taking the MR of OH1) I turned left before the bridge and walked on a path along Rio Claro, a fence to my left. After 500m an open gate allows you to go left and enter a huge camping (nobody there). At the very end of the camping the fence is down, once out, I walked CC to join the RR. Minimum three dozens of young Chileans on their way to El Bolson, when I arrived, still nobody there except the owner, who asked me to register. I told him, I go to Laguna Las Animas - all fine. Camped at the Laguna, short day.<br /> <br /> Day 2: 30 min after the Laguna another, smaller lake with camp spots. At the pass I made the short detour for Cerro Las Animas (nice view back on the Laguna) then along volcanic slopes with a lot of various flowers to the hot spring (no bassin, just a hot swamp, go for Fango). For various reasons I changed my original plan to continue on Option 2b direction V. Descabezado Chico, one reason was the (non indicated) ford, which looked very dangerous, at least for a solo hiker. So I continued on RR, quite swampy, the trail dissappears in wet meadows. If you know you want to continue on the RR - better don‘t go down to the river and the hot ‚spring‘, but cut this CC without elevation loss. Lots of cows on the way to the pass. Many small rivers, which all feed Estero El Volcan, therefore the two fords on the RR are way easier. I took Option 2A, then Option 2 and then Option 2H and camped not far from the start of 2H. <br /> <br /> Day 3: On 2H CC to the pass and then down to the start of Option 3a for the V. Descabezado. Ford easy. At S 35.592096° W 70.786105° don‘t go down into the canyon as indicated, but bypass it left by going a bit upwards. Started with a small backpack on option 3a for the summit at noon, arrived at 2.30. At 3400m ff. easy rock climbing some 20 meters left of the indicated route - less physical and more fun than on the gravel/sand. Almost no wind on the summit, just wonderful, highly recommend it! Very quick down to the backpack, while resting there for 15min 6 condors in the air, circling very low directly over me. Breathtaking minutes. Then continued until camp at 06-03: 5,9. The indicated spot is protected, as there was close to no wind, I climbed the next dune with an extraordinary view to the west (sunset!) and camped there. <br /> <br /> Day 4: Volcan Azul - What a great summit! You might think, Descabezado is the highest, why climb another volcano, which is so close? Nothing could be more wrong. They are completely different and V. Azul beats Descabezado in nearly every sense: the landscape, the views (on Laguna La Invernada), the geology. You even can climb the finger at the summit (only the last two meters are technical, there’s a fixed rope, use it, if you trust it, I didn’t). But V. Azul is also way more demanding and you should have a good head for heights for the ascent on the ridge. Very important: when on the ridge, always look, if there are other hikers above or below you: I was alone, but when going down, I several times caused very dangerous falling rocks. All in all the whole way up and down is not difficult, just very steep. But the gravel is very different from Descabezado. This is felt mainly when going down. In large parts you can‘t ski or hop down as on Descabezado. Either the sort of gravel doesn‘t allow it, or the underground (hidden rocks, e.g.). So you have to walk very carefully (it makes no difference if you follow the track files or an OSM route). This slows you down very much and partly is as physical as going up. I started at 6.30 a.m. and it took me 7,5 hours to go up and down (sure, you can camp closer to the ascent, but as I wanted to take option 2H and then option 3 to join the RR at the hot springs, I didn‘t want to walk back with my big backpack). Water: At noon running on the east side of the glacier in the crater, took also snow). Back from the summit I walked the mentioned CC options (however stayed lower to the left and even found a path there, sometimes marked with cairns). When approaching the junction with the RR I saw a lot of horses and people at the refuge. Don Victor had guests. I decided not to bypass them, but to show up and explain, what I am doing here. Good decision! I was offered bread and wine, we chatten, nevertheless I was asked, if I had a permission (could honestly answer, that asking for it is why I came here). Before I left Don Victor and I took a joint selfie… He is not at all a bad guy, he just wants you to show, that you respect his property rights. I also took water there, which allowed me to camp on the magic plateau, that follows on the RR, instead of going down to the indicated camp at 48,1. <br /> <br /> Day 5; A short day, very easy on RR to camp at 62,2. Just enjoyed the landscape and the lagunas. After the pass at 59,3 on the way down I went CC left of the RR, crossed 5 brooks to join variant C. In this part a multitude of flowers, at least a dozen different species in all colours: an integral and unforgettable part of this volcano section.<br /> <br /> Day 6: Very short day, Down to the MR, then an 8km walk to La Mina. The last 2 km I got a ride from a local, who also drove me to the shops on the PR. The changing nature makes the MR walking more interesting, than one might think. You come from a lunar landscape and some hours later almond trees and ripe mirabels! For NOBO hikers: Chilean day-hikers parked their car at the end of the MR. So it should be possible to get a permit from Entel for the entry by car (Uber or arrangement with a local).<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2025-Jan-13 to 2025-Jan-18 / 5,5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Chris &amp; Jule'''<br /> <br /> TLDR: no problems with snow, dusty &amp; exhausting gravel/ashes, absolutely stunning views all along, Don Victor was busy.<br /> <br /> We had an issue with our GPSMAP67 (updated the firmware just prior departure), resulted in weird frozen mode with full backlight brightness in three occasions which drained half the battery. Due to this (despite backups) I was a bit paranoid, so the GPS remained mostly off and we followed footsteps &amp; paths. This worked very well, only one time followed a valley too long. The paths are very obvious, it was easy to navigate. <br /> <br /> Water: in all marked locations and many more. Usually every 1-2hrs we passed some stream. We had expected much worse and were a bit overprepared in the beginning. The ashes take water easily, but also give it as easy.<br /> <br /> Rivercrossings: one, hip-high, quite some current but managable. we crossed where the OSM path crosses the river. Besides, dry feet all along.<br /> <br /> Snow: some snowfields, one at the descend towards laguna las animas had to be crossed, all others were avoided. <br /> <br /> Due the GPS turned off we were very surprised as we suddenly stood infront of Don Victors refugio. We waved and yelled hola, there were about 5-ish tents, so we thought he may have opened a camping space recently. As we wanted to go a bit further, we continued. He either didnt see us, or wasnt too happy - none from the refugio waved back. One person standing at the tents waved back though. <br /> Next morning we met Volker who had gone to Don Victor and had a good chat and a drink with him. He had visitors, therefore was too busy to care for us. Later that day a group from the refugio passed on horses, everyone just friendly hola-ed back to us. <br /> We met some chilean hiker that had tried to obtain all permits for a certain hike, CONAF told them, that since a few days Don Victor does not allow anyone anymore.<br /> <br /> Going back to Talca: we heard busses leave at 7am, 1pm, 3pm, 7pm (at least on saturdays). <br /> We ended up hitchhiking as we didnt want to want for 2hrs. It took us maybe 10min (maybe fourth car) to squeeze into a ride with wonderful chileans returning from bathing in some hotsprings. <br /> <br /> * '''2025-Jan-03 to 2025-Jan-10 / 7,5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Farah &amp; Jan'''<br /> <br /> We started our GPT journey with this section and were amazed by the beauty and diversity of the landscape.<br /> <br /> Challenges were the rocky and sandy terrain, sometimes dangerous paths and the hot summer sun. Sometimes the path disappeared and we lost it, but with a GPS device it was easy to notice and get back on track.<br /> <br /> Dangerous snow bridge at (S 34°31.4980’ W 070°44.8453’). <br /> <br /> River crossings were no problem, one was hip high (we’re 1,75 m and 1,83 m), all the other ones knee high or less.<br /> <br /> Didn’t meet Don Victor.<br /> <br /> Definitely follow Jan Dudeck’s recommendation and use gaitors. We didn’t as we opted for hiking boots instead of low trekking shoes and kept on collecting enough sand and gravel in our boots to build a children’s playground.<br /> <br /> Day 1<br /> <br /> We took the bus from Molina to Parque Inglés and hiked to El Bolsón on the first day, where we camped. Only had tickets for one day for the Parque Nacional Siete Tazas and weren’t sure if we technically would’ve needed one for two days, but the official let us camp there nonetheless after checking our tickets.<br /> <br /> Day 2<br /> <br /> Hiked to Laguna de las Ánimas where we met Sean &amp; Neele on their way NOBO and had a nice quick chat with them.<br /> <br /> At the end of the ascent out of Valley del Indio, right below the pass, there was an icey snowfield, which we traversed using crampons - it would’ve been possible without but felt safer with them. We camped at Laguna de las Animas, which was beautiful.<br /> <br /> Day 3<br /> <br /> From Laguna de las Ánimas we continued over the pass at [19.4/2547] after which we encountered some sketchy paths along steep gravel slopes: At some parts the path had slipped downhill and if doing one wrong step, we would’ve too. Take care at this part of the section! Camped near the Hot Spring del Azufre.<br /> <br /> Day 4<br /> <br /> We weren’t sure if we could drink the water near the hot spring because it all stank like sulfide so we hiked uphill a bit before refilling our water. There, we also encountered the only bigger river crossing at [29.4/2190] - hip high and a bit of a current but still doable at the right spot.<br /> <br /> Higher up that valley (S 34°31.4980’ W 070°44.8453’) we found a pretty dangerous snow bridge over a creek and decided to walk/climb around it which was also a bit dangerous as it took us over very loose rocks right next to an at least 20 m drop but way more controllable than the snow bridge next to it.<br /> <br /> We left the valley behind us and camped at a beautiful spot right next to a river and with a wonderful view of the surrounding rocks and mountains (S 35°31.9714’ W 070°47.4839’).<br /> <br /> Day 5<br /> <br /> Descended the valley, met two French hikers who did the Condor Circuit and had a quick chat with them, passed Descabezado Grande and the Refugio at [45.5/1887] but didn’t meet Don Victor. We camped at the Water/Camp at [48.1/1837] - what a beautiful little oasis!<br /> <br /> Day 6<br /> <br /> Hiked past the Laguna del Caracol and originally wanted to reach the camp at [62.2/1999]. However on the ascent to the pass at [59.3/2518], Farah’s knee started to hurt and the pain got worse, so we decided to take some rest and camped in a small depression right next to a snow field roughly 100 hm below the pass. Despite the exposed location there was almost no wind and we got to enjoy a breathtaking view on the two Descabezados and the valley at their feet.<br /> <br /> Day 7<br /> <br /> Farahs knee got better, we ascended the remaining roughly 100 hm to the pass and from there descended to the water at [73.5/1014] We camped on the shore of the Rio Cipreses nearby.<br /> <br /> Day 8<br /> <br /> In the morning we woke up by the sound of people: Some local fishers from San Clemente walked past our tent, we wished them buenos días and had a friendly chat with them. Later that morning, they gifted us three freshly caught trouts which we happily ate right on spot.<br /> <br /> We then descended the remaining 6 km to the bus stop at {06-E} [0.5/862], where we wanted to catch an afternoon bus to Talca that we found on the bus services Facebook page. However, the bus didn’t come and we learned from the owner of the shop at {06-E} [0.5/856] that the buses only leave once a day at 7 am. He sold us Coca Cola, chips and chocolate bars and rented us a room (without private bathroom but access to his own bathroom) for 30.000 CLP and we spent the night there. The 7 am bus didn’t come either so we hitchhiked to a bus stop west of San Clemente and took a bus to Talca there.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2025-Dec-31 to 2025-Janv-6 / 5.6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + OH 3 (Descabezado) / Peggy &amp; Dorotà'''<br /> Magnificent, grandiose, and isolated section. Difficulty: dryness, sandy and volcanic rocky terrain, sometimes tiring. No water issues, but be sure to drink plenty.<br /> <br /> First part, each on our own. I (Peggy) started the GPT with this section from El Bolson. I chose to take an Uber to get to the entrance of the Siete Tazas park (30k CLP). I had bought the park ticket online beforehand but it wasn't the right one. I should have purchased a ticket specifically for the El Bolson trail. However, the park ranger was accommodating. On my driver's advice, I paid 7k CLP for the El Bolson camping to enter the park but didn't spend the night there. I was given a document that I had to hand over on my way down. I followed this advice for convenience, although maybe it wouldn't have been an issue if I had just explained where I was going?<br /> <br /> I didn't encounter Don Victor throughout the section, though I had sent him a message he didn't see.<br /> <br /> Upon arriving at Laguna de las Animas, I met Dorota, and we decided to do this section together.<br /> <br /> There was little snow, with a few rare snowfields that were easily passable or avoidable, except for a large section where it helped us cross a river. Indeed, after the Termas de Azufre, at the ford at kilometer 29.4, finding the river too strong in the morning, we followed the right bank of the river until we found snow covering the river. After leaving the dangerous start behind us, we crossed the snow where it was thick and could walk on it for a while before crossing to the other side.<br /> <br /> No problems with the other fords.<br /> <br /> A bit past the refuge at the foot of Descabezado Grande (km 45.5), there are good bivouac spots (S 35°35.7470’ W 070°49.5695’).<br /> <br /> We climbed Descabezado Grande from this refuge, starting early in the morning. We made a big mistake by forgetting to take water! It seems we both had a moment of &quot;temporary unconsciousness&quot;! We also thought we would find water from the snow higher up, which we did, but only in the form of snow. We managed to collect what we could by putting the snow in our bottles to melt a bit. There was also a bit of water flowing from a snowfield but only in the last part. So, make sure to think about water! Moreover, it’s better to sleep on the volcanic plateau to get closer to the summit, avoiding the 2000m elevation gain all at once (that was actually our initial plan…) with water! Especially later in the season when the snow has melted.<br /> <br /> The 2000m elevation gain with little water was difficult, especially moving from 3000m to 4000m with some altitude sickness. Nevertheless, it was a good learning experience for both of us. Once at the top, we could appreciate the magnificent view of the snowy crater of Descabezado and the surrounding scenery. The climb is not technical but can be long if started from the bottom and strenuous. But it’s definitely worth it!<br /> <br /> It took me (Peggy) two days to realize that by keeping my pants on, I no longer suffered from sand and stones in my high-top shoes! And yet, I wasn’t suffering from altitude-induced brain fog! ;)<br /> <br /> In summary, a magnificent, wild, grandiose, and isolated section. Perfect to start with!<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> '''2024-Dec-30 to 2025-Jan-5 / 6.5 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR + option 6 + option 3 (Descabezado) / Sean &amp; Neele'''<br /> <br /> Tldr: beautiful section! No problems with snow. Didn't meet Don Victor. Water at all waypoints plus more due to snow.<br /> <br /> Emailed Natali (natali.veloso@enel.com) to get authorisation to enter NOBO, theres a simple form to complete and return. took the bus from Talca to El Colorado to visit the cabinieros they signed and stamped the completed form Natali sent us. Hitched to Central Cipreces, wasn't too difficult, a worker dropped us off right at gate 78.9km. Security guard was very friendly and helpful he was happy with our authorisation and after filling in another form we were on our way.<br /> <br /> Went up to Volcan Los Hornitos took only 10 minutes to get to the crater rim from the pass. Well worth it.<br /> <br /> Camped near camp 62.2km<br /> <br /> Pass 59.3 a patch of snow on the south side but easy to walk around it to the east.<br /> <br /> We decided to do the option 6 loop to see laguna la turbia. Nice enough and easy, western side of the pass is pretty steep.<br /> <br /> Camped at 56.3km - lots of really nice camping around here we couldn't walk past it.<br /> <br /> At water camp 48.1km we went CC straight to camp without water 5.9km to avoid any right of way disputes and to climb dezcabezado grande in the morning. It worked, not sure if I'd recommend it. <br /> <br /> Plenty of snow for water at camp 5.9km we didn't even need to melt it, it was flowing.<br /> <br /> Descabezado (03) 9.4km was surprisingly simple. 4 hours to the crater rim from camp 5.9km, Another 30 minutes to go to the summit and back, hour and a half down. From around 3,700m to the crater rim routes 03 and 03A separate. We took 03A up and 03 down, 03 is much better I'd recommend it.<br /> <br /> Took option 3 to refuge 45.5km all good.<br /> <br /> Pass 33.8km snow mostly avoidable now. We camped up there snow for water.<br /> <br /> Pass 19.4km - small patch of snow easy to avoid <br /> <br /> Pass 15.4km - small patch of unavoidable snow but easy to cross.<br /> <br /> Camped at El Bolson - pretty busy on a Saturday.<br /> <br /> Short walk out to catch the bus to molina at 11<br /> <br /> No entel signal in parque ingles<br /> <br /> <br /> * ''' 2024-DEC-15 to 2024-DEC-21 / 7 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR, OH option 3, CC not on trail from [5.9/2542] to camp [48.1/1837] / Tamar &amp; Nimrod'''<br /> <br /> In short:<br /> A lot of water everywhere.<br /> A lot of snow as well, but we managed without spikes.<br /> The CC ascenting Descabezado is free of snow. The one ascenting Azul might be covered by snow but we didn't climb it.<br /> <br /> First day- We started from Molina on Sunday, and took the bus from the main station that departed at 9:30am (we think on other days of the week it leaves at 11:00am) to parque ingles. The ride took us about 1.5 hours, and costs 4000 clp. At parque ingles there was no phone signal anymore with entel sim card. We payed in advance online 8900 clp per person for entering the park and sleeping at El Bolson. When we arrived we had to pay another 7000 clp each. <br /> Started walking up to El Bolson at noon and got there at 17:00. A ranger on a motorcycle asked to see our ticket in the middle of the trail. <br /> <br /> 2nd- went towards Laguna Las animas. While Ascending to first pass [15.4/2257] there was a lot of snow but we managed to cross without spikes, though it was quite scarry.<br /> It was a long day because the descending from the second pass [19.4/2547] was harder and longer then expected, some parts felt dangerous so we climbed a little to cross at a place with vegetation Wich was less slipery. <br /> We slept at terms de azufres. Beautiful! Extraordinery! Needed time to find a good pool but it had a lot of algae so we didn't go in. There were many pools with different temperatures. <br /> <br /> 3rd- climbed to pass [33.8/2695] (El astadio) a lot of snow along the trail and patches of snow that had to be crossed very carefully, because if falling ment no coming back. The pass itself was completely covered withe snow field! There was some exhusting walk on the spiky snow but then we found foot prints of a horse and poop of sheep and followed it down the pass. Slept at a beautiful place aprox(-35.54190,-70.79507) with a stream from melted snow waterfall (don't know how long it will last). <br /> <br /> 4th day- went towards refugio. There were some cows but no people. Didn't find hot spring. Walked up to camp without water [5.9/2542]. Very good camp, no wind, but watch out from the glacier that looks like it's going to collapse. Drank water from snow we melted. <br /> <br /> 5th day- DESCABEZADO- woke up before sunrise to ascend. We thought there will be snow on the trail that will be easier to climb when frozen. It was not necessary because although there were snow fields along the way, the trail was snow free. <br /> It took us 6 hours to ascend and 3 hours to descend. The view was amazing! Seems that the trail on Azul has more snow on it. The inside of the mountain was covered with snow.<br /> We walked back to our camp and then walked to camp [48.1/1837], not on a trail, which was ok, and camped there.<br /> <br /> 6th day: we continued on RR and camped near Laguna De Los Hornos - approx. (-35.72217, -70.81903).<br /> Sandy and soft ground but quite windi.<br /> <br /> 7th day: hoped to get to El Medano at noon, but got there only by 18:00 :(.<br /> We ran out of food because we planned 6 days hike, so we stopped in the shop in Los Alamos. We bought canned tuna, cheese, and not very fresh bread.<br /> After paying we were invited to seat and eat in the families yard and given tons of fresh bread, cheese, and coke.<br /> We continued on RR. TL (81.2+1.8), and the start of MR (83.0+0.8) are gone because of a big flood (we were told there was a big flood 2 years ago) and it took us almost 2 frustrating hours to walk this trail.<br /> Finally we made it to the bridge, crossed it, and walked on the PR.<br /> A man in the entrance to El Medano arranged us a cabaña and we accepted it.<br /> We stayed 2 nights and continued to GPT07.<br /> The shop in El Medano is very basic and aiming tourist, and we regretted not buying more food in Los Alamos.<br /> We stayed in: cabañas y colaciones sra. Isabel ±56978397080- jose ±56975762613- Isabel.<br /> Very generous warm and friendly people. Helped us with laundry for free, acomidation for 50,000 clp for a night for 2 people and diner for 8,000 clp per person. Also took us to natural sauna and gave us cheap or free products which we couldn't find in the expensive and basic minimarket.<br /> <br /> * ''' 2024-DEC-17 to 2024-DEC-20 / 4 days / hiking / NOBO / RR+option GPT06-01e / Michal a Anna ​'''<br /> <br /> How to obtain the permit to enter the Hidroeléctrica Los Cipreses:<br /> 1. Contact Mrs. Natali Veloso Zuñiga from Enel (natali.veloso@enel.com) to obtain an authorization to visit. It is a simple form, she replied within a day.<br /> 2. With the authorization visit carabinieros at Reten La Mina or El Colorado and obtain permit to enter Los Cipreses. It is a multi-page document summarizing your trip.<br /> 3. Now you can enter and begin your hike NOBO. :)<br /> <br /> Day1: When we came to the Enel gate [78.9/865] we realised that we have to obtain yet another permit from Carabineros at Reten La Mina (as described above). Getting to Reten and back took us 2 hours but Carabinieros were friendly and helpful and there wasn’t any problem with getting the permit. After that we build our first camp at Laguna de Los Hornos [aprox 64.8].<br /> <br /> Day 2: Pass [59.3/2518] (Hornitos) wasn’t fully under show but we used our microspikes to climb two snowfields more easily, but would be definitly ok without them. Then the out-of-this-world beauty began.<br /> <br /> Day 3: We didn’t meet Don Víctor at Refugio [45.5/1887] or around. Just a few cows. Pass [33.8/2695] (El Estadio) was almost completely under snow, microspikes very useful and made our progress faster. When descending from pass there was a lot of melting snow. At [S 35°31.4964', W 070°44.8531'/2427] where the RR goes on the east side of the valley there was a big snow bridge across creek/waterfall which we consider unsafe to step on. We couldn’t find a safe alternative way (only a combination of short downclimb, ford in steep creek and crumbly longer upclimb), so we decided to turn and came back to X [36.7/2423] where we spent night.<br /> <br /> Day 4: We took a variant [GPT06-01e (Laguna Manatial Pelado)] and without a problem descended to Park Inglesé. At [35°28.61331'S, 70°59.63836'W] is a gate where we were informed that we are on private property. Semi friendly guy opened the gate after a while and some negotiations.<br /> <br /> Generally the trail was ok, but it pays off to be very careful this time of year because of the melting snow and rivers flowing under it creating many snow bridges. It may turn you back. Anyways this section is one of the most beautiful places we have ever been to, we were left speachless many times!<br /> <br /> * ''' 2024-DEC-09 &gt; 10 / 1,5 jours / Randonnée / SOBO / Variante Volcan Colorado(voir GPT05)&gt;RR / Pierre-Marie ​​'''<br /> <br /> Etape : GPT04+GPT05+GPT06<br /> | Meteo : soleil<br /> | Eau : facile<br /> | Neige : beaucoup<br /> | Intérêt : 5/5<br /> | Difficulté : 3/5<br /> | Danger : attaque d'oiseaux<br /> <br /> Des Cairns indiquent souvent la route. Beaucoup de poussière sur cette etape.<br /> J'ai subit 1 attaques d'oiseaux apres le lac Caracol sur la partie herbeuse, puis 1 autre le long du lac Hornitos. J'ai marché sur les parties sableuse et degagées pour ne pas ecraser de nids. Apres le volcan Hornitos, la descente est monotone et sans interet.<br /> DEC-11&gt;12 : Repos Talca. A-R bus.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-DEC-05 to 2024-DEC-07 / 2,5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + OH (var. C) / Ivan, Jakub, Daniel'''<br /> <br /> We combined sections 5 and 6.<br /> <br /> We joined section 6 at the hot springs [27.4/1986]. Most tributaries of the river carrying water from the hot springs are too hot for bathing, but one of them has a reasonable temperature. It’s slightly overgrown and more lukewarm than hot, but fine for washing.<br /> <br /> The fords on the Estero El Volcán river [29.4/2190 and 32.5/2565] were both covered by snow, so we didn’t need to ford. Generally, there is still quite a lot of snow, and the area around the pass is almost entirely covered. However, with good equipment (appropriate clothing, microspikes, sunglasses...), it’s not difficult to cross.<br /> <br /> There is plenty of water everywhere due to the melting snow.<br /> <br /> The water at [44.6/1884] is currently a fairly strong flow. We eventually found a spot where we could hop across dry-footed, but it took some time to find. We were there in the morning; by the afternoon, the water level would likely be higher and will by necessery to ford.<br /> <br /> We didn’t meet Don Victor. However, we met another group of hikers near the refugio.<br /> <br /> The climb to the pass [59.3/2518] (Hornitos) from Laguna del Caracol is almost snow-free, except for a few small patches. On the other hand, the southern slope is still covered by a significant layer of snow. Regardless of the trackfiles, we descended in a way that avoided difficult snow patches. Our route was very close to variant C, and it was fine.<br /> <br /> Around km 68, we left the trail and went cross-country directly south, looking for a good campsite. We eventually found one at -35.7569975, -70.7919536, with a nice flat spot and access to water.<br /> <br /> The shop in Los Alamos, marked as a resupply point, is open. It’s very small, but we managed to buy supplies for the next two days. Don’t worry if it seems hidden in someone’s garden—it’s there!<br /> <br /> On the road on the opposite bank (Variant E), there are several small shops where it might also be possible to resupply. There’s also a nice restaurant, Cordillera, where we celebrated the end of the stage.<br /> <br /> <br /> (2024/Nov/26 -2024/Nov/30)/4 Days/ Hiking/ SOBO/ Entry Variation from 05, RR form Banos del Blanquillo/ Lukas, Basil &amp;Tabea<br /> <br /> The national Park was still closed and entry was not possible so we chose a different entry point over lago frio (La Ruca). The expedition guide from the touring company offert to drop us off at this alternative entry point for 15$ p.p. After 10km on good trials we arrived on variation 05, which we followed until the main route. The route was duable, no critical river crossings or hard snow fields. the mountain pass horintos still had snow on the south side, nobo crossing not advisable. Exit at los zypresses.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> <br /> * '''2024-04-03 to 2024-04-05 // 2,5 days // Hiking // NOBO // RR // Quentin Clavel (GPT6)'''<br /> <br /> What an amazing section ! <br /> <br /> I was lucky enough to have all the volcanoes and mountains covered by snow as it was heavy rainy just before I begun this section ! <br /> <br /> The result is blowminding landscapes, but struggle near the pass, to deal with the mix of snow and soft volcanic ground aha. <br /> <br /> I started from El medano, where the shop and most of the cabanas were closed (there's few options to sleep here, cabanas and camping too, but as it was the end of the season, everything was closed). I was lucky enough to found a nice habitant that purpose me to stay at his house for the night for 20K CLP and saved me from a big storm and heavy rain.<br /> <br /> I took the option F then E (basically the road from El Medano to the central hydrauelectruca) because I needed to resupply as the shop in El medano was closed. I found my happiness in La Mina where there's two basics shops (pasta, tomato sauce, biscuits, chips... (but no bread, or fresh products like fruits, cheese, ham ...). Here there's possibility to sleep on cabanas as well. There's a hotel/restaurant just one kilometer before La Mina, but no-one was there. <br /> <br /> I arrived at the gate of the central, knowing that it will be hard without authorisation. I've sent an email to Rene gaillardo as mentioned on the hiker's manual, but no answer. So I dealt with the security guards at the entrance.<br /> <br /> After long negociations the best option (and fastest one to let me pass this day) was to have a writing authorisation to pass from the carabineros. I've been driven to the carabineros by the security guard, and then have hard negotiations again. They finally wrote a paper where I had to explain my expedition and give lot of informations. And they asked me to go on a police station when I finished the section for let them know that I'm still alive aha. <br /> <br /> Anyway, this allowed me to pass. <br /> <br /> But if you're going NOBO and don't want to struggle like that, don't contact Rene Gallardo, he's not working at the Central anymore, the key contact is now Natali Veloso, that you can contact on that mail address : Natali.veloso@enel.com<br /> <br /> Then you hike threw the central on a boring gravel, and arrive to the junction where you find lovely volcanic ground and going up up up to the pass of Los Hornitos. From there it's just landscapes from an other planet, with a very easy to follow path, but not in an easy ground as it's quite sandy. <br /> <br /> Views on Laguna del Caracol was amazing ! As the whole circuito condor on RR ! One of the best section of my GPT so far, alone in the world in this absolute incredible landscape ... Blowminding ! <br /> <br /> I continued threw the pass El estadio PK 33,8, here the snow was very present and the path harder to follow. I continued to the amazing spring del Azufres, very nice landscape to have a hot bath and quite big vapores, nice break during the day ! <br /> <br /> The crossing over Estero El Volcan (X2) was quite demanding and I had to figure it out and check during long times for the best way to cross. Then I took the variant H to linked the GPT 6 to GPT 5. <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Mar-08 to 2024-Mar-16 / 8.5 days / Hiking / Descabezado Circuit / Control Fronterizo Laguna del Maule - Los Cipreses/ Option 02 + RR + Descabezado Chico / Alex &amp; Christophe '''<br /> <br /> This 170km loop was our last section after 3 months on the GPT. It has been one of the most hard, exhausting, and technical section but also one of the most remote, wild, and magnificient we did. We didn't see any humans during 8 days. The extrem wind and cold temperatures, the infinite CC in open areas, the white landscapes without any shadow, and the D+ in soft sand were constantly forgotten thanks to the lunar landscapes. Here are some added informations for the GPT06-02 to the ones given by Natalie &amp; Tomáš. <br /> <br /> Day 1 : We took the bus at 7:30 from Talca to Armerillo. Then we hitchhiked to the beginning of GPT06-02 and began at 11am. After the first pass (-35.94909, -70.45347), we followed the track but going down thru the landslide seems to be a better option. We slept next to the river where there was a good wind shelter (more or less) at (-35.934832, -70.459308). That's a good spot to have the sun early in the morning, which was appreciated since it was -4°C during the night.<br /> Day 2 : The second path (-35.652, -70.43356) was pretty steep and unstable in the last meters but easily doable. The puesto seemed to be unoccupied. There was water every 1 or 2 hours. Then we took the {06-02F} as it looked to avoid swamps and we slept next to the river at (-35.827017, -70.399535) to have the sun as long as possible and to have it early in the morning.<br /> Day 3 : After the pass at (-35.785707, -70.403584), the landscape changed drastically! We took the {06-02E} to avoid the swamps of the other side. It worked but we had to cross the rio san Francisco. Small ford, but not jumpable. We stopped at (-35.693111, -70.427244). There was a clear source and a blue lagoon to take a quick bath. We had wind all night long, maybe there's a better place next to the lagoon. <br /> Day 4: It must be possible to find a camp spot around (-35.667931, -70.422663). After that point, it begins to climb and there's no more flat place. We took the {06-02D} and it was a good option out of the elevation and the crazy wind. When we arrived at the snow limit, we went 20m down to find a good way in the snow. Then we had to run in the flowing sand to the rocks and had to clamber the last meters between two wind gusts throwing us sand in the eyes. It was pretty scary because of the wind conditions but doable. Finally on the plateau, we had to manage with winds at 80km/h and sandstorms. I would definitely not pass in case of bad weather or with stronger wind. We took a break at (-35.613055, -70.423114), first water since the pass. Then we followed the GPX track but the OSM offers to take the westside of the river and it looked to be better as we had to go up and down in the sand many times. Finally after this exhausting day, we found a camp spot with a kind of wind protection at (-35.560315, -70.441588).<br /> Day 5: After a long morning with a NW crazy constant cold wind, we stopped at the hot springs. We tried many places but never found a source warmer than 30°C. After a quick bath, we filled our water bladder at the last point mentioned by Tomas &amp; Natalie (-35.48544, -70.5994) to go to sleep to the pass. There was still a ton of snow next to the pass but didn't see melting snow on the way. There are different camp possibilities with a stunning view in the last 600m before the pass but we slept at (-35.494194, -70.622529) to climb the Descabezado Chico the next day. Ok wind shelter.<br /> Day 6 : We woke up at 6am to go to Descabezado Chico before the sunrise. We crossed a melting snow river at (-35.49828, -70.621259). Even if the last part is steep rocky and sandy, the climb is easy. We reached the summit in 1h20 and had one of the best sunrises of our lives ! There are some places to be sheltered from the freezing wind and enjoy the view. Back to the pass, we followed more or less the track because there was still a lot of snow and some ways didn't look to be the best to follow. Next to Lago de la Mollera (-35.49782, -70.635864), we went down to the lake because we didn't see how to avoid a snow wall and because it was looking to be a nice path to go down (breaking news : no)... We managed to go up a little bit further (-35.501361, -70.641377). When we arrived below Cerro Colorado, we took water in a blue lagoon and we hiked the crest on the left side to avoid deep sand (-35.524775, -70.661721). Then we stayed on the left side of the Cerro Colorado to go down (-35.525073, -70.670594) until the river. That was a quick and good choice. Finally we managed a flat and more or less wind sheltered camp at (-35.55463, -70.708441).<br /> Day 7: There was still a ton of snow at the pass and made our own track in the snow slope a little bit upper than the GPS track to cross more safely. We wanted to follow the high route described by Natalie &amp; Tomás to avoid Don Víctor but as we saw how much snow there still was, how already tired we were (but not as much as our shoes) we decided to take the RR to go south. When we watched the high route from the RR, there was still a lot of snow patches. We finally stopped at Water, Camp [48.1/1837]. Not the best idea because it becomes a freezing hole during the night.<br /> Day 8-9: We followed the RR, nothing more to add to other posts except that we never met Don Victor !<br /> <br /> * '''2024-02-29 to 2024-03-07 / 7.5 days / Descabezado Circuit - Laguna del Maule to Los Cipreses / option 02, off-trail variant, 03, RR + Descabezado Grande and chico / Marilyne (+Fangwen and Tobi for first 3 days)'''<br /> <br /> First section on the GPT and I found it amazing! I won’t repeat anything that Tobi and Fangwen have mentioned below that also applies to my trip.<br /> On day 5, I used the variant suggested by Natalie&amp;Tomas that avoids Refugio Blanquillo and Don Victor. I had met with 3 park rangers earlier in the day who questioned me about my plans and asked if I was planning to go to Refugio blanquillo. When I assured them that I would not they went on their way. I watched them and their 6 horses run over a steep patch of snow and it gave me the confidence to cross it too, otherwise I may have tried to find a different route as a fall there would have been highly consequential.<br /> <br /> Had to cross many patches of snow on Natalie &amp; Tomas alternate route and it includes a stream crossing that could be very dangerous in the wrong season as it is above a waterfall.<br /> <br /> I climbed Descabezado Chico on day 4 and Descabezado Grande using route 3 on day 6. The Grande climb took 6+ hours and I didn’t have any desire to keep fighting scree fields after so I skipped Azul. At the end of that day all my stuff and me were very dusty from that climb.<br /> On day 8 I exited at the hydroelectric station Los Cipreses. A security guard that saw me running down the road to catch the bus offered me a ride to the main gate and we had a pleasant chat. Caught the 3:30pm bus to Talca around 4pm. They seem to start late from Medano.<br /> Very sunny section, I used a small solar panel on my backpack and ended up the section with all my electronics fully charged. <br /> <br /> * 2024-02-29 to 2024-03-08: Fangwen and Tobi (+ parts together with Marilyne) / 8.5 days Descabezado Circuit variant, Laguna del Maule to Vilches (option 02 -- variant 02D -- RR -- option 05)<br /> <br /> What a fantastic trip! Two experienced GPT teams had independently recommended this circuit to us, and both described it as their favorite experience on the GPT. Natalie&amp;Tomas have an extensive trip report below. I don't have a trip report from Markus&amp;Jenni, who hiked this circuit in 2019, but they provided us with very useful waypoints. If you are interested, message us ([[Special:Emailuser/Tobfang]]) and I'll ask if I can share this data.<br /> <br /> It is advisable to start this trip from Laguna del Maule. This way, you can easily lengthen the trip (by climbing the three volcanos) or shorten it (by exiting in Parque Ingles) towards the end of the trip. Also, you start at 2000m, which is a nice in the summer heat. It took us 8.5 days; we had food for 10 days and intended to climb some volcanoes, but when we got there it was quite windy, so we simply went straight to Vilches.<br /> <br /> This hike is definitely off the beaten path: the arriero Christian at S 35° 50.549', W 070° 24.114' said that we were the first hikers this season (in March!). He was very friendly and shared a delicious melon with us.<br /> Our favorite places were a beautiful valley with white sand, and a refreshing Laguna at S 35° 41.643', W 070° 25.651' and the Laguna Aquas Calientes at S 35° 30.441', W 070° 31.990'. The latter is not actually a hot lake, but there are several small streams of warm water. We camped right at S 35° 30.129', W 070° 31.514', right next to a really nice hot pool.<br /> <br /> Things to watch out for: although water was generally abundant, there are some spots where water is a bit more sparse (especially late in the season) and you might have to carry for up to one day. See Natalie's trip report for details. Additionally, earlier in the season there might be snow fields. The winter in 2023 had a crazy amount of snow, so even though we went in March we had a lot of water from snow melt and the two passes at 02D (S 35° 39.116', W 070° 26.016') and S 35° 33.137', W 070° 44.275' had steep snow fields. It was a bit sketchy, but okay. For the first pass, there are other options up, which may open up earlier. For the second pass, Option 2B traverses a lower pass (we didn't go there). A lot of hiking is on cross country, much of it on sand or gravel of different firmness. Sometimes you sink in, sometimes not. Flat or downhill travel is generally efficient, uphill is slow. Bring (mini)-gaiters, not just because of sand but also spikey plants. Also, sun protection is crucial, you won't have any tree for a week.<br /> <br /> Logistics: Interbus (call them on WhatsApp: +56 9 9886 5872) runs a bus Mon-Fri from Talca to Medano (which is a bit further than la Mina). As of March 2024, this bus left at 12:30 and 19:00, returning to Talca from Médano at 7:20 and 15:30. From Médano hitchhike to the border checkpoint. It's not super easy, and you might only get as far as the furthest mine, roughly 5km before the border checkpoint. Alternatively, use a ride sharing app to go to the border checkpoint. We were able to get via multiple rides all the way to the border checkpoint, but it took some time (we arrived at 5.30pm). If you want to check out Laguna del Maule, tell the border guard that you're not crossing into Argentina, and they will let you pass. But the border checkpoint is closed at night (between 6pm and 9am?) and you're not supposed to cross it then. We quickly went to the lake and back before it closed.<br /> Vilches Alto has a daily bus service to Talca at 12:30 and 16:00.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb- 22 to 2024-Feb-27/ 6days/hiking/SOBO/06/RR + volcano Decabezado/Paulina'''<br /> <br /> Amasing section!<br /> <br /> Day 1 <br /> I took a bus from Talca to Molina ( a lot of buses per day, still in February and later to Parque Ingles ( several buses per day in the season, most of them till 12 pm). <br /> As it was a rainy day, my plan was to walk only to El Bolson. I did not have the entrance because I could not pay on the website with my card. I told to the Rangers that I would like to go to Los Cipreses, they where like I need the permition of the landowner to do it. I just ignored it. At first they were saying that it would not be possible to camp on El Bolson the next 2 days. But I waited about one hour, reasked several times, and finally one of the Rangers went with me to the place where you can buy ticket for camping El Bolson ( 7000 CHP), also they told me that I did not need to buy the park entrance. <br /> The El Bolson camping is just huge, I don't understand all the mess with the acces. When I came up, the guy from the camping just took my name and passport number, but did not ask to show the camping payment confirmation, or park payment. <br /> <br /> Day 2 ( El Bolson- Termas de Azufre)<br /> The trail was visible all the time. At this time of the season, no snow on the pass. Termas de Azufre are amasing, so it's good to come there not very late to enjoy them. Just next to the river, there are a few spots for tents.<br /> This day I also met one chilean couple doing curcuito condor, and at Termas a chilean family with kids on horses with an arriero. <br /> The famous owner of the land did not show up this day and the next days. <br /> <br /> Day 3. To refugio Blanquillo<br /> At first there are a lot of animal trails, so you need to check with gps which one is a good one. <br /> The ford on the river on the way to the pass was short but kind of difficult ( almost to the waist, I'm 1,69 cm, strong current). It's because of a heavy 2 days rain two day before. Later I met people doing curcuito condor from the other side and they told me that the rangers did not want to let them do the trail because of this river high level. But I think that after some.more days of a dray weather it's not a difficult ford.The rest of the trail was easy to follow with beautiful views.<br /> At refugio, I met one couple doing curcuito condor and two chilean couple who came to climb Volvano Decapezado. Very nice meeting.<br /> The refugio was already closed. The hot spring was not really hot.<br /> <br /> Day 4<br /> Together with chilean hikers, we climbed Decapezado Grande. It's a long hiking day, but it's really worth to do it. The way down is easy and very fast. <br /> <br /> Day 5 to Laguna de los Hornos<br /> <br /> About 20 min. from the refugio, there are a lot of different animal paths ,so you will need to consult a gps to see which one is a GPT one.<br /> The views around Laguna Caracol are amasing, I think it was my favourite part on this section of an extreme beauty. No navigation difficulties on the trail. Indeed,laguna de los Hornos is in a big part dried. <br /> <br /> Day 6 till La Mina<br /> <br /> I agree that it's really worth to climb the volcano<br /> Los Hornitos. It's a very short way up.The rest of the trail is at first a descend in a deep sand ( so you can go very fast) and than a walk on a gravel road ( I found the valley very nice, I was amased how fast the landscape changes). I got a ride about 2 km from Los Cipreses, very nice people, they took me to the shop in los Alamos , but as the owner was not there they took me to a shop in La Mina ( 500 m before the restaurant La Cordillera). You can find there several little shops, if you go around you can complete the resupply for the next section ( mostly pasta, tuna, tomato souce, ramen, eggs, instant souls). No camping gas.<br /> I camped in a little, very nice camping/ garden with a grape shade in a restaurant La Cordillera place ( 3000 ChP), they have also cabanas but I don't know the price. A really nice place to stay and chill, you can eat all the fruits in the garden. The lady from the restaurant was very nice, they serve nice,food, not expensive ( I paid 18000 for camping, breakfast, big dinner, juice, and a good portion of pisco sour).<br /> <br /> For the next section, it's kind of easy to hitch-hike ( there are a lot of local workers on the road) to the beginning of the trail. <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-13 to 2024-Feb-18 / 5.5 days / SOBO / RR / Gabriele - Trails of Wander'''<br /> <br /> Day 1 - Parque Ingles - Laguna Las Animas. Hernandez bus from Molina to Parque Ingles 8:10 am. I had park entry and camp permit for El Bolson that I bought on-line. I indicated to the Guardiaparque my 6 days itinerary RR to Los Cipreses, no issues but had been told several areas are private land. Met only one hiker after El Bolson (See note below).<br /> <br /> Day 2 - Laguna Las Animas - Termas de Azufres. <br /> <br /> Day 3 - Termas de Azufres - Camp along Rio Blanquillo near Vegas Manantial Pelado RR + small section of OH-Tl-V 06-01. I did not ford Estero El Volcán at Ford 06 [29.4/2190] as with the high snow/water year I felt it was unsafe or risky at best and made little sense to try at that spot. I continued CC on the right bank of Estero El Volcán for about 300-400 m to reach the snow field where I crossed safely without even touching water at all. The CC section had only a handful of spots requiring short scrambles, but no issues. For reference, I crossed the snowfield to reach RR at -35.31196, -70.44898. Given the current water level condition I think this is an easier and safer option.<br /> Originally intended to camp at Laguna Manantial Pelado for the night but the valley below looked great with all surrounding peaks so I camped there.<br /> <br /> Day 4 - Camp near Vegas Manantial Pelado - Camp South of Laguna Caracol (Camp 06 56.3/2034). Based on the conversation I had two days earlier with a Chilean hiker who was doing the Circuito Condor regarding Don Victor the dueno/owner of the land traversed on day 4, including Descabezado Grande, I decided to avoid encountering Don Victor if at all possible. I did not follow the RR directly to the refuge Blanquillo at 45.5/1887 but kept away from it and walked CC to reach RR further South where it climbs up. I did not meet him and cannot say if he was at the refuge, which I only saw from the distance. After reading and listening to multiple reports regarding the situation with Don Victor land ownership it seems to me that the best approach is to avoid or minimize contact with him if possible, in order to reduce escalation of further problems for future hikers, in particular Chileans hikers who appear to really have very hard time gaining approval from him to simply traverse his land.<br /> <br /> Day 5 - Camp South of Laguna Caracol - Laguna de los Hornos.<br /> <br /> Day 6 - Laguna de los Hornos - Los Cipreses. I reached Los Cipreses at about 1 pm on Sunday. The guard at the gate of the Hydroelectrico Los Cipreses told me there are no buses down to Talca on Sunday. I hitchhiked on 115 and got a ride to Talca fairly quickly.<br /> <br /> Water was plentiful for the entire route. Limited snowfields traverse with no issues. 100% full sun exposure all day after El Bolson. Windy at higher elevations. Harsh and dry environment with a lot of sand and dust. Lots of steep climbing in sand. Overall easy orientation and easy trails to follow but GPS track needed. Magnificent hike. <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-08 to 2024-Feb-14 / 5.5 days / SOBO / RR 01c 01e 03 03a/ Matthias de Austria'''<br /> <br /> Bus from Curicó to Molina at 9am, immediate connecting bus to Parque Inglés. Buy a ticket online for the national park (8500 for foreigners, 100% surcharge! If the international debit card selection doesn't work, just try the national one, my card only worked there). You can also add the authorisation for El Bolsón online, but you have to pay for it in cash at a ticket office in Parque Inglés. 80 people per day are allowed for Bolsón, everything is sold out at lunchtime. Night in Parque Ingles at Hostal Valverde 40k for one person in a 4 bed room (solo use) with own toilet and washbasin but shared shower, towel costs extra, quiet, next to river for bathing (lots of local families though).<br /> <br /> At 8am next day, a Wednesday, there are around 50-60 people at the ticket office for Bolsón. I went to the locked gate at the start of the RR and quickly climb over it hoping noone saw me, as I'm not planning to stay in Bolsón anyway. Better not to mention that to the rangers. Also, only gas cookers are allowed. After about an hour, I'm just a little way off by a stream when a ranger rides past on a motorbike. I don't know if he saw me, maybe he thought I was coming back from Bolsón. So if you hear a motorbike, it's might best to change direction shortly and head towards Parque Inglés, or even better, start much earlier in the morning. <br /> <br /> I bypass Bolsón heading south at 01A, shortly after the bridge at -35.4973,-70.9052 is a large private area, no trespassing sign. I don't want to set a bad example for the numerous day trippers around and take a path along the stream (southern side) to the waterfall. Once out of sight of people and Bolsón, I briefly climb up the steep slope and CC to option 1. Water shortly before start of 01c. Next water at -35.5226,-70.8653, even with a small pool.<br /> <br /> Don Victor is the large landowner in the area. His hut is, as far as I understood, the refuge Blanquillo at 45.5/1887. Hikers used to be welcome on his land, but after they left a lot of rubbish behind and invaded his hut, he no longer allows them and sends them back. However, he (sometimes?) makes exceptions for foreigners. You could ask him for permission via whatsapp, but he was so flooded with requests that he can no longer be contacted during the season. I just took a chance and went to his land. A rider around 37.1/2382 asked me what I was doing here, I asked him if he was Don Victor, to which he replied in the affirmative. I then introduced myself, said what my destination was, where I came from and that I am aware of the problem of dirty hikers, but that I am very careful with nature. He then allowed me to continue. I met him twice more in the following days, at Blanquillo 45.5/1887 and at Water 48.1/1837, and he reminded me not to throw away any rubbish.<br /> <br /> At the refuge I met a Chilean-German couple camping, they came from Los Cipreses and didn't know that it was forbidden to enter this land, but Don Victor allowed them to stay after they argued with German cleanliness (I guess he had never been hiking in the Alps before the regular cleaning teams cleaned everything, otherwise his trust in the Europeans would probably not be so great).<br /> <br /> Fordings: All very easy, path at Laguna del Caracol is no longer under water. No snowfields to cross. The water level of the lagunas (except Manantial Pelado) is dropping rapidly, I estimate about 10 to 15cm per day.<br /> <br /> Water: Plenty, except for hiking up Descabezado. Bring as much as possible from Blanquillo.<br /> <br /> Summit day Descabezado: Very strong, cold winds all day. A good windbreaker, hat and gloves are essential. Only cloudy day since I've been in Chile, 20 minutes after I left the summit it cleared up. Extremely strenuous ascent on very loose gravel, almost every step sinks in deeply and slips (I weigh 100kg), takes 6 hours from base camp to the summit, even on the easier route. Descent effortless, under 2h.<br /> <br /> Camps:<br /> Day 1: Laguna Manantial Pelado <br /> Day 2: Basecamp -35.5978,-70.7957 (I widened it, smoothed it out, deepened it and extended the stone wall. Nevertheless, the winds up there can be massive, you have to brace the tent well.)<br /> Day 3: Next to the not existing anymore hot springs at 45.6<br /> Day 4: Laguna la Turbia<br /> Day 5&amp;6: Laguna des los Hornitos (rest day, just beeing naked all day swimming and lying around in the sun)<br /> Hornitos and Turbia were nice for swimming, the others really cold.<br /> <br /> No problems at Los Ciprese, friendly guard spoke good english, gave me water and wifi.<br /> Bus to Talca (3500 peso) at main street came around 15:50-16:00.<br /> <br /> Absolutely incredible landscape. I'm here for dream routes like this. Perhaps the best hiking week of my life. GPT01-04 was nice, but GPT06 is in a completely different league. I loved it and I deeply miss this kind of remoteness in central europe.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-feb-2 to 2024-feb-6 / 5 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR / Juliet and Martin '''<br /> <br /> Day 1 parque ingles - Lagunas las animas<br /> 18km d+1200 d-100<br /> Departure at 6:30 a.m. to pass the conaf. No worries <br /> First part to el bolson. At el bolson we can refuel with water. The campsite attendant asked us for our conaf ticket. After explaining to him that we were going to laguna animas, he let us pass without any trouble. Continuation to laguna animales without shade but no snow. Bivouac spot on the beach but no shade, or to the west on meadows to pitch your tent, but used by a herd of horses. <br /> The trail is generally easy to follow as it is marked by stone markers.<br /> <br /> Day 2 laguna las animas - Therma de azufre<br /> 11km D+400 D-700<br /> Shade-free day. Lots of trails in the sand. <br /> We didn't manage to find a good bivouac spot (mainly because of the heat coming from the ground). <br /> Water spots regularly, especially early in the day. <br /> <br /> Day 3 Therma de azufre - El banquillo refuge <br /> 20km D+ 900 D- 900<br /> The indicated crossing point was not crossable for us in our opinion (no experience in river crossings), so we decided to walk along the river bank in the rocks for several km. We crossed the river higher than indicated thanks to the snow. <br /> Water spot regularly as several rivers crossed. <br /> Arriving at el banquillo, we were disappointed not to meet Umberto. Very good bivouac spot with several pitches already made. <br /> <br /> Day 4 El banquillo refuge - laguna de los hornitos <br /> 20km D+ 900 D- 900<br /> Most of the climb is up to the pass after the laguna. Quite a physical climb in the sand. But we did it in about 1h30. The rest of the day was pretty much the same. <br /> Regular water stops too. <br /> No problem following the trail. <br /> A little extra for a new encounter with a herd of horses. <br /> Bivouac spot around the lake. Nice possibility before descending to the lake (indicated waypoint camp).<br /> <br /> Day 5 laguna de los hornitos - los alamos<br /> All downhill to los cipreses. The first part is in sand, so it's a quick descent. Once on the road, we were often overtaken by cars. No one asked us for a permit (or offered to hitchhike). <br /> We passed guards at the exit/entrance to the power station, who offered us water and no problem getting through. <br /> In los alamos, a small store selling a few products such as pasta, ice cream, batteries, etc. It's run by a lady and her husband. They also sell beds for sleeping. They're very welcoming<br /> <br /> Buses to Talca at 7.30am and 3.30pm. Not many cars passing through. We didn't get picked up hitchhiking. <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-27 to 2024-Jan-30) / 3.5 Days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + OH 01+03+06/ Joscha'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: RR [0-10,1] + OH06-01A + OH06-01[10,7-25,1] + RR [36,9-44,6]<br /> <br /> A few small streams at OH-01 and one bigger one near Laguna Manantial Pelado (ankle high ford). A few snow patches above 2300 m, but you can easily walk over or around them. Water is flowing at all the marked locations.<br /> <br /> Day 2: RR [44,6-45,8] + to Descabezado and back on OH06-03 and OH06-03A + RR [45,8-55,7]<br /> <br /> River at 44,8 was a little over ankle high ford in the morning. The climb up to Descabezado has a lot of steep gravel slopes, which makes it tiresome. Water is flowing at all the marked locations.<br /> <br /> Day 3: RR [55,7-58,3] + to Los Quillayes and back on OH06-06 and OH06-06A + RR [58,3-59,6] + OH06-C + RR [62-69]<br /> <br /> OH06-06A is a steep gravel climb, but worth it. Really nice view from Los Quillayes (but similar to the view from Pass Hornitos. Pass Hornitos has some bigger snowfields on the southern side, but its easy to walk around them. OH06-C was pretty steep at the end, so maybe the RR is more convenient. Little above ankle high Ford north of Laguna de los Hornos in the afternoon.<br /> <br /> Day 4: RR [69-80] + OH06-E + OH06-F<br /> <br /> Small Shop (I bought some Pasta) and Restaurant in Los Alamos. I tried to continue on the RR from Los Alamos to El Medina. But at 81,3 km the trail vanished and I wasn't able to continue. Therefore I walked back and walked on the paved road OH E+F to El Medano. Camping + Thermas in El Medano costs 7000 Pesos. There is a small shop, but it is very expensive (e.g. 1 Ramen Cup costs 2000 Pesos).<br /> <br /> GPT06 has some really spectacular views. Especially Pass Hornitos and Volcan Descabezado. There is no shade, so the sun is gonna burn you all day. This + the sand/gravel is demanding for your body and your equipment. <br /> <br /> * '''Jan-26-2024 to Jan-30-2024 / 4.5 days / SOBO / Oh5, Oh 3, RR / Matthieu'''<br /> <br /> Amazing section, from the entrance in Vilches to the end in los cipreses. Sand and lack of shadow are the main difficulties. <br /> <br /> Right of way : that was my first fear. Concerning guardia parques : en parque ingles, they say that they cannot let officially hikers go to the volcan, as duenos asked (OH1 passes by 4 differents private properties). But if you have a message by don victor it's ok. So no need for discussion there just take a ticket to el bolson and no more words. El bolson was closed for a few days for maintenance, so i just got out of parque ingles. At Alto de Lircay, guardiaparque told me that it was my responsability to enter don Victor's property without his permission. You can legally turn back into the park (or coming from parque ingles) paying for another day at the end, at the entrance, if you want to come back by altos de Lircay after the volcan. <br /> - Don Victor : I had the chance to meet him near the valle del venado, on a horse. I asked for permission to enter his lands and continue south, that he offered me easily with promess to not let garbage in the zone. I was glad to meet him out of his lands, I don't know how he would react into. He especially asked to guardaparques to say to hikers that it was not permitted to go on his lands because it's always full of trash, and he has to clean it up all the time. He told me that foreigners were more respectfull than locals though. His phone is off all season because it became a public number, and he has to many calls to enter the volcan. So if you want permission better send a message before season. To note, his lands go at least to the laguna caracole, don't know after.<br /> I saw another chilean hiker walking up the volcan, didn't seem to be a problem for him. <br /> <br /> Water : often present on RR, in the lagunas or the oasis. A good stream just before the top of the volcan to. No need to carry kgs of it. <br /> No water at the volcan basecamp though, so I carried it from the puesto. <br /> <br /> Snow : From now on, no snow issues from the entrance in Vilches to the end at los cipreses, so no need for crampons (with entrance by option 5, I don't know for the entrance by RR). Few patches you can easily bypass before and after the third pass 59km. <br /> No patches on the way to the top of volcan. <br /> <br /> River crosses (1.78m) : only once Rio blancillo, at the first Ford (water to knees). Then I stayed on the right side of the river until the end. I had to walk inside for 1 minute, water to hips, but no current so it was easy. I bypassed the two other crosses this way. <br /> <br /> Camp : valle venado (conaf), really friendly worker there. - Basecamp Volcan : beware, I made the mistake to not plant my tent well with heavy rocks, and the pikes in the sand are no use... so when I came back from the volcan it was upside down with strong wind... a whole adventure to pack everything ! - Oasis at water 48km. - Around 70 kms, some nice camping spots near the river at the right side of the road. <br /> <br /> Volcan : up to the top by option 3, then down by variant 3A. Taking the variant directly seems like hell, lot of sand. More rocks on regular option 3. Physically demanding, but no other particular difficulties.<br /> <br /> Proposition of new option : as the right of way may evolve badly in the future, I suggest a new option road from el camping valle venado to tricehue, following the rio claro. I asked to the guardaparque at the campsite, he said that there are people doing it usually. This year the river is to strong though, so maybe in march or next year. <br /> <br /> Buses at the end : the lign is from talca to el medano, a stop at the exit of los alamos on the road. From el medano : buses 7h30 and 15h30, monday to Friday (dont know for week ends).<br /> From talca : 12h30 and 19h<br /> At el colorado, buses to talca more often.<br /> * '''2024-Jan-11 to 2024-Jan-17 / 7 Days / Hiking / NOBO / O5, O3, O3A, RR, O1 / Vlad'''<br /> <br /> A spectacular section to end my 5-week trip on the GPT. I’ve never experienced a landscape like this before and the weather (straight up sunshine for the whole week) was a welcome change after the unrelenting wind and rain of Patagonia. There were no other people outside of the start and end of the trail in national parks. Beautiful and desolate wild camping near the volcano. That said, it was very rough on my gear. The dry sand, abrasive rocks, spiky bushes did some damage to my shoes (erased on tread on the soles after sliding down scree slopes for 2 days), socks (holes after rubbing on rocks since I did not have gaiters), trekking poles (they were in a poor shape already but the rocks and sand finished them and the tips got sanded off), pants (got some holes as well). <br /> <br /> Day 1: I took an overnight bus from Puerto Montt to Talca (22k CLP, very comfortable, booked through Rodovairro.cl). After arriving in Talca, there was a bus to Vilches at 10:30. I got off at the last stop and made it to the PN Altos de Lircay entrance around 1 PM. I asked the ranger about access to Descabezado land since I texted the owner, Don Victor (WhatsApp +56998863554) but he didn’t respond to me. The ranger said that Don Victor doesn’t respond at the moment but he said it was okay for the rangers to allow hikers to leave the park and go to his land. <br /> <br /> I was charged 8.5k CLP for park entrance and 10k CLP for 2 nights camping inside the park. This is because I wasn’t allowed to start hiking to Valle el Venado the first day (trail closes at 11:00 am even though it’s only 19 km 🙃) and had to camp at the park entrance, then another night once I get to Valle el Venado. It was a bummer as I already had limited time for this section, but it allowed me to go for a day hike up the mountain in Altos de Lircay and watch a beautiful sunset. The forest in Altos de Lircay is beautiful with teeming wildlife and abundant wildflowers. I saw a woodpecker, a fox, colorful iguanas, a snake, giant spiders, and endless wildflowers. <br /> <br /> You could maybe get to Altos de Lircay on time to start hiking the same day if you leave on the 7 am bus from Talca. They give you a paper at the park ranger’s office and I was asked for it 3 times by different rangers throughout my trip. <br /> <br /> Day 2: Walked from Altos de Lircay to Valle el Venado with a side trip to see the waterfall. Met a group on horses. A few river fords that were all below knee level. Got to the campsite at Valley el Venado which wasn’t very nice. Horse poop everywhere, had to clear the spot for a tent. No one asked to check if I paid for the campsite. The group on horses camped somewhere up the valley from the refugio as I heard them and saw some come down to use the bathroom. <br /> <br /> Day 3: I did the 3 fords of river Blanquillo as suggested on the GPS track. The first one is at the spot where river is widest, so it was only knee deep. On the second ford, it’s narrower and the current was strong, it was crotch deep for me (178 cm). Third ford knee deep. In hindsight I should’ve just stayed on the left side of the river and only crossed it once in the end. <br /> <br /> It was a very short day, 10 km, but I thought it would be nice to arrive at Blanquillo refugio early in case Umberto was there. However, when I got there, the refugio was empty, and I couldn’t find any hot springs. I don’t think the bathing pool is there anymore. I scouted around for half an hour and only saw horse and cow poop in every little stream and pool of water. I followed one of the streams about 100 m uphill to get clean drinking water but I still saw poop on the banks. <br /> <br /> Since Umberto wasn’t there, I cooked dinner by the refugio and kept going to the Descabezado basecamp (-35.59773, -70.79645) 3.4 km further and 600 m of elevation higher up from the Banquillo refugio, which made the next day’s climb up the volcano shorter.<br /> <br /> The sunset at the Descabezado basecamp was out of this world. <br /> <br /> Day 4: I left from basecamp at sunrise since I didn’t want to walk in the dark. I had to cross a few not steep snow fields at the beginning but nothing at higher elevations. Every snow field higher up is easily bypass-able. That said, the climb up to the crater still felt brutal to me. There’s absolutely no sure footing, everything is just a scree slope. When ascending, you can either climb up the 45 degree scree slope or try to walk on the rocks which are easier to plant your foot on. I chose the rocks but they too were sliding sometimes, even large boulders, so I had to be careful not to let a giant rock fall directly on my other foot. It took me 4.5 hours to reach the crater from the basecamp following the less steep option 3. It was very windy, cold, and the sun was shining directly in my face early in the morning as I was climbing up the volcano so it was a little difficult to see the path sometimes.<br /> <br /> On the way down, I saw my tent and was trying to slide down the scree slope directly towards the basecamp roughly following the steep option 3A. Going down was actually really fun and effortless. But be careful and still check GPS regularly when you descend, as there are some scree slopes that end directly in a vertical plunge down to the ice field below. <br /> <br /> I refilled my water bottles with ice cold water flowing from the snow field here (-35.60455, -70.78525), using my trowel as a spout. I’m glad I did because when I got back to basecamp, the water I stashed there in the morning was as warm as a hot soup after baking in the tent in direct sunlight all day. <br /> <br /> I was considering staying at basecamp location for another night because it’s such a visually stunning spot with gorgeous sunsets and incredible stars at night, but it was just way too hot to remain there so I packed up and went back down to Banquillo refugio. Unfortunately, Umberto was still not there so I just enjoyed the company of cows and went to sleep. <br /> <br /> Day 5: I went north in the white sand dunes following Banquillo river which nurtures a breathtaking oasis in the desert. I thought this area was way more beautiful than the Banquillo refugio (especially with all the cow poop there) so I wished I kept going a little further the previous night and set up camp somewhere by the river in this area (-35.53354, -70.79191). Disclaimer: I didn’t actually look for a spot that was flat and sheltered but that whole area just felt like a paradise so I think one could find a suitable spot for a tent there. <br /> <br /> Right at the fork of the trails where one can choose to take Option 1 or continue on RR to Termas del Azufre, I ran into arrieros transporting hundreds of goats through the snow-covered slopes, it was a beautiful scene and a blessing for me as their footprints helped me find a safe way in some semi-steep snow sections I had to cross after 2400 m. I chose to follow Option 1 to El Bolson because the RR on the right at the fork looked like it had loads of snow still. Even on Option 1, I had to be careful and kick-step my way through the snow fields as I had no crampons and my trail runners had virtually no tread left on them after being ground on the volcanic rocks and sand the previous couple of days.<br /> <br /> One particularly dangerous spot is here (-35.51932, -70.82684) just after Laguna Manantial Pelado. It’s a big snow field that started melting and formed a lake that’s not on the map. It was breathtakingly beautiful going west, but if you were coming from the other direction you could not see the collapse of the snow field until it’s too late and you’re on the edge, so stick to the trail and walk on the side of the valley in that spot. <br /> <br /> I got to El Bolson just before sunset. It was surprisingly a beautiful and scenic campground and not too crowded on a Monday night. I spoke a few words to the people in the refugio, they just told me to set up my tent and didn’t ask to pay for camping. <br /> <br /> At Bolson, I met a group of Chilean students from Talca who spoke really good English and we had a lot of fun eating dinner together, smoking weed and going to swim in the nearby waterfall the next morning. There are trails going down the cliff to the swimming pools here (-35.49801, -70.90767). It’s a really pristine swimming spot, just be careful and don’t get too close to the waterfalls as we heard there was an accident the previous night where a rock fell off and pushed a person over the edge of the waterfall so they plunged down into a pool below. <br /> <br /> Day 6: Hiked from Bolson to Parque Ingles entrance, where the ranger once again asked for my paper registration from Altos de Lircay documenting my trip. The shops at Parque Ingles are really tiny and would not be sufficient for another section resupply in my opinion, I just bought some fresh fruit and hitched a 3 KM ride to Siete Tazas. By the time I got there (19:00) all the trails were closed and the ranger told me to go find camping at Valley de las Catas. It was 13k CLP (ouch) for 1 night camping with inclusion of the ticket for a 3-km loop on the southern bank of river Claro to see Siete Tazas. The campground had a hot shower which was very welcomed, but otherwise I think Siete Tazas was not worth it and I wish I spent my last day attempting to hike up to Laguna de las Animas instead. Though I don’t know if it would even be possible as the entire rim of the mountain seemed snow covered so there must’ve still been a very steep, yet short, snow field one would need to cross to get over the pass. <br /> <br /> Day 7: I took a morning walk out of the campground and caught a 11:30 bus back to Molina, then a bus from Molina to Santiago for a flight home the next day. <br /> <br /> * '''2024 Jan 07 / 4.5 days / SOBO / RR / Anh'''<br /> There are many good reports, so I'll keep it short.<br /> <br /> With my information, I could simply walk from Parque Inglés without registration. But I want to hike legal &amp; support Conaf. So I had to register and pay online (not in cash at other national parks) with my conaf account, then offline paper formular. Fortunately, the 2nd payment for Campsite El Bolsón (compulsory) was in cash (200m from Conaf). It had taken me more than an hour.<br /> <br /> There is a lot of hiking in volcanic sand (rough, fine).<br /> At this time there are still many snowfields from 2000 Hm upwards. There are streams under the snowfields, some of which only have a thin layer of snow (danger of collapse).<br /> Ford km 29.4 is quite critical (hip, strong flow in the morning)<br /> <br /> I met two boys at Refugio Blanquillo. They had been hiking for two days on a different route (no RR GPT06) with a text description from the internet (no hiking map/GPS track). They learned &amp; understood that it was very dangerous and could get lost at any time. Luckily they met a hiker with GPS &amp; inReach, otherwise I would have taken them with me.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-03 to 2024-Jan-08 / 6 days / Hiking / round trip anticlockwise / O5 - O3 - RR - O1 - O1c (Condor Circuit) / Lotti and Alex'''<br /> <br /> Originally we wanted to do the Cóndor Circuit, but after we read about the troubles some of you had, we decided to take the safer option 1 to avoid the snow and landslide above Termas de Azufre. This route felt very safe and the snow was not a problem at all. We ended up with a beautiful round trip from Altos de Lircay to Valle Venado, then to the summit of Descabezado, then Valle del Indio and back to Altos de Lircay. The landscape is incredibly beautiful and diverse, and we enjoyed it a lot. The scariest part for us was fording the Rio Blanquillo on day 2.<br /> <br /> Day 1: Altos de Lircay - Valle Venado on option 5 (Sendero de Chile) <br /> We stayed at Hotel Picamaderos in Altos de Lircay, which is a very nice and relaxed place right next to the park entrance of Altos de Lircay. To enter the park we had to show the CONAF officers the WhatsApp message that Victor send us as a permission for entering his land at Refugio Blanquillo. <br /> The hike through the forest was very nice and shady and we enjoyed the view from the mirador where we got a nice overview of our route for the next days. Crossing Rio Claro was easy, not deeper than knee deep. We camped in a shady spot next to Valle Venado.<br /> <br /> Day 2: Valle Venado - Refugio Blanquillo - Descabezado base camp (option 5 and option 3) <br /> Easy walking until Laguna el Blanquillo which was really beautiful. After that the path crosses Rio Blanquillo several times. We tried to avoid it at first because it looked quite intimidating, so we followed some stone men to climb around and walk higher up the valley. When it was not avoidable any more, we forded it. For me, with just 152cm of height, it was intimidatingly deep (almost to the hip) and it had really strong currents. Alex had to help me across, and with him walking in front of me, it worked. We arrived at an empty Refugio Blanquillo, picked up some water there and walked up to Descabezado base camp which has no water. <br /> <br /> Day 3: Descabezado Summit<br /> We left the base camp early at 6:00 and took the southern option 3 trail which was well marked by stone men at the beginning. We used our crampons to climb up some ice fields effectively, but I think they could have been bypassed as well. On the way down we took the steeper option 3A sliding down on soft pumice stones which was a lot of fun. We picked up our tent, walked back down and set up our camp at Refugio Blanquillo. There we searched a while for the hot springs, but couldn't find them.<br /> <br /> Day 4: Refugio Blanquillo - Valle del Indio (RR and option 1 NOBO)<br /> We walked on the regular route for about 8 km until the junction where we changed to option 1. After that we crossed several smaller streams that were not on our map. Snow started around 2300m, but it was easy to walk on and we didn't need our crampons. Laguna Manantial Pelado was incredibly beautiful with its icy shores. There were some camp spots there, but it was much too windy for us to stay there for the night. We kept walking over the pass and down the valley until we found a shady spot in the middle of the valley floor of Valle del Indio. <br /> <br /> Day 5: Valle del Indio - Altos de Lircay (Option 1C)<br /> After the wild vulcanic landscapes of the days before, this day's scenery was not as spectacular, but the hiking was easy and we even met some wild horses. We camped at Punta 6 inside the park Altos de Lircay, where we found a camping spot right next to a very nice swimming hole in the river and met the first people after 5 days of loneliness. <br /> <br /> Day 6: Altos de Lircay - park entrance<br /> Easy walking in the shade of the forest. <br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-29 to 2024-Jan-3 / 6 days / NOBO / Variant 5+3+RR+GPT05(VarG+RR)+RR / Matthias + Johanna '''<br /> <br /> The route:<br /> Basically the route is the Condor Circuit: Reserva Nacional Altos de Lircay - Descabezado Grande - PN Siete Tazas. <br /> We bypassed the part from km 19.4 (Termas) to km 27.4 (pass Portezuelo Las Cruces) via GPT05(VarG+RR) due to the reports of Lilian and Michael &amp; Cassia. By the time we started our tour, Michael had written only a much less intimidating post on the Facebook group (only indicating difficult route conditions). So it was a lucky ad-hoc decision after the difficult descent from pass La Calle the day before not to try their route!!<br /> <br /> The conditions: <br /> Snow +- above 2250m, rivers below snow-filled watersheds with high water levels! Overall quite demanding to us!<br /> <br /> Day 1+2: Easy walking from park entrance (Lircay) to Vegas Blanquillo („basecamp“ Descabezado).<br /> <br /> Day 3: Ascent to Descabezado <br /> Easier than expected but tedious above 3400m due to volcanic ash and steepness. Snowfields below 3400m can be bypassed or safely crossed (surface like a mogul piste). The steep snowfields above can by bypassed. We climbed the right (southern) „couloirs“ on the right margin (beneath the red rock), loose rocks are the main difficulty.<br /> <br /> Day 4: Vegas Blanquillo - Termas Azufre<br /> About 5 km on snow. Some short steep snow passages, soft snow on snow bridges. High water levels.<br /> Easy walking until a height of ca. 2550 (km 32.5) when going down into the valley of Estero Volcán. Next 250hm downhill tricky as while we tried to avoid the quite steep snow on the slopes, we faced the difficulty of avoiding unstable snow bridges in the valley floor. We were happy to have our microspikes with us! Also parts of the summer path seemed to be washed away (around km 30.5) as seen from afar. Forded the river ca. 500m upstream of the place indicated on the track files (50m south of the now collapsed snow bridge of Lilian). Strong current, water up to mid of thighs. Additional fording of the (today roaring) creek coming down from Cerro Colorado (km28.5).<br /> <br /> Day 5: Termas Azufre - Valle del Indio: Difficult fordings <br /> Trail washed away ca. 1 km after Termas. We went up 100 hm to bypass (possibly you could also bypass by descending ca. 50 hm).<br /> Edgy fording of Estero Volcán at ca. 35°28'56&quot;S 70°46'13&quot;W. Strong current, water up to lower waist on the far side for me (188cm) and up to upper waist for Johanna (163cm). I could give her a hold from a rock there! Then ca. 500m north 2 easier fordings back to the western side of the there split river. <br /> We did not stick to RR here (we did not divert from path at „trailhead“), as there was no possible crossing of the river visible and the path seems to be very difficult with large loose rocks and steep slopes). But possibly one could avoid the two fordings by RR and then climbing the rocks near the riverbed.<br /> There are no further fordings of Estero Volcán (km 24.6) as river is flowing on the eastern side of the valley this season.<br /> Loose volcanic ash on parts of the ascent to pass Portozuelo Las Cruzes. Snowfields easy (could be bypassed or safely crossed on the afternoon of the hot day). Laguna Las Animas partly ice-covered, we swam next to the ice :-)<br /> After the pass going down to Valle del Indio there is steep snowfields (former wedges) on most of the rim. Only 4-5 m, but even with microspikes it was too dangerous for us. You can bypass snow by walking some meters to the right (west) from the pass and walking/climbing down the rock pillar (solid).<br /> <br /> Day 6: Easy walk down to Park entrance Parque Ingles<br /> <br /> Camp sites: Valle Venado - Vegas Blanquillo (Descabezado basecamp) 2 nights - 500m north and 50 m uphill of Termas - valleyfloor Valle los Indios<br /> <br /> Basecamp Descabezado - Right of way:<br /> No access given to hikers without a guide to cross the NP to Descabezado. We chose to hire a local arriero who accompanied us the first three days (Pancho 997635447), who got a permission to camp from the land owner in advance. Even though he is a local and has his own cows feeding up there, he had to discuss at the three „checkpoints“ at park entrance, as he had no written prove with him.<br /> The man living at the basecamp was not there in the end, selling some cows in the valley ! <br /> Nice swimming pool with tepid water 5m north of camping site, for drinking water go the long way round the swampy valley to a source on the other side ca. 20m west of the hut.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-19 to 2024-Dec-25/ 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR/ Michael and Kasia '''<br /> <br /> Day 1<br /> We had camped at Rocas Basalticas campground the night before. When we arrived at the gate they asked to see our permission to camp at Bolson. We didn't know that that was required and spent some time going back and forth with them. We finally went to Rocas Basalticas down the road and got them permission to camp at Bolson and they finally let us in. The walk up is pretty, all the snow is gone. All fords are easy. There were a few tábanos, but not many. CONAF did a reroute on a small section of the trail higher up. If you're watching GPS you go off the route, but just follow the sign to Bolson and it goes there. Campground has water and toilets.<br /> <br /> Day 2<br /> We hiked up through Valle del Indio. The route is a little tricky to find and we were moving slow so getting a lot of meander in the GPS marker. Looking for cairns was helpful. Two thirds of the way up there was still snow. By that time it was slushy. We had opted not to buy crampons at the last minute, so we made our way across kicking into the snow. The last 15 m to the pass was an almost straight up in snow. After the pass there was very little snow until the rise up to Laguna de las Ánimas. After that it was a complete snow field and the lake was frozen. We managed to kick out a pad for the tent and camped in the snow. Really beautiful sky that night.<br /> <br /> Day 3<br /> A long day with very little distance covered. Full sun, we both got sunburns despite sunscreen and covering. The snow was heavily pockmarked so it was hard to walk through. It took much longer than we anticipated. We ended up camping just below the pass. We were concerned about wind, so we tied the tent down really well. Fortunately it was a calm night.<br /> <br /> Day 4<br /> We continued on RR. There were several steep ups and downs, mostly on snow, as well as some intimidating traverses. The snow was getting to the point where we were a little uncertain if it would hold or not. We saw a single set of tracks, assume it was Lillian as it looks like she was a day or two ahead of us. 2 km before Termales Azufre we crossed a very steep section of snow. On the way down Kasia fell and hit some small rocks. She got some bruises and cuts, but nothing broken. I tried to slide with the backpack off and in front of me, but I fell too and the bag started tumbling down a steep sandy slope. I chased the bag, fell and rolled twice, and finally managed to jump and tackle the bag about 5 m before it went over the edge. It was a dangerous move, but I had not had a chance to take the GPS off the bag before it started sliding, and without it we couldn't get out and couldn't call for help. It was a long hike back up due to the incline and sand. We made it a little further and then ran into an area of trail wiped out by a landslide where it was impossible to get footing, even without the packs. Every step would cause more sand and rocks to slide down. It was about 18:30 at that point. We backtracked about 100 m to a gap between a snow wall and a large rock and set up a provisional shelter for the night.<br /> <br /> Day 5<br /> After waking up the next day, we tried to see if rest and fresh eyes would give us a better perspective. After discussing it we realized that there was really no way forward or back. We decided it only option was to use the SOS button on the Garmin. I pushed the button at 10:00, and by 16:00 there was a helicopter flying through the valley looking for us. I was surprised that it happened so quickly. They had to land in the valley, and since we could not get ourselves down, they sent a GOPE team of three guys up and the helicopter left for the night. It took them about an hour to get up to us, and then another two hours to do enough provisional maintenance on the trail for us to get down. We camped with them in the valley for the night and the helicopter came to get us in the morning.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-25 to 2023-Dec-26/ 2 days / Hiking / NOBO / off RR / Jens, Nolwenn, Yannick'''<br /> <br /> To enter the Hydroelectrico Los Cipreses you need a permit, which we did not get in advance. The guard at the gate said we could get it by emailing his boss. <br /> As it was Christmas Day, it was not possible to get the permit. <br /> The guard told us to take a route along the perimeter fence. We did that until we couldn't get further. We entered the compound through a hole in the fence and walked to the end of the road on the right side of the river. The bridge on the map is destroyed. The current was too strong to cross. Turned around and went back.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-18 to 2023-Dec-21 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR+{06-D} / Lilian'''<br /> It is the most amazing section from GPT01 to here so far!<br /> <br /> I hiked RR, it is still covered by tons of snow, i recommend use ice axe and micro spikes if you want to hike from Portezuelo Las Cruces(pass) to El Estadio(pass), there is some really steep snow slope. (RR-TL-V)<br /> <br /> Parque Ingles have a restaurant and a tiny store selling food, fruits, drinks and some 230g gas canisters.<br /> <br /> I hopped the gate to the park at 6:30. No one was there.<br /> <br /> There are 3 main pass for RR.<br /> <br /> First pass, snow start at km14.3(2050m), not difficult for climbing up to pass[15.4/2257].<br /> <br /> Laguna Las Animas(lake)[16.7/2286] is still frozen, very beautiful. I climbed up on some rocks at the north side of the lake, then mostly choose my own way to climb up to pass, because RR look steep.<br /> <br /> Arrive the pass[19.4/2547], if you are not comfortable with snow, it is the LAST CHANCE to turn back.<br /> <br /> Pass is flat and dry, you can camping here but windy.<br /> <br /> There are no RR after the pass because covered by many snow, find a way go down to valley by snow slope, then walk all the way on snow to km20.2, you can see the trail but on the other side at km20.2, steep go down the snow slope then connect to RR.<br /> <br /> Follow the trail about 5min, you will go into a big valley, trail and the whole valley covered by snow, but you can see a trail is at the far away other side of valley.<br /> <br /> Go your own way to water[22.0/2279], i think it is lot ways to go down, but dont too close to cliff side, it is steep and easily to fall off.<br /> <br /> After you arrive water[22.0/2279], then straight forward to km22.6.<br /> <br /> A large flat area can fit lot of tents at the downhill side of km22.6.<br /> <br /> After km22.6, the most dangerous part begins, from here to km26, lot of steep snow slope you need to cross, be careful, kick step and don't slide.<br /> <br /> Km26 is another large flat area for camping, i camped here with nice sunrise.<br /> <br /> Snow continues to km26.6, but easy way. The first pass's snow end.<br /> <br /> About the second pass, snow start at ford[29.4/2190], strong flow and look like up to thighs, i cross it on snow bridge.<br /> <br /> Stay on east side until km31.25, then stay down walking in the valley, easier than on the slope.<br /> <br /> Although full of snow, but I think it is easy to go to the pass[33.8/2695] from here, so i dont mention the details. It is also easy to go down, most of them are gentle slope.<br /> <br /> Snow end at km41.4, but mostly you can find some flat sandy spot start at km39.1.<br /> <br /> Hot spring[45.6/1881] : completely dry. Some camping spots with rock wall nearby.<br /> <br /> Water,camp[48.1/1837] : amazing oasis in desert! Clear and cold water, some shade, also lot of swallows flying in the sky catching some food for their kid.<br /> <br /> Km49.1 - km49.8 : best view point of Volcán Descabezado Grande and Volcán Azul! If you want to camp with stunning views, bring water at oasis then climb up here, lot of sandy spots beside some rocks, enjoy you sleep with volcano.<br /> <br /> Km53.2 - km54.7 : Laguna del Caracol(lake), maybe because too much snow melts? Trail underwater, you need to walk in the lake shore for a while.<br /> <br /> Camp[56.3/2034] : oasis again! Crystal clear and cold water! It is possible to cut off from km56 to x[57.3/2073] directly, stream flowing slow and up to knee.<br /> <br /> Third pass, steep climb up to km57.9, if you follow RR, then you will turn right and face some steep snow climbing up.<br /> <br /> If you look up at left side, there is some foot steps straight climb up on a dry slope, which is no snow but looses sand.<br /> <br /> I go for the left one to the pass, ok but steep and really tried.<br /> <br /> Most of the snow is after pass, from pass[59.3/2518] to km61.5, first go to east side go around the snow, then you will find a trail, follow it a little then go your own way in snow valley. <br /> <br /> I follow RR, mostly easy to go down until km61.5, a steep slope. I don't want to take the risk, so i crossed a snow bridge to a sandy slope at south side. Go down the slope and rejoin RR about km62.1.<br /> <br /> Ford[63.4/1909] : i crossed the river before a huge rock, below knee at morning. The huge rock also provide some wind protection, i saw some camping trace beside it.<br /> <br /> Volcán Los Hornitos : km65.3, {06-D}, just beside RR, no need CC, a trail leads you to the top, just climb up 70m! Go for it!<br /> <br /> Lastly with no luck, i saw a car going down just 10min before i arrived the road, then no more cars, so i walk all the way to Los Cipreses.<br /> <br /> Met a super friendly worker at Los Cipreses, he give me some cherry to eat and a ride to Los Alamos. A tiny shop there , if you are not picky, a little pricey but enough food resupply for 1 people six days. It have a sign &quot;Almacen&quot; at its front gate. You can ask locals where it is, i saw many workers go to there buy things.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-dec-3/ 4 days / hiking / SOBO / RR &amp; 6 option 1 / Lukas en Tess'''<br /> <br /> As this was our first section on the GPT and there still was a lot of snow in the mountains we decided to play it safe and folow option 1 from el Bolsón. It is less steep and less long above the snoweline about 2000m at the time. It went great but Tess burned her eyes so good sunglasses are definetly a must when hiking in the snow. From there we continued the RR at Laguna del Caracol we had to walk in the lake on the edge, no idea if that's normal but it was funny. The next and final big obstacle was the pass on k59 we decided to try and bypass it because it looked very steep with a lot of snow and ice and Tess with her burning eyes had a hard time looking at any snow at her feet. So we went up right next to it (north). Realy though rock scrambling but we managed. Going down the next valley was okay with the snow but crossing rivers covered in snow is tricky so try to avoid it. Walking into los Cipreces we were told we were not supposed to be there but still we had lunch in the cafeteria and they fixed a ride to bring us to the road, realy nice people there. From there we hitchhiked to el colorado where we stayed for two days to let Tess' eyes heal.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Mar-14 to 2023-Mar-19 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / Parque Ingles - Los Cipreses / Noemie'''<br /> <br /> Parque Inglés - El Bolsón - Termas de Azufre - Blanquillo - Laguna Hornitos - Los Cipreses<br /> <br /> First try on the GPT and amazing section to start. There were buses from Molina at 10am and 5pm going to Parque Ingles. You must arrive there before 1pm and buy an entrance for El Bolson (with camping) to enter the Park. It's also possible to camp in Parque Ingles (7.000 CLP/night). When I entered, CONAF asked me where I was going, if I had a GPS, and gave me some kind of permit to show in Los Cipreses. I wasn't asked to show it when I arrived there though. <br /> Landscapes and panoramas were extremely beautiful and very impressive. There was still water in all marked points and fords were easy to cross. Trail is easy to follow almost everywhere, except after Termas de Azufre (be careful to look for the right pools on the map and do not go up too much, I ended up in a place with almost boiling water). The whole section is full of beautiful sand dunes, so gaiters were extremely useful. In Blanquillo, you are supposed to get an authorization from the dueño to stay there, but it looks like it is not really enforced. I spent a day in Blanquillo to rest, drink maté and learn how to make sopaipillas with Umberto. I hitchhiked from Los Cipreses to San Clemente (one hostel, two supermarkets, decent to resupply) so I can't comment on the bus schedule. However, to come back to Los Cipreses/Termas del Médano, be aware that there is now only a bus leaving at 3pm from Talca, going up until La Mina. I took a small bus to Colorado on morning (every 45 min.) and hitchhiked easily back until Laguna del Maule for GPT 07.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Mar-21 to 2023-Mar-25 / 5 days / Hiking / NOBO / Vilches — Volcan – Parque Ingles / Iris, Alexis '''<br /> <br /> Our last section on the GPT for this year! We started in Vilches Alto with the option 06-05 because we rented horses with the arriero Jose Lopez. The beginning is placed in the Reserva Nacional Altos de Lircay, which requires a permit to go until the Volcan. The entrance fee is also 7k pp. We finished our first day at Camp, CONAF {06-05} [10.2/1158]. I believe we mostly followed the GPS track. <br /> <br /> On the second day, we continued with the horses until Hot Spring {06} [45.6/1881] (Banos del Blanquillo) still following the track. We then were disappointed because the arriero left us here whereas our agreement (clearly stated by messages before the rent) was to climb the volcano with the horses (it turns to be not possible, too steep).<br /> Thankfully, we had an excess day of food so we could attempt the climb the next day. We also met Umberto, the guy staying in the refugio, who was extremely friendly. He told us to start the volcano climb early in the night to avoid heavy winds. <br /> <br /> On Day 3, we started the ascent at 2am with our headlights. 6h30 later we were on the top, with the morning lights rewarding us and stunning landscape. The ascent was extremely tiresome (sand material), as always with volcanos, and it was very cold but the crater and the views were very worth it. After a breakfast at the top, the descent, mostly running, took us about 2h. We rested for the rest of day at Banos del Blanquillo and even got a sopapilla making class with Umberto.<br /> <br /> On Day 4, we followed the RR in the beautiful Descabezado landscape. Expect no shade but stunning dunes of white sand. There is plenty of water during the day because you will cross at least 2 rivers that were not dry this late in the season. The trail is easy to follow (because that is the only one) and is also part of the Circuit of the Condores. However, after Ford {06} [29.4/2190], you have about a dozen of options and the navigation until Hot Spring {06} [27.4/1986] (Hot Sping del Azufre) is more challenging. We decided to ignore the GPS and follow our instinct - just aim for the fumerolles. There you can enjoy a hot bath in one of the three hot natural pools (along some weird soft alguees). <br /> <br /> On Day 5, we simply followed the RR until Parque Ingles. The trail is well marked until the end, you just have to enjoy multiple highlights in the landscape. Of note, when reaching El Bolsón, the CONAF ranger forbid us to bath in the pools because it was too late (3PM) and told us to leave the park before 5:30. He was not friendly and also checked the entrance tickets of Livan Ray. We got extremely lucky and caught a bus leaving Parque Ingles when we reached it (it leaves at 5:00).<br /> <br /> This hike concludes our GPT adventure. We loved to start it riding horses to feel a bit more like the trails main user. The final day hiking and the volcano ascent were astonishing, truly one of (or even the) best section of our GPT.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Feb-03 to 2023-Feb-08 / 6 days/ Hiking / SOBO / RR + Descabezado / Louis, Rémi &amp; Noé'''<br /> <br /> Our first trip on the GPT, plenty of water, we didnt carry more than 1.5L each. Here is our trip :<br /> <br /> Day 1 - Laguna Las Animas - 18km - +1200m/-100m<br /> We entered the parc illegally at 7:30 in the morning as some others hikers have done reading the wiki. We did this because the parc was full for the next 3 days. I can only advise you to book in advance on internet (conaf). We slept at a camping in front of the entrance for 7k CLP per person. Plenty of buses goes up there from Molina in 2 hours. At least a dozen. Same for going back. If you buy your ticket online : if you sleep at El Bolson, you can enter the park until 3pm, if you go further with only the El Bolson ticket, you can entered until 11am only!<br /> So, we hiked until the Laguna las Animas, a rather long day for the first one.<br /> The camp on the beach was quite windy too.<br /> <br /> Day 2 - Termas de Azufre - 11km - +400m/-700m<br /> A short day, nice to enjoy the hot springs in the afternoon. The pass in the morning was very windy too.<br /> <br /> Day 3 - Refugio El Blanquillo - 20km - +800m/-900m<br /> A long but beautiful day. Leave early the camp to avoid hot temperatures while ascending the pass. Well welcomed by the arrierio Umberto ! Very kind.<br /> <br /> Day 4 - Volcan Descabezado Grande - 16km - +2000m/-2000m<br /> We did the ascent without our bags, we went back to our camp in the night. It's long and hard. According to Umberto, 12h are needed in total, we did in 10h. Same, Leave early to avoid hot temperatures. <br /> <br /> Day 5 - Laguna los Hornitos - 20km - +900m/-900m<br /> Another nice day, passing next to Laguna Caracol. The descent from the pass is a bit annoying if you didnt follow the track (as we did). So, advice : follow the RR and go down on your right. The Laguna is very dry, just enough to have a bath. Hard to maintain the pitch of the tent in the dry dirt.<br /> <br /> Day 6 - Los Cipreses - 15km - +100m/-1000m<br /> Last short day to end this beautiful section. The gravel road is a bit boring but passing pickup are proposing you to get you down to the main road. Here, only one bus at 7am. And a little shop selling ice cream, chips and drinks. We hitchiked to El Colorado where plenty of buses are going down to Talca for 2 000 CLP (+ 400 CLP per bag)<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-24 to 2023-Jan-30/ 7 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Descabezado / Martial'''<br /> <br /> First trip 6 days on GPT being a wonderfully intense experience ! Lunar landscapes, silent and remote, few but great people. No particular difficulty.<br /> Started park ingles with a mandatory 7000peso night at quiet camping near the river and bought ticket for Bolsón overnight 8$. Finally did not stay at Bolson a half day walk from entrance and camped in Laguna de las Animas instead. Great spot for Condors watching. After that follow Will’s advice and put on your mandatory gaiters till the end of the section ! + Walking on sand can be tough for the ankle. Don’t resist and don’t do too much !! Learned it the painfull way.. Trail visible but don’t get confused at termas Azufres especially if you try the (very) hot pools ! RR way is up the valley. Camp with water possible before the pass. The way down called « la Calle » is beautifull sandy dune remote desert. Exceptional. Aimed for Blanquillo refugio aka best basecamp for Descabezado intent. Meet Umberto the arriero at the hut and ask him where the termal pool and the drinking water are. He may be offended if you don’t show up and is a nice generous guy ! Also had a Chilean horse riding group intended the Descabezado so were a nice bunch by the camp fire. As weather window was fine, I decided to try a high camp in order to preserve weak foot from a very long ascent (10h). Took plenty of water as they are only glaciar dirty patches up there and aimed for Descabezado to Cerra Azul osm trail just as Nat and Tomas did (so i could have a chance to summit both also). Finally chose not to cross the nasty glaciar but found a very well sheltered highcamp here (-35.60569, -70.76147). Incredible sunset ! Not advisable in case of rain coming (a storm was growing in Argentina so stayed prepared for an emergency descent). Next day summited Descabezado at 11AM with no wind ideal conditions. Dive your front foot flat in sand just like snow climb when it gets to steep ! Nice ski descent sensations straight to the termas for a well deserved rest at the termas ! Also met Carlos a local climbing half way up so we would share joy later at the camp :).<br /> Exit through RR is also nice but regreted haven’t camped here (-35.67102, -70.83649) for there was some playfull trouts to catch with my survival fishing kit !<br /> Beautiful view from the pass to sandyland and then landscape changes and recommend OH variant C descending (less overgrown). Trail not so visible till laguna los hornos witch i climbed volcano to enjoy the crater caldera. After that descent to los Cipreses is kind of boring and hot so was definitely happy to find a camping by the bridge after the gate with lovely Victorina and her family here (-35.81524, -70.83224). They have been incredibly carring, fed me and brought me to the termas caves (also worth it) in El Medano !<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-16 to 2023-Jan-25 / 10 days / Hiking / NOBO / Descabezado Circuit variant: OH 06-02 &amp; 06-03 Laguna Maule to Vilches w/ volcans / Natalie &amp; Tomáš '''<br /> <br /> An extremely long description so my apologies but hopefully it will help someone. We Started in Laguna del Maule and ended in Vilches with inclusion of volcanoes Descabezado Grande, Azul, Descabezado Chico and Colorado.<br /> <br /> All fords super easy or jump-able. Only times water was scarce was Descabezado and Azul (technically there is melt water from glaciers at Azul), the afternoon around Descanezado Chico and also water was scarce around the Laguna Acquas Calientes because I would not trust drinking that water (some springs are cold water though). Weather turned bad only once while we were climbing Azul, the change happened rapidly and we went from blue skies to total white out (~10m or less visibility) within an hour. Other than that weather was amazing, a little cold at night and a little warm in the day.<br /> <br /> Happy we started in Laguna del Maule and finished in Vilches. This saved elevation gain and let us decide whether or not we had enough food in the end to climb Descabezado, Azul, Chico and for Tomáš Colorado.<br /> <br /> Day 1.<br /> Starting in Talca, due to a certain someone (me) I accidentally sent Tomáš and I to Molina on a bus instead of &quot;La Mina&quot;, so our day was very messed up, but we still managed to take a bus to Colorado and hitchhike to the start of this route. Buses from Talca to la Mina go at: 7:00am, 1:00pm (only to la Suiza), 3:00pm and 7:00pm. We took a bus to Colorado due to time and hitched the rest of the way. The last hitch was in a snowplow truck and he dropped us off miraculously at the start of the trail and before any customs or checks.<br /> <br /> OH-TL-V {06-02} (109.1). Straight away the trail is hard to see, do not take the road-looking trail on the side of the mountain because it ends, stick to the gps. However, soon we were walking on the correct route through the sand and down to a creek with fun boulders. Easy to follow. After this first creek we followed option OH-CC-A (06-02) {98} For only ~5km until making camp in -between a river and canal with flowing water. Bogs in this area slowed us down a lot.<br /> <br /> Day2. <br /> OH- {06-02} -[ (93) &amp; (86) ]<br /> This day seemed long, we crossed two passes, one small (-35.94909, -70.45347) and one much larger (-35.88855, -70.46776). I liked the entire area south of the second pass, many beautiful camp spots, water was available almost to the top of the pass and there is also a nice waterfall/swimming pool located roughly around (-35.90452, -70.45218). Trail to first pass was easy, but trail between first and second was much more cross country, there are many animal tracks, I followed the GPX and Tomáš followed a trail closer to the river and we both ended up at the same spot... After the second pass, the GPX goes cross-country right away, but one can follow a trail that goes left and later reconnects with GPX.<br /> <br /> After the second pass, there is a small plateau and then it follows down a creek with water until you must cross an east hill and go towards your first mountain puesto to the east (noone home). There is only a little bit of water here, better water at the creek you came from and or a few creeks ahead. <br /> <br /> From the puesto (-35.86707, -70.47589), there is a good trail that traverses the slope ahead. We should have camped but we continued. There were a few nice creeks that we passed along the way. We were forced to make a &quot;make-shift&quot; camp before hitting a much nicer plateau because it was dark and I was not having a good day 😅. It is about 6 km between the puesto and the plateau.<br /> <br /> Day 3<br /> OH {06-02} [78.6] + [75.7] + [63.6]<br /> Easy day, only one small pass. There is an ex-carabiniero puesto at (-35.84277, -70.40285) and a highlight was two rivers, one at (-35.76317, -70.42051) and one river at (-35.74734, -70.45623). The GPX is marked as trail a bit further than the actual trail goes (the trail continues to a puesto down-river). You need to go down a ridge and ford the river, there were some footsteps that can be followed. We walked near {06-02E} along a river filled with sand and not great for drinking but there is a creek that starts/ends here (-35.72759, -70.44125). We camped near this way point in the sand but it got windy at night, we wished we camped a bit further from the river in the little hills where it was considerably less windy. <br /> <br /> Day4<br /> OH {06-02} [59.6] + [29.1] + {06-02D}<br /> <br /> This day we passed a large pass (-35.65200, -70.43356) via {06-02D}. This option was more direct and involved a very short and easy scramble onto a windy plateau. Surprisingly lots of water up towards the pass, last one being (-35.66343, -70.42666) , however the water available had a lot of sand in it, fyi. From camp we followed a cow trail until a lake like feature (-35.70057, -70.42733) and then went cross country. I hope my cairns marking the turn for {06-02D} survive. <br /> <br /> After the pass the true Descabezado environment begins. We both made note of how terrible it would be to be on this plateau in bad weather, very open and CC. Next water source would be a couple of creeks here (-35.61215, -70.42156). From a break at this creek we ended up going straight down the creek bed. Kind of exhausting mentally and would not be possible in early season due to water levels but it shot us out directly in line for making a green camp here (-35.56164, -70.44009). <br /> <br /> Day 05<br /> OH {06-02} [29.1] + [20]<br /> Laguna Aquas Calientes day. <br /> An easy day with a lot of time spent at Aquas Caliente, true to the name. <br /> Trail from camp was easy to follow until (-35.53519, -70.46551) and then it went CC to the Laguna. If shelter is needed in this open landscape, we found a rock shelter (agains wind, not rain) here (-35.51276, -70.51035). The creek feeding the Laguna was fabulously warm in places - either at the source of the creek or at a spring on the right side about 100m upriver. Tomáš found the proper source of the spring here (-35.50395, -70.52347). It is easy to get sunburn while bathing mid-day though. There are some camping spots near the creek. After this Laguna there is a nasty and windy sand stretch until a creek located here (-35.48980, -70.57667). On this stretch I chose not to follow the sand but detoured on more solid ground to the east (-35.48839, -70.56200) and was glad I did. Later on we found snow melt here (-35.48544, -70.59940) and loaded all the water we would need for night/morning and exploring Descabozado Chico the next day. <br /> <br /> Day 06<br /> OH {06-02} [20] + {06-02C Chico} + [4.5]<br /> Descabozado Chico + Vulcan Colorado (Tomáš)<br /> <br /> Went up and around the crater of Descabozado Chico in the morning which I highly recommend. The crater is easy to walk around and gives an amazing 360 experience. The climb up is tedious but non-dangerous scree that makes for a super fast decent. Make sure you have enough water because water is scarce there. I saw a waterfall on the NE side the lake but did not go to it, Tomáš got water somewhere off trail around here (-35.51226, -70.65626) and I drank out of the next lake -35.52036, -70.65873 (questionable, but nothing happened to me). <br /> From the lake the next pass begins and I stupidly made Tomáš and I carry 5L of water up it because I did not think there would be water on the south side (both of us overlooking the river indicated on the map)...I was wrong, no water high up but lots of water down low. For the pass we opted not to follow the route because it was thick steep sand so we instead climbed a more solid ridge here (-35.52506, -70.66854). Tomáš went to continue up Vulcan Colorado and I boringly traversed to the normal pass and enjoyed a very fun sand ski down the south side. The Vulcan is a steep but not technical hike up, the crater can be walked around with a steep but fun sand descent on the other side in SW direction. This pass would be very tiresome climbing up due to sand. If you are coming from the opposite direction and do not trust the lagoon water, then you should aim for (-35.51226, -70.65626) or bring water.<br /> <br /> Everything this day was CC. I found it to be the hardest day navigation-wise but still not troublesome. We finished the day in a nice valley before the next day's climb here (-35.55427, -70.70793). The water around this area is a bit sandy but better further up.<br /> <br /> Day 07 <br /> Last pass and New route possibly. <br /> <br /> From camp a trail existed to the pass at -35.55228, -70.73791. There was a little bit of snow at the top but since there were already steps made, it was zero problem. Lots of water on the SE of this pass but only a trickle of water on the NW side at -35.54575, -70.75672. This water trickle point is where we left the trail to make a short cut to Descabezado. To our surprise our route worked and in 4hrs we were making a camp at 2630m next to the approach trail to Descabezado, therefore saving a lot of time, distance and elevation. In our route there was only one difficulty and that was a deep gorge and creek &quot;jump&quot; at -35.57904, -70.77929. Personally I would not recommend this in early season because the consequence of falling in the river might take you down a waterfall and the traverse may otherwise be nasty if there are still snowfields around altitude 2700m. The gorge is fed by the glacier in the crater of Descabezado so in the morning, it should be better but the water is very dirty.<br /> <br /> I drew the route on my photos of the pass if anyone wants them. Otherwise here is my description of our route.<br /> <br /> From the small trickle creek at -35.54575, -70.75672 head SW up the creek bed in the direction of this easy pass -35.55513, -70.76977. Nearby spots would work too except for the pass directly above the creek bed, the other side of that one had snow and rocks. After this pass I believe it is easiest to just go straight down and up like a half pipe rather than trying to traverse and keep elevation, we aimed for a middle looking plateau on the other side, this middle plateau took us to the proper crossing of the gorge here, -35.57923, -70.77864 (más o menos). We jumped the gorge and climbed easily up the other side although the other side looks like a scramble, it was actually just walking. We travesed at this altitude for a little longer (although I would suggest easier walking a little lower) until we made camp in a ravine very close to the Descabezado approach route. Our camp even had a small amount of flowing snow melt so it was heaven in my mind! (Camp with water; -35.59280, -70.78723). <br /> <br /> Day 8<br /> Descabezado &amp; Azul.<br /> <br /> This is turning into a novel so I will keep this short. We left our tent in place and set off early to do Descabezado and Azul as a day trip. Descabezado was straightforward, it seems the trail will change slightly every year depending on who makes the tracks (neither the route in OSM or GPT seem to follow the actual trail from about 2600 to 3300). If wanting to make the true summit, it looks like you have to go down into the crater, cross the glacier and approach it from the other side. Coming down Descabezado was very fast but we made a huge mistake and left the GPT trail to follow the other osm route that heads east then west called &quot;Descabezado Grande - Quizapu - cerro Azul&quot;. <br /> <br /> This route should be avoided [2024: Tomáš removed it from OSM] for many reasons apart from the fact that the other route is easier despite elevation gain (we took the other route back). This osm route took us here -35.61301, -70.75604 which was actually a glacier covered in sand with a small hanging glacier above causing a lot of rockfall. It was a very ugly place and we carefully got out of there and made or way to the proper route to Azul. Despite losing almost 2hours on an already tight day we continued (although I wasted an extra 30min due to making up my mind🙄). Once again on the way up to Azul, we did not follow the normal way but went to the east side of the crater of Azul where the bad osm route is. There were a foot print here and there but it was CC. The crater was amazing but too windy to enjoy much, we saw a few fumaroles. We continued CC to the base of Azul, a tiny bit of snow (or glacier remnants?) but posed no difficulties. The base of Azul is beautiful with melt water if needed. We followed the ridge to Azul, it was more involved than Descabezado but no more than a low 3rd class (it is a bit exposed and steep but almost exclusively hiking). There is an interesting summit tower on Azul but because of the wind and time we had no desire to stretch our limits. Weather moved in fast and before we were off the ridge of Azul, we were completely covered in a white out, maybe maximum 10m of visibility. Navigation was incredibly hard, but we took our chances and took the other (&quot;valle&quot;) OSM route down and luckily it was a very easy route and we were down below the clouds and able to see again. The rest of the night was CC back to our camp ~1030pm. It was a good day. <br /> <br /> Day 9.<br /> <br /> From our camp in the ravine we headed CC and then onto the trail that lead to the puesto at basecamp Blancquillo and from then on we were on a good trail. While walking down we opted to stay in sandals and just walk in the river, it was refreshing. We didn't have clean water until the valley bottom at the CONAF camp (valley El Venado) where there was also lots of pear trees and yellow plum-like trees. Many people there (first people seen). We made camp at the river before the pass (Mirador del Valle del Venado) but the walk from the CONAF camp until then was slower than expected because it was along a river bed with confusing tracks.<br /> <br /> Day 10.<br /> <br /> Good trail up and down from Mirador del Valle del Venado with lots of water and trees for shade. Took us almost half the time we thought it would take. Note that you cannot actually camp at campsites/resting areas on this trail after the Mirador. The CONAF guards asked us where we were coming from and when we said Laguna del Maule, he just sounded impressed and let us go on our way. There was a decent restaurant with empanadas, beer, etc. near the bus stop . There was a posted schedule of the bus but it clearly did not follow this schedule so if you are there just ask the many locals around what time the bus comes, we caught the 1230 bus. <br /> <br /> Great trip, beautiful views and details and just the right amount of challenge.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-20 to 2023-Jan-23 / 3.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Ondrej '''<br /> <br /> I got to Parque Inglés from Santiago de Chile by taking a train to Curico (advice: if you want to travel by train, buy a ticket online at least 2 days in advance as it books out quickly). From Curico I took a blue collectivo to Molina and then a bus to Parque Ingles.<br /> <br /> At the park entrance I was turned away by a CONAF officer because I bought a “day trip” ticket (El bolson - para día) and not the one with overnight camping. For the ticket I bought they allow entry only by 11:00am. I did not explain that I will continue beyond El Bolson - maybe I should have done that but did not want to get myself into more unnecessary discussions. CONAF said they cannot change my ticket to the “camping” type and when I tried to book the other one, it was booked out for the next two days, so the advice is book early and the right ticket type (el bolson - camping)!<br /> <br /> I ended up camping at the Rocas Basilicas for the night.<br /> <br /> On the first hike day hopped the gate to the park at 7:00. No one was there so no issues. I hiked to Thermas de Azufre. It was a very long day. There is no shade at all after El Bolson. I made a provisional shade using my tent’s footprint during lunchbreaks. Once I arrived to the Azufre hotsprings, a few arrieros were there. I decided to camp further up the river.<br /> <br /> On the second day I hiked to Refugio Blanquillo, met a settler who resides there for three months each year (if I understood correctly). The scenery before the refugio was otherwoŕldy and beautiful. Gaiters, good hat, sunscreen and sunglasses were my most loved pieces of gear. I camped at the first “camp” waypoint after Refugio Blanquillo. Amazing place to camp (but no grass), with a good stream and even some small shade thanks to the bushes. <br /> <br /> My third day was quite straightforward, I made it almost to Los Cipresses but decided to camp close to the last “water” checkpoint, shortly before the gate with the guard. It was alright but I would recommend walking all the way to the shop and camp there for the night.<br /> <br /> On the fourth day I walked through the gate with the security guard. I also met a number of the power station workers and all were friendly. We waved at each other. The guard at the gate was nice, took my passport number and name. Once at the shop I found it was closed (9am). I needed to get to El Medano to join GPT07 and decided to continue hiking through Los Alamos. It might have been to early (10am) as also the almacén in Los Alamos was closed. The road after Los Almacén was uneventful and a bit sketchy at places, so I forded the river at the “bridge” waypoint after Los Alamos to get to the main road and hitchike to El Medáno. Got a ride in approx 20 min. El Medáno is a great base - the thermals are nice and there is an electricity socket next to the toilets. They have shade for the tent too. There is also a restaurant with filling foods and a small shop.<br /> <br /> Overall a fantstic section but I wasn’t expecting the heat to be that oppresive!<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-31 to 2023-Jan-3 / 5 day / Hiking / SOBO / RR / David and Erika'''<br /> <br /> Get to TH Parque ingle before 1:00 pm, otherwise they close it for entrance. We did get internet and got the correct CONAF ticket -the one heading to El Bolsón. Once you get out of the park and into the Cuesta Las Anima, the wild parts begin. Hope you got your dirty girl gaiters; cause you’re going to need them. Sand city. Gaiters worked great. Remote and desolately beautiful. Water up at the end of Laguna del Caracol, at the river that comes out of the ground, you have a dry climb ahead. Walk out was straightforward. Got a lift from ENEL employee.<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-28 to 2022-Dec-29 / 2 days/ Hiking / SOBO / RR / Tomáš'''<br /> <br /> I connected in Thermas Azufre from GPT 05. I recommend it as a camping spot. I have seen the tracks of people staying on the western side of the valley but I think it is better to ford, there is a nice trail there on the eastern side. There is a place with an island where I needed to remove my shoes just for about three meters (the stream was not strong enough for me to keep the shoes on).<br /> <br /> I took a detour to the lake at the pass - nice. No snow anymore. Reached the Refugio Blanquillo (which is a puesto, an arriero had two dogs and a thousand shep there), met a group of tourists on horses and two Chilean hikers there, so crowded all of a sudden. The pool there is indeed lukewarm. The water from the stream is said not to be good - I filtered it (for the first time on GPT) and was fine. But if not climbing the volcano, I would recommend to camp 2 km further at the next water source. I no longer carry water with me and just drink a lot when I find a source, there is a lot of them, even in the semidesert (the sand is actually white pumice from the volcanoes). It is quite dusty, my hands got dry and that normally does not happen to me. I agree with the recommendation to apply sunscreen at least three times a day! <br /> <br /> The second day I walked all the way to the main road. In the pass, there is still a bit of snow but quite manageable. Going down from the lake, there is no water until around half or one third of the minor road in the valley, beware. Walking-wise, this was the easiest section on GPT for me. At the mainroad, the camping at the shop after the bridge was closed. I hitched somebody in a truck who knew the owners, called them and they came to open it for me. 5000 pesos but I gave the lady 10000 as she had to drive here to open the camping for me. There is electricity and cold shower and shadow. Almost nothing at the shop. The bus is said to leave at seven. I slept and now will try hitchhiking.<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-20 to 2022-Dec-24 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Will '''<br /> <br /> Amazing trail! It's quite desolate but the landscape varies enough to always keep things interesting. Trudging up the sandy hills could be demoralizing, but getting to run down the other side more than made up for it. Water was still plentiful though not much snow was left, I only had to cross a few small patches. Thankfully heat wasn't a problem at all for me, I even felt cold a few times with the altitude and wind.<br /> <br /> Caught the 5pm bus from Molina to Radal for 3000 pesos, then a van came by a few minutes later to take us to parque inglés for another 3000. Was nice to meet a bunch of Chilean hikers, who were all going to El Bolson and back. We camped at the Rocas Basílicas campsite right at parque inglés, 7000 pesos next to a beautiful river.<br /> <br /> I had phone signal at parque inglés, so I bought the pass online for 8 USD. There was no one at the Conaf office at 7 30 the next morning, so I just hopped the gate and walked through. <br /> <br /> I ran into a few arrieros relaxing at the Azufre hot springs, the only people I saw along the trail. They were friendly but it was tough to understand their heavy Chilean Spanish. They said I could camp with them but there wasn't a ton of room so I walked on.<br /> <br /> There were some geysers shooting up from the muddy riverbank near the gpx track so I took a wider route around. An arriero also told me to take a trail higher up along the dunes so I followed that to the ford. The ford looked tough so I kept walking 2ish km along the other side until I could easily hop across. But it was slow going, probably not worth it.<br /> <br /> I ended up having to camp on a random sand dune. I had some trouble getting my tent to stay up tied to rocks, since I couldn't get stakes in. I'd definitely recommend using tieouts you can really secure to rocks, or even a freestanding tent.<br /> <br /> The rest of the hike went smoothly. I easily made it to los cipreses in three days of hiking from parque inglés. The guard was super friendly, inviting me in and giving me a bunch of water. I camped across the street from the shop near the bus stop, ask at the shop if you want to camp there. The guy running the camping was also super nice, he messaged the bus driver and told me it would be at 9 or 9 30 the next morning, because it was a Saturday (it was also Christmas eve). The bus ended up showing up at 9 45, and costed 3200 pesos to Talca.<br /> <br /> The side trip up Volcan Los Hornitos was very worth it, there's a fairly gradual trail up and you can just sprint straight down. I didn't even need to bring any water (just some gummy bears).<br /> <br /> I got by without gaiters, but bring them if you can. I should have used more sunscreen, the reflection off the sand is strong.<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-17 to 2022-Dec-20 / 2.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Martin &amp; Helena'''<br /> <br /> Joining section 6 directly from the previous one with a little challenging connection trail (see our comment from section 5), we continued to the Hot Spring del Azufre. On the way there is one steep traverse. We used hot spring to cook our rice which really saved us as we run out of gas. The landscape on the whole section is amazing, we really enjoyed it! Ascent to the pass is nice and gradual, hiking in the sand is a little slower, but the opposite when going down. We camped at the El Estadio, almost no wind that day, great place to sleep . In the morning we continued on a nice and easy trail, great views around the volcanos… short break by the laguna thats great for swimming. We camped a little before the camp marked in the gps, there is one place, probably used by arrieros, with a fireplace and a few rocks around it. Being out of the gas we set a fire using wood that was already in there and some others we gather during the day. The view to the volcanos must be one of the best we have seen here so far! The next day we continued to the last Hornitos pass and through the valley, again really nice hiking on a clear trail. Last few kms on the road and since we missed the only bus to Talca that is leaving early in the morning (7:00) and did not have luck with hitchhiking, we stayed in a camp right next to the road. Its just a few meters before it, in the same direction we came from. On the left side is a house with some old advertisment sign (coca-cola or similir) on its fence, and the lady there has a small shop. The camp is on the other side - cold shower, toilets, electricity and access to the river, all for 5000 for 2 people. We even got sandwiches for dinner as there was no other place around to eat. Overall, when combining both sections we recommend to plan carefully, but its definitely worth the effort, especially this section 6.<br /> <br /> Contact: @martin_hanzelka @helenneka<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-14 to 2022-Dec-16 / 3 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Anna&amp;Christopher '''<br /> <br /> The section is pretty tough, but beautiful with a quite unique landscape. We definetly would do it again.<br /> <br /> Recomendations: bring lots of suncreme, a good hat, gaiters.<br /> <br /> How to get there:<br /> We took a bus from Santiago (terminal at the metro station Universidad de Santiago) to Curico. Across the street from the bus terminal in Curico leaves a blue bus to Molina for 1k CLP. From Molina we hitchhiked to Parque Inglés.<br /> You have to be there before 3 pm to be allowed to hike up to El Bolson. To camp they charge 8k CLP p.p and the park entry is also 8k CLP p.p.<br /> <br /> The first day we started early from El Bolson. From midday on it was super tough due to the white sand which makes walking really tiring and reflects the sun which makes it super hot without shade. The next day was pretty similar.<br /> The whole section there was plenty of water. There was no much snow left at the passes, so we had no trouble without spikes.<br /> On the last day, after arriving to the dirtroad (8 km from los Cipreses), we got offered a ride after a while and the guy brought us directly to El Médano.<br /> The shop there has pasta, rice, bread, tomato salsa, mayo, chips, biscuits/chocolate and suncreme (but quite pricey).<br /> In El Médano we camped for 6k CLP p.p.<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-03 to 2022-Dec-06 / 3.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Véronica'''<br /> <br /> Route: Parque Inglés - Laguna Ánimas - Termas del Azufre - Termas del Blanquillo - Laguna del Caracol - Laguna de los Hornos - Los Cipreses<br /> <br /> A beautiful, remote section of true mountain wilderness. It took me 4 days, but only 2 hours hiking the dirt road to Los Cipreses on the last day (so very doable in 3 days). The only people I saw were a couple of arrieros at Termas del Blanquillo who told me they hadn't had a winter as snowy as this one in over 10 years. I was glad to have my microspikes for the vast snow fields near/on the passes. A couple places would have felt quite unsafe without them. <br /> <br /> Notable tidbits: <br /> <br /> Took a bus from Molina at 5pm (on a Friday) to El Radal, then hitchhiked to Parque Inglés. I camped there the first night for 7000 pesos. Pricey, but at least I had a beautiful and secluded spot by Rio Claro. <br /> <br /> The stretch between Las Ánimas Pass and Termas de Azufre had some sketchy traverses across disintegrating scree slopes that were downright nerve-wracking. I suppose if you go down to Laguna Mondaca, then back up to the Termas, you may not encounter this hazard. But I did get to observe a condor soar above my head on thermals for an hour as he surveilled his domain, that was super cool. <br /> <br /> For the first ford after Termas de Azufre, I crossed further upstream than indicated on the GPS track (see Carlos's comment below). It looked a lot safer there than downstream. There's continuous snow for about 3 km going over the pass after Thermas de Azufre, best to cross in the morning to avoid postholing when the snow gets too soft. <br /> <br /> Los Hornitos pass has a large, very steep lip of snow (leftover cornice) on its south side. It's possible to go around it by heading north for 50-100 meters and then making your way down on the volcanic sand.<br /> <br /> The spring between Termas del Blanquillo and Laguna del Caracol is a beautiful little desert oasis in an orherwise hot and dry stretch. It was a splendid spot to camp. <br /> <br /> There is LOTS of water. Laguna del Caracol and Laguna de los Hornos are both full of clear, refreshing water. A lot of the &quot;water&quot; GPS waypoints are actually fords this time of year (easy ones), and there's a lot of other water sources not listed on the tracks. But the section is very exposed, no shade, and very hot in the midday sun unless a breeze is blowing. <br /> <br /> No issues with the guards at Los Cipreses, they were friendly and let me pass no problem. From the first bus stop on the road, I hitched easily to Talca to resupply.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Feb-20 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Molly '''<br /> <br /> Amazing section! I found the landscape to be very varied despite the lack of vegetation - and even with many pretty flowers near the streams. I personally found it to be a great ending to my GPT journey, a big contrast to the landscapes further south. Would make for a tough start though.<br /> Plenty of water. Met one hiker doing Circuito el Cóndor and three Chilean tourists on horseback. No arrieros, but plenty of cows and horses. The weather was cold and windy, sometimes veritable sandstorms which meant I almost couldn't open my eyes - maybe sunglasses could have helped. I wore my long pants over my boots instead of gaiters - should have listened to the advice, so much sand! <br /> <br /> Signs on the way to parque inglés say that you can only buy tickets online - don't know how strict they are, but no cell phone coverage at parque inglés and long before in case they insist. You have to be there before 15 to be let through to El Bolsón.<br /> Easy 11 km to El Bolsón through a young forest. No water at the first &quot;ford&quot; waypoint. Campground has toilets and showers, it's the only place you're allowed to camp until after Valle del Indio. Nice enough place next to the impressive Colmillo del Diablo. In hot weather it might be nice to camp here to take the long ascent in the morning.<br /> Laguna de las Animas would be a good campsite plus a nice place to swim. The first &quot;water&quot; waypoint afterwards is also great for camping - there is a nice little meadow.<br /> Las Animas pass is gorgeous!<br /> After Termas Azufre there are many confusing paths. They mostly seem to lead to the same place, but keep an eye on the GPS. When descending from the 2700 m pass towards Termas Blanquillo, you don't have to cross the stream to your right even though many paths do it. As noted by others, the hot springs Baños del Blanquillo are luke warm - but fine if you want to wash yourself a little and the stream is too cold. The refuge is locked.<br /> The next camp waypoint is in a cute valley with many streams, bushes and flowers. No grass, though. <br /> Laguna Caracol is beautiful as well, but very bare, surrounded by sand. I really liked the campsite afterwards, with views of both Volcán Descabezado and Cerro Azul. From there, a small CC section to the ascent where the path picks up again towards the Hornitos pass. Even more gorgeous with great and very different views to each site. Volcán Hornitos and the other little craters look really funny and special. Some hail was coming in, though, so I quickly slided down to the next camp waypoint, again a nice flat meadow. No water on the ascent. The first streams at the top of the pass were dry, but the path crosses a stream in 2100 m altitude. If you fill up at the water waypoint before the pass I agree you wouldn't have to carry extra water, the time between these two water points is around 2-3 hours.<br /> I climbed to the rim of Volcán Hornitos, there's nothing in there, but if you walk to the highest point the view is nice enough. It took me 20 minutes in total, and it was about worth that.<br /> The gravel road is nice the first kilometres, but then it gets pretty boring. The security guard at the end was very nice and welcoming.<br /> I camped at the shop just before the road - nice place by the river, 3000 per person with toilets and a cold shower, or 50,000 for a cabaña. From there I hitched the 3 km down the road to Restaurant Cordillera, nice enough, great with a beer, meat and fries. <br /> Bus left from the bus shed at 7:20 next morning - think it depends whether it goes to El Médano or not <br /> <br /> * '''2022-Jan-20 to 2022-Jan-25 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Carlos '''<br /> Route: Parque Inglés - El Bolsón (Colmillo del Diablo summit) - Termas del Azufre - Termas del Blanquillo - Laguna Caracol - First bus stop on CH115 road.<br /> <br /> I hiked this route only a couple of days after Verónica &amp; Jo. Not much to add except:<br /> <br /> First day just hiked to El Bolsón (easy 4 hours), pitched my tent on the gorgeous campsite, left the heavy load and climbed the imposing &quot;Colmillo del Diablo&quot; (easy hike on a trail that goes around the back of the mountain).<br /> <br /> From Termas del Azufre climbing to the pass I followed a faint track on the steep loose slope instead of crossing at the first river ford. After a few hundred meters the track takes you to a flat wide rocky area (just before the slope becomes impossibly steep), where you can very easily ford the river (I didn't even get my feet wet).<br /> <br /> Plenty of buses Molina - Parque Inglés. But only one bus from el Médano - Los Cipreses to Talca, at around 7 am, which returns at 15:00. Only week days. Basic camping just in front of Los Cipreses shop (only ice cream, drinks, choco bars, biscuits): $4.000 pp.<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Jan-10 to 2022-Jan-15 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Veronika &amp; Jo '''<br /> <br /> Route: Parque Inglès -&gt; Laguna de las Animas -&gt; Termas de Azufre -&gt; Descabezado base camp -&gt; Laguna del Caracol -&gt; Laguna Hornitos -&gt; First bus stop on 115-CH<br /> <br /> The five nights we just spent in a tent was the longest stretch we have ever gone without a decent bed on a hike. We skipped Radal, Laguna Mondaca and Termas de Medano, but still hiked in 6 days what others did in 3-4. We're basically easing into the GPT, gaining some fitness and experience before taking on the harder challenges.<br /> <br /> As others have said: the views are otherworldly and stunning. We felt like Touaregs traveling from oasis to oasis in the Saharan desert. Except that there actually are plenty of springs and little rivers flowing in most valleys.<br /> <br /> Useful tidbits:<br /> <br /> - There really is no shade after El Bolsòn. Either you make your own (e.g., adapting your tent to not trap heat) or you dress like a Touareg (loose clothing fully blocking the sun). For us, this was the hardest to deal with. We got up early but often stopped hiking at 13:00, enjoying the lakes or even just sitting down doing nothing that takes energy.<br /> <br /> - High-heeled boots and long trousers work well to keep the sand out.<br /> <br /> - Confirming Shn0rhelez: going up from Termas de Azufre until the second ford indeed passes plenty of water, no need to carry any.<br /> <br /> - Laguna Hornitos is drying up and hence less beautiful than the other lakes. Maybe it's better to camp at the start of the Hornitos plateau (SOBO, so north entry) as the area is flat and there is reasonably clean running water there.<br /> <br /> - There is no bus to Talca from Los Cipreses on saturdays or sundays. We asked at the shop and got a ride to Colorado from the brother-in-law of the shopkeeper for 15000 CLP.<br /> <br /> - In supermarkets, you can buy alcohol desnaturalizado cheaply in the nail polish section, or alternatively, use alcohol de quemar from the combustibles section.<br /> <br /> * '''2021-Dec-26 to 2022-Jan-04 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / '''<br /> <br /> From Parque Inglés to the entrance of Reserva Achibueno<br /> Buy your ticket online for “El Bolsón” on the CONAF website and get to the trailhead before 3pm<br /> 4hrs hike to El Bolsón, a great place with waterfall, great views, nice camping spots, hikers<br /> TO CHECK: Bus from Molina to Parque Ingles leaves at 9 am (not positive) on week-ends and holidays <br /> Easy hitch from Radal to Parque Ingles coz lots of campers going there on week-ends<br /> Be careful a ranger told me the park closes on Mondays <br /> It took me around 4 days from Parque Siete Tazas Park entrance to the road Q115 (Central Cipreses)<br /> From Road 115 I hitched to a village by Colbún lake where I resupplied : good supermarkets (a little on the expensive side), food truck , pastry shop <br /> I didn't like Altos de Lircay NP : after El Bolson (4 hrs in) no fucking shade for 3 days and an half except that of a shelter a little off trail, blazing sun all day, sand sand sand, I found the place so inhospitable, monotonous sights : sand dunes for ever, quite some struggling pedalling in the soft sand, plus I had no gaiters (stupid me) and low heels shoes so that was a bummer. However the place is super special, feels like on the moon (beautiful pictures) and I can understand why many love it<br /> Some “hot springs” are actually just luke and others just a hole or boiling hot (I added these informations to the track and waypoints I sent to Jan Dudek) so don't be like me fantasizing all day on that fantastic bath you will get or wait for Jan's update (thanks so so much for all you do mate).<br /> After resupplying I hitched on option 7 XXX all the way the Mellado cañon (really nice, by the river all the time), communities. After hiking South from Carizales (which has a very limited “store”) I was short on time and food and realized bare landscapes over the tree line were not my cup of tea (I prefer hiking below 1700 m in this part of Patagonia) so I left RR and took another option all the way to the West to Reserva Achibueno which I really enjoyed : great landscapes, lakes, rivers and met some cool hikers and fishermen<br /> <br /> * '''2021-Dec-09 to 2021-Dec-12 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / AR past Laguna Manatial Pelado / Vera &amp; James'''<br /> <br /> We arrived the day before at Parque Ingles and camped the night there. From Molina there is a bus to Radal at 5pm wed-fri, and direct to Parque Ingles on weekends. The only way to pay for park entry is online at www.aspticket.cl.<br /> <br /> As an aside, we really liked Molina. It has plenty for resupply whilst being nice and small. There is a fishing shop opposite the Santa Isabel supermarket that sells gas.<br /> <br /> Day 1 we headed up the RR as far as just above Laguna de las Animas by 2pm, a brutal climb in the midday sun! At this point the sun disappeared and clouds quickly rolled in, within 10 minutes lightning was hitting the peaks directly around us. We beat a hasty retreat back to El Bolsen and camped there.<br /> <br /> We decided to take the alternate route past Laguna Manatial Pelado. A beautiful route if hot and sandy. We have realised the best time time to take on a long, sandy ascent in sunny weather is very early in the morning, after 9am it was brutally hot. <br /> <br /> We then continued on the regular route. As has been said before, it's remote and stunning. We had some strong winds coming over Pass de Hornitos, and even some sleet on the final day!<br /> <br /> Arrived in Los Cipreses on a Sunday and we didn't see a single person except the security guard. We got mixed messages from him and then the mini shop owner about buses to Talca. I would assume there isn't one on a Sunday. We hitched to El Colorado then got a bus from there to Talca.<br /> <br /> * '''2021-Dec-03 to 2021-Dec-09 / 7 days (GPT 05 + 06) / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Kris&amp;Stiina'''<br /> <br /> We also decided to combine sections 5 and 6 to avoid in’n’out to and from Parque Inglés. It took us 6 and a half days and some of it was bloody hard. I have never before experienced my ass being handed over to me by a trail. We got beaten to the point where first signs of weakness started to show and I have to admit we kind of even started discussing a plan B and bailing this ditch trail. But only for a moment, once you hit the rock bottom there is only one way to go - up! It was literally and figuratively, and as terrain improved so did our mood and we laughed off the silly thoughts we had had earlier. <br /> <br /> The first 45km of the section 5 were great, awesome hiking and then shit hit the fan real quick. Ascent up from the ford at km 45 was hard but alright. And then came the descent down to Rio Negro (51km), very steep and very loose scree slope. We wanted to make it to Rio Colorado for the night to cross it early in the morning in case there is no bridge. But because the trail or I must rather say the lack of it was really taking more time than we expected, by the time we got to Rio Negro it was already getting dark. The river was very rapid and murky so you couldn’t gauge the depth of it and couldn’t see where to step, we had to really concentrate to cross it, luckily it was only balls deep.<br /> <br /> It was dark as we got across it and we continued the fun, albeit type 2 fun, illuminated by our headlamps. Then came the insanely steep gully that allowed you to enter the valley of Rio Colorado. Something was off with the elevation lines on Gaia and it showed that we will be descending right over the cliff, it was luckily only a glitch. As we couldn’t see much ahead we kept descending ever so carefully on this very very challenging terrain, I would even go as far as to say that it was stupid and outright dangerous. But there was no other way, you just had to stay focused. There were also some rocks falling off the cliff under which we were descending. In a sense night was a good time to do it because you couldn’t see all the dangers - only what lie within the beam of the headlamp. <br /> <br /> Then came an extremely slow going, pretty much crawling speed traverse down to Rio Colorado, which we fully improvised as there was no trail anyway and got down to Rio colorado about a kilometer before the bridge, where we set up camp abit past midnight. <br /> <br /> So yes, the bridge was there - a decent one, seemed permanent and it was a relief that we at least don’t have to start the day by risking our lives fording Rio Colorado. The river was pretty wide and the current seemed pretty fast, it wasn’t murky though but you couldn’t see how deep it really was. But we think it could have been forded in case there would be no bridge. There were a few places that looked doable with somewhat laminar flow. The excitement of the existence of the bridge didn’t last too long as we were slapped back into reality by the difficult terrain, it wasn’t as dangerous anymore as the previous night but difficult nevertheless. Once we got closer to the pass the trail appeared and it was actually pleasant hiking once again. <br /> <br /> To sum it up the descent down to the Rio Colorado valley, then traversing it and the first part of crawling out of the valley sucks big time, but the rest of the section is really nice and not too challenging terrain-wise. I wouldn’t want to skip this section because it had some breathingtaking views. Just that on the hard part of it you can’t really enjoy any of it as all your effort is elsewhere. <br /> <br /> The guards at Laguna Mondaca were the nicest people we have met in Chile so far. They invited us to stay at the property, gave us food and drinks. They insisted we don’t use any of our supplies or gear. They even provided us with a room with a bed and we got to recharge all of our electronics and got a hot shower aswell. It was perfect! And just to make it clear there are no fancy villas there just a few small simple houses where the owner of the property comes for fishing once in a while. And guards weren’t armed either.<br /> <br /> It took us 4 days to get to Laguna Mondaca and not far after it we joined the section 6 which took 2 and a half more days. <br /> <br /> Section 6 was really something, we haven’t had such a strong otherworldly experience anywhere else. It was really like being on another planet at times. The blue sky was the only thing that gave it away that we were still on Earth. Really bizarre landscape and definitely the most beautiful breathtaking section of the six that we have done so far. <br /> <br /> Regarding the difficulty, compared to section 5 it didn’t feel that difficult at all. Walking on sand is challenging, yes, especially going uphill. But on the other side going down is much easier on the soft sand - you can just run/jog without much impact on your body as the sand absorbs it all. Shoes got completely wrecked and we took many “shoe-emptying” breaks because they were just filled with rocks and coarse sand. <br /> <br /> We even took a dip in one of the lakes close to Descabezado and seeing how water is just coming out of the sand and turning into a river was really really cool, just as the whole landscape around there. <br /> <br /> We camped at the lake about 5km from Los Cipreses. When we arrived to the road to take bus to Talca the bus stop didn’t have any schedule and the shop close by was closed. So we couldn’t find out about the bus schedule and the traffic on the road seemed pretty dead. But luckily after 15 min of waiting a car that was going to Talca picked us up, perfecto! <br /> <br /> Overall plenty of water on both sections, a lot of exposure to the sun, and some challenging terrain. It all together made for a great experience, just what we were looking for. It humbled us and we definitely had to adjust our expectations and recalibrate our way of hiking, it is GPT - not more and not less. <br /> <br /> 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<br /> <br /> ==Season 2020/21==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Feb-12 / 2.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / OH to Laguna Manantial / Frank '''<br /> <br /> At Parque Ingles I registered with Conaf, they record your route &amp; where you will camp. Deregistered by email later. Easy 3 hour walk to El Bolson, lots of people camping there but they don't go any further. Took optional route to Laguna Manantial. At 2160M there is a small meadow &amp; stream, this is last water &amp; last camp before the lake. You go over a pass @ 2560M then drop 80M to the lake. Camped on the lakeshore. <br /> Termas Blanquillo were only tepid. Camped on a small beach @ S end of Laguna de Los Hornos. The lake is nearly dried out, only a little semi stagnant water left. Best to carry water in from one of the streams a little above the lake. Last 11KM are on dirt roads, you could hitch easily if you want. Met 2 security guards, they were both friendly, no access problems if you are Southbound. Small campsite @ shop on way out. Amazing section, some tough uphill on sand but scenery is like Mars. Definitely use small gaiters or you will be emptying sand out of your shoes every 10 mins.<br /> <br /> At the end of GPT06 if you go on the north bank of Rio Maule the route is blocked by a cliff beyond Los Alamos &amp; you need to cross the river to continue. Better to go on the road. After 2KM on the road you pass 2 shops, better food selection than in El Medano. They have accommodation also. At Bridge 17 you can rejoin RR or continue on road but RR is nicer.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-24 / 7 days (GPT 05 + 06) / Hiking / SOBO / Ian Hikes + Tobias'''<br /> <br /> Overview: <br /> So, I decided to combine GPT sections 5 and 6 in order to avoid a 30k out and back resupply section into parque ingles. I thought this was a good decision for me and really enjoyed being out there for a week. In my opinion this was the hardest section of the GPT in between sections GPT 01-10. I went the first 5 days without seeing another person which I thought was quite cool. So, these two sections are quite remote, and you are way out there in the mountains. There was also some pretty intense river crossing in “GPT Section 5” that I found to be manageable (keep in mind I’m 185cm and have lots of thru hiking experience.) but still a little difficult. The rivers were also very dark and murky which made it hard to see where you would step. There was also an improvised bridge crossing the Colorado River that I used, and thought was safe to use. These two sections are dominated by a volcanic profile with much of the route on ash and volcanic rock. Most of the route is very exposed and there are not many trees or vegetation that grow in the volcanic ash/rocks. There was plenty of water with springs coming out of the hills everywhere and then disappearing into the sand.<br /> <br /> Difficulties:<br /> It was slow going walking thru the sand, especially when hiking vertically. Exposure to the sun. River crossings. Isolation and remoteness. Hiking up and down lose rock and scree fields.<br /> <br /> Highlights:<br /> Hot Springs. Great views of the volcanic region. Mountain Lakes. Sunrise and Sunsets were epic with the landscape. <br /> <br /> Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions at ultratrailca@gmail.com<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-23 / 7 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Shn0rhelez'''<br /> <br /> Parque Ingles to El Medano southbound/main route ... 7 days duration(2 nights spent on laguna Las Animas)...section passable...Strong sun, no shadow after the park... Gaiters strongly recommended...the SUBsection between termas del azufre and second ford Before the pass (2700m) is full with water... my personal opinion is the backpack weight can be minimized... Good luck! <br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-09 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Bruno &amp; Martin'''<br /> <br /> Parque Inglés to El Medano<br /> 5 days for this amazing section. We started in Parque Inglés in Radal 7 Tazas National Park. Had to wait for one more day because of limited hiking permits towards El Bolsón. 80 daily permits allowed and delivered at 8:30 in the morning, to be minded on weekends when the park is full. Followed Regular Route Laguna Las Ánimas, Azufre Hotsprings, Descabezado base camp, Laguna Caracol and then down to Los Cipreses. Cold section and bad weather towards the end, some rain and freezing wind. Had to camp in Laguna Caracol waiting for the storm to pass and hike the last pass. <br /> The use of lightweight gaiters is advised for keeping the sand out of your shoes.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-25 / 3 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Tom &amp; Maddie '''<br /> <br /> Parque Ingles to El Medano. Very beautiful (and exposed) section. Lots of water. The track from Los Cipreses to El Medano suffered from a few landslides meaning the route was slower than anticipated. I would consider taking the road next time as there is no loss of scenery. We resupplied in El Medano by basically buying all the food at the tienda (60000 CP for food for two people for the next section). Selection was good enough. <br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-18 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR from Vilches Alto / Tyler &amp; America '''<br /> <br /> A Stunning section. Vilches Alto made for a great optional start; rather than returning to Parque Ingles. (We came from Talca by bus - 2100 CP). Entrance fee was 6000 and camping 3000 PP. All trails were beautiful and a bit more trodden that sections before. Arrieros at thermal pools (not hot) were welcoming and friendly for us to camp. We took our sweet time in the beautiful section. We bussed from the first road access (south of town Los Cipreses/ OH-MR-V@06-E-#001) to Talca for a good re supply before the long next section, 2200 CP. Bus leaves this stop around 11.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-18 / 2.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR with optional start coming from GPT 5 / Matus &amp; Anna'''<br /> <br /> We combined sections 5 and 6 via optional trail. <br /> GPT06 took us 2 days and bit (first day we did just 4km from 6th section).<br /> I agree with everything what was written in previous updates.<br /> Nice sandy trails. Mornings were freezing cold. No problems while crossing rivers. After optional start regular trail didn't correspond with any trail. We finally took one on the right side and after while they merged. And I don't know who was so commited, but thanks for marking the trail 😊<br /> <br /> There is a small tienda with coke and crisps before entering a main road from Los Cipress. If you continue by main road toward El Medano there is restaurant Cordillera where we refueled again. Accomodation in El Medano. I will edit with ressuply options later. <br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-14 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR (mainly) / Martina &amp; Ivo '''<br /> <br /> As we came from GPT05 and didn't want to go all the way &quot;back&quot; to the Paso Las Animas, we tried the Optional Investigation Route which starts at Parque Ingles right at the other side (South) of Rio Claro. It leads through private property, so we went to the guard, showed him the CONAF Permit (we bought one just in case, and of course they said it's not possible to walk on the other side of the river), explained him that we would only hike through and gave him some cerezas. He informed his Colleagues via radio to let us pass. It was a nice and easy hike. Nothing to add to Linda's remarks for the rest of the trail.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-06 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Linda '''<br /> <br /> Start = Parque Ingles <br /> Finish = Las Termas El Medano<br /> <br /> GENERAL FEELING<br /> <br /> Amazing section !!!! Incredible mineral landscapes as soon as you go beyond Laguna Las Animas. It was tough because of the passes (and this was also my first hiking days and I carried too much food ... ) and the ground around the volcanoes is sand ! So it makes each step even more difficult. I loved the contrast between the areas around the volcanoes and the Laguna Caracol is just one of the most beautiful place I've ever seen !!! <br /> <br /> LOGISTICS<br /> <br /> - Bus from Molina to El Radal (off season and weekdays = only one bus at 5pm in Molina that stops in El Radal. Weekend : it goes directly to Parque Ingles and the schedule may also be different)<br /> <br /> - Hitchhiked from El Radal to Parque Ingles<br /> <br /> - First night in a camping in Parque Ingles = 5000 CLP<br /> <br /> - The day after, I had to register to CONAF. Office opening at 8:30 am. Entrance fee = 6000 CLP<br /> Some people (5 or 6) were going to El Bolson for the day but after Laguna Las Animas, there was absolutely nobody till the end !<br /> <br /> - Still snow when you go beyond the 2300 meters high<br /> <br /> - Be careful for the last pass Las Hornitos, a lot of snow at the top and it makes it impossible to follow the GPS track to go down. I found my way on the left when you face the valley and then got back to the GPS track<br /> <br /> - No problem to go out from the mine. Actually, workers I met on my way down to Los Cipreses suggestedto drop me by car to the main road. The guard was just smiling when he saw me in the car and when I told him I was hiking<br /> <br /> - Mini market where you can find basic food (eggs, spaghetti, chocolate ...) in Las Termas El Medano<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Feb-07 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Arnaud'''<br /> <br /> Amazing but hard section with a lot of denivelation. <br /> As we did not walk the section 5, we took the bus from Molina to Parque Ingles-7 Tazas (many buses, 4-5 buses per day). We registered to the Conaf Office and paid the entrance fee 6000 clp for foreigners. They gave us a mail adress so that we can announce our exit of the parque, to check the security.<br /> We walked the first 11km to the campspot El Bolson. It costs 4000 clp per person but has no interest. As the zone is protected, it is possible to freecamp only after el Bolson, before, it is prohibited.<br /> The Laguna Las Animas is very very beautiful and is welcome for a bath with the heat of this season.<br /> Then the paso las animas is easy and ashes are fun for downhills!<br /> We met nobody on the trail after el Bolson. So great! Except at one spot with termas with full of chilenos there.<br /> We lacked a bit of water at the laguna el Caracol but found 3kms further (just before the strong uphill) a source with drinkable water.<br /> No problem then to exit los cypress. We hitchhiked on the road with workers until the road to los Medanos.<br /> We stayed one day in los termas de los Medanos, at the camping and exit quickly (too many noise, people). The water is hot and nice after a hard section like this one. <br /> We resupplied at los termas (with pasta, arros, pancito, manjar). No gas available there.<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> You need to carry all the food for the entire trail. There is no food supply after Parque Ingles. If you meet arrieros at one of the Puestos you may ask for some goat or lamb meet but if you are not ready to take an entire or at least half an animal they may be reluctant to sell. Refill your water supply at the marked river crossings and the camps. In between these waypoints your will find only ocasinally some trickling water because water trickles away easily into the volcanic soil.<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> <br /> * 02-2025 / Clara : <br /> Los alamos : Hostal la Riviera 25k/n con desayuno. Possible to have lunch and dinner also (9500). <br /> <br /> El colorado is a good for full resupply. Several bus per days to and from Talca. 1 per day to and from El medano<br /> <br /> <br /> * 2023 / Michael and Kasia<br /> Molina: Hostal Nativos is three blocks off the main square. Run by very nice people, they have private rooms with shared bathroom for 25.000 CLP for the room. They also have a nice garden area with space if you need to clean gear. Ferreteria Franco had gas canisters for stoves. Unimarc on the plaza had cans for recharging, but didn't carry the screw route for stoves.<br /> <br /> * 2021 / Vera &amp; James<br /> <br /> Molina: It has plenty for resupply whilst being nice and small. There is a fishing shop opposite the Santa Isabel supermarket that sells gas.<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> * 2022 / Martin &amp; Helena<br /> <br /> Los Cipresses: small shop (only ice cream, drinks, choco bars, biscuits) + camp with cold shower, toilets, electricity and access to the river, all for 5000 for 2 people. We even got sandwiches for dinner as there was no other place around to eat. <br /> <br /> * 2022 7 Anna&amp;Christopher <br /> <br /> El Médano: The shop there has pasta, rice, bread, tomato salsa, mayo, chips, biscuits/chocolate and suncreme (but quite pricey).<br /> In El Médano we camped for 6k CLP p.p.<br /> <br /> * 2020 / Frank <br /> After 2KM on the road after Los Alamos (to El Medano) you pass 2 shops, better food selection than in El Medano. They have accommodation also.<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route= <br /> <br /> ==Parque Ingles==<br /> <br /> During the main season in January and February several buses go from Molina and Curico to Radal and some even go all the way to Parque Ingles. Outside of the main season there is only one daily bus from Molina to Radal leaving in the afternoon from the rural bus station in Molina.<br /> <br /> * Jan-24 / Joscha<br /> The Bus between Molina and Parque Ingles is run by the company &quot;Buses Hernández&quot;. You can check the departure times on their website.<br /> <br /> *2020 / Frank In summer there are 6 buses a day Molina-Parque Ingles.<br /> <br /> Mon-Sat they leave Molina @ 10:20, 11:30, 12:40, 3PM, 6:15PM, 8:15 PM Sunday Molina- Parque Ingles 7:45, 9:30, 2PM, 7:30PM, 10PM 2 hours to Parque Ingles, buses leave from terminal near main plaza in Molina. Parque Ingles-Molina 7:10, 11, 1PM, 3:45PM, 4:45PM, 6:30PM Mon-Sat Sun. 10:30, 1:30PM, 3:30PM, 5:45PM, 6:45PM <br /> <br /> *2019/ Martina &amp; Ivo <br /> <br /> Monday to Thursday: Molina-Radal: 17:00 // Radal-Molina: 07:30<br /> <br /> Friday: Molina-P.Ingles: 17:00 // Radal-Molina: 07:30<br /> <br /> Saturday: Molina-P.Ingles: 11:30 // 13:30 / P.Ingles-Molina: 18:00<br /> <br /> Sunday: Molina-P.Ingles: 09:00 // P.Ingles-Molina: 15:30 / 17:00<br /> <br /> ==Los Cipreses / El Medano ==<br /> <br /> * Dec 2024 / Sean <br /> One bus a day from El Medano to Talca 7:15 and Talca to El Medano 15:00 Monday to Saturday:<br /> [[Archivo:IMG-20241229-WA0000.jpg|thumbnailimage|Talca bus timetable December 2024 - Sean]]<br /> <br /> <br /> * 7 am in front of Los Cipreses - someone has to call in advance for the bus to go all the way to el Médano - loads of tourists there, though, so someone might have called. Other connections should be at 9:15 and 17:20 (one at 1620 l3aves from further downstream). The other way around, the buses leave Talca at 7, 13, 15 and 19, according to the schedule at Talca bus station.<br /> <br /> *This trail section finished at the Route 115 to Talca. Big road with many cars (hitchhiking possible)<br /> <br /> * 2023 / Louis, Rémi &amp; Noé <br /> <br /> From Los Cipreses only one bus at 7am. We hitchiked to El Colorado where plenty of buses are going down to Talca for 2 000 CLP (+ 400 CLP per bag)<br /> <br /> * 2023 / Natalie &amp; Tomáš <br /> <br /> Buses from Talca to la Mina go at; 7:00am, 1:00pm (only to la Suiza), 3:00pm and 7:00pm. <br /> Vilches: bus clearly did not follow the posted schedule so if you are there just ask the many locals around what time the bus comes, we caught the 1230 bus. <br /> <br /> * 2022 / Veronika &amp; Jo <br /> <br /> - There is no bus to Talca from Los Cipreses on saturdays or sundays. We asked at the shop and got a ride to Colorado from the brother-in-law of the shopkeeper for 15000 CLP.<br /> <br /> == Vilches ==<br /> <br /> * 2023 / Natalie &amp; Tomáš <br /> <br /> Bus clearly did not follow the posted schedule so if you are there just ask the many locals around what time the bus comes, we caught the 1230 bus.<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> * CONAF does register all trekkers at Parque Ingles (GPT01-WP004) but does not charge an entrance fee. Camp fires are not permitted within the national park that reaches from Radal (GPT01-WP001) to the Laguna las Ánimas (GPT01-WP013).<br /> <br /> * 2024 SOBO Permit required at Parque Inglés:<br /> - payment 8500 Pesos online! (not in cash) with online your Conaf account<br /> <br /> https:// shop.pasesparques.cl/evento/2564/radal-siete-tazas<br /> <br /> - offline formular at Conaf station<br /> <br /> - payment 7000 Pesos for Campsite El Bolsón in Cash (not possible with credit card, 200m from Conaf Station)<br /> <br /> * 2023<br /> <br /> When starting from Vilches and going northbound, a permit to access the Volcano (or the Condor Circuit) is required. CONAF won't let you enter in Altos de Lircay without it. Call them or write an email to get the correct number. The number ending with 554 works on WhatsApp, and a WhatsApp message from the land owner counts as &quot;written permission&quot;. Moreover, you have to pay the entrance fee to the reserve and it is closed on Mondays in March.<br /> <br /> *2023 <br /> <br /> Start at Parque Ingles: <br /> Entry ticket for Bolsón overnight needed: $10 USD (book it before online at www.aspticket.cl + get to the trailhead before 13:00) It needs to be purchased online in advance. There is good Entel service at the gate for last minute purchases. After purchase one change can be made to the date of the ticket, and there is no additional charge. After that you need to repurchase the ticket. Entrance for the camping permit is until 13:00. After that they refuse entry.<br /> In addition, you need to show CONAF proof of permission to camp at Bolsón, even if you do not plan to camp there. Bolsón is a privately operated concession within the park. Camping is 7.000 CLP pp and you buy the tickets at Rocas Basalticas campground about 50 meters down the road on the opposite side of the street from the entrance. The only way around this is to have contacted land owners that live beyond the park boundary and show CONAF proof of permission to camp on their land.<br /> They also require that you show them your gas stove, as all other cooking systems (alcohol, wood, etc.) are prohibited within the park, so have it handy.<br /> <br /> The parc can be entered illegally in the morning (around 7 pm).<br /> <br /> * 2019<br /> <br /> Optional start Vilches Alto: Entrance fee was 6000 and camping 3000 PP.<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT06 - Volcán Descabezado]]<br /> <br /> =Images=<br /> <br /> [[File:18 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.PNG|thumb|1100px|center|In the huge ash field]]<br /> [[File:10 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[Archivo:Greater Patagonian Trail (9).jpg|thumb|1100px|center|GPT06 - Volcán Descabezado]]<br /> [[Archivo:Greater Patagonian Trail (5).jpg|thumb|1100px|center|Greater Patagonian Trail]]<br /> [[Archivo:Greater Patagonian Trail (17).jpg|thumb|1100px|center|[[Cerro Azul]].]]<br /> [[Archivo:Greater Patagonian Trail (11).jpg|thumb|1100px|center|Greater Patagonian Trail, section 6]]<br /> [[File:01 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, El Bolsón.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|El Bolsón]]<br /> [[File:02 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Leaving El Bolsón.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|Leaving El Bolsón]]<br /> [[File:03 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|GPT 06]]<br /> [[File:04 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Laguna Las Ánimas.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|Laguna Las Ánimas]]<br /> [[File:05 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Pass 2560 m.PNG|thumb|1100px|center|Pass 2560 m]]<br /> [[File:06 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Approaching Laguna Mondaca.PNG|thumb|1100px|center|Approaching Laguna Mondaca]]<br /> [[File:07 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Laguna Mondaca.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|Laguna Mondaca]]<br /> [[File:08 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, that bypasses Laguna Mondaca.PNG|thumb|1100px|center|Bypasses Laguna Mondaca]]<br /> [[File:09 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|GPT 06]]<br /> [[File:11 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Termas de Azufre.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|Termas de Azufre]]<br /> [[File:12 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|GPT 06]]<br /> [[File:13 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|GPT 06]]<br /> [[File:16 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|GPT 06]]<br /> [[File:17 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|GPT 06]]<br /> [[File:19 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.PNG|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:20 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.PNG|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:21 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:23 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.PNG|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:24 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:25 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:26 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Leaving the Base Camp Descabezado Grande.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|Leaving the Base Camp Descabezado Grande]]<br /> [[File:27 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Hot springs at Base Camp Descabezado Grande.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|Hot springs at Base Camp Descabezado Grande]]<br /> [[File:28 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:29 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:31 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:32 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.PNG|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:33 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:34 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.PNG|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:35 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.PNG|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:37 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:38 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.PNG|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:39 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:40 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.PNG|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:41 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.PNG|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:43 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Camp near Laguna Los Hornitos.jpg|Camp near Laguna Los Hornitos]]<br /> [[File:44 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Laguna Los Hornitos.PNG|thumb|1100px|center|Laguna Los Hornitos]]<br /> [[File:45 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Laguna Los Hornitos.PNG|thumb|1100px|center|Laguna Los Hornitos]]<br /> [[File:46 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:47 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:48 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT06_(Descabezado)&diff=120891 2025-04-01T03:12:00Z

<p>MiaimZelt: </p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> = Overview =<br /> &lt;div style=&quot;overflow: hidden&quot;&gt;<br /> [[Archivo:GPT 06 options.png|450px|right|GPT 06 route options]]<br /> <br /> ===Routes===<br /> Section 6 leads through the spectacular landscape of the Descabezado volcano. There are three main routes: the regular GPT route, from Parque Ingles to La Mina / Los Cipreses (or vice versa), the Condor Circuit from Parque Ingles to Vilches, which is also popular with non-GPT hikers, and the longer, off-the-beaten-path Descabezado Circuit, which begins at Laguna del Maule and ends in La Mina. Optional trips to volcano peaks include Descabezado Grande, Descabezado Chico and Volcán Azul.<br /> <br /> ===Right of way issues===<br /> Most variations of section 6 will pass by Don Victor at km45.5 of the regular route. Even if you don't pass by there, you are likely to meet him at some point on the trail. He requires prior authorization to go through his land, although only some hikers have been able to obtain such authorization, since he seems to not always reply to messages. Without authorization, it is advisable to try to avoid him, especially on the way into his land, since he might turn you around. This makes a start from Vilches unadvisable. You can minimize the probability of meeting Don Victor by taking a CC route closer to Descabezado Grande, described by Natalie below (as of March 2024 this route is not yet part of the track files), but this is not an easy route, especially if there is snow. An alternative is to do the Descabezado Circuit, but finish in Parque Ingles. This shorter circuit still goes through via almost all highlights, but entirely avoids Don Victor. You can also connect to section 5, which similarly avoids him.<br /> <br /> Starting from Parque Ingles also has restrictions, see the trip reports below. In particular, there are only a limited number of hikers allowed, and you should not disclose your plans to go via Don Victor's land if you don't have authorization.<br /> <br /> Notice that starting from La Mina requires authorization from the hydro company. See the GPT manual on section 6 for details.<br /> &lt;/div&gt;<br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> *'''2025-03-22 to 2025-03-26 / 4.5 days hiking / SOBO / OH 05 + OH 01C + OH 01B + OH 01 + RR + RR GPT 5 + OH GPT 5 H + RR / MiaimZelt'''<br /> <br /> Now a permit is needed to hike in the Descabezado area. I wrote Tamara Galdames (+56987397559) to apply for this permit. I had to print a form, fill it out and send her pictures of it together with my passport. The permit costs 25k per person. Tell her that you need to make the transferencia with &quot;Caja Vecina&quot;. She will give you the information. Then you go to a shop with &quot;Caja Vecina&quot; sign, show them her message and pay 25k cash. They will make the transferencia for you and give you a piece of paper. Send a picture of it to Tamara. <br /> <br /> Day 1: Took the 7:15am bus from Talca to Vilches Alto. Bought the entrance for Reseva National Altos de Lircay online and showed Conaf it and gave them the paper from Tamara (the one i filled out). Could start hiking without issues. Lot's of dayhikers at this weekend. Took OH 01C and was alone for the rest of the day. Trail was in good condition, but less obvious than the trails in the Reserva. It's marked with cairns. Found a great camp with flowing water here: -35.513935, -70.910756<br /> <br /> Day 2: Hiked CC to the MR of OH 01. Continued to the RR and hiked to Laguna Animas. Met friendly Arrieros together with lots of cattle. Hiked RR of GPT 5 to have a look at Laguna Mondaca. Very steep downhill, but easy with the soft sand. Magic moment when 10 condors circled above me in the sky. Skipped detour to Laguna Mondaca, because the hot springs were calling. GPT OH 05H was tricky and dangerous. The flat part leads through a huge boulderfield, not difficult but tiring. Ford {06} [24.6+1.5/1590] was knee high and had a strong current. Later a big stone i was stepping fell down together with me. Hurt my elbow. Met two germans, they told me the beginning of the trail to Termas Azufre is eroded and now very difficult. I tried to follow the suggestion of GPT track, but it was very difficult and dangerous. Der lower part of the mountain is indeed eroded. Climbed a very steep mountainside with loose ground and also loose rocks. Can't recommend this, i slipped in the beginning. When i reached the trail, it was ok. Enjoyable evening in the hot springs, but not so good night with ground heating. <br /> <br /> Day 3: Trail was in mostly in good conditions, only the beginning was not always easy to follow. <br /> Ford {06} [29.4/2190] was knee high. Ford {06} [32.5/2565] was low, but not dry. Views from <br /> Pass {06} [33.8/2695] (El Estadio) and while hiking down were incredible! Easy hiking until <br /> Hot Spring {06} [45.6/1881] (Banos del Blanquillo, lukewarm, only 20 C). Had time left and did a detour to Laguna Blanquillo. Was not really worth it, because at 5pm the Laguna had no sun. Spend the night together with a guided group with local arriero at Baños Blanquillo. They spoiled me with tasty dinner, was a very good evening. Their Guide Barbara speaks english very well, knows everything in Maule region, she even found a new yet unknown flower! If someone is interested in guided tours (options depending on the clients) in Maule region she can help you: +56992599639. <br /> <br /> Day 4: Easy hiking 'til Laguna Caracol. Hiked CC to the crater lake next to Laguna Caracol: incredible! Camp {06} [56.3/2034] is sooo beautiful! Also had a look at Laguna Turbia and in Cráter Los Quillayes. The ascent to Pass {06} [59.3/2518] (Hornitos) was very exhausting with the afternoon heat, but great views! Dark clouds and thunder came, hurried down until Camp {06} [62.2/1999]. Only few drops of rain, i liked this place to camp and enjoyed the stars. Water flowing next to the spot. Was my favorite day according to the views.<br /> <br /> Day 5: Easy hiking 'til the MR. Ford {06} [63.4/1909] was rock hopping. Appletree before Los Cipreses. At <br /> Gate {06} [78.9/865] (Central Hidroelectrica Isla) i had to explain where i came from and wether i registered with Carabinieros (no). Got a hitch until a bus stop near Armerillo, where i took a bus to Talca. Can recommend Hostel 1760 - relaxed place to stay!<br /> <br /> <br /> *'''2025-03-24 to 2025-03-28 / 4,5 days / SOBO / RR, Option 2, 3 (Descabezado), 6a, 6D (Cumbre Descabezado) / Thijmen Scholten'''<br /> <br /> As for the permit I met mister Victor and he was not happy to meet me without permit. So if you want to take the RR route apply for a permit (described by Thomas)! If you don't want to, take the high mountain route (variant 2 and 3). Even though you are still on his terrain, you will probably avoid him this way. Going SOBO CONAF will ask for this permit so you have to say you just go to EL Bolson (buy a ticket online?) or you have to sneak past (like Volker explained). <br /> <br /> - First day I hitched from Molina to Parque Ingles , I did not have any ticket or permit but luckely it was Monday which meant CONAF was closed and I could just walk trough the gate on the trail. <br /> <br /> - I met the guard of El Bolson campsite and he was cool with me passing by, even though the park was closed. I wanted to pay him the entrance fee but he wouldn't accept it. <br /> - Camped after the pass at water point 22.0. water point 17.8 before the pass is also a good campspot. <br /> <br /> - Look out after the pass on option 02H that you do not decent too much. I had to climb 200m up again <br /> <br /> - Continued to the high mountain route (02H). There is no water here so fill up at the indicated ford. It's muddy glacial water so if you want to have clear water you have to fill up before the pas. Camped at camp without water. <br /> <br /> - It would have been nice to have some gaiters and sunglasses <br /> <br /> - Summit Descabezado. Take route 03 don't follow the track perfectly but walk on the rocky ridge that's the easiest way to get up. <br /> <br /> - I wanted to climb Vulcan Azul on the same day but when I got to the start of the climb it looked like it was a sandy accent. So I returned packed my tent and went down. Afterwards when I saw the summit from a distance next day I regretted it. I went down to RR and camped at Laguna del Caracol. <br /> <br /> - Next day option 06A which is nice if you have enough time. <br /> <br /> - Look out that you take the right las Hornitos pass and not the one before, I had to climb up again -_-.<br /> <br /> - Camped at Laguna los hornos and next morning down and got a ride from the workers to Talca. <br /> <br /> *'''2025-03-18 to 2025-03-23 / 5.5 days / NOBO / Option 3 (Cumbre Descabezado) + OH-CC-A {06-02H} + RR / Tim &amp; Tobias'''<br /> <br /> We did a relaxed hike through this beautiful section. Got the permission to enter NOBO (Los Cypreces) from natali.veloso@enel.com within 3 days. Visit the carabineros in Colorado, they printed and stamped the form and we hitched to the entry. <br /> <br /> Day 1: Went up to Camp {06} [62.2/1999] at 11 a.m from the security guard, where we had to fill in another form. Struggled a bit on the way up because Río Cipreces is dried out and we had little water. Last source is Bridge {06} [72.4/1018] (NOBO).<br /> <br /> Day 2: To avoid Don Victor, we took Option 3 and camped beside a little Glaciar at -35.60736 -70.78212, close to Camp NO Water {06-03} [5.9/2542]. Filtert the water from the Glaciar. Great spot.<br /> <br /> Day 3: Took Option 3 to get up to the top of the volcano. Loose sand, difficult but stunning day. Decided to stay another day at the camp beside Glaciar. We highly recommend to take this option to get up to the summit because it is much faster than OH-CC-A {06-03A}. Thank you Adrian for the advice!<br /> <br /> Day 4: Went OH-CC-A {06-02H} and RR to hot spring Azure, where we camped. It stinks a bit during the night, but the hot springs have perfect temperatures.<br /> <br /> Day 5: Short day on RR to laguna las animas. Enjoyed the hot springs in the morning, took some fotos with condors. <br /> <br /> Day 6: Went down to Parque Ingles without difficulties.<br /> <br /> *'''2025-MAR-10 to 2025-MAR-15 / 6,5 days / Hiking / Alex, Andrey, Anton / GPT06 NOBO (Option7, Option2, Option8: a new traverse of the Calabozos volcano), GPT05 SOBO (RR)'''<br /> This traverse from Laguna Maule to Reserva Nacional Radal Siete Tazas offers a memorable—and surprisingly straightforward—journey from south to north. Although not technically difficult, the route presents extended stretches of deep sand and volcanic ash that demand physical endurance.<br /> Key Considerations:<br /> There are numerous sections without a defined trail; navigation relies on waypoint guidance.<br /> Glaciers lie concealed beneath sand in several locations—refer to waypoint comments for exact coordinates and cautionary notes.<br /> Reliable water sources are found throughout the route.<br /> Early‑season fords can be hazardous; plan crossings carefully and monitor snowmelt levels.<br /> Our newly established Calabozos volcano traverse direction from the southern approach is strongly advised. The northern slopes feature steep, deep‑sand sections that are more strenuous when tackled uphill.<br /> Mondaca Valley bears signs indicating private property. During our traverse, valley guards granted passage without issue, but this should not be assumed as guaranteed access. Exiting via Mondaca Valley tends to be easier than entering.<br /> The track and more photos at Wikiloc:<br /> https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/sand-traverse-laguna-maule-to-reserva-nacional-radal-siete-tazas-205862875<br /> <br /> *'''2025-02-09 to 2025-02-14 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / Option 1 (Altos de Lircay) 01, RR / Eric and Jakob'''<br /> <br /> Route: <br /> To avoid Camp Bolson and CONAF we started by taking the Option 1 (Altos de Lircay) 01, which is really beautiful but we recommend taking more water than usual when coming across some water spots since most of the rivers are dry. After completing the Option we continued on the main route until the end.<br /> <br /> Travel: <br /> We started from Parque Ingles. Got there by taking a train from Santiago to Curico. After that we took a bus to Molina and another one driving to Parque Ingles. Worked without any complications. Did cost all together around 50 euros for the two of us. <br /> <br /> Permissions: <br /> As mentioned by other people it is really hard to contact Don Victor. We wrote him a text message but we didn’t get an answer. We talked with Don Victor and got to know a really kind and respectful man, who simply tries to keep his land less crowded and free of trash. As Thomas describes in his section log, permits are available through his daughter. The number is provided by Thomas. Therefore it is necessary that every hiker who is trying to hike GPT06 is doing their utmost to get the permission from Don Victors daughter in order to respect his land and his priorities. If you are not able to get a permission the best and only option is to skip this section and continue with a different one. <br /> Since we didn’t have an official permit we tried to avoid CONAF as recommended which worked out fine for us by taking an alternative route in the beginning to avoid Camp Bolson. Not getting the CONAF permission and trying to avoid them was a mistake we aren’t proud of and wouldn’t do again. We don’t recommend doing it this way. The experience can be enjoyed way more when getting every permission necessary before starting with the hike. <br /> <br /> Resupply: <br /> There is no way to resupply on the trail. After the trail there is the possibility in Los Alamos to resupply in a small shop which got everything a hiker needs. We were also offered an apartment for one night in Los Alamos. It included a kitchen, a bath and two sleeping dorms for 46 euros per night. The name of the owner is Samuel.<br /> <br /> Attractiveness: 5/5<br /> Difficulty: 3/5<br /> <br /> * ''' 2025-FEB-15 to 2025-FEB-17 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Martin '''<br /> <br /> Combined sections 5 and 6.<br /> Joined section 6 at the hot springs [27.4/1986]. Got there around 7 pm. And there were two Chilean guys sitting in a hot pool so I joined. It was good to finally meet someone. <br /> <br /> I took the lower camping spot and the ground was a bit warm, so the night wasn’t cold. <br /> <br /> Next day, I went up to the pass. The soft sand makes the climb hard. The way down to the refugio was easier, but still not easy. No sign of Don Victor. The Chileans entered via Parque Inglés and didn’t know about him at all. <br /> <br /> The landscape is out of this world and amazing, but the suck factor on the sand is high for me. I got to camp at km 56.3. Beautiful place for camping. But very cold night. I left the water bottle in the tent vestibule and there was a good amount of ice in it in the morning. <br /> <br /> The last climb was an again challenging for me. Also because I got a cold and I was cold, so I didn’t sleep much. <br /> <br /> Then the way down is more sand. I wanted to get it over with, so I was going fast, around 2000 vertical m/hour. When I got to the gravel road, I had sand everywhere. I do have light gaiters, but they just couldn’t keep up. <br /> <br /> Then it was just a few hours in the heat on the road. I got to the small shop after the bridge over Rio Maule. Got ice cream and coke for 3500 or so. <br /> <br /> Then I washed in the river and tried to hitch hike to Talca. I stayed there from 17:15 to 18:00, but no luck. Not many cars to begin with. So I got to Hostal La Rivera as somebody suggested. Single room with breakfast was 25 USD and together with pasta for dinner and beer it was 35 USD or 36000 pesos. Paid by debit card. I will take the 7 am bus from Medano to Talca. Should be here on the main road around 7:20. <br /> <br /> * ''' 2025-02-10 to 2025-02-13 / 3,5 days / Hiking / SOBO / Option 5 (vilches alto), option 3 (Descabezado Grande), RR / Thomas '''<br /> <br /> As right-of-way issues increased recently, and parque ingles CONAF seemed to be more and more intransigent, I chose to take my chances on Vilches Alto entry (which is easily reached by direct bus from Talca).<br /> I arrived on sunday morning but the park was closed with wildfire red alert. I waited there the opening on next morning. <br /> Walking at the park entrance, I was lucky and met Sebastian, Anete y Tono which was started the Condor Circuit. A week ago, they contacted Don Victor daughter, Tamara, which gave a permit to cross the property. Rangers verified carefuly the permit to let them go. I take my chance then and contact Tamara to ask the same permit. <br /> <br /> &gt;&gt; There is usefull information to planify GPT6 with serenity : <br /> <br /> - From this year, Don Victor's family exiges a permit to enter the property in order to limit the area crowd and waste associated<br /> <br /> - Permits are given by Tamara Galdames, Don Victor daughter : +56987397559<br /> <br /> - She asks for passport picture and a bank transfer of 25,000 per persona to make the permit<br /> <br /> - She told me that she only give permit to 3 people or more<br /> <br /> - CONAF rangers (at least at Vilches) verify very carefully the Tamarla autorization<br /> <br /> - Don Victor checks also every hiker/horse rider he can see at this period (at least between laguna Caracole and Refugio Blanquillo)<br /> <br /> So I was very lucky to met Sebastian &amp; co and I told her I can walk with them, and she said OK. A ranger directly called Tamarly after to make sure I'm not tcheating.<br /> <br /> Day 1 : Vilches Alto &gt; Valle Venado camping <br /> No difficulties, a lot of shadow during the ascent, good views from the valle venado mirador. The camping is fine (shower) but without spectacular view. <br /> <br /> Day 2 : Valle Venado &gt; Camp without water {06-03} [5,9] <br /> Path to Blanquillo refuge is well marked (also a lot of horse poop). Only difficulty : a water canal crossing at the end of the Blanquillo lake (water until my hips with 1m77), but without any flow. <br /> I met Don Victor at Blanquillo refuge which verified my permit (I show him my WhatsApp conversation with Tamara and it was fine). Then he was pretty warm with me and show me water source. <br /> The beginning of Descabezado ascent is well marked equally. At Camp without water [3,3], it becomes easy CC to the second camp [5,9].<br /> Amazing moon landscape there !!<br /> <br /> Day 3 : Descabezado ascent &gt; Laguna de los Hornos by the RR<br /> Start at 6:40, summit at 9:20, only 35min to get back to the camp. Wonderfull sunlights on the moonfield and area volcanos. The way up is demanding, but without any difficulty issue (I followed option 3). The only water source near of the trail is the glaciar crater at this time. <br /> I returned to Blanquillo refuge to get water and met Don Victor and his guests again. They asked me about the volcan and we tchated about previous visitor incivilities and how they want to limit affluence in there. <br /> Then I followed RR SOBO without any issue during the rest of the day until Laguna de los Hornos where I camped. Very scenic and variated views, I definitively recomand this part of RR ! <br /> Near los Hornos, I met a group with guid, horses and montain bike which has been kindly returned by Don Victor the day before at the laguna Caracole because they don't have the permit (and potentially because Victor doesn't like the idea of bikes on the montain...).<br /> <br /> Day 4 morning : Laguna Los Hornos &gt; Los Cipreses<br /> The Volcan los Hornitos ascent and tour worth the extra mile. Easy sandy descent to the minor road and half hitchhike the minor road.<br /> <br /> * ''' 2025-02-05 to 2025-02-10 / 5.5 days / Hiking /SOBO / RR/ Emilie '''<br /> <br /> Day 1: departed from Molina at 9:30 with the bus. Arrived at the trail (parque ingles) and had purchased a day pass for the park. Seeing my big backpack the guards asked me where I was planning to sleep, I said laguna the las animas and they said I couldn’t go there without proper authorization. I then asked if I could simply change my plans and sleep at el bolson (campsite inside the park) and they said it was full for the next 2 days. I was really disappointed and asked where I could find some wifi to look at other passes/trails I could do, they sent me 3kms down at the Conaf office of Radal Sieste Tazas. I walked about 300m and saw the gate and decided to try my luck and jump it to bypass them. It worked although I was really stressed and surely enough I ran into a guard on a motorcycle checking the entry permits. I showed him the day pass but Conaf is supposed to give a registration card which I did not have. He asked me how I came in and I had to explain that I jumped the gate. He was ready to send me back (VHF radio in hand and all) but I asked him if I could try to explain myself which I did, showed him my planned route, explained that I knew abt don victor etc, I told him I would be out of the park by nightfall. He agreed to let me pass but it was a close one. You should definitely buy a pass for el bolson campsite, even if you don’t camp there, you look suspicious with your backpack. Went all the way to laguna las animas and camped there. <br /> <br /> Day 2: started my day with an encounter with wild horses! They ran towards me, there were about 15 of them! Saw them running down a hill up until 2m of me, they were curious and friendly. It’s was surreal. Camped at S (35.508517° O 70.751605°) on an empty pasture that was not wet. <br /> <br /> Day 3: woke up to that empty pasture being filled with cows! One was trying to snatch my bag which woke me up. They were curious and friendly aswell. Hiked until the Refugio camped right next to it (S 35.594815° O 70.825999°) there were other Chileans aswell. All super friendly!<br /> <br /> Day 4: my feet were extremely blistered after day 3. I initially wanted to hike up the volcano but decided for an afternoon at the beach instead to rest my feet; hiked about 8km until Laguna del Caracol where I spent the afternoon, reading swimming and cooking, it was great. <br /> <br /> Day 5: it was a big day, I hiked all the way to water at [73.5/1014] camped right next to it on the shore of the river (S 35.775444° O 70.802768°). Initially wanted to camp at Laguna de los Hornos but the lake seemed pretty eutrophized (? Not sure if it’s the right word) and I did not want to drink it, even filtered. Since it’s downhill from there, it wasn’t too too long. <br /> <br /> Day 6: hiked the remaining few Kms and hitchhiked to Talca. If ever you need accomodation here Hostel 1760 is like a peaceful haven; 30 000cpl and there’s a pool and the rooms are around an interior garden with a fountain. Exactly what I needed. <br /> <br /> The takeaway is to definitely not underestimate the terrain, it is rough on your feet, the sand and dust will stick to your face and lips which made me feel thirsty all the way, I always started the day with 2,5L of water which isn’t necessary since there are a lot of streams but I was still always glad to not have to ration my drinking. The river crossing for me was knee high, not sure if I crossed at the wrong place, the water was lower or if I’m especially tall;) did not meet don victor. <br /> <br /> *'''2Fev2025 - 6fev2025 / hiking SOBO / RR - OH2A-2-2H - OH3A-3 - RR / 5 days / Clara'''<br /> <br /> Parque Ingles : I did the same as Volker (see below) to enter the park cause I couldn't buy a ticket for the park the day before. But I was afraid and I think it would have been bad if I encountered a park ranger. Hopefully I didn't and they didn't ask for park reservation at El Bolson Camping. When I said that I won't come back by this path but go further he didn't say anything (only the owner).<br /> <br /> Camp at laguna las animas. Very nice camp spot and lake to swim. No shade. Some stonewall to pitch the tent and protect a bit from the wind.<br /> <br /> Ford 29.4 : not so easy, up to mid thighs (1.57) but fast flowing in the begining of afternoon. Then it's a loooong way up in soft volcanic sand, very physical. Lot's of water all the way up till ford 32.5. Then there are also still some smaller water flowing around begining of OH2H and the place I camped.<br /> <br /> Camp here -35,54404, -70,75932 : I found a good wind protected spot (for the NNO wind, less for the NNE of the night end but hopefully it decreased) and I made an almost flat spot there. There is multiple little streams with good water flowing just around that spot.<br /> <br /> Up to the pass on 2H was easier that I thought but walking down (or more traverse) on the other side was way more harder. Very steep ups and downs in some canyons in soft sand or sometimes big but no stable rocks, snow covered by sand. Last and only water for now after the pass of 2H is at the ford. Took me almost 4h to get to OH3A.<br /> <br /> I took an OSM path before 3A to gain few meters, a trail is well visible when you arrive from 2H. Around 2900m I went CC to joined OH3A and I found on the way, few meters left to the 3A tracks, some footsteps going up on either big stable rocks or not so soft sand until around 3300m, looks easier than exactly on tracks for the ascent ! Then it's physical soft sand. Went with very small backpack and took me a bit more than 3h to the summit. Descent way much faster.<br /> <br /> Descending at Don Victor refuge, I met a group of chileans. They offered me harina tostada and food (maybe when they see my terrible face after this exhausting day), and we ended up sharing dinner, fried fishes and evening there. If I understood well, they told me that since this year, Don Victor make people pay (25k?!) to camp at his place (or just pass through?), not the locals but the tourists. But since he was not here I didn't need to care about this.<br /> <br /> They learned me their fishing technic the day after at Laguna del Caracol and I had 2!! (They had 10kg in half day). Magic encounters with theses so generous and nice persons. Camp at 62.2 (just a bit upper than the waypoint) is nice.<br /> <br /> Nothing special to add for the last day except not much workers going down the MR even on week days.<br /> <br /> <br /> * ''' 2024-01-20 to 2024-01-22 / 2.5 days / Hiking /SOBO / RR, option 2 &amp; 2H, option 3 &amp; 3A (Ascended Descabezado), Variants G / Elijah &amp; Michael '''<br /> <br /> Plenty of available water from the pass to Descabezado (option 2), however no water available on the climb up. Almost no water around Descabezado, but was able to locate small flow from a snow field. No water available south of Descabezado until end of option 3.<br /> <br /> Descabezado climb took approx 4.5 hours, 1 hour descent. Incredibly draining due to soft ground and fall-line trail.<br /> <br /> Shop at bridge after Los Cipreses had snacks and accomodation but not appropriate for resupply. <br /> <br /> Hostal La Rivera in Los Alamos offered great accommodation for 50,000 CLP per night (including desayuno). Hostal able to provide lunches and dinner.<br /> <br /> Almarcen in Los Alamos looked like it had good options but was closed in afternoon (4pm) and morning (10am) and no one was around.<br /> <br /> Minimarket in La Mina had limited options, possible but difficult resupply.<br /> <br /> Minimarket in El Medano had slightly better options, but still limited resupply.<br /> <br /> * '''25-01-13- 25-01-18/ 5,5 days / SOBO/ RR-OH2A-OH2H-OH3-OH3A-OH4-OH3-RR / Volker / Flowers on the moon… Just a magic section / Parque Ingles - Volcan Descabezado Grande - Volcan Azul - Laguna del Caracol - La Mina'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: Bus from Molina, terminal rural, to Parque Ingles at 8.20. Started there at 10.30. Avoided Conaf: The bus carried a group for the camping in P.I. and stopped 200m after the Conaf. Instead of going back to register (or taking the MR of OH1) I turned left before the bridge and walked on a path along Rio Claro, a fence to my left. After 500m an open gate allows you to go left and enter a huge camping (nobody there). At the very end of the camping the fence is down, once out, I walked CC to join the RR. Minimum three dozens of young Chileans on their way to El Bolson, when I arrived, still nobody there except the owner, who asked me to register. I told him, I go to Laguna Las Animas - all fine. Camped at the Laguna, short day.<br /> <br /> Day 2: 30 min after the Laguna another, smaller lake with camp spots. At the pass I made the short detour for Cerro Las Animas (nice view back on the Laguna) then along volcanic slopes with a lot of various flowers to the hot spring (no bassin, just a hot swamp, go for Fango). For various reasons I changed my original plan to continue on Option 2b direction V. Descabezado Chico, one reason was the (non indicated) ford, which looked very dangerous, at least for a solo hiker. So I continued on RR, quite swampy, the trail dissappears in wet meadows. If you know you want to continue on the RR - better don‘t go down to the river and the hot ‚spring‘, but cut this CC without elevation loss. Lots of cows on the way to the pass. Many small rivers, which all feed Estero El Volcan, therefore the two fords on the RR are way easier. I took Option 2A, then Option 2 and then Option 2H and camped not far from the start of 2H. <br /> <br /> Day 3: On 2H CC to the pass and then down to the start of Option 3a for the V. Descabezado. Ford easy. At S 35.592096° W 70.786105° don‘t go down into the canyon as indicated, but bypass it left by going a bit upwards. Started with a small backpack on option 3a for the summit at noon, arrived at 2.30. At 3400m ff. easy rock climbing some 20 meters left of the indicated route - less physical and more fun than on the gravel/sand. Almost no wind on the summit, just wonderful, highly recommend it! Very quick down to the backpack, while resting there for 15min 6 condors in the air, circling very low directly over me. Breathtaking minutes. Then continued until camp at 06-03: 5,9. The indicated spot is protected, as there was close to no wind, I climbed the next dune with an extraordinary view to the west (sunset!) and camped there. <br /> <br /> Day 4: Volcan Azul - What a great summit! You might think, Descabezado is the highest, why climb another volcano, which is so close? Nothing could be more wrong. They are completely different and V. Azul beats Descabezado in nearly every sense: the landscape, the views (on Laguna La Invernada), the geology. You even can climb the finger at the summit (only the last two meters are technical, there’s a fixed rope, use it, if you trust it, I didn’t). But V. Azul is also way more demanding and you should have a good head for heights for the ascent on the ridge. Very important: when on the ridge, always look, if there are other hikers above or below you: I was alone, but when going down, I several times caused very dangerous falling rocks. All in all the whole way up and down is not difficult, just very steep. But the gravel is very different from Descabezado. This is felt mainly when going down. In large parts you can‘t ski or hop down as on Descabezado. Either the sort of gravel doesn‘t allow it, or the underground (hidden rocks, e.g.). So you have to walk very carefully (it makes no difference if you follow the track files or an OSM route). This slows you down very much and partly is as physical as going up. I started at 6.30 a.m. and it took me 7,5 hours to go up and down (sure, you can camp closer to the ascent, but as I wanted to take option 2H and then option 3 to join the RR at the hot springs, I didn‘t want to walk back with my big backpack). Water: At noon running on the east side of the glacier in the crater, took also snow). Back from the summit I walked the mentioned CC options (however stayed lower to the left and even found a path there, sometimes marked with cairns). When approaching the junction with the RR I saw a lot of horses and people at the refuge. Don Victor had guests. I decided not to bypass them, but to show up and explain, what I am doing here. Good decision! I was offered bread and wine, we chatten, nevertheless I was asked, if I had a permission (could honestly answer, that asking for it is why I came here). Before I left Don Victor and I took a joint selfie… He is not at all a bad guy, he just wants you to show, that you respect his property rights. I also took water there, which allowed me to camp on the magic plateau, that follows on the RR, instead of going down to the indicated camp at 48,1. <br /> <br /> Day 5; A short day, very easy on RR to camp at 62,2. Just enjoyed the landscape and the lagunas. After the pass at 59,3 on the way down I went CC left of the RR, crossed 5 brooks to join variant C. In this part a multitude of flowers, at least a dozen different species in all colours: an integral and unforgettable part of this volcano section.<br /> <br /> Day 6: Very short day, Down to the MR, then an 8km walk to La Mina. The last 2 km I got a ride from a local, who also drove me to the shops on the PR. The changing nature makes the MR walking more interesting, than one might think. You come from a lunar landscape and some hours later almond trees and ripe mirabels! For NOBO hikers: Chilean day-hikers parked their car at the end of the MR. So it should be possible to get a permit from Entel for the entry by car (Uber or arrangement with a local).<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2025-Jan-13 to 2025-Jan-18 / 5,5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Chris &amp; Jule'''<br /> <br /> TLDR: no problems with snow, dusty &amp; exhausting gravel/ashes, absolutely stunning views all along, Don Victor was busy.<br /> <br /> We had an issue with our GPSMAP67 (updated the firmware just prior departure), resulted in weird frozen mode with full backlight brightness in three occasions which drained half the battery. Due to this (despite backups) I was a bit paranoid, so the GPS remained mostly off and we followed footsteps &amp; paths. This worked very well, only one time followed a valley too long. The paths are very obvious, it was easy to navigate. <br /> <br /> Water: in all marked locations and many more. Usually every 1-2hrs we passed some stream. We had expected much worse and were a bit overprepared in the beginning. The ashes take water easily, but also give it as easy.<br /> <br /> Rivercrossings: one, hip-high, quite some current but managable. we crossed where the OSM path crosses the river. Besides, dry feet all along.<br /> <br /> Snow: some snowfields, one at the descend towards laguna las animas had to be crossed, all others were avoided. <br /> <br /> Due the GPS turned off we were very surprised as we suddenly stood infront of Don Victors refugio. We waved and yelled hola, there were about 5-ish tents, so we thought he may have opened a camping space recently. As we wanted to go a bit further, we continued. He either didnt see us, or wasnt too happy - none from the refugio waved back. One person standing at the tents waved back though. <br /> Next morning we met Volker who had gone to Don Victor and had a good chat and a drink with him. He had visitors, therefore was too busy to care for us. Later that day a group from the refugio passed on horses, everyone just friendly hola-ed back to us. <br /> We met some chilean hiker that had tried to obtain all permits for a certain hike, CONAF told them, that since a few days Don Victor does not allow anyone anymore.<br /> <br /> Going back to Talca: we heard busses leave at 7am, 1pm, 3pm, 7pm (at least on saturdays). <br /> We ended up hitchhiking as we didnt want to want for 2hrs. It took us maybe 10min (maybe fourth car) to squeeze into a ride with wonderful chileans returning from bathing in some hotsprings. <br /> <br /> * '''2025-Jan-03 to 2025-Jan-10 / 7,5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Farah &amp; Jan'''<br /> <br /> We started our GPT journey with this section and were amazed by the beauty and diversity of the landscape.<br /> <br /> Challenges were the rocky and sandy terrain, sometimes dangerous paths and the hot summer sun. Sometimes the path disappeared and we lost it, but with a GPS device it was easy to notice and get back on track.<br /> <br /> Dangerous snow bridge at (S 34°31.4980’ W 070°44.8453’). <br /> <br /> River crossings were no problem, one was hip high (we’re 1,75 m and 1,83 m), all the other ones knee high or less.<br /> <br /> Didn’t meet Don Victor.<br /> <br /> Definitely follow Jan Dudeck’s recommendation and use gaitors. We didn’t as we opted for hiking boots instead of low trekking shoes and kept on collecting enough sand and gravel in our boots to build a children’s playground.<br /> <br /> Day 1<br /> <br /> We took the bus from Molina to Parque Inglés and hiked to El Bolsón on the first day, where we camped. Only had tickets for one day for the Parque Nacional Siete Tazas and weren’t sure if we technically would’ve needed one for two days, but the official let us camp there nonetheless after checking our tickets.<br /> <br /> Day 2<br /> <br /> Hiked to Laguna de las Ánimas where we met Sean &amp; Neele on their way NOBO and had a nice quick chat with them.<br /> <br /> At the end of the ascent out of Valley del Indio, right below the pass, there was an icey snowfield, which we traversed using crampons - it would’ve been possible without but felt safer with them. We camped at Laguna de las Animas, which was beautiful.<br /> <br /> Day 3<br /> <br /> From Laguna de las Ánimas we continued over the pass at [19.4/2547] after which we encountered some sketchy paths along steep gravel slopes: At some parts the path had slipped downhill and if doing one wrong step, we would’ve too. Take care at this part of the section! Camped near the Hot Spring del Azufre.<br /> <br /> Day 4<br /> <br /> We weren’t sure if we could drink the water near the hot spring because it all stank like sulfide so we hiked uphill a bit before refilling our water. There, we also encountered the only bigger river crossing at [29.4/2190] - hip high and a bit of a current but still doable at the right spot.<br /> <br /> Higher up that valley (S 34°31.4980’ W 070°44.8453’) we found a pretty dangerous snow bridge over a creek and decided to walk/climb around it which was also a bit dangerous as it took us over very loose rocks right next to an at least 20 m drop but way more controllable than the snow bridge next to it.<br /> <br /> We left the valley behind us and camped at a beautiful spot right next to a river and with a wonderful view of the surrounding rocks and mountains (S 35°31.9714’ W 070°47.4839’).<br /> <br /> Day 5<br /> <br /> Descended the valley, met two French hikers who did the Condor Circuit and had a quick chat with them, passed Descabezado Grande and the Refugio at [45.5/1887] but didn’t meet Don Victor. We camped at the Water/Camp at [48.1/1837] - what a beautiful little oasis!<br /> <br /> Day 6<br /> <br /> Hiked past the Laguna del Caracol and originally wanted to reach the camp at [62.2/1999]. However on the ascent to the pass at [59.3/2518], Farah’s knee started to hurt and the pain got worse, so we decided to take some rest and camped in a small depression right next to a snow field roughly 100 hm below the pass. Despite the exposed location there was almost no wind and we got to enjoy a breathtaking view on the two Descabezados and the valley at their feet.<br /> <br /> Day 7<br /> <br /> Farahs knee got better, we ascended the remaining roughly 100 hm to the pass and from there descended to the water at [73.5/1014] We camped on the shore of the Rio Cipreses nearby.<br /> <br /> Day 8<br /> <br /> In the morning we woke up by the sound of people: Some local fishers from San Clemente walked past our tent, we wished them buenos días and had a friendly chat with them. Later that morning, they gifted us three freshly caught trouts which we happily ate right on spot.<br /> <br /> We then descended the remaining 6 km to the bus stop at {06-E} [0.5/862], where we wanted to catch an afternoon bus to Talca that we found on the bus services Facebook page. However, the bus didn’t come and we learned from the owner of the shop at {06-E} [0.5/856] that the buses only leave once a day at 7 am. He sold us Coca Cola, chips and chocolate bars and rented us a room (without private bathroom but access to his own bathroom) for 30.000 CLP and we spent the night there. The 7 am bus didn’t come either so we hitchhiked to a bus stop west of San Clemente and took a bus to Talca there.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2025-Dec-31 to 2025-Janv-6 / 5.6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + OH 3 (Descabezado) / Peggy &amp; Dorotà'''<br /> Magnificent, grandiose, and isolated section. Difficulty: dryness, sandy and volcanic rocky terrain, sometimes tiring. No water issues, but be sure to drink plenty.<br /> <br /> First part, each on our own. I (Peggy) started the GPT with this section from El Bolson. I chose to take an Uber to get to the entrance of the Siete Tazas park (30k CLP). I had bought the park ticket online beforehand but it wasn't the right one. I should have purchased a ticket specifically for the El Bolson trail. However, the park ranger was accommodating. On my driver's advice, I paid 7k CLP for the El Bolson camping to enter the park but didn't spend the night there. I was given a document that I had to hand over on my way down. I followed this advice for convenience, although maybe it wouldn't have been an issue if I had just explained where I was going?<br /> <br /> I didn't encounter Don Victor throughout the section, though I had sent him a message he didn't see.<br /> <br /> Upon arriving at Laguna de las Animas, I met Dorota, and we decided to do this section together.<br /> <br /> There was little snow, with a few rare snowfields that were easily passable or avoidable, except for a large section where it helped us cross a river. Indeed, after the Termas de Azufre, at the ford at kilometer 29.4, finding the river too strong in the morning, we followed the right bank of the river until we found snow covering the river. After leaving the dangerous start behind us, we crossed the snow where it was thick and could walk on it for a while before crossing to the other side.<br /> <br /> No problems with the other fords.<br /> <br /> A bit past the refuge at the foot of Descabezado Grande (km 45.5), there are good bivouac spots (S 35°35.7470’ W 070°49.5695’).<br /> <br /> We climbed Descabezado Grande from this refuge, starting early in the morning. We made a big mistake by forgetting to take water! It seems we both had a moment of &quot;temporary unconsciousness&quot;! We also thought we would find water from the snow higher up, which we did, but only in the form of snow. We managed to collect what we could by putting the snow in our bottles to melt a bit. There was also a bit of water flowing from a snowfield but only in the last part. So, make sure to think about water! Moreover, it’s better to sleep on the volcanic plateau to get closer to the summit, avoiding the 2000m elevation gain all at once (that was actually our initial plan…) with water! Especially later in the season when the snow has melted.<br /> <br /> The 2000m elevation gain with little water was difficult, especially moving from 3000m to 4000m with some altitude sickness. Nevertheless, it was a good learning experience for both of us. Once at the top, we could appreciate the magnificent view of the snowy crater of Descabezado and the surrounding scenery. The climb is not technical but can be long if started from the bottom and strenuous. But it’s definitely worth it!<br /> <br /> It took me (Peggy) two days to realize that by keeping my pants on, I no longer suffered from sand and stones in my high-top shoes! And yet, I wasn’t suffering from altitude-induced brain fog! ;)<br /> <br /> In summary, a magnificent, wild, grandiose, and isolated section. Perfect to start with!<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> '''2024-Dec-30 to 2025-Jan-5 / 6.5 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR + option 6 + option 3 (Descabezado) / Sean &amp; Neele'''<br /> <br /> Tldr: beautiful section! No problems with snow. Didn't meet Don Victor. Water at all waypoints plus more due to snow.<br /> <br /> Emailed Natali (natali.veloso@enel.com) to get authorisation to enter NOBO, theres a simple form to complete and return. took the bus from Talca to El Colorado to visit the cabinieros they signed and stamped the completed form Natali sent us. Hitched to Central Cipreces, wasn't too difficult, a worker dropped us off right at gate 78.9km. Security guard was very friendly and helpful he was happy with our authorisation and after filling in another form we were on our way.<br /> <br /> Went up to Volcan Los Hornitos took only 10 minutes to get to the crater rim from the pass. Well worth it.<br /> <br /> Camped near camp 62.2km<br /> <br /> Pass 59.3 a patch of snow on the south side but easy to walk around it to the east.<br /> <br /> We decided to do the option 6 loop to see laguna la turbia. Nice enough and easy, western side of the pass is pretty steep.<br /> <br /> Camped at 56.3km - lots of really nice camping around here we couldn't walk past it.<br /> <br /> At water camp 48.1km we went CC straight to camp without water 5.9km to avoid any right of way disputes and to climb dezcabezado grande in the morning. It worked, not sure if I'd recommend it. <br /> <br /> Plenty of snow for water at camp 5.9km we didn't even need to melt it, it was flowing.<br /> <br /> Descabezado (03) 9.4km was surprisingly simple. 4 hours to the crater rim from camp 5.9km, Another 30 minutes to go to the summit and back, hour and a half down. From around 3,700m to the crater rim routes 03 and 03A separate. We took 03A up and 03 down, 03 is much better I'd recommend it.<br /> <br /> Took option 3 to refuge 45.5km all good.<br /> <br /> Pass 33.8km snow mostly avoidable now. We camped up there snow for water.<br /> <br /> Pass 19.4km - small patch of snow easy to avoid <br /> <br /> Pass 15.4km - small patch of unavoidable snow but easy to cross.<br /> <br /> Camped at El Bolson - pretty busy on a Saturday.<br /> <br /> Short walk out to catch the bus to molina at 11<br /> <br /> No entel signal in parque ingles<br /> <br /> <br /> * ''' 2024-DEC-15 to 2024-DEC-21 / 7 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR, OH option 3, CC not on trail from [5.9/2542] to camp [48.1/1837] / Tamar &amp; Nimrod'''<br /> <br /> In short:<br /> A lot of water everywhere.<br /> A lot of snow as well, but we managed without spikes.<br /> The CC ascenting Descabezado is free of snow. The one ascenting Azul might be covered by snow but we didn't climb it.<br /> <br /> First day- We started from Molina on Sunday, and took the bus from the main station that departed at 9:30am (we think on other days of the week it leaves at 11:00am) to parque ingles. The ride took us about 1.5 hours, and costs 4000 clp. At parque ingles there was no phone signal anymore with entel sim card. We payed in advance online 8900 clp per person for entering the park and sleeping at El Bolson. When we arrived we had to pay another 7000 clp each. <br /> Started walking up to El Bolson at noon and got there at 17:00. A ranger on a motorcycle asked to see our ticket in the middle of the trail. <br /> <br /> 2nd- went towards Laguna Las animas. While Ascending to first pass [15.4/2257] there was a lot of snow but we managed to cross without spikes, though it was quite scarry.<br /> It was a long day because the descending from the second pass [19.4/2547] was harder and longer then expected, some parts felt dangerous so we climbed a little to cross at a place with vegetation Wich was less slipery. <br /> We slept at terms de azufres. Beautiful! Extraordinery! Needed time to find a good pool but it had a lot of algae so we didn't go in. There were many pools with different temperatures. <br /> <br /> 3rd- climbed to pass [33.8/2695] (El astadio) a lot of snow along the trail and patches of snow that had to be crossed very carefully, because if falling ment no coming back. The pass itself was completely covered withe snow field! There was some exhusting walk on the spiky snow but then we found foot prints of a horse and poop of sheep and followed it down the pass. Slept at a beautiful place aprox(-35.54190,-70.79507) with a stream from melted snow waterfall (don't know how long it will last). <br /> <br /> 4th day- went towards refugio. There were some cows but no people. Didn't find hot spring. Walked up to camp without water [5.9/2542]. Very good camp, no wind, but watch out from the glacier that looks like it's going to collapse. Drank water from snow we melted. <br /> <br /> 5th day- DESCABEZADO- woke up before sunrise to ascend. We thought there will be snow on the trail that will be easier to climb when frozen. It was not necessary because although there were snow fields along the way, the trail was snow free. <br /> It took us 6 hours to ascend and 3 hours to descend. The view was amazing! Seems that the trail on Azul has more snow on it. The inside of the mountain was covered with snow.<br /> We walked back to our camp and then walked to camp [48.1/1837], not on a trail, which was ok, and camped there.<br /> <br /> 6th day: we continued on RR and camped near Laguna De Los Hornos - approx. (-35.72217, -70.81903).<br /> Sandy and soft ground but quite windi.<br /> <br /> 7th day: hoped to get to El Medano at noon, but got there only by 18:00 :(.<br /> We ran out of food because we planned 6 days hike, so we stopped in the shop in Los Alamos. We bought canned tuna, cheese, and not very fresh bread.<br /> After paying we were invited to seat and eat in the families yard and given tons of fresh bread, cheese, and coke.<br /> We continued on RR. TL (81.2+1.8), and the start of MR (83.0+0.8) are gone because of a big flood (we were told there was a big flood 2 years ago) and it took us almost 2 frustrating hours to walk this trail.<br /> Finally we made it to the bridge, crossed it, and walked on the PR.<br /> A man in the entrance to El Medano arranged us a cabaña and we accepted it.<br /> We stayed 2 nights and continued to GPT07.<br /> The shop in El Medano is very basic and aiming tourist, and we regretted not buying more food in Los Alamos.<br /> We stayed in: cabañas y colaciones sra. Isabel ±56978397080- jose ±56975762613- Isabel.<br /> Very generous warm and friendly people. Helped us with laundry for free, acomidation for 50,000 clp for a night for 2 people and diner for 8,000 clp per person. Also took us to natural sauna and gave us cheap or free products which we couldn't find in the expensive and basic minimarket.<br /> <br /> * ''' 2024-DEC-17 to 2024-DEC-20 / 4 days / hiking / NOBO / RR+option GPT06-01e / Michal a Anna ​'''<br /> <br /> How to obtain the permit to enter the Hidroeléctrica Los Cipreses:<br /> 1. Contact Mrs. Natali Veloso Zuñiga from Enel (natali.veloso@enel.com) to obtain an authorization to visit. It is a simple form, she replied within a day.<br /> 2. With the authorization visit carabinieros at Reten La Mina or El Colorado and obtain permit to enter Los Cipreses. It is a multi-page document summarizing your trip.<br /> 3. Now you can enter and begin your hike NOBO. :)<br /> <br /> Day1: When we came to the Enel gate [78.9/865] we realised that we have to obtain yet another permit from Carabineros at Reten La Mina (as described above). Getting to Reten and back took us 2 hours but Carabinieros were friendly and helpful and there wasn’t any problem with getting the permit. After that we build our first camp at Laguna de Los Hornos [aprox 64.8].<br /> <br /> Day 2: Pass [59.3/2518] (Hornitos) wasn’t fully under show but we used our microspikes to climb two snowfields more easily, but would be definitly ok without them. Then the out-of-this-world beauty began.<br /> <br /> Day 3: We didn’t meet Don Víctor at Refugio [45.5/1887] or around. Just a few cows. Pass [33.8/2695] (El Estadio) was almost completely under snow, microspikes very useful and made our progress faster. When descending from pass there was a lot of melting snow. At [S 35°31.4964', W 070°44.8531'/2427] where the RR goes on the east side of the valley there was a big snow bridge across creek/waterfall which we consider unsafe to step on. We couldn’t find a safe alternative way (only a combination of short downclimb, ford in steep creek and crumbly longer upclimb), so we decided to turn and came back to X [36.7/2423] where we spent night.<br /> <br /> Day 4: We took a variant [GPT06-01e (Laguna Manatial Pelado)] and without a problem descended to Park Inglesé. At [35°28.61331'S, 70°59.63836'W] is a gate where we were informed that we are on private property. Semi friendly guy opened the gate after a while and some negotiations.<br /> <br /> Generally the trail was ok, but it pays off to be very careful this time of year because of the melting snow and rivers flowing under it creating many snow bridges. It may turn you back. Anyways this section is one of the most beautiful places we have ever been to, we were left speachless many times!<br /> <br /> * ''' 2024-DEC-09 &gt; 10 / 1,5 jours / Randonnée / SOBO / Variante Volcan Colorado(voir GPT05)&gt;RR / Pierre-Marie ​​'''<br /> <br /> Etape : GPT04+GPT05+GPT06<br /> | Meteo : soleil<br /> | Eau : facile<br /> | Neige : beaucoup<br /> | Intérêt : 5/5<br /> | Difficulté : 3/5<br /> | Danger : attaque d'oiseaux<br /> <br /> Des Cairns indiquent souvent la route. Beaucoup de poussière sur cette etape.<br /> J'ai subit 1 attaques d'oiseaux apres le lac Caracol sur la partie herbeuse, puis 1 autre le long du lac Hornitos. J'ai marché sur les parties sableuse et degagées pour ne pas ecraser de nids. Apres le volcan Hornitos, la descente est monotone et sans interet.<br /> DEC-11&gt;12 : Repos Talca. A-R bus.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-DEC-05 to 2024-DEC-07 / 2,5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + OH (var. C) / Ivan, Jakub, Daniel'''<br /> <br /> We combined sections 5 and 6.<br /> <br /> We joined section 6 at the hot springs [27.4/1986]. Most tributaries of the river carrying water from the hot springs are too hot for bathing, but one of them has a reasonable temperature. It’s slightly overgrown and more lukewarm than hot, but fine for washing.<br /> <br /> The fords on the Estero El Volcán river [29.4/2190 and 32.5/2565] were both covered by snow, so we didn’t need to ford. Generally, there is still quite a lot of snow, and the area around the pass is almost entirely covered. However, with good equipment (appropriate clothing, microspikes, sunglasses...), it’s not difficult to cross.<br /> <br /> There is plenty of water everywhere due to the melting snow.<br /> <br /> The water at [44.6/1884] is currently a fairly strong flow. We eventually found a spot where we could hop across dry-footed, but it took some time to find. We were there in the morning; by the afternoon, the water level would likely be higher and will by necessery to ford.<br /> <br /> We didn’t meet Don Victor. However, we met another group of hikers near the refugio.<br /> <br /> The climb to the pass [59.3/2518] (Hornitos) from Laguna del Caracol is almost snow-free, except for a few small patches. On the other hand, the southern slope is still covered by a significant layer of snow. Regardless of the trackfiles, we descended in a way that avoided difficult snow patches. Our route was very close to variant C, and it was fine.<br /> <br /> Around km 68, we left the trail and went cross-country directly south, looking for a good campsite. We eventually found one at -35.7569975, -70.7919536, with a nice flat spot and access to water.<br /> <br /> The shop in Los Alamos, marked as a resupply point, is open. It’s very small, but we managed to buy supplies for the next two days. Don’t worry if it seems hidden in someone’s garden—it’s there!<br /> <br /> On the road on the opposite bank (Variant E), there are several small shops where it might also be possible to resupply. There’s also a nice restaurant, Cordillera, where we celebrated the end of the stage.<br /> <br /> <br /> (2024/Nov/26 -2024/Nov/30)/4 Days/ Hiking/ SOBO/ Entry Variation from 05, RR form Banos del Blanquillo/ Lukas, Basil &amp;Tabea<br /> <br /> The national Park was still closed and entry was not possible so we chose a different entry point over lago frio (La Ruca). The expedition guide from the touring company offert to drop us off at this alternative entry point for 15$ p.p. After 10km on good trials we arrived on variation 05, which we followed until the main route. The route was duable, no critical river crossings or hard snow fields. the mountain pass horintos still had snow on the south side, nobo crossing not advisable. Exit at los zypresses.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> <br /> * '''2024-04-03 to 2024-04-05 // 2,5 days // Hiking // NOBO // RR // Quentin Clavel (GPT6)'''<br /> <br /> What an amazing section ! <br /> <br /> I was lucky enough to have all the volcanoes and mountains covered by snow as it was heavy rainy just before I begun this section ! <br /> <br /> The result is blowminding landscapes, but struggle near the pass, to deal with the mix of snow and soft volcanic ground aha. <br /> <br /> I started from El medano, where the shop and most of the cabanas were closed (there's few options to sleep here, cabanas and camping too, but as it was the end of the season, everything was closed). I was lucky enough to found a nice habitant that purpose me to stay at his house for the night for 20K CLP and saved me from a big storm and heavy rain.<br /> <br /> I took the option F then E (basically the road from El Medano to the central hydrauelectruca) because I needed to resupply as the shop in El medano was closed. I found my happiness in La Mina where there's two basics shops (pasta, tomato sauce, biscuits, chips... (but no bread, or fresh products like fruits, cheese, ham ...). Here there's possibility to sleep on cabanas as well. There's a hotel/restaurant just one kilometer before La Mina, but no-one was there. <br /> <br /> I arrived at the gate of the central, knowing that it will be hard without authorisation. I've sent an email to Rene gaillardo as mentioned on the hiker's manual, but no answer. So I dealt with the security guards at the entrance.<br /> <br /> After long negociations the best option (and fastest one to let me pass this day) was to have a writing authorisation to pass from the carabineros. I've been driven to the carabineros by the security guard, and then have hard negotiations again. They finally wrote a paper where I had to explain my expedition and give lot of informations. And they asked me to go on a police station when I finished the section for let them know that I'm still alive aha. <br /> <br /> Anyway, this allowed me to pass. <br /> <br /> But if you're going NOBO and don't want to struggle like that, don't contact Rene Gallardo, he's not working at the Central anymore, the key contact is now Natali Veloso, that you can contact on that mail address : Natali.veloso@enel.com<br /> <br /> Then you hike threw the central on a boring gravel, and arrive to the junction where you find lovely volcanic ground and going up up up to the pass of Los Hornitos. From there it's just landscapes from an other planet, with a very easy to follow path, but not in an easy ground as it's quite sandy. <br /> <br /> Views on Laguna del Caracol was amazing ! As the whole circuito condor on RR ! One of the best section of my GPT so far, alone in the world in this absolute incredible landscape ... Blowminding ! <br /> <br /> I continued threw the pass El estadio PK 33,8, here the snow was very present and the path harder to follow. I continued to the amazing spring del Azufres, very nice landscape to have a hot bath and quite big vapores, nice break during the day ! <br /> <br /> The crossing over Estero El Volcan (X2) was quite demanding and I had to figure it out and check during long times for the best way to cross. Then I took the variant H to linked the GPT 6 to GPT 5. <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Mar-08 to 2024-Mar-16 / 8.5 days / Hiking / Descabezado Circuit / Control Fronterizo Laguna del Maule - Los Cipreses/ Option 02 + RR + Descabezado Chico / Alex &amp; Christophe '''<br /> <br /> This 170km loop was our last section after 3 months on the GPT. It has been one of the most hard, exhausting, and technical section but also one of the most remote, wild, and magnificient we did. We didn't see any humans during 8 days. The extrem wind and cold temperatures, the infinite CC in open areas, the white landscapes without any shadow, and the D+ in soft sand were constantly forgotten thanks to the lunar landscapes. Here are some added informations for the GPT06-02 to the ones given by Natalie &amp; Tomáš. <br /> <br /> Day 1 : We took the bus at 7:30 from Talca to Armerillo. Then we hitchhiked to the beginning of GPT06-02 and began at 11am. After the first pass (-35.94909, -70.45347), we followed the track but going down thru the landslide seems to be a better option. We slept next to the river where there was a good wind shelter (more or less) at (-35.934832, -70.459308). That's a good spot to have the sun early in the morning, which was appreciated since it was -4°C during the night.<br /> Day 2 : The second path (-35.652, -70.43356) was pretty steep and unstable in the last meters but easily doable. The puesto seemed to be unoccupied. There was water every 1 or 2 hours. Then we took the {06-02F} as it looked to avoid swamps and we slept next to the river at (-35.827017, -70.399535) to have the sun as long as possible and to have it early in the morning.<br /> Day 3 : After the pass at (-35.785707, -70.403584), the landscape changed drastically! We took the {06-02E} to avoid the swamps of the other side. It worked but we had to cross the rio san Francisco. Small ford, but not jumpable. We stopped at (-35.693111, -70.427244). There was a clear source and a blue lagoon to take a quick bath. We had wind all night long, maybe there's a better place next to the lagoon. <br /> Day 4: It must be possible to find a camp spot around (-35.667931, -70.422663). After that point, it begins to climb and there's no more flat place. We took the {06-02D} and it was a good option out of the elevation and the crazy wind. When we arrived at the snow limit, we went 20m down to find a good way in the snow. Then we had to run in the flowing sand to the rocks and had to clamber the last meters between two wind gusts throwing us sand in the eyes. It was pretty scary because of the wind conditions but doable. Finally on the plateau, we had to manage with winds at 80km/h and sandstorms. I would definitely not pass in case of bad weather or with stronger wind. We took a break at (-35.613055, -70.423114), first water since the pass. Then we followed the GPX track but the OSM offers to take the westside of the river and it looked to be better as we had to go up and down in the sand many times. Finally after this exhausting day, we found a camp spot with a kind of wind protection at (-35.560315, -70.441588).<br /> Day 5: After a long morning with a NW crazy constant cold wind, we stopped at the hot springs. We tried many places but never found a source warmer than 30°C. After a quick bath, we filled our water bladder at the last point mentioned by Tomas &amp; Natalie (-35.48544, -70.5994) to go to sleep to the pass. There was still a ton of snow next to the pass but didn't see melting snow on the way. There are different camp possibilities with a stunning view in the last 600m before the pass but we slept at (-35.494194, -70.622529) to climb the Descabezado Chico the next day. Ok wind shelter.<br /> Day 6 : We woke up at 6am to go to Descabezado Chico before the sunrise. We crossed a melting snow river at (-35.49828, -70.621259). Even if the last part is steep rocky and sandy, the climb is easy. We reached the summit in 1h20 and had one of the best sunrises of our lives ! There are some places to be sheltered from the freezing wind and enjoy the view. Back to the pass, we followed more or less the track because there was still a lot of snow and some ways didn't look to be the best to follow. Next to Lago de la Mollera (-35.49782, -70.635864), we went down to the lake because we didn't see how to avoid a snow wall and because it was looking to be a nice path to go down (breaking news : no)... We managed to go up a little bit further (-35.501361, -70.641377). When we arrived below Cerro Colorado, we took water in a blue lagoon and we hiked the crest on the left side to avoid deep sand (-35.524775, -70.661721). Then we stayed on the left side of the Cerro Colorado to go down (-35.525073, -70.670594) until the river. That was a quick and good choice. Finally we managed a flat and more or less wind sheltered camp at (-35.55463, -70.708441).<br /> Day 7: There was still a ton of snow at the pass and made our own track in the snow slope a little bit upper than the GPS track to cross more safely. We wanted to follow the high route described by Natalie &amp; Tomás to avoid Don Víctor but as we saw how much snow there still was, how already tired we were (but not as much as our shoes) we decided to take the RR to go south. When we watched the high route from the RR, there was still a lot of snow patches. We finally stopped at Water, Camp [48.1/1837]. Not the best idea because it becomes a freezing hole during the night.<br /> Day 8-9: We followed the RR, nothing more to add to other posts except that we never met Don Victor !<br /> <br /> * '''2024-02-29 to 2024-03-07 / 7.5 days / Descabezado Circuit - Laguna del Maule to Los Cipreses / option 02, off-trail variant, 03, RR + Descabezado Grande and chico / Marilyne (+Fangwen and Tobi for first 3 days)'''<br /> <br /> First section on the GPT and I found it amazing! I won’t repeat anything that Tobi and Fangwen have mentioned below that also applies to my trip.<br /> On day 5, I used the variant suggested by Natalie&amp;Tomas that avoids Refugio Blanquillo and Don Victor. I had met with 3 park rangers earlier in the day who questioned me about my plans and asked if I was planning to go to Refugio blanquillo. When I assured them that I would not they went on their way. I watched them and their 6 horses run over a steep patch of snow and it gave me the confidence to cross it too, otherwise I may have tried to find a different route as a fall there would have been highly consequential.<br /> <br /> Had to cross many patches of snow on Natalie &amp; Tomas alternate route and it includes a stream crossing that could be very dangerous in the wrong season as it is above a waterfall.<br /> <br /> I climbed Descabezado Chico on day 4 and Descabezado Grande using route 3 on day 6. The Grande climb took 6+ hours and I didn’t have any desire to keep fighting scree fields after so I skipped Azul. At the end of that day all my stuff and me were very dusty from that climb.<br /> On day 8 I exited at the hydroelectric station Los Cipreses. A security guard that saw me running down the road to catch the bus offered me a ride to the main gate and we had a pleasant chat. Caught the 3:30pm bus to Talca around 4pm. They seem to start late from Medano.<br /> Very sunny section, I used a small solar panel on my backpack and ended up the section with all my electronics fully charged. <br /> <br /> * 2024-02-29 to 2024-03-08: Fangwen and Tobi (+ parts together with Marilyne) / 8.5 days Descabezado Circuit variant, Laguna del Maule to Vilches (option 02 -- variant 02D -- RR -- option 05)<br /> <br /> What a fantastic trip! Two experienced GPT teams had independently recommended this circuit to us, and both described it as their favorite experience on the GPT. Natalie&amp;Tomas have an extensive trip report below. I don't have a trip report from Markus&amp;Jenni, who hiked this circuit in 2019, but they provided us with very useful waypoints. If you are interested, message us ([[Special:Emailuser/Tobfang]]) and I'll ask if I can share this data.<br /> <br /> It is advisable to start this trip from Laguna del Maule. This way, you can easily lengthen the trip (by climbing the three volcanos) or shorten it (by exiting in Parque Ingles) towards the end of the trip. Also, you start at 2000m, which is a nice in the summer heat. It took us 8.5 days; we had food for 10 days and intended to climb some volcanoes, but when we got there it was quite windy, so we simply went straight to Vilches.<br /> <br /> This hike is definitely off the beaten path: the arriero Christian at S 35° 50.549', W 070° 24.114' said that we were the first hikers this season (in March!). He was very friendly and shared a delicious melon with us.<br /> Our favorite places were a beautiful valley with white sand, and a refreshing Laguna at S 35° 41.643', W 070° 25.651' and the Laguna Aquas Calientes at S 35° 30.441', W 070° 31.990'. The latter is not actually a hot lake, but there are several small streams of warm water. We camped right at S 35° 30.129', W 070° 31.514', right next to a really nice hot pool.<br /> <br /> Things to watch out for: although water was generally abundant, there are some spots where water is a bit more sparse (especially late in the season) and you might have to carry for up to one day. See Natalie's trip report for details. Additionally, earlier in the season there might be snow fields. The winter in 2023 had a crazy amount of snow, so even though we went in March we had a lot of water from snow melt and the two passes at 02D (S 35° 39.116', W 070° 26.016') and S 35° 33.137', W 070° 44.275' had steep snow fields. It was a bit sketchy, but okay. For the first pass, there are other options up, which may open up earlier. For the second pass, Option 2B traverses a lower pass (we didn't go there). A lot of hiking is on cross country, much of it on sand or gravel of different firmness. Sometimes you sink in, sometimes not. Flat or downhill travel is generally efficient, uphill is slow. Bring (mini)-gaiters, not just because of sand but also spikey plants. Also, sun protection is crucial, you won't have any tree for a week.<br /> <br /> Logistics: Interbus (call them on WhatsApp: +56 9 9886 5872) runs a bus Mon-Fri from Talca to Medano (which is a bit further than la Mina). As of March 2024, this bus left at 12:30 and 19:00, returning to Talca from Médano at 7:20 and 15:30. From Médano hitchhike to the border checkpoint. It's not super easy, and you might only get as far as the furthest mine, roughly 5km before the border checkpoint. Alternatively, use a ride sharing app to go to the border checkpoint. We were able to get via multiple rides all the way to the border checkpoint, but it took some time (we arrived at 5.30pm). If you want to check out Laguna del Maule, tell the border guard that you're not crossing into Argentina, and they will let you pass. But the border checkpoint is closed at night (between 6pm and 9am?) and you're not supposed to cross it then. We quickly went to the lake and back before it closed.<br /> Vilches Alto has a daily bus service to Talca at 12:30 and 16:00.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb- 22 to 2024-Feb-27/ 6days/hiking/SOBO/06/RR + volcano Decabezado/Paulina'''<br /> <br /> Amasing section!<br /> <br /> Day 1 <br /> I took a bus from Talca to Molina ( a lot of buses per day, still in February and later to Parque Ingles ( several buses per day in the season, most of them till 12 pm). <br /> As it was a rainy day, my plan was to walk only to El Bolson. I did not have the entrance because I could not pay on the website with my card. I told to the Rangers that I would like to go to Los Cipreses, they where like I need the permition of the landowner to do it. I just ignored it. At first they were saying that it would not be possible to camp on El Bolson the next 2 days. But I waited about one hour, reasked several times, and finally one of the Rangers went with me to the place where you can buy ticket for camping El Bolson ( 7000 CHP), also they told me that I did not need to buy the park entrance. <br /> The El Bolson camping is just huge, I don't understand all the mess with the acces. When I came up, the guy from the camping just took my name and passport number, but did not ask to show the camping payment confirmation, or park payment. <br /> <br /> Day 2 ( El Bolson- Termas de Azufre)<br /> The trail was visible all the time. At this time of the season, no snow on the pass. Termas de Azufre are amasing, so it's good to come there not very late to enjoy them. Just next to the river, there are a few spots for tents.<br /> This day I also met one chilean couple doing curcuito condor, and at Termas a chilean family with kids on horses with an arriero. <br /> The famous owner of the land did not show up this day and the next days. <br /> <br /> Day 3. To refugio Blanquillo<br /> At first there are a lot of animal trails, so you need to check with gps which one is a good one. <br /> The ford on the river on the way to the pass was short but kind of difficult ( almost to the waist, I'm 1,69 cm, strong current). It's because of a heavy 2 days rain two day before. Later I met people doing curcuito condor from the other side and they told me that the rangers did not want to let them do the trail because of this river high level. But I think that after some.more days of a dray weather it's not a difficult ford.The rest of the trail was easy to follow with beautiful views.<br /> At refugio, I met one couple doing curcuito condor and two chilean couple who came to climb Volvano Decapezado. Very nice meeting.<br /> The refugio was already closed. The hot spring was not really hot.<br /> <br /> Day 4<br /> Together with chilean hikers, we climbed Decapezado Grande. It's a long hiking day, but it's really worth to do it. The way down is easy and very fast. <br /> <br /> Day 5 to Laguna de los Hornos<br /> <br /> About 20 min. from the refugio, there are a lot of different animal paths ,so you will need to consult a gps to see which one is a GPT one.<br /> The views around Laguna Caracol are amasing, I think it was my favourite part on this section of an extreme beauty. No navigation difficulties on the trail. Indeed,laguna de los Hornos is in a big part dried. <br /> <br /> Day 6 till La Mina<br /> <br /> I agree that it's really worth to climb the volcano<br /> Los Hornitos. It's a very short way up.The rest of the trail is at first a descend in a deep sand ( so you can go very fast) and than a walk on a gravel road ( I found the valley very nice, I was amased how fast the landscape changes). I got a ride about 2 km from Los Cipreses, very nice people, they took me to the shop in los Alamos , but as the owner was not there they took me to a shop in La Mina ( 500 m before the restaurant La Cordillera). You can find there several little shops, if you go around you can complete the resupply for the next section ( mostly pasta, tuna, tomato souce, ramen, eggs, instant souls). No camping gas.<br /> I camped in a little, very nice camping/ garden with a grape shade in a restaurant La Cordillera place ( 3000 ChP), they have also cabanas but I don't know the price. A really nice place to stay and chill, you can eat all the fruits in the garden. The lady from the restaurant was very nice, they serve nice,food, not expensive ( I paid 18000 for camping, breakfast, big dinner, juice, and a good portion of pisco sour).<br /> <br /> For the next section, it's kind of easy to hitch-hike ( there are a lot of local workers on the road) to the beginning of the trail. <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-13 to 2024-Feb-18 / 5.5 days / SOBO / RR / Gabriele - Trails of Wander'''<br /> <br /> Day 1 - Parque Ingles - Laguna Las Animas. Hernandez bus from Molina to Parque Ingles 8:10 am. I had park entry and camp permit for El Bolson that I bought on-line. I indicated to the Guardiaparque my 6 days itinerary RR to Los Cipreses, no issues but had been told several areas are private land. Met only one hiker after El Bolson (See note below).<br /> <br /> Day 2 - Laguna Las Animas - Termas de Azufres. <br /> <br /> Day 3 - Termas de Azufres - Camp along Rio Blanquillo near Vegas Manantial Pelado RR + small section of OH-Tl-V 06-01. I did not ford Estero El Volcán at Ford 06 [29.4/2190] as with the high snow/water year I felt it was unsafe or risky at best and made little sense to try at that spot. I continued CC on the right bank of Estero El Volcán for about 300-400 m to reach the snow field where I crossed safely without even touching water at all. The CC section had only a handful of spots requiring short scrambles, but no issues. For reference, I crossed the snowfield to reach RR at -35.31196, -70.44898. Given the current water level condition I think this is an easier and safer option.<br /> Originally intended to camp at Laguna Manantial Pelado for the night but the valley below looked great with all surrounding peaks so I camped there.<br /> <br /> Day 4 - Camp near Vegas Manantial Pelado - Camp South of Laguna Caracol (Camp 06 56.3/2034). Based on the conversation I had two days earlier with a Chilean hiker who was doing the Circuito Condor regarding Don Victor the dueno/owner of the land traversed on day 4, including Descabezado Grande, I decided to avoid encountering Don Victor if at all possible. I did not follow the RR directly to the refuge Blanquillo at 45.5/1887 but kept away from it and walked CC to reach RR further South where it climbs up. I did not meet him and cannot say if he was at the refuge, which I only saw from the distance. After reading and listening to multiple reports regarding the situation with Don Victor land ownership it seems to me that the best approach is to avoid or minimize contact with him if possible, in order to reduce escalation of further problems for future hikers, in particular Chileans hikers who appear to really have very hard time gaining approval from him to simply traverse his land.<br /> <br /> Day 5 - Camp South of Laguna Caracol - Laguna de los Hornos.<br /> <br /> Day 6 - Laguna de los Hornos - Los Cipreses. I reached Los Cipreses at about 1 pm on Sunday. The guard at the gate of the Hydroelectrico Los Cipreses told me there are no buses down to Talca on Sunday. I hitchhiked on 115 and got a ride to Talca fairly quickly.<br /> <br /> Water was plentiful for the entire route. Limited snowfields traverse with no issues. 100% full sun exposure all day after El Bolson. Windy at higher elevations. Harsh and dry environment with a lot of sand and dust. Lots of steep climbing in sand. Overall easy orientation and easy trails to follow but GPS track needed. Magnificent hike. <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-08 to 2024-Feb-14 / 5.5 days / SOBO / RR 01c 01e 03 03a/ Matthias de Austria'''<br /> <br /> Bus from Curicó to Molina at 9am, immediate connecting bus to Parque Inglés. Buy a ticket online for the national park (8500 for foreigners, 100% surcharge! If the international debit card selection doesn't work, just try the national one, my card only worked there). You can also add the authorisation for El Bolsón online, but you have to pay for it in cash at a ticket office in Parque Inglés. 80 people per day are allowed for Bolsón, everything is sold out at lunchtime. Night in Parque Ingles at Hostal Valverde 40k for one person in a 4 bed room (solo use) with own toilet and washbasin but shared shower, towel costs extra, quiet, next to river for bathing (lots of local families though).<br /> <br /> At 8am next day, a Wednesday, there are around 50-60 people at the ticket office for Bolsón. I went to the locked gate at the start of the RR and quickly climb over it hoping noone saw me, as I'm not planning to stay in Bolsón anyway. Better not to mention that to the rangers. Also, only gas cookers are allowed. After about an hour, I'm just a little way off by a stream when a ranger rides past on a motorbike. I don't know if he saw me, maybe he thought I was coming back from Bolsón. So if you hear a motorbike, it's might best to change direction shortly and head towards Parque Inglés, or even better, start much earlier in the morning. <br /> <br /> I bypass Bolsón heading south at 01A, shortly after the bridge at -35.4973,-70.9052 is a large private area, no trespassing sign. I don't want to set a bad example for the numerous day trippers around and take a path along the stream (southern side) to the waterfall. Once out of sight of people and Bolsón, I briefly climb up the steep slope and CC to option 1. Water shortly before start of 01c. Next water at -35.5226,-70.8653, even with a small pool.<br /> <br /> Don Victor is the large landowner in the area. His hut is, as far as I understood, the refuge Blanquillo at 45.5/1887. Hikers used to be welcome on his land, but after they left a lot of rubbish behind and invaded his hut, he no longer allows them and sends them back. However, he (sometimes?) makes exceptions for foreigners. You could ask him for permission via whatsapp, but he was so flooded with requests that he can no longer be contacted during the season. I just took a chance and went to his land. A rider around 37.1/2382 asked me what I was doing here, I asked him if he was Don Victor, to which he replied in the affirmative. I then introduced myself, said what my destination was, where I came from and that I am aware of the problem of dirty hikers, but that I am very careful with nature. He then allowed me to continue. I met him twice more in the following days, at Blanquillo 45.5/1887 and at Water 48.1/1837, and he reminded me not to throw away any rubbish.<br /> <br /> At the refuge I met a Chilean-German couple camping, they came from Los Cipreses and didn't know that it was forbidden to enter this land, but Don Victor allowed them to stay after they argued with German cleanliness (I guess he had never been hiking in the Alps before the regular cleaning teams cleaned everything, otherwise his trust in the Europeans would probably not be so great).<br /> <br /> Fordings: All very easy, path at Laguna del Caracol is no longer under water. No snowfields to cross. The water level of the lagunas (except Manantial Pelado) is dropping rapidly, I estimate about 10 to 15cm per day.<br /> <br /> Water: Plenty, except for hiking up Descabezado. Bring as much as possible from Blanquillo.<br /> <br /> Summit day Descabezado: Very strong, cold winds all day. A good windbreaker, hat and gloves are essential. Only cloudy day since I've been in Chile, 20 minutes after I left the summit it cleared up. Extremely strenuous ascent on very loose gravel, almost every step sinks in deeply and slips (I weigh 100kg), takes 6 hours from base camp to the summit, even on the easier route. Descent effortless, under 2h.<br /> <br /> Camps:<br /> Day 1: Laguna Manantial Pelado <br /> Day 2: Basecamp -35.5978,-70.7957 (I widened it, smoothed it out, deepened it and extended the stone wall. Nevertheless, the winds up there can be massive, you have to brace the tent well.)<br /> Day 3: Next to the not existing anymore hot springs at 45.6<br /> Day 4: Laguna la Turbia<br /> Day 5&amp;6: Laguna des los Hornitos (rest day, just beeing naked all day swimming and lying around in the sun)<br /> Hornitos and Turbia were nice for swimming, the others really cold.<br /> <br /> No problems at Los Ciprese, friendly guard spoke good english, gave me water and wifi.<br /> Bus to Talca (3500 peso) at main street came around 15:50-16:00.<br /> <br /> Absolutely incredible landscape. I'm here for dream routes like this. Perhaps the best hiking week of my life. GPT01-04 was nice, but GPT06 is in a completely different league. I loved it and I deeply miss this kind of remoteness in central europe.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-feb-2 to 2024-feb-6 / 5 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR / Juliet and Martin '''<br /> <br /> Day 1 parque ingles - Lagunas las animas<br /> 18km d+1200 d-100<br /> Departure at 6:30 a.m. to pass the conaf. No worries <br /> First part to el bolson. At el bolson we can refuel with water. The campsite attendant asked us for our conaf ticket. After explaining to him that we were going to laguna animas, he let us pass without any trouble. Continuation to laguna animales without shade but no snow. Bivouac spot on the beach but no shade, or to the west on meadows to pitch your tent, but used by a herd of horses. <br /> The trail is generally easy to follow as it is marked by stone markers.<br /> <br /> Day 2 laguna las animas - Therma de azufre<br /> 11km D+400 D-700<br /> Shade-free day. Lots of trails in the sand. <br /> We didn't manage to find a good bivouac spot (mainly because of the heat coming from the ground). <br /> Water spots regularly, especially early in the day. <br /> <br /> Day 3 Therma de azufre - El banquillo refuge <br /> 20km D+ 900 D- 900<br /> The indicated crossing point was not crossable for us in our opinion (no experience in river crossings), so we decided to walk along the river bank in the rocks for several km. We crossed the river higher than indicated thanks to the snow. <br /> Water spot regularly as several rivers crossed. <br /> Arriving at el banquillo, we were disappointed not to meet Umberto. Very good bivouac spot with several pitches already made. <br /> <br /> Day 4 El banquillo refuge - laguna de los hornitos <br /> 20km D+ 900 D- 900<br /> Most of the climb is up to the pass after the laguna. Quite a physical climb in the sand. But we did it in about 1h30. The rest of the day was pretty much the same. <br /> Regular water stops too. <br /> No problem following the trail. <br /> A little extra for a new encounter with a herd of horses. <br /> Bivouac spot around the lake. Nice possibility before descending to the lake (indicated waypoint camp).<br /> <br /> Day 5 laguna de los hornitos - los alamos<br /> All downhill to los cipreses. The first part is in sand, so it's a quick descent. Once on the road, we were often overtaken by cars. No one asked us for a permit (or offered to hitchhike). <br /> We passed guards at the exit/entrance to the power station, who offered us water and no problem getting through. <br /> In los alamos, a small store selling a few products such as pasta, ice cream, batteries, etc. It's run by a lady and her husband. They also sell beds for sleeping. They're very welcoming<br /> <br /> Buses to Talca at 7.30am and 3.30pm. Not many cars passing through. We didn't get picked up hitchhiking. <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-27 to 2024-Jan-30) / 3.5 Days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + OH 01+03+06/ Joscha'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: RR [0-10,1] + OH06-01A + OH06-01[10,7-25,1] + RR [36,9-44,6]<br /> <br /> A few small streams at OH-01 and one bigger one near Laguna Manantial Pelado (ankle high ford). A few snow patches above 2300 m, but you can easily walk over or around them. Water is flowing at all the marked locations.<br /> <br /> Day 2: RR [44,6-45,8] + to Descabezado and back on OH06-03 and OH06-03A + RR [45,8-55,7]<br /> <br /> River at 44,8 was a little over ankle high ford in the morning. The climb up to Descabezado has a lot of steep gravel slopes, which makes it tiresome. Water is flowing at all the marked locations.<br /> <br /> Day 3: RR [55,7-58,3] + to Los Quillayes and back on OH06-06 and OH06-06A + RR [58,3-59,6] + OH06-C + RR [62-69]<br /> <br /> OH06-06A is a steep gravel climb, but worth it. Really nice view from Los Quillayes (but similar to the view from Pass Hornitos. Pass Hornitos has some bigger snowfields on the southern side, but its easy to walk around them. OH06-C was pretty steep at the end, so maybe the RR is more convenient. Little above ankle high Ford north of Laguna de los Hornos in the afternoon.<br /> <br /> Day 4: RR [69-80] + OH06-E + OH06-F<br /> <br /> Small Shop (I bought some Pasta) and Restaurant in Los Alamos. I tried to continue on the RR from Los Alamos to El Medina. But at 81,3 km the trail vanished and I wasn't able to continue. Therefore I walked back and walked on the paved road OH E+F to El Medano. Camping + Thermas in El Medano costs 7000 Pesos. There is a small shop, but it is very expensive (e.g. 1 Ramen Cup costs 2000 Pesos).<br /> <br /> GPT06 has some really spectacular views. Especially Pass Hornitos and Volcan Descabezado. There is no shade, so the sun is gonna burn you all day. This + the sand/gravel is demanding for your body and your equipment. <br /> <br /> * '''Jan-26-2024 to Jan-30-2024 / 4.5 days / SOBO / Oh5, Oh 3, RR / Matthieu'''<br /> <br /> Amazing section, from the entrance in Vilches to the end in los cipreses. Sand and lack of shadow are the main difficulties. <br /> <br /> Right of way : that was my first fear. Concerning guardia parques : en parque ingles, they say that they cannot let officially hikers go to the volcan, as duenos asked (OH1 passes by 4 differents private properties). But if you have a message by don victor it's ok. So no need for discussion there just take a ticket to el bolson and no more words. El bolson was closed for a few days for maintenance, so i just got out of parque ingles. At Alto de Lircay, guardiaparque told me that it was my responsability to enter don Victor's property without his permission. You can legally turn back into the park (or coming from parque ingles) paying for another day at the end, at the entrance, if you want to come back by altos de Lircay after the volcan. <br /> - Don Victor : I had the chance to meet him near the valle del venado, on a horse. I asked for permission to enter his lands and continue south, that he offered me easily with promess to not let garbage in the zone. I was glad to meet him out of his lands, I don't know how he would react into. He especially asked to guardaparques to say to hikers that it was not permitted to go on his lands because it's always full of trash, and he has to clean it up all the time. He told me that foreigners were more respectfull than locals though. His phone is off all season because it became a public number, and he has to many calls to enter the volcan. So if you want permission better send a message before season. To note, his lands go at least to the laguna caracole, don't know after.<br /> I saw another chilean hiker walking up the volcan, didn't seem to be a problem for him. <br /> <br /> Water : often present on RR, in the lagunas or the oasis. A good stream just before the top of the volcan to. No need to carry kgs of it. <br /> No water at the volcan basecamp though, so I carried it from the puesto. <br /> <br /> Snow : From now on, no snow issues from the entrance in Vilches to the end at los cipreses, so no need for crampons (with entrance by option 5, I don't know for the entrance by RR). Few patches you can easily bypass before and after the third pass 59km. <br /> No patches on the way to the top of volcan. <br /> <br /> River crosses (1.78m) : only once Rio blancillo, at the first Ford (water to knees). Then I stayed on the right side of the river until the end. I had to walk inside for 1 minute, water to hips, but no current so it was easy. I bypassed the two other crosses this way. <br /> <br /> Camp : valle venado (conaf), really friendly worker there. - Basecamp Volcan : beware, I made the mistake to not plant my tent well with heavy rocks, and the pikes in the sand are no use... so when I came back from the volcan it was upside down with strong wind... a whole adventure to pack everything ! - Oasis at water 48km. - Around 70 kms, some nice camping spots near the river at the right side of the road. <br /> <br /> Volcan : up to the top by option 3, then down by variant 3A. Taking the variant directly seems like hell, lot of sand. More rocks on regular option 3. Physically demanding, but no other particular difficulties.<br /> <br /> Proposition of new option : as the right of way may evolve badly in the future, I suggest a new option road from el camping valle venado to tricehue, following the rio claro. I asked to the guardaparque at the campsite, he said that there are people doing it usually. This year the river is to strong though, so maybe in march or next year. <br /> <br /> Buses at the end : the lign is from talca to el medano, a stop at the exit of los alamos on the road. From el medano : buses 7h30 and 15h30, monday to Friday (dont know for week ends).<br /> From talca : 12h30 and 19h<br /> At el colorado, buses to talca more often.<br /> * '''2024-Jan-11 to 2024-Jan-17 / 7 Days / Hiking / NOBO / O5, O3, O3A, RR, O1 / Vlad'''<br /> <br /> A spectacular section to end my 5-week trip on the GPT. I’ve never experienced a landscape like this before and the weather (straight up sunshine for the whole week) was a welcome change after the unrelenting wind and rain of Patagonia. There were no other people outside of the start and end of the trail in national parks. Beautiful and desolate wild camping near the volcano. That said, it was very rough on my gear. The dry sand, abrasive rocks, spiky bushes did some damage to my shoes (erased on tread on the soles after sliding down scree slopes for 2 days), socks (holes after rubbing on rocks since I did not have gaiters), trekking poles (they were in a poor shape already but the rocks and sand finished them and the tips got sanded off), pants (got some holes as well). <br /> <br /> Day 1: I took an overnight bus from Puerto Montt to Talca (22k CLP, very comfortable, booked through Rodovairro.cl). After arriving in Talca, there was a bus to Vilches at 10:30. I got off at the last stop and made it to the PN Altos de Lircay entrance around 1 PM. I asked the ranger about access to Descabezado land since I texted the owner, Don Victor (WhatsApp +56998863554) but he didn’t respond to me. The ranger said that Don Victor doesn’t respond at the moment but he said it was okay for the rangers to allow hikers to leave the park and go to his land. <br /> <br /> I was charged 8.5k CLP for park entrance and 10k CLP for 2 nights camping inside the park. This is because I wasn’t allowed to start hiking to Valle el Venado the first day (trail closes at 11:00 am even though it’s only 19 km 🙃) and had to camp at the park entrance, then another night once I get to Valle el Venado. It was a bummer as I already had limited time for this section, but it allowed me to go for a day hike up the mountain in Altos de Lircay and watch a beautiful sunset. The forest in Altos de Lircay is beautiful with teeming wildlife and abundant wildflowers. I saw a woodpecker, a fox, colorful iguanas, a snake, giant spiders, and endless wildflowers. <br /> <br /> You could maybe get to Altos de Lircay on time to start hiking the same day if you leave on the 7 am bus from Talca. They give you a paper at the park ranger’s office and I was asked for it 3 times by different rangers throughout my trip. <br /> <br /> Day 2: Walked from Altos de Lircay to Valle el Venado with a side trip to see the waterfall. Met a group on horses. A few river fords that were all below knee level. Got to the campsite at Valley el Venado which wasn’t very nice. Horse poop everywhere, had to clear the spot for a tent. No one asked to check if I paid for the campsite. The group on horses camped somewhere up the valley from the refugio as I heard them and saw some come down to use the bathroom. <br /> <br /> Day 3: I did the 3 fords of river Blanquillo as suggested on the GPS track. The first one is at the spot where river is widest, so it was only knee deep. On the second ford, it’s narrower and the current was strong, it was crotch deep for me (178 cm). Third ford knee deep. In hindsight I should’ve just stayed on the left side of the river and only crossed it once in the end. <br /> <br /> It was a very short day, 10 km, but I thought it would be nice to arrive at Blanquillo refugio early in case Umberto was there. However, when I got there, the refugio was empty, and I couldn’t find any hot springs. I don’t think the bathing pool is there anymore. I scouted around for half an hour and only saw horse and cow poop in every little stream and pool of water. I followed one of the streams about 100 m uphill to get clean drinking water but I still saw poop on the banks. <br /> <br /> Since Umberto wasn’t there, I cooked dinner by the refugio and kept going to the Descabezado basecamp (-35.59773, -70.79645) 3.4 km further and 600 m of elevation higher up from the Banquillo refugio, which made the next day’s climb up the volcano shorter.<br /> <br /> The sunset at the Descabezado basecamp was out of this world. <br /> <br /> Day 4: I left from basecamp at sunrise since I didn’t want to walk in the dark. I had to cross a few not steep snow fields at the beginning but nothing at higher elevations. Every snow field higher up is easily bypass-able. That said, the climb up to the crater still felt brutal to me. There’s absolutely no sure footing, everything is just a scree slope. When ascending, you can either climb up the 45 degree scree slope or try to walk on the rocks which are easier to plant your foot on. I chose the rocks but they too were sliding sometimes, even large boulders, so I had to be careful not to let a giant rock fall directly on my other foot. It took me 4.5 hours to reach the crater from the basecamp following the less steep option 3. It was very windy, cold, and the sun was shining directly in my face early in the morning as I was climbing up the volcano so it was a little difficult to see the path sometimes.<br /> <br /> On the way down, I saw my tent and was trying to slide down the scree slope directly towards the basecamp roughly following the steep option 3A. Going down was actually really fun and effortless. But be careful and still check GPS regularly when you descend, as there are some scree slopes that end directly in a vertical plunge down to the ice field below. <br /> <br /> I refilled my water bottles with ice cold water flowing from the snow field here (-35.60455, -70.78525), using my trowel as a spout. I’m glad I did because when I got back to basecamp, the water I stashed there in the morning was as warm as a hot soup after baking in the tent in direct sunlight all day. <br /> <br /> I was considering staying at basecamp location for another night because it’s such a visually stunning spot with gorgeous sunsets and incredible stars at night, but it was just way too hot to remain there so I packed up and went back down to Banquillo refugio. Unfortunately, Umberto was still not there so I just enjoyed the company of cows and went to sleep. <br /> <br /> Day 5: I went north in the white sand dunes following Banquillo river which nurtures a breathtaking oasis in the desert. I thought this area was way more beautiful than the Banquillo refugio (especially with all the cow poop there) so I wished I kept going a little further the previous night and set up camp somewhere by the river in this area (-35.53354, -70.79191). Disclaimer: I didn’t actually look for a spot that was flat and sheltered but that whole area just felt like a paradise so I think one could find a suitable spot for a tent there. <br /> <br /> Right at the fork of the trails where one can choose to take Option 1 or continue on RR to Termas del Azufre, I ran into arrieros transporting hundreds of goats through the snow-covered slopes, it was a beautiful scene and a blessing for me as their footprints helped me find a safe way in some semi-steep snow sections I had to cross after 2400 m. I chose to follow Option 1 to El Bolson because the RR on the right at the fork looked like it had loads of snow still. Even on Option 1, I had to be careful and kick-step my way through the snow fields as I had no crampons and my trail runners had virtually no tread left on them after being ground on the volcanic rocks and sand the previous couple of days.<br /> <br /> One particularly dangerous spot is here (-35.51932, -70.82684) just after Laguna Manantial Pelado. It’s a big snow field that started melting and formed a lake that’s not on the map. It was breathtakingly beautiful going west, but if you were coming from the other direction you could not see the collapse of the snow field until it’s too late and you’re on the edge, so stick to the trail and walk on the side of the valley in that spot. <br /> <br /> I got to El Bolson just before sunset. It was surprisingly a beautiful and scenic campground and not too crowded on a Monday night. I spoke a few words to the people in the refugio, they just told me to set up my tent and didn’t ask to pay for camping. <br /> <br /> At Bolson, I met a group of Chilean students from Talca who spoke really good English and we had a lot of fun eating dinner together, smoking weed and going to swim in the nearby waterfall the next morning. There are trails going down the cliff to the swimming pools here (-35.49801, -70.90767). It’s a really pristine swimming spot, just be careful and don’t get too close to the waterfalls as we heard there was an accident the previous night where a rock fell off and pushed a person over the edge of the waterfall so they plunged down into a pool below. <br /> <br /> Day 6: Hiked from Bolson to Parque Ingles entrance, where the ranger once again asked for my paper registration from Altos de Lircay documenting my trip. The shops at Parque Ingles are really tiny and would not be sufficient for another section resupply in my opinion, I just bought some fresh fruit and hitched a 3 KM ride to Siete Tazas. By the time I got there (19:00) all the trails were closed and the ranger told me to go find camping at Valley de las Catas. It was 13k CLP (ouch) for 1 night camping with inclusion of the ticket for a 3-km loop on the southern bank of river Claro to see Siete Tazas. The campground had a hot shower which was very welcomed, but otherwise I think Siete Tazas was not worth it and I wish I spent my last day attempting to hike up to Laguna de las Animas instead. Though I don’t know if it would even be possible as the entire rim of the mountain seemed snow covered so there must’ve still been a very steep, yet short, snow field one would need to cross to get over the pass. <br /> <br /> Day 7: I took a morning walk out of the campground and caught a 11:30 bus back to Molina, then a bus from Molina to Santiago for a flight home the next day. <br /> <br /> * '''2024 Jan 07 / 4.5 days / SOBO / RR / Anh'''<br /> There are many good reports, so I'll keep it short.<br /> <br /> With my information, I could simply walk from Parque Inglés without registration. But I want to hike legal &amp; support Conaf. So I had to register and pay online (not in cash at other national parks) with my conaf account, then offline paper formular. Fortunately, the 2nd payment for Campsite El Bolsón (compulsory) was in cash (200m from Conaf). It had taken me more than an hour.<br /> <br /> There is a lot of hiking in volcanic sand (rough, fine).<br /> At this time there are still many snowfields from 2000 Hm upwards. There are streams under the snowfields, some of which only have a thin layer of snow (danger of collapse).<br /> Ford km 29.4 is quite critical (hip, strong flow in the morning)<br /> <br /> I met two boys at Refugio Blanquillo. They had been hiking for two days on a different route (no RR GPT06) with a text description from the internet (no hiking map/GPS track). They learned &amp; understood that it was very dangerous and could get lost at any time. Luckily they met a hiker with GPS &amp; inReach, otherwise I would have taken them with me.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-03 to 2024-Jan-08 / 6 days / Hiking / round trip anticlockwise / O5 - O3 - RR - O1 - O1c (Condor Circuit) / Lotti and Alex'''<br /> <br /> Originally we wanted to do the Cóndor Circuit, but after we read about the troubles some of you had, we decided to take the safer option 1 to avoid the snow and landslide above Termas de Azufre. This route felt very safe and the snow was not a problem at all. We ended up with a beautiful round trip from Altos de Lircay to Valle Venado, then to the summit of Descabezado, then Valle del Indio and back to Altos de Lircay. The landscape is incredibly beautiful and diverse, and we enjoyed it a lot. The scariest part for us was fording the Rio Blanquillo on day 2.<br /> <br /> Day 1: Altos de Lircay - Valle Venado on option 5 (Sendero de Chile) <br /> We stayed at Hotel Picamaderos in Altos de Lircay, which is a very nice and relaxed place right next to the park entrance of Altos de Lircay. To enter the park we had to show the CONAF officers the WhatsApp message that Victor send us as a permission for entering his land at Refugio Blanquillo. <br /> The hike through the forest was very nice and shady and we enjoyed the view from the mirador where we got a nice overview of our route for the next days. Crossing Rio Claro was easy, not deeper than knee deep. We camped in a shady spot next to Valle Venado.<br /> <br /> Day 2: Valle Venado - Refugio Blanquillo - Descabezado base camp (option 5 and option 3) <br /> Easy walking until Laguna el Blanquillo which was really beautiful. After that the path crosses Rio Blanquillo several times. We tried to avoid it at first because it looked quite intimidating, so we followed some stone men to climb around and walk higher up the valley. When it was not avoidable any more, we forded it. For me, with just 152cm of height, it was intimidatingly deep (almost to the hip) and it had really strong currents. Alex had to help me across, and with him walking in front of me, it worked. We arrived at an empty Refugio Blanquillo, picked up some water there and walked up to Descabezado base camp which has no water. <br /> <br /> Day 3: Descabezado Summit<br /> We left the base camp early at 6:00 and took the southern option 3 trail which was well marked by stone men at the beginning. We used our crampons to climb up some ice fields effectively, but I think they could have been bypassed as well. On the way down we took the steeper option 3A sliding down on soft pumice stones which was a lot of fun. We picked up our tent, walked back down and set up our camp at Refugio Blanquillo. There we searched a while for the hot springs, but couldn't find them.<br /> <br /> Day 4: Refugio Blanquillo - Valle del Indio (RR and option 1 NOBO)<br /> We walked on the regular route for about 8 km until the junction where we changed to option 1. After that we crossed several smaller streams that were not on our map. Snow started around 2300m, but it was easy to walk on and we didn't need our crampons. Laguna Manantial Pelado was incredibly beautiful with its icy shores. There were some camp spots there, but it was much too windy for us to stay there for the night. We kept walking over the pass and down the valley until we found a shady spot in the middle of the valley floor of Valle del Indio. <br /> <br /> Day 5: Valle del Indio - Altos de Lircay (Option 1C)<br /> After the wild vulcanic landscapes of the days before, this day's scenery was not as spectacular, but the hiking was easy and we even met some wild horses. We camped at Punta 6 inside the park Altos de Lircay, where we found a camping spot right next to a very nice swimming hole in the river and met the first people after 5 days of loneliness. <br /> <br /> Day 6: Altos de Lircay - park entrance<br /> Easy walking in the shade of the forest. <br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-29 to 2024-Jan-3 / 6 days / NOBO / Variant 5+3+RR+GPT05(VarG+RR)+RR / Matthias + Johanna '''<br /> <br /> The route:<br /> Basically the route is the Condor Circuit: Reserva Nacional Altos de Lircay - Descabezado Grande - PN Siete Tazas. <br /> We bypassed the part from km 19.4 (Termas) to km 27.4 (pass Portezuelo Las Cruces) via GPT05(VarG+RR) due to the reports of Lilian and Michael &amp; Cassia. By the time we started our tour, Michael had written only a much less intimidating post on the Facebook group (only indicating difficult route conditions). So it was a lucky ad-hoc decision after the difficult descent from pass La Calle the day before not to try their route!!<br /> <br /> The conditions: <br /> Snow +- above 2250m, rivers below snow-filled watersheds with high water levels! Overall quite demanding to us!<br /> <br /> Day 1+2: Easy walking from park entrance (Lircay) to Vegas Blanquillo („basecamp“ Descabezado).<br /> <br /> Day 3: Ascent to Descabezado <br /> Easier than expected but tedious above 3400m due to volcanic ash and steepness. Snowfields below 3400m can be bypassed or safely crossed (surface like a mogul piste). The steep snowfields above can by bypassed. We climbed the right (southern) „couloirs“ on the right margin (beneath the red rock), loose rocks are the main difficulty.<br /> <br /> Day 4: Vegas Blanquillo - Termas Azufre<br /> About 5 km on snow. Some short steep snow passages, soft snow on snow bridges. High water levels.<br /> Easy walking until a height of ca. 2550 (km 32.5) when going down into the valley of Estero Volcán. Next 250hm downhill tricky as while we tried to avoid the quite steep snow on the slopes, we faced the difficulty of avoiding unstable snow bridges in the valley floor. We were happy to have our microspikes with us! Also parts of the summer path seemed to be washed away (around km 30.5) as seen from afar. Forded the river ca. 500m upstream of the place indicated on the track files (50m south of the now collapsed snow bridge of Lilian). Strong current, water up to mid of thighs. Additional fording of the (today roaring) creek coming down from Cerro Colorado (km28.5).<br /> <br /> Day 5: Termas Azufre - Valle del Indio: Difficult fordings <br /> Trail washed away ca. 1 km after Termas. We went up 100 hm to bypass (possibly you could also bypass by descending ca. 50 hm).<br /> Edgy fording of Estero Volcán at ca. 35°28'56&quot;S 70°46'13&quot;W. Strong current, water up to lower waist on the far side for me (188cm) and up to upper waist for Johanna (163cm). I could give her a hold from a rock there! Then ca. 500m north 2 easier fordings back to the western side of the there split river. <br /> We did not stick to RR here (we did not divert from path at „trailhead“), as there was no possible crossing of the river visible and the path seems to be very difficult with large loose rocks and steep slopes). But possibly one could avoid the two fordings by RR and then climbing the rocks near the riverbed.<br /> There are no further fordings of Estero Volcán (km 24.6) as river is flowing on the eastern side of the valley this season.<br /> Loose volcanic ash on parts of the ascent to pass Portozuelo Las Cruzes. Snowfields easy (could be bypassed or safely crossed on the afternoon of the hot day). Laguna Las Animas partly ice-covered, we swam next to the ice :-)<br /> After the pass going down to Valle del Indio there is steep snowfields (former wedges) on most of the rim. Only 4-5 m, but even with microspikes it was too dangerous for us. You can bypass snow by walking some meters to the right (west) from the pass and walking/climbing down the rock pillar (solid).<br /> <br /> Day 6: Easy walk down to Park entrance Parque Ingles<br /> <br /> Camp sites: Valle Venado - Vegas Blanquillo (Descabezado basecamp) 2 nights - 500m north and 50 m uphill of Termas - valleyfloor Valle los Indios<br /> <br /> Basecamp Descabezado - Right of way:<br /> No access given to hikers without a guide to cross the NP to Descabezado. We chose to hire a local arriero who accompanied us the first three days (Pancho 997635447), who got a permission to camp from the land owner in advance. Even though he is a local and has his own cows feeding up there, he had to discuss at the three „checkpoints“ at park entrance, as he had no written prove with him.<br /> The man living at the basecamp was not there in the end, selling some cows in the valley ! <br /> Nice swimming pool with tepid water 5m north of camping site, for drinking water go the long way round the swampy valley to a source on the other side ca. 20m west of the hut.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-19 to 2024-Dec-25/ 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR/ Michael and Kasia '''<br /> <br /> Day 1<br /> We had camped at Rocas Basalticas campground the night before. When we arrived at the gate they asked to see our permission to camp at Bolson. We didn't know that that was required and spent some time going back and forth with them. We finally went to Rocas Basalticas down the road and got them permission to camp at Bolson and they finally let us in. The walk up is pretty, all the snow is gone. All fords are easy. There were a few tábanos, but not many. CONAF did a reroute on a small section of the trail higher up. If you're watching GPS you go off the route, but just follow the sign to Bolson and it goes there. Campground has water and toilets.<br /> <br /> Day 2<br /> We hiked up through Valle del Indio. The route is a little tricky to find and we were moving slow so getting a lot of meander in the GPS marker. Looking for cairns was helpful. Two thirds of the way up there was still snow. By that time it was slushy. We had opted not to buy crampons at the last minute, so we made our way across kicking into the snow. The last 15 m to the pass was an almost straight up in snow. After the pass there was very little snow until the rise up to Laguna de las Ánimas. After that it was a complete snow field and the lake was frozen. We managed to kick out a pad for the tent and camped in the snow. Really beautiful sky that night.<br /> <br /> Day 3<br /> A long day with very little distance covered. Full sun, we both got sunburns despite sunscreen and covering. The snow was heavily pockmarked so it was hard to walk through. It took much longer than we anticipated. We ended up camping just below the pass. We were concerned about wind, so we tied the tent down really well. Fortunately it was a calm night.<br /> <br /> Day 4<br /> We continued on RR. There were several steep ups and downs, mostly on snow, as well as some intimidating traverses. The snow was getting to the point where we were a little uncertain if it would hold or not. We saw a single set of tracks, assume it was Lillian as it looks like she was a day or two ahead of us. 2 km before Termales Azufre we crossed a very steep section of snow. On the way down Kasia fell and hit some small rocks. She got some bruises and cuts, but nothing broken. I tried to slide with the backpack off and in front of me, but I fell too and the bag started tumbling down a steep sandy slope. I chased the bag, fell and rolled twice, and finally managed to jump and tackle the bag about 5 m before it went over the edge. It was a dangerous move, but I had not had a chance to take the GPS off the bag before it started sliding, and without it we couldn't get out and couldn't call for help. It was a long hike back up due to the incline and sand. We made it a little further and then ran into an area of trail wiped out by a landslide where it was impossible to get footing, even without the packs. Every step would cause more sand and rocks to slide down. It was about 18:30 at that point. We backtracked about 100 m to a gap between a snow wall and a large rock and set up a provisional shelter for the night.<br /> <br /> Day 5<br /> After waking up the next day, we tried to see if rest and fresh eyes would give us a better perspective. After discussing it we realized that there was really no way forward or back. We decided it only option was to use the SOS button on the Garmin. I pushed the button at 10:00, and by 16:00 there was a helicopter flying through the valley looking for us. I was surprised that it happened so quickly. They had to land in the valley, and since we could not get ourselves down, they sent a GOPE team of three guys up and the helicopter left for the night. It took them about an hour to get up to us, and then another two hours to do enough provisional maintenance on the trail for us to get down. We camped with them in the valley for the night and the helicopter came to get us in the morning.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-25 to 2023-Dec-26/ 2 days / Hiking / NOBO / off RR / Jens, Nolwenn, Yannick'''<br /> <br /> To enter the Hydroelectrico Los Cipreses you need a permit, which we did not get in advance. The guard at the gate said we could get it by emailing his boss. <br /> As it was Christmas Day, it was not possible to get the permit. <br /> The guard told us to take a route along the perimeter fence. We did that until we couldn't get further. We entered the compound through a hole in the fence and walked to the end of the road on the right side of the river. The bridge on the map is destroyed. The current was too strong to cross. Turned around and went back.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-18 to 2023-Dec-21 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR+{06-D} / Lilian'''<br /> It is the most amazing section from GPT01 to here so far!<br /> <br /> I hiked RR, it is still covered by tons of snow, i recommend use ice axe and micro spikes if you want to hike from Portezuelo Las Cruces(pass) to El Estadio(pass), there is some really steep snow slope. (RR-TL-V)<br /> <br /> Parque Ingles have a restaurant and a tiny store selling food, fruits, drinks and some 230g gas canisters.<br /> <br /> I hopped the gate to the park at 6:30. No one was there.<br /> <br /> There are 3 main pass for RR.<br /> <br /> First pass, snow start at km14.3(2050m), not difficult for climbing up to pass[15.4/2257].<br /> <br /> Laguna Las Animas(lake)[16.7/2286] is still frozen, very beautiful. I climbed up on some rocks at the north side of the lake, then mostly choose my own way to climb up to pass, because RR look steep.<br /> <br /> Arrive the pass[19.4/2547], if you are not comfortable with snow, it is the LAST CHANCE to turn back.<br /> <br /> Pass is flat and dry, you can camping here but windy.<br /> <br /> There are no RR after the pass because covered by many snow, find a way go down to valley by snow slope, then walk all the way on snow to km20.2, you can see the trail but on the other side at km20.2, steep go down the snow slope then connect to RR.<br /> <br /> Follow the trail about 5min, you will go into a big valley, trail and the whole valley covered by snow, but you can see a trail is at the far away other side of valley.<br /> <br /> Go your own way to water[22.0/2279], i think it is lot ways to go down, but dont too close to cliff side, it is steep and easily to fall off.<br /> <br /> After you arrive water[22.0/2279], then straight forward to km22.6.<br /> <br /> A large flat area can fit lot of tents at the downhill side of km22.6.<br /> <br /> After km22.6, the most dangerous part begins, from here to km26, lot of steep snow slope you need to cross, be careful, kick step and don't slide.<br /> <br /> Km26 is another large flat area for camping, i camped here with nice sunrise.<br /> <br /> Snow continues to km26.6, but easy way. The first pass's snow end.<br /> <br /> About the second pass, snow start at ford[29.4/2190], strong flow and look like up to thighs, i cross it on snow bridge.<br /> <br /> Stay on east side until km31.25, then stay down walking in the valley, easier than on the slope.<br /> <br /> Although full of snow, but I think it is easy to go to the pass[33.8/2695] from here, so i dont mention the details. It is also easy to go down, most of them are gentle slope.<br /> <br /> Snow end at km41.4, but mostly you can find some flat sandy spot start at km39.1.<br /> <br /> Hot spring[45.6/1881] : completely dry. Some camping spots with rock wall nearby.<br /> <br /> Water,camp[48.1/1837] : amazing oasis in desert! Clear and cold water, some shade, also lot of swallows flying in the sky catching some food for their kid.<br /> <br /> Km49.1 - km49.8 : best view point of Volcán Descabezado Grande and Volcán Azul! If you want to camp with stunning views, bring water at oasis then climb up here, lot of sandy spots beside some rocks, enjoy you sleep with volcano.<br /> <br /> Km53.2 - km54.7 : Laguna del Caracol(lake), maybe because too much snow melts? Trail underwater, you need to walk in the lake shore for a while.<br /> <br /> Camp[56.3/2034] : oasis again! Crystal clear and cold water! It is possible to cut off from km56 to x[57.3/2073] directly, stream flowing slow and up to knee.<br /> <br /> Third pass, steep climb up to km57.9, if you follow RR, then you will turn right and face some steep snow climbing up.<br /> <br /> If you look up at left side, there is some foot steps straight climb up on a dry slope, which is no snow but looses sand.<br /> <br /> I go for the left one to the pass, ok but steep and really tried.<br /> <br /> Most of the snow is after pass, from pass[59.3/2518] to km61.5, first go to east side go around the snow, then you will find a trail, follow it a little then go your own way in snow valley. <br /> <br /> I follow RR, mostly easy to go down until km61.5, a steep slope. I don't want to take the risk, so i crossed a snow bridge to a sandy slope at south side. Go down the slope and rejoin RR about km62.1.<br /> <br /> Ford[63.4/1909] : i crossed the river before a huge rock, below knee at morning. The huge rock also provide some wind protection, i saw some camping trace beside it.<br /> <br /> Volcán Los Hornitos : km65.3, {06-D}, just beside RR, no need CC, a trail leads you to the top, just climb up 70m! Go for it!<br /> <br /> Lastly with no luck, i saw a car going down just 10min before i arrived the road, then no more cars, so i walk all the way to Los Cipreses.<br /> <br /> Met a super friendly worker at Los Cipreses, he give me some cherry to eat and a ride to Los Alamos. A tiny shop there , if you are not picky, a little pricey but enough food resupply for 1 people six days. It have a sign &quot;Almacen&quot; at its front gate. You can ask locals where it is, i saw many workers go to there buy things.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-dec-3/ 4 days / hiking / SOBO / RR &amp; 6 option 1 / Lukas en Tess'''<br /> <br /> As this was our first section on the GPT and there still was a lot of snow in the mountains we decided to play it safe and folow option 1 from el Bolsón. It is less steep and less long above the snoweline about 2000m at the time. It went great but Tess burned her eyes so good sunglasses are definetly a must when hiking in the snow. From there we continued the RR at Laguna del Caracol we had to walk in the lake on the edge, no idea if that's normal but it was funny. The next and final big obstacle was the pass on k59 we decided to try and bypass it because it looked very steep with a lot of snow and ice and Tess with her burning eyes had a hard time looking at any snow at her feet. So we went up right next to it (north). Realy though rock scrambling but we managed. Going down the next valley was okay with the snow but crossing rivers covered in snow is tricky so try to avoid it. Walking into los Cipreces we were told we were not supposed to be there but still we had lunch in the cafeteria and they fixed a ride to bring us to the road, realy nice people there. From there we hitchhiked to el colorado where we stayed for two days to let Tess' eyes heal.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Mar-14 to 2023-Mar-19 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / Parque Ingles - Los Cipreses / Noemie'''<br /> <br /> Parque Inglés - El Bolsón - Termas de Azufre - Blanquillo - Laguna Hornitos - Los Cipreses<br /> <br /> First try on the GPT and amazing section to start. There were buses from Molina at 10am and 5pm going to Parque Ingles. You must arrive there before 1pm and buy an entrance for El Bolson (with camping) to enter the Park. It's also possible to camp in Parque Ingles (7.000 CLP/night). When I entered, CONAF asked me where I was going, if I had a GPS, and gave me some kind of permit to show in Los Cipreses. I wasn't asked to show it when I arrived there though. <br /> Landscapes and panoramas were extremely beautiful and very impressive. There was still water in all marked points and fords were easy to cross. Trail is easy to follow almost everywhere, except after Termas de Azufre (be careful to look for the right pools on the map and do not go up too much, I ended up in a place with almost boiling water). The whole section is full of beautiful sand dunes, so gaiters were extremely useful. In Blanquillo, you are supposed to get an authorization from the dueño to stay there, but it looks like it is not really enforced. I spent a day in Blanquillo to rest, drink maté and learn how to make sopaipillas with Umberto. I hitchhiked from Los Cipreses to San Clemente (one hostel, two supermarkets, decent to resupply) so I can't comment on the bus schedule. However, to come back to Los Cipreses/Termas del Médano, be aware that there is now only a bus leaving at 3pm from Talca, going up until La Mina. I took a small bus to Colorado on morning (every 45 min.) and hitchhiked easily back until Laguna del Maule for GPT 07.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Mar-21 to 2023-Mar-25 / 5 days / Hiking / NOBO / Vilches — Volcan – Parque Ingles / Iris, Alexis '''<br /> <br /> Our last section on the GPT for this year! We started in Vilches Alto with the option 06-05 because we rented horses with the arriero Jose Lopez. The beginning is placed in the Reserva Nacional Altos de Lircay, which requires a permit to go until the Volcan. The entrance fee is also 7k pp. We finished our first day at Camp, CONAF {06-05} [10.2/1158]. I believe we mostly followed the GPS track. <br /> <br /> On the second day, we continued with the horses until Hot Spring {06} [45.6/1881] (Banos del Blanquillo) still following the track. We then were disappointed because the arriero left us here whereas our agreement (clearly stated by messages before the rent) was to climb the volcano with the horses (it turns to be not possible, too steep).<br /> Thankfully, we had an excess day of food so we could attempt the climb the next day. We also met Umberto, the guy staying in the refugio, who was extremely friendly. He told us to start the volcano climb early in the night to avoid heavy winds. <br /> <br /> On Day 3, we started the ascent at 2am with our headlights. 6h30 later we were on the top, with the morning lights rewarding us and stunning landscape. The ascent was extremely tiresome (sand material), as always with volcanos, and it was very cold but the crater and the views were very worth it. After a breakfast at the top, the descent, mostly running, took us about 2h. We rested for the rest of day at Banos del Blanquillo and even got a sopapilla making class with Umberto.<br /> <br /> On Day 4, we followed the RR in the beautiful Descabezado landscape. Expect no shade but stunning dunes of white sand. There is plenty of water during the day because you will cross at least 2 rivers that were not dry this late in the season. The trail is easy to follow (because that is the only one) and is also part of the Circuit of the Condores. However, after Ford {06} [29.4/2190], you have about a dozen of options and the navigation until Hot Spring {06} [27.4/1986] (Hot Sping del Azufre) is more challenging. We decided to ignore the GPS and follow our instinct - just aim for the fumerolles. There you can enjoy a hot bath in one of the three hot natural pools (along some weird soft alguees). <br /> <br /> On Day 5, we simply followed the RR until Parque Ingles. The trail is well marked until the end, you just have to enjoy multiple highlights in the landscape. Of note, when reaching El Bolsón, the CONAF ranger forbid us to bath in the pools because it was too late (3PM) and told us to leave the park before 5:30. He was not friendly and also checked the entrance tickets of Livan Ray. We got extremely lucky and caught a bus leaving Parque Ingles when we reached it (it leaves at 5:00).<br /> <br /> This hike concludes our GPT adventure. We loved to start it riding horses to feel a bit more like the trails main user. The final day hiking and the volcano ascent were astonishing, truly one of (or even the) best section of our GPT.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Feb-03 to 2023-Feb-08 / 6 days/ Hiking / SOBO / RR + Descabezado / Louis, Rémi &amp; Noé'''<br /> <br /> Our first trip on the GPT, plenty of water, we didnt carry more than 1.5L each. Here is our trip :<br /> <br /> Day 1 - Laguna Las Animas - 18km - +1200m/-100m<br /> We entered the parc illegally at 7:30 in the morning as some others hikers have done reading the wiki. We did this because the parc was full for the next 3 days. I can only advise you to book in advance on internet (conaf). We slept at a camping in front of the entrance for 7k CLP per person. Plenty of buses goes up there from Molina in 2 hours. At least a dozen. Same for going back. If you buy your ticket online : if you sleep at El Bolson, you can enter the park until 3pm, if you go further with only the El Bolson ticket, you can entered until 11am only!<br /> So, we hiked until the Laguna las Animas, a rather long day for the first one.<br /> The camp on the beach was quite windy too.<br /> <br /> Day 2 - Termas de Azufre - 11km - +400m/-700m<br /> A short day, nice to enjoy the hot springs in the afternoon. The pass in the morning was very windy too.<br /> <br /> Day 3 - Refugio El Blanquillo - 20km - +800m/-900m<br /> A long but beautiful day. Leave early the camp to avoid hot temperatures while ascending the pass. Well welcomed by the arrierio Umberto ! Very kind.<br /> <br /> Day 4 - Volcan Descabezado Grande - 16km - +2000m/-2000m<br /> We did the ascent without our bags, we went back to our camp in the night. It's long and hard. According to Umberto, 12h are needed in total, we did in 10h. Same, Leave early to avoid hot temperatures. <br /> <br /> Day 5 - Laguna los Hornitos - 20km - +900m/-900m<br /> Another nice day, passing next to Laguna Caracol. The descent from the pass is a bit annoying if you didnt follow the track (as we did). So, advice : follow the RR and go down on your right. The Laguna is very dry, just enough to have a bath. Hard to maintain the pitch of the tent in the dry dirt.<br /> <br /> Day 6 - Los Cipreses - 15km - +100m/-1000m<br /> Last short day to end this beautiful section. The gravel road is a bit boring but passing pickup are proposing you to get you down to the main road. Here, only one bus at 7am. And a little shop selling ice cream, chips and drinks. We hitchiked to El Colorado where plenty of buses are going down to Talca for 2 000 CLP (+ 400 CLP per bag)<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-24 to 2023-Jan-30/ 7 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Descabezado / Martial'''<br /> <br /> First trip 6 days on GPT being a wonderfully intense experience ! Lunar landscapes, silent and remote, few but great people. No particular difficulty.<br /> Started park ingles with a mandatory 7000peso night at quiet camping near the river and bought ticket for Bolsón overnight 8$. Finally did not stay at Bolson a half day walk from entrance and camped in Laguna de las Animas instead. Great spot for Condors watching. After that follow Will’s advice and put on your mandatory gaiters till the end of the section ! + Walking on sand can be tough for the ankle. Don’t resist and don’t do too much !! Learned it the painfull way.. Trail visible but don’t get confused at termas Azufres especially if you try the (very) hot pools ! RR way is up the valley. Camp with water possible before the pass. The way down called « la Calle » is beautifull sandy dune remote desert. Exceptional. Aimed for Blanquillo refugio aka best basecamp for Descabezado intent. Meet Umberto the arriero at the hut and ask him where the termal pool and the drinking water are. He may be offended if you don’t show up and is a nice generous guy ! Also had a Chilean horse riding group intended the Descabezado so were a nice bunch by the camp fire. As weather window was fine, I decided to try a high camp in order to preserve weak foot from a very long ascent (10h). Took plenty of water as they are only glaciar dirty patches up there and aimed for Descabezado to Cerra Azul osm trail just as Nat and Tomas did (so i could have a chance to summit both also). Finally chose not to cross the nasty glaciar but found a very well sheltered highcamp here (-35.60569, -70.76147). Incredible sunset ! Not advisable in case of rain coming (a storm was growing in Argentina so stayed prepared for an emergency descent). Next day summited Descabezado at 11AM with no wind ideal conditions. Dive your front foot flat in sand just like snow climb when it gets to steep ! Nice ski descent sensations straight to the termas for a well deserved rest at the termas ! Also met Carlos a local climbing half way up so we would share joy later at the camp :).<br /> Exit through RR is also nice but regreted haven’t camped here (-35.67102, -70.83649) for there was some playfull trouts to catch with my survival fishing kit !<br /> Beautiful view from the pass to sandyland and then landscape changes and recommend OH variant C descending (less overgrown). Trail not so visible till laguna los hornos witch i climbed volcano to enjoy the crater caldera. After that descent to los Cipreses is kind of boring and hot so was definitely happy to find a camping by the bridge after the gate with lovely Victorina and her family here (-35.81524, -70.83224). They have been incredibly carring, fed me and brought me to the termas caves (also worth it) in El Medano !<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-16 to 2023-Jan-25 / 10 days / Hiking / NOBO / Descabezado Circuit variant: OH 06-02 &amp; 06-03 Laguna Maule to Vilches w/ volcans / Natalie &amp; Tomáš '''<br /> <br /> An extremely long description so my apologies but hopefully it will help someone. We Started in Laguna del Maule and ended in Vilches with inclusion of volcanoes Descabezado Grande, Azul, Descabezado Chico and Colorado.<br /> <br /> All fords super easy or jump-able. Only times water was scarce was Descabezado and Azul (technically there is melt water from glaciers at Azul), the afternoon around Descanezado Chico and also water was scarce around the Laguna Acquas Calientes because I would not trust drinking that water (some springs are cold water though). Weather turned bad only once while we were climbing Azul, the change happened rapidly and we went from blue skies to total white out (~10m or less visibility) within an hour. Other than that weather was amazing, a little cold at night and a little warm in the day.<br /> <br /> Happy we started in Laguna del Maule and finished in Vilches. This saved elevation gain and let us decide whether or not we had enough food in the end to climb Descabezado, Azul, Chico and for Tomáš Colorado.<br /> <br /> Day 1.<br /> Starting in Talca, due to a certain someone (me) I accidentally sent Tomáš and I to Molina on a bus instead of &quot;La Mina&quot;, so our day was very messed up, but we still managed to take a bus to Colorado and hitchhike to the start of this route. Buses from Talca to la Mina go at: 7:00am, 1:00pm (only to la Suiza), 3:00pm and 7:00pm. We took a bus to Colorado due to time and hitched the rest of the way. The last hitch was in a snowplow truck and he dropped us off miraculously at the start of the trail and before any customs or checks.<br /> <br /> OH-TL-V {06-02} (109.1). Straight away the trail is hard to see, do not take the road-looking trail on the side of the mountain because it ends, stick to the gps. However, soon we were walking on the correct route through the sand and down to a creek with fun boulders. Easy to follow. After this first creek we followed option OH-CC-A (06-02) {98} For only ~5km until making camp in -between a river and canal with flowing water. Bogs in this area slowed us down a lot.<br /> <br /> Day2. <br /> OH- {06-02} -[ (93) &amp; (86) ]<br /> This day seemed long, we crossed two passes, one small (-35.94909, -70.45347) and one much larger (-35.88855, -70.46776). I liked the entire area south of the second pass, many beautiful camp spots, water was available almost to the top of the pass and there is also a nice waterfall/swimming pool located roughly around (-35.90452, -70.45218). Trail to first pass was easy, but trail between first and second was much more cross country, there are many animal tracks, I followed the GPX and Tomáš followed a trail closer to the river and we both ended up at the same spot... After the second pass, the GPX goes cross-country right away, but one can follow a trail that goes left and later reconnects with GPX.<br /> <br /> After the second pass, there is a small plateau and then it follows down a creek with water until you must cross an east hill and go towards your first mountain puesto to the east (noone home). There is only a little bit of water here, better water at the creek you came from and or a few creeks ahead. <br /> <br /> From the puesto (-35.86707, -70.47589), there is a good trail that traverses the slope ahead. We should have camped but we continued. There were a few nice creeks that we passed along the way. We were forced to make a &quot;make-shift&quot; camp before hitting a much nicer plateau because it was dark and I was not having a good day 😅. It is about 6 km between the puesto and the plateau.<br /> <br /> Day 3<br /> OH {06-02} [78.6] + [75.7] + [63.6]<br /> Easy day, only one small pass. There is an ex-carabiniero puesto at (-35.84277, -70.40285) and a highlight was two rivers, one at (-35.76317, -70.42051) and one river at (-35.74734, -70.45623). The GPX is marked as trail a bit further than the actual trail goes (the trail continues to a puesto down-river). You need to go down a ridge and ford the river, there were some footsteps that can be followed. We walked near {06-02E} along a river filled with sand and not great for drinking but there is a creek that starts/ends here (-35.72759, -70.44125). We camped near this way point in the sand but it got windy at night, we wished we camped a bit further from the river in the little hills where it was considerably less windy. <br /> <br /> Day4<br /> OH {06-02} [59.6] + [29.1] + {06-02D}<br /> <br /> This day we passed a large pass (-35.65200, -70.43356) via {06-02D}. This option was more direct and involved a very short and easy scramble onto a windy plateau. Surprisingly lots of water up towards the pass, last one being (-35.66343, -70.42666) , however the water available had a lot of sand in it, fyi. From camp we followed a cow trail until a lake like feature (-35.70057, -70.42733) and then went cross country. I hope my cairns marking the turn for {06-02D} survive. <br /> <br /> After the pass the true Descabezado environment begins. We both made note of how terrible it would be to be on this plateau in bad weather, very open and CC. Next water source would be a couple of creeks here (-35.61215, -70.42156). From a break at this creek we ended up going straight down the creek bed. Kind of exhausting mentally and would not be possible in early season due to water levels but it shot us out directly in line for making a green camp here (-35.56164, -70.44009). <br /> <br /> Day 05<br /> OH {06-02} [29.1] + [20]<br /> Laguna Aquas Calientes day. <br /> An easy day with a lot of time spent at Aquas Caliente, true to the name. <br /> Trail from camp was easy to follow until (-35.53519, -70.46551) and then it went CC to the Laguna. If shelter is needed in this open landscape, we found a rock shelter (agains wind, not rain) here (-35.51276, -70.51035). The creek feeding the Laguna was fabulously warm in places - either at the source of the creek or at a spring on the right side about 100m upriver. Tomáš found the proper source of the spring here (-35.50395, -70.52347). It is easy to get sunburn while bathing mid-day though. There are some camping spots near the creek. After this Laguna there is a nasty and windy sand stretch until a creek located here (-35.48980, -70.57667). On this stretch I chose not to follow the sand but detoured on more solid ground to the east (-35.48839, -70.56200) and was glad I did. Later on we found snow melt here (-35.48544, -70.59940) and loaded all the water we would need for night/morning and exploring Descabozado Chico the next day. <br /> <br /> Day 06<br /> OH {06-02} [20] + {06-02C Chico} + [4.5]<br /> Descabozado Chico + Vulcan Colorado (Tomáš)<br /> <br /> Went up and around the crater of Descabozado Chico in the morning which I highly recommend. The crater is easy to walk around and gives an amazing 360 experience. The climb up is tedious but non-dangerous scree that makes for a super fast decent. Make sure you have enough water because water is scarce there. I saw a waterfall on the NE side the lake but did not go to it, Tomáš got water somewhere off trail around here (-35.51226, -70.65626) and I drank out of the next lake -35.52036, -70.65873 (questionable, but nothing happened to me). <br /> From the lake the next pass begins and I stupidly made Tomáš and I carry 5L of water up it because I did not think there would be water on the south side (both of us overlooking the river indicated on the map)...I was wrong, no water high up but lots of water down low. For the pass we opted not to follow the route because it was thick steep sand so we instead climbed a more solid ridge here (-35.52506, -70.66854). Tomáš went to continue up Vulcan Colorado and I boringly traversed to the normal pass and enjoyed a very fun sand ski down the south side. The Vulcan is a steep but not technical hike up, the crater can be walked around with a steep but fun sand descent on the other side in SW direction. This pass would be very tiresome climbing up due to sand. If you are coming from the opposite direction and do not trust the lagoon water, then you should aim for (-35.51226, -70.65626) or bring water.<br /> <br /> Everything this day was CC. I found it to be the hardest day navigation-wise but still not troublesome. We finished the day in a nice valley before the next day's climb here (-35.55427, -70.70793). The water around this area is a bit sandy but better further up.<br /> <br /> Day 07 <br /> Last pass and New route possibly. <br /> <br /> From camp a trail existed to the pass at -35.55228, -70.73791. There was a little bit of snow at the top but since there were already steps made, it was zero problem. Lots of water on the SE of this pass but only a trickle of water on the NW side at -35.54575, -70.75672. This water trickle point is where we left the trail to make a short cut to Descabezado. To our surprise our route worked and in 4hrs we were making a camp at 2630m next to the approach trail to Descabezado, therefore saving a lot of time, distance and elevation. In our route there was only one difficulty and that was a deep gorge and creek &quot;jump&quot; at -35.57904, -70.77929. Personally I would not recommend this in early season because the consequence of falling in the river might take you down a waterfall and the traverse may otherwise be nasty if there are still snowfields around altitude 2700m. The gorge is fed by the glacier in the crater of Descabezado so in the morning, it should be better but the water is very dirty.<br /> <br /> I drew the route on my photos of the pass if anyone wants them. Otherwise here is my description of our route.<br /> <br /> From the small trickle creek at -35.54575, -70.75672 head SW up the creek bed in the direction of this easy pass -35.55513, -70.76977. Nearby spots would work too except for the pass directly above the creek bed, the other side of that one had snow and rocks. After this pass I believe it is easiest to just go straight down and up like a half pipe rather than trying to traverse and keep elevation, we aimed for a middle looking plateau on the other side, this middle plateau took us to the proper crossing of the gorge here, -35.57923, -70.77864 (más o menos). We jumped the gorge and climbed easily up the other side although the other side looks like a scramble, it was actually just walking. We travesed at this altitude for a little longer (although I would suggest easier walking a little lower) until we made camp in a ravine very close to the Descabezado approach route. Our camp even had a small amount of flowing snow melt so it was heaven in my mind! (Camp with water; -35.59280, -70.78723). <br /> <br /> Day 8<br /> Descabezado &amp; Azul.<br /> <br /> This is turning into a novel so I will keep this short. We left our tent in place and set off early to do Descabezado and Azul as a day trip. Descabezado was straightforward, it seems the trail will change slightly every year depending on who makes the tracks (neither the route in OSM or GPT seem to follow the actual trail from about 2600 to 3300). If wanting to make the true summit, it looks like you have to go down into the crater, cross the glacier and approach it from the other side. Coming down Descabezado was very fast but we made a huge mistake and left the GPT trail to follow the other osm route that heads east then west called &quot;Descabezado Grande - Quizapu - cerro Azul&quot;. <br /> <br /> This route should be avoided [2024: Tomáš removed it from OSM] for many reasons apart from the fact that the other route is easier despite elevation gain (we took the other route back). This osm route took us here -35.61301, -70.75604 which was actually a glacier covered in sand with a small hanging glacier above causing a lot of rockfall. It was a very ugly place and we carefully got out of there and made or way to the proper route to Azul. Despite losing almost 2hours on an already tight day we continued (although I wasted an extra 30min due to making up my mind🙄). Once again on the way up to Azul, we did not follow the normal way but went to the east side of the crater of Azul where the bad osm route is. There were a foot print here and there but it was CC. The crater was amazing but too windy to enjoy much, we saw a few fumaroles. We continued CC to the base of Azul, a tiny bit of snow (or glacier remnants?) but posed no difficulties. The base of Azul is beautiful with melt water if needed. We followed the ridge to Azul, it was more involved than Descabezado but no more than a low 3rd class (it is a bit exposed and steep but almost exclusively hiking). There is an interesting summit tower on Azul but because of the wind and time we had no desire to stretch our limits. Weather moved in fast and before we were off the ridge of Azul, we were completely covered in a white out, maybe maximum 10m of visibility. Navigation was incredibly hard, but we took our chances and took the other (&quot;valle&quot;) OSM route down and luckily it was a very easy route and we were down below the clouds and able to see again. The rest of the night was CC back to our camp ~1030pm. It was a good day. <br /> <br /> Day 9.<br /> <br /> From our camp in the ravine we headed CC and then onto the trail that lead to the puesto at basecamp Blancquillo and from then on we were on a good trail. While walking down we opted to stay in sandals and just walk in the river, it was refreshing. We didn't have clean water until the valley bottom at the CONAF camp (valley El Venado) where there was also lots of pear trees and yellow plum-like trees. Many people there (first people seen). We made camp at the river before the pass (Mirador del Valle del Venado) but the walk from the CONAF camp until then was slower than expected because it was along a river bed with confusing tracks.<br /> <br /> Day 10.<br /> <br /> Good trail up and down from Mirador del Valle del Venado with lots of water and trees for shade. Took us almost half the time we thought it would take. Note that you cannot actually camp at campsites/resting areas on this trail after the Mirador. The CONAF guards asked us where we were coming from and when we said Laguna del Maule, he just sounded impressed and let us go on our way. There was a decent restaurant with empanadas, beer, etc. near the bus stop . There was a posted schedule of the bus but it clearly did not follow this schedule so if you are there just ask the many locals around what time the bus comes, we caught the 1230 bus. <br /> <br /> Great trip, beautiful views and details and just the right amount of challenge.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-20 to 2023-Jan-23 / 3.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Ondrej '''<br /> <br /> I got to Parque Inglés from Santiago de Chile by taking a train to Curico (advice: if you want to travel by train, buy a ticket online at least 2 days in advance as it books out quickly). From Curico I took a blue collectivo to Molina and then a bus to Parque Ingles.<br /> <br /> At the park entrance I was turned away by a CONAF officer because I bought a “day trip” ticket (El bolson - para día) and not the one with overnight camping. For the ticket I bought they allow entry only by 11:00am. I did not explain that I will continue beyond El Bolson - maybe I should have done that but did not want to get myself into more unnecessary discussions. CONAF said they cannot change my ticket to the “camping” type and when I tried to book the other one, it was booked out for the next two days, so the advice is book early and the right ticket type (el bolson - camping)!<br /> <br /> I ended up camping at the Rocas Basilicas for the night.<br /> <br /> On the first hike day hopped the gate to the park at 7:00. No one was there so no issues. I hiked to Thermas de Azufre. It was a very long day. There is no shade at all after El Bolson. I made a provisional shade using my tent’s footprint during lunchbreaks. Once I arrived to the Azufre hotsprings, a few arrieros were there. I decided to camp further up the river.<br /> <br /> On the second day I hiked to Refugio Blanquillo, met a settler who resides there for three months each year (if I understood correctly). The scenery before the refugio was otherwoŕldy and beautiful. Gaiters, good hat, sunscreen and sunglasses were my most loved pieces of gear. I camped at the first “camp” waypoint after Refugio Blanquillo. Amazing place to camp (but no grass), with a good stream and even some small shade thanks to the bushes. <br /> <br /> My third day was quite straightforward, I made it almost to Los Cipresses but decided to camp close to the last “water” checkpoint, shortly before the gate with the guard. It was alright but I would recommend walking all the way to the shop and camp there for the night.<br /> <br /> On the fourth day I walked through the gate with the security guard. I also met a number of the power station workers and all were friendly. We waved at each other. The guard at the gate was nice, took my passport number and name. Once at the shop I found it was closed (9am). I needed to get to El Medano to join GPT07 and decided to continue hiking through Los Alamos. It might have been to early (10am) as also the almacén in Los Alamos was closed. The road after Los Almacén was uneventful and a bit sketchy at places, so I forded the river at the “bridge” waypoint after Los Alamos to get to the main road and hitchike to El Medáno. Got a ride in approx 20 min. El Medáno is a great base - the thermals are nice and there is an electricity socket next to the toilets. They have shade for the tent too. There is also a restaurant with filling foods and a small shop.<br /> <br /> Overall a fantstic section but I wasn’t expecting the heat to be that oppresive!<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-31 to 2023-Jan-3 / 5 day / Hiking / SOBO / RR / David and Erika'''<br /> <br /> Get to TH Parque ingle before 1:00 pm, otherwise they close it for entrance. We did get internet and got the correct CONAF ticket -the one heading to El Bolsón. Once you get out of the park and into the Cuesta Las Anima, the wild parts begin. Hope you got your dirty girl gaiters; cause you’re going to need them. Sand city. Gaiters worked great. Remote and desolately beautiful. Water up at the end of Laguna del Caracol, at the river that comes out of the ground, you have a dry climb ahead. Walk out was straightforward. Got a lift from ENEL employee.<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-28 to 2022-Dec-29 / 2 days/ Hiking / SOBO / RR / Tomáš'''<br /> <br /> I connected in Thermas Azufre from GPT 05. I recommend it as a camping spot. I have seen the tracks of people staying on the western side of the valley but I think it is better to ford, there is a nice trail there on the eastern side. There is a place with an island where I needed to remove my shoes just for about three meters (the stream was not strong enough for me to keep the shoes on).<br /> <br /> I took a detour to the lake at the pass - nice. No snow anymore. Reached the Refugio Blanquillo (which is a puesto, an arriero had two dogs and a thousand shep there), met a group of tourists on horses and two Chilean hikers there, so crowded all of a sudden. The pool there is indeed lukewarm. The water from the stream is said not to be good - I filtered it (for the first time on GPT) and was fine. But if not climbing the volcano, I would recommend to camp 2 km further at the next water source. I no longer carry water with me and just drink a lot when I find a source, there is a lot of them, even in the semidesert (the sand is actually white pumice from the volcanoes). It is quite dusty, my hands got dry and that normally does not happen to me. I agree with the recommendation to apply sunscreen at least three times a day! <br /> <br /> The second day I walked all the way to the main road. In the pass, there is still a bit of snow but quite manageable. Going down from the lake, there is no water until around half or one third of the minor road in the valley, beware. Walking-wise, this was the easiest section on GPT for me. At the mainroad, the camping at the shop after the bridge was closed. I hitched somebody in a truck who knew the owners, called them and they came to open it for me. 5000 pesos but I gave the lady 10000 as she had to drive here to open the camping for me. There is electricity and cold shower and shadow. Almost nothing at the shop. The bus is said to leave at seven. I slept and now will try hitchhiking.<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-20 to 2022-Dec-24 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Will '''<br /> <br /> Amazing trail! It's quite desolate but the landscape varies enough to always keep things interesting. Trudging up the sandy hills could be demoralizing, but getting to run down the other side more than made up for it. Water was still plentiful though not much snow was left, I only had to cross a few small patches. Thankfully heat wasn't a problem at all for me, I even felt cold a few times with the altitude and wind.<br /> <br /> Caught the 5pm bus from Molina to Radal for 3000 pesos, then a van came by a few minutes later to take us to parque inglés for another 3000. Was nice to meet a bunch of Chilean hikers, who were all going to El Bolson and back. We camped at the Rocas Basílicas campsite right at parque inglés, 7000 pesos next to a beautiful river.<br /> <br /> I had phone signal at parque inglés, so I bought the pass online for 8 USD. There was no one at the Conaf office at 7 30 the next morning, so I just hopped the gate and walked through. <br /> <br /> I ran into a few arrieros relaxing at the Azufre hot springs, the only people I saw along the trail. They were friendly but it was tough to understand their heavy Chilean Spanish. They said I could camp with them but there wasn't a ton of room so I walked on.<br /> <br /> There were some geysers shooting up from the muddy riverbank near the gpx track so I took a wider route around. An arriero also told me to take a trail higher up along the dunes so I followed that to the ford. The ford looked tough so I kept walking 2ish km along the other side until I could easily hop across. But it was slow going, probably not worth it.<br /> <br /> I ended up having to camp on a random sand dune. I had some trouble getting my tent to stay up tied to rocks, since I couldn't get stakes in. I'd definitely recommend using tieouts you can really secure to rocks, or even a freestanding tent.<br /> <br /> The rest of the hike went smoothly. I easily made it to los cipreses in three days of hiking from parque inglés. The guard was super friendly, inviting me in and giving me a bunch of water. I camped across the street from the shop near the bus stop, ask at the shop if you want to camp there. The guy running the camping was also super nice, he messaged the bus driver and told me it would be at 9 or 9 30 the next morning, because it was a Saturday (it was also Christmas eve). The bus ended up showing up at 9 45, and costed 3200 pesos to Talca.<br /> <br /> The side trip up Volcan Los Hornitos was very worth it, there's a fairly gradual trail up and you can just sprint straight down. I didn't even need to bring any water (just some gummy bears).<br /> <br /> I got by without gaiters, but bring them if you can. I should have used more sunscreen, the reflection off the sand is strong.<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-17 to 2022-Dec-20 / 2.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Martin &amp; Helena'''<br /> <br /> Joining section 6 directly from the previous one with a little challenging connection trail (see our comment from section 5), we continued to the Hot Spring del Azufre. On the way there is one steep traverse. We used hot spring to cook our rice which really saved us as we run out of gas. The landscape on the whole section is amazing, we really enjoyed it! Ascent to the pass is nice and gradual, hiking in the sand is a little slower, but the opposite when going down. We camped at the El Estadio, almost no wind that day, great place to sleep . In the morning we continued on a nice and easy trail, great views around the volcanos… short break by the laguna thats great for swimming. We camped a little before the camp marked in the gps, there is one place, probably used by arrieros, with a fireplace and a few rocks around it. Being out of the gas we set a fire using wood that was already in there and some others we gather during the day. The view to the volcanos must be one of the best we have seen here so far! The next day we continued to the last Hornitos pass and through the valley, again really nice hiking on a clear trail. Last few kms on the road and since we missed the only bus to Talca that is leaving early in the morning (7:00) and did not have luck with hitchhiking, we stayed in a camp right next to the road. Its just a few meters before it, in the same direction we came from. On the left side is a house with some old advertisment sign (coca-cola or similir) on its fence, and the lady there has a small shop. The camp is on the other side - cold shower, toilets, electricity and access to the river, all for 5000 for 2 people. We even got sandwiches for dinner as there was no other place around to eat. Overall, when combining both sections we recommend to plan carefully, but its definitely worth the effort, especially this section 6.<br /> <br /> Contact: @martin_hanzelka @helenneka<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-14 to 2022-Dec-16 / 3 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Anna&amp;Christopher '''<br /> <br /> The section is pretty tough, but beautiful with a quite unique landscape. We definetly would do it again.<br /> <br /> Recomendations: bring lots of suncreme, a good hat, gaiters.<br /> <br /> How to get there:<br /> We took a bus from Santiago (terminal at the metro station Universidad de Santiago) to Curico. Across the street from the bus terminal in Curico leaves a blue bus to Molina for 1k CLP. From Molina we hitchhiked to Parque Inglés.<br /> You have to be there before 3 pm to be allowed to hike up to El Bolson. To camp they charge 8k CLP p.p and the park entry is also 8k CLP p.p.<br /> <br /> The first day we started early from El Bolson. From midday on it was super tough due to the white sand which makes walking really tiring and reflects the sun which makes it super hot without shade. The next day was pretty similar.<br /> The whole section there was plenty of water. There was no much snow left at the passes, so we had no trouble without spikes.<br /> On the last day, after arriving to the dirtroad (8 km from los Cipreses), we got offered a ride after a while and the guy brought us directly to El Médano.<br /> The shop there has pasta, rice, bread, tomato salsa, mayo, chips, biscuits/chocolate and suncreme (but quite pricey).<br /> In El Médano we camped for 6k CLP p.p.<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-03 to 2022-Dec-06 / 3.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Véronica'''<br /> <br /> Route: Parque Inglés - Laguna Ánimas - Termas del Azufre - Termas del Blanquillo - Laguna del Caracol - Laguna de los Hornos - Los Cipreses<br /> <br /> A beautiful, remote section of true mountain wilderness. It took me 4 days, but only 2 hours hiking the dirt road to Los Cipreses on the last day (so very doable in 3 days). The only people I saw were a couple of arrieros at Termas del Blanquillo who told me they hadn't had a winter as snowy as this one in over 10 years. I was glad to have my microspikes for the vast snow fields near/on the passes. A couple places would have felt quite unsafe without them. <br /> <br /> Notable tidbits: <br /> <br /> Took a bus from Molina at 5pm (on a Friday) to El Radal, then hitchhiked to Parque Inglés. I camped there the first night for 7000 pesos. Pricey, but at least I had a beautiful and secluded spot by Rio Claro. <br /> <br /> The stretch between Las Ánimas Pass and Termas de Azufre had some sketchy traverses across disintegrating scree slopes that were downright nerve-wracking. I suppose if you go down to Laguna Mondaca, then back up to the Termas, you may not encounter this hazard. But I did get to observe a condor soar above my head on thermals for an hour as he surveilled his domain, that was super cool. <br /> <br /> For the first ford after Termas de Azufre, I crossed further upstream than indicated on the GPS track (see Carlos's comment below). It looked a lot safer there than downstream. There's continuous snow for about 3 km going over the pass after Thermas de Azufre, best to cross in the morning to avoid postholing when the snow gets too soft. <br /> <br /> Los Hornitos pass has a large, very steep lip of snow (leftover cornice) on its south side. It's possible to go around it by heading north for 50-100 meters and then making your way down on the volcanic sand.<br /> <br /> The spring between Termas del Blanquillo and Laguna del Caracol is a beautiful little desert oasis in an orherwise hot and dry stretch. It was a splendid spot to camp. <br /> <br /> There is LOTS of water. Laguna del Caracol and Laguna de los Hornos are both full of clear, refreshing water. A lot of the &quot;water&quot; GPS waypoints are actually fords this time of year (easy ones), and there's a lot of other water sources not listed on the tracks. But the section is very exposed, no shade, and very hot in the midday sun unless a breeze is blowing. <br /> <br /> No issues with the guards at Los Cipreses, they were friendly and let me pass no problem. From the first bus stop on the road, I hitched easily to Talca to resupply.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Feb-20 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Molly '''<br /> <br /> Amazing section! I found the landscape to be very varied despite the lack of vegetation - and even with many pretty flowers near the streams. I personally found it to be a great ending to my GPT journey, a big contrast to the landscapes further south. Would make for a tough start though.<br /> Plenty of water. Met one hiker doing Circuito el Cóndor and three Chilean tourists on horseback. No arrieros, but plenty of cows and horses. The weather was cold and windy, sometimes veritable sandstorms which meant I almost couldn't open my eyes - maybe sunglasses could have helped. I wore my long pants over my boots instead of gaiters - should have listened to the advice, so much sand! <br /> <br /> Signs on the way to parque inglés say that you can only buy tickets online - don't know how strict they are, but no cell phone coverage at parque inglés and long before in case they insist. You have to be there before 15 to be let through to El Bolsón.<br /> Easy 11 km to El Bolsón through a young forest. No water at the first &quot;ford&quot; waypoint. Campground has toilets and showers, it's the only place you're allowed to camp until after Valle del Indio. Nice enough place next to the impressive Colmillo del Diablo. In hot weather it might be nice to camp here to take the long ascent in the morning.<br /> Laguna de las Animas would be a good campsite plus a nice place to swim. The first &quot;water&quot; waypoint afterwards is also great for camping - there is a nice little meadow.<br /> Las Animas pass is gorgeous!<br /> After Termas Azufre there are many confusing paths. They mostly seem to lead to the same place, but keep an eye on the GPS. When descending from the 2700 m pass towards Termas Blanquillo, you don't have to cross the stream to your right even though many paths do it. As noted by others, the hot springs Baños del Blanquillo are luke warm - but fine if you want to wash yourself a little and the stream is too cold. The refuge is locked.<br /> The next camp waypoint is in a cute valley with many streams, bushes and flowers. No grass, though. <br /> Laguna Caracol is beautiful as well, but very bare, surrounded by sand. I really liked the campsite afterwards, with views of both Volcán Descabezado and Cerro Azul. From there, a small CC section to the ascent where the path picks up again towards the Hornitos pass. Even more gorgeous with great and very different views to each site. Volcán Hornitos and the other little craters look really funny and special. Some hail was coming in, though, so I quickly slided down to the next camp waypoint, again a nice flat meadow. No water on the ascent. The first streams at the top of the pass were dry, but the path crosses a stream in 2100 m altitude. If you fill up at the water waypoint before the pass I agree you wouldn't have to carry extra water, the time between these two water points is around 2-3 hours.<br /> I climbed to the rim of Volcán Hornitos, there's nothing in there, but if you walk to the highest point the view is nice enough. It took me 20 minutes in total, and it was about worth that.<br /> The gravel road is nice the first kilometres, but then it gets pretty boring. The security guard at the end was very nice and welcoming.<br /> I camped at the shop just before the road - nice place by the river, 3000 per person with toilets and a cold shower, or 50,000 for a cabaña. From there I hitched the 3 km down the road to Restaurant Cordillera, nice enough, great with a beer, meat and fries. <br /> Bus left from the bus shed at 7:20 next morning - think it depends whether it goes to El Médano or not <br /> <br /> * '''2022-Jan-20 to 2022-Jan-25 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Carlos '''<br /> Route: Parque Inglés - El Bolsón (Colmillo del Diablo summit) - Termas del Azufre - Termas del Blanquillo - Laguna Caracol - First bus stop on CH115 road.<br /> <br /> I hiked this route only a couple of days after Verónica &amp; Jo. Not much to add except:<br /> <br /> First day just hiked to El Bolsón (easy 4 hours), pitched my tent on the gorgeous campsite, left the heavy load and climbed the imposing &quot;Colmillo del Diablo&quot; (easy hike on a trail that goes around the back of the mountain).<br /> <br /> From Termas del Azufre climbing to the pass I followed a faint track on the steep loose slope instead of crossing at the first river ford. After a few hundred meters the track takes you to a flat wide rocky area (just before the slope becomes impossibly steep), where you can very easily ford the river (I didn't even get my feet wet).<br /> <br /> Plenty of buses Molina - Parque Inglés. But only one bus from el Médano - Los Cipreses to Talca, at around 7 am, which returns at 15:00. Only week days. Basic camping just in front of Los Cipreses shop (only ice cream, drinks, choco bars, biscuits): $4.000 pp.<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Jan-10 to 2022-Jan-15 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Veronika &amp; Jo '''<br /> <br /> Route: Parque Inglès -&gt; Laguna de las Animas -&gt; Termas de Azufre -&gt; Descabezado base camp -&gt; Laguna del Caracol -&gt; Laguna Hornitos -&gt; First bus stop on 115-CH<br /> <br /> The five nights we just spent in a tent was the longest stretch we have ever gone without a decent bed on a hike. We skipped Radal, Laguna Mondaca and Termas de Medano, but still hiked in 6 days what others did in 3-4. We're basically easing into the GPT, gaining some fitness and experience before taking on the harder challenges.<br /> <br /> As others have said: the views are otherworldly and stunning. We felt like Touaregs traveling from oasis to oasis in the Saharan desert. Except that there actually are plenty of springs and little rivers flowing in most valleys.<br /> <br /> Useful tidbits:<br /> <br /> - There really is no shade after El Bolsòn. Either you make your own (e.g., adapting your tent to not trap heat) or you dress like a Touareg (loose clothing fully blocking the sun). For us, this was the hardest to deal with. We got up early but often stopped hiking at 13:00, enjoying the lakes or even just sitting down doing nothing that takes energy.<br /> <br /> - High-heeled boots and long trousers work well to keep the sand out.<br /> <br /> - Confirming Shn0rhelez: going up from Termas de Azufre until the second ford indeed passes plenty of water, no need to carry any.<br /> <br /> - Laguna Hornitos is drying up and hence less beautiful than the other lakes. Maybe it's better to camp at the start of the Hornitos plateau (SOBO, so north entry) as the area is flat and there is reasonably clean running water there.<br /> <br /> - There is no bus to Talca from Los Cipreses on saturdays or sundays. We asked at the shop and got a ride to Colorado from the brother-in-law of the shopkeeper for 15000 CLP.<br /> <br /> - In supermarkets, you can buy alcohol desnaturalizado cheaply in the nail polish section, or alternatively, use alcohol de quemar from the combustibles section.<br /> <br /> * '''2021-Dec-26 to 2022-Jan-04 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / '''<br /> <br /> From Parque Inglés to the entrance of Reserva Achibueno<br /> Buy your ticket online for “El Bolsón” on the CONAF website and get to the trailhead before 3pm<br /> 4hrs hike to El Bolsón, a great place with waterfall, great views, nice camping spots, hikers<br /> TO CHECK: Bus from Molina to Parque Ingles leaves at 9 am (not positive) on week-ends and holidays <br /> Easy hitch from Radal to Parque Ingles coz lots of campers going there on week-ends<br /> Be careful a ranger told me the park closes on Mondays <br /> It took me around 4 days from Parque Siete Tazas Park entrance to the road Q115 (Central Cipreses)<br /> From Road 115 I hitched to a village by Colbún lake where I resupplied : good supermarkets (a little on the expensive side), food truck , pastry shop <br /> I didn't like Altos de Lircay NP : after El Bolson (4 hrs in) no fucking shade for 3 days and an half except that of a shelter a little off trail, blazing sun all day, sand sand sand, I found the place so inhospitable, monotonous sights : sand dunes for ever, quite some struggling pedalling in the soft sand, plus I had no gaiters (stupid me) and low heels shoes so that was a bummer. However the place is super special, feels like on the moon (beautiful pictures) and I can understand why many love it<br /> Some “hot springs” are actually just luke and others just a hole or boiling hot (I added these informations to the track and waypoints I sent to Jan Dudek) so don't be like me fantasizing all day on that fantastic bath you will get or wait for Jan's update (thanks so so much for all you do mate).<br /> After resupplying I hitched on option 7 XXX all the way the Mellado cañon (really nice, by the river all the time), communities. After hiking South from Carizales (which has a very limited “store”) I was short on time and food and realized bare landscapes over the tree line were not my cup of tea (I prefer hiking below 1700 m in this part of Patagonia) so I left RR and took another option all the way to the West to Reserva Achibueno which I really enjoyed : great landscapes, lakes, rivers and met some cool hikers and fishermen<br /> <br /> * '''2021-Dec-09 to 2021-Dec-12 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / AR past Laguna Manatial Pelado / Vera &amp; James'''<br /> <br /> We arrived the day before at Parque Ingles and camped the night there. From Molina there is a bus to Radal at 5pm wed-fri, and direct to Parque Ingles on weekends. The only way to pay for park entry is online at www.aspticket.cl.<br /> <br /> As an aside, we really liked Molina. It has plenty for resupply whilst being nice and small. There is a fishing shop opposite the Santa Isabel supermarket that sells gas.<br /> <br /> Day 1 we headed up the RR as far as just above Laguna de las Animas by 2pm, a brutal climb in the midday sun! At this point the sun disappeared and clouds quickly rolled in, within 10 minutes lightning was hitting the peaks directly around us. We beat a hasty retreat back to El Bolsen and camped there.<br /> <br /> We decided to take the alternate route past Laguna Manatial Pelado. A beautiful route if hot and sandy. We have realised the best time time to take on a long, sandy ascent in sunny weather is very early in the morning, after 9am it was brutally hot. <br /> <br /> We then continued on the regular route. As has been said before, it's remote and stunning. We had some strong winds coming over Pass de Hornitos, and even some sleet on the final day!<br /> <br /> Arrived in Los Cipreses on a Sunday and we didn't see a single person except the security guard. We got mixed messages from him and then the mini shop owner about buses to Talca. I would assume there isn't one on a Sunday. We hitched to El Colorado then got a bus from there to Talca.<br /> <br /> * '''2021-Dec-03 to 2021-Dec-09 / 7 days (GPT 05 + 06) / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Kris&amp;Stiina'''<br /> <br /> We also decided to combine sections 5 and 6 to avoid in’n’out to and from Parque Inglés. It took us 6 and a half days and some of it was bloody hard. I have never before experienced my ass being handed over to me by a trail. We got beaten to the point where first signs of weakness started to show and I have to admit we kind of even started discussing a plan B and bailing this ditch trail. But only for a moment, once you hit the rock bottom there is only one way to go - up! It was literally and figuratively, and as terrain improved so did our mood and we laughed off the silly thoughts we had had earlier. <br /> <br /> The first 45km of the section 5 were great, awesome hiking and then shit hit the fan real quick. Ascent up from the ford at km 45 was hard but alright. And then came the descent down to Rio Negro (51km), very steep and very loose scree slope. We wanted to make it to Rio Colorado for the night to cross it early in the morning in case there is no bridge. But because the trail or I must rather say the lack of it was really taking more time than we expected, by the time we got to Rio Negro it was already getting dark. The river was very rapid and murky so you couldn’t gauge the depth of it and couldn’t see where to step, we had to really concentrate to cross it, luckily it was only balls deep.<br /> <br /> It was dark as we got across it and we continued the fun, albeit type 2 fun, illuminated by our headlamps. Then came the insanely steep gully that allowed you to enter the valley of Rio Colorado. Something was off with the elevation lines on Gaia and it showed that we will be descending right over the cliff, it was luckily only a glitch. As we couldn’t see much ahead we kept descending ever so carefully on this very very challenging terrain, I would even go as far as to say that it was stupid and outright dangerous. But there was no other way, you just had to stay focused. There were also some rocks falling off the cliff under which we were descending. In a sense night was a good time to do it because you couldn’t see all the dangers - only what lie within the beam of the headlamp. <br /> <br /> Then came an extremely slow going, pretty much crawling speed traverse down to Rio Colorado, which we fully improvised as there was no trail anyway and got down to Rio colorado about a kilometer before the bridge, where we set up camp abit past midnight. <br /> <br /> So yes, the bridge was there - a decent one, seemed permanent and it was a relief that we at least don’t have to start the day by risking our lives fording Rio Colorado. The river was pretty wide and the current seemed pretty fast, it wasn’t murky though but you couldn’t see how deep it really was. But we think it could have been forded in case there would be no bridge. There were a few places that looked doable with somewhat laminar flow. The excitement of the existence of the bridge didn’t last too long as we were slapped back into reality by the difficult terrain, it wasn’t as dangerous anymore as the previous night but difficult nevertheless. Once we got closer to the pass the trail appeared and it was actually pleasant hiking once again. <br /> <br /> To sum it up the descent down to the Rio Colorado valley, then traversing it and the first part of crawling out of the valley sucks big time, but the rest of the section is really nice and not too challenging terrain-wise. I wouldn’t want to skip this section because it had some breathingtaking views. Just that on the hard part of it you can’t really enjoy any of it as all your effort is elsewhere. <br /> <br /> The guards at Laguna Mondaca were the nicest people we have met in Chile so far. They invited us to stay at the property, gave us food and drinks. They insisted we don’t use any of our supplies or gear. They even provided us with a room with a bed and we got to recharge all of our electronics and got a hot shower aswell. It was perfect! And just to make it clear there are no fancy villas there just a few small simple houses where the owner of the property comes for fishing once in a while. And guards weren’t armed either.<br /> <br /> It took us 4 days to get to Laguna Mondaca and not far after it we joined the section 6 which took 2 and a half more days. <br /> <br /> Section 6 was really something, we haven’t had such a strong otherworldly experience anywhere else. It was really like being on another planet at times. The blue sky was the only thing that gave it away that we were still on Earth. Really bizarre landscape and definitely the most beautiful breathtaking section of the six that we have done so far. <br /> <br /> Regarding the difficulty, compared to section 5 it didn’t feel that difficult at all. Walking on sand is challenging, yes, especially going uphill. But on the other side going down is much easier on the soft sand - you can just run/jog without much impact on your body as the sand absorbs it all. Shoes got completely wrecked and we took many “shoe-emptying” breaks because they were just filled with rocks and coarse sand. <br /> <br /> We even took a dip in one of the lakes close to Descabezado and seeing how water is just coming out of the sand and turning into a river was really really cool, just as the whole landscape around there. <br /> <br /> We camped at the lake about 5km from Los Cipreses. When we arrived to the road to take bus to Talca the bus stop didn’t have any schedule and the shop close by was closed. So we couldn’t find out about the bus schedule and the traffic on the road seemed pretty dead. But luckily after 15 min of waiting a car that was going to Talca picked us up, perfecto! <br /> <br /> Overall plenty of water on both sections, a lot of exposure to the sun, and some challenging terrain. It all together made for a great experience, just what we were looking for. It humbled us and we definitely had to adjust our expectations and recalibrate our way of hiking, it is GPT - not more and not less. <br /> <br /> 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<br /> <br /> ==Season 2020/21==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Feb-12 / 2.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / OH to Laguna Manantial / Frank '''<br /> <br /> At Parque Ingles I registered with Conaf, they record your route &amp; where you will camp. Deregistered by email later. Easy 3 hour walk to El Bolson, lots of people camping there but they don't go any further. Took optional route to Laguna Manantial. At 2160M there is a small meadow &amp; stream, this is last water &amp; last camp before the lake. You go over a pass @ 2560M then drop 80M to the lake. Camped on the lakeshore. <br /> Termas Blanquillo were only tepid. Camped on a small beach @ S end of Laguna de Los Hornos. The lake is nearly dried out, only a little semi stagnant water left. Best to carry water in from one of the streams a little above the lake. Last 11KM are on dirt roads, you could hitch easily if you want. Met 2 security guards, they were both friendly, no access problems if you are Southbound. Small campsite @ shop on way out. Amazing section, some tough uphill on sand but scenery is like Mars. Definitely use small gaiters or you will be emptying sand out of your shoes every 10 mins.<br /> <br /> At the end of GPT06 if you go on the north bank of Rio Maule the route is blocked by a cliff beyond Los Alamos &amp; you need to cross the river to continue. Better to go on the road. After 2KM on the road you pass 2 shops, better food selection than in El Medano. They have accommodation also. At Bridge 17 you can rejoin RR or continue on road but RR is nicer.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-24 / 7 days (GPT 05 + 06) / Hiking / SOBO / Ian Hikes + Tobias'''<br /> <br /> Overview: <br /> So, I decided to combine GPT sections 5 and 6 in order to avoid a 30k out and back resupply section into parque ingles. I thought this was a good decision for me and really enjoyed being out there for a week. In my opinion this was the hardest section of the GPT in between sections GPT 01-10. I went the first 5 days without seeing another person which I thought was quite cool. So, these two sections are quite remote, and you are way out there in the mountains. There was also some pretty intense river crossing in “GPT Section 5” that I found to be manageable (keep in mind I’m 185cm and have lots of thru hiking experience.) but still a little difficult. The rivers were also very dark and murky which made it hard to see where you would step. There was also an improvised bridge crossing the Colorado River that I used, and thought was safe to use. These two sections are dominated by a volcanic profile with much of the route on ash and volcanic rock. Most of the route is very exposed and there are not many trees or vegetation that grow in the volcanic ash/rocks. There was plenty of water with springs coming out of the hills everywhere and then disappearing into the sand.<br /> <br /> Difficulties:<br /> It was slow going walking thru the sand, especially when hiking vertically. Exposure to the sun. River crossings. Isolation and remoteness. Hiking up and down lose rock and scree fields.<br /> <br /> Highlights:<br /> Hot Springs. Great views of the volcanic region. Mountain Lakes. Sunrise and Sunsets were epic with the landscape. <br /> <br /> Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions at ultratrailca@gmail.com<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-23 / 7 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Shn0rhelez'''<br /> <br /> Parque Ingles to El Medano southbound/main route ... 7 days duration(2 nights spent on laguna Las Animas)...section passable...Strong sun, no shadow after the park... Gaiters strongly recommended...the SUBsection between termas del azufre and second ford Before the pass (2700m) is full with water... my personal opinion is the backpack weight can be minimized... Good luck! <br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-09 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Bruno &amp; Martin'''<br /> <br /> Parque Inglés to El Medano<br /> 5 days for this amazing section. We started in Parque Inglés in Radal 7 Tazas National Park. Had to wait for one more day because of limited hiking permits towards El Bolsón. 80 daily permits allowed and delivered at 8:30 in the morning, to be minded on weekends when the park is full. Followed Regular Route Laguna Las Ánimas, Azufre Hotsprings, Descabezado base camp, Laguna Caracol and then down to Los Cipreses. Cold section and bad weather towards the end, some rain and freezing wind. Had to camp in Laguna Caracol waiting for the storm to pass and hike the last pass. <br /> The use of lightweight gaiters is advised for keeping the sand out of your shoes.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-25 / 3 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Tom &amp; Maddie '''<br /> <br /> Parque Ingles to El Medano. Very beautiful (and exposed) section. Lots of water. The track from Los Cipreses to El Medano suffered from a few landslides meaning the route was slower than anticipated. I would consider taking the road next time as there is no loss of scenery. We resupplied in El Medano by basically buying all the food at the tienda (60000 CP for food for two people for the next section). Selection was good enough. <br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-18 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR from Vilches Alto / Tyler &amp; America '''<br /> <br /> A Stunning section. Vilches Alto made for a great optional start; rather than returning to Parque Ingles. (We came from Talca by bus - 2100 CP). Entrance fee was 6000 and camping 3000 PP. All trails were beautiful and a bit more trodden that sections before. Arrieros at thermal pools (not hot) were welcoming and friendly for us to camp. We took our sweet time in the beautiful section. We bussed from the first road access (south of town Los Cipreses/ OH-MR-V@06-E-#001) to Talca for a good re supply before the long next section, 2200 CP. Bus leaves this stop around 11.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-18 / 2.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR with optional start coming from GPT 5 / Matus &amp; Anna'''<br /> <br /> We combined sections 5 and 6 via optional trail. <br /> GPT06 took us 2 days and bit (first day we did just 4km from 6th section).<br /> I agree with everything what was written in previous updates.<br /> Nice sandy trails. Mornings were freezing cold. No problems while crossing rivers. After optional start regular trail didn't correspond with any trail. We finally took one on the right side and after while they merged. And I don't know who was so commited, but thanks for marking the trail 😊<br /> <br /> There is a small tienda with coke and crisps before entering a main road from Los Cipress. If you continue by main road toward El Medano there is restaurant Cordillera where we refueled again. Accomodation in El Medano. I will edit with ressuply options later. <br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-14 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR (mainly) / Martina &amp; Ivo '''<br /> <br /> As we came from GPT05 and didn't want to go all the way &quot;back&quot; to the Paso Las Animas, we tried the Optional Investigation Route which starts at Parque Ingles right at the other side (South) of Rio Claro. It leads through private property, so we went to the guard, showed him the CONAF Permit (we bought one just in case, and of course they said it's not possible to walk on the other side of the river), explained him that we would only hike through and gave him some cerezas. He informed his Colleagues via radio to let us pass. It was a nice and easy hike. Nothing to add to Linda's remarks for the rest of the trail.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-06 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Linda '''<br /> <br /> Start = Parque Ingles <br /> Finish = Las Termas El Medano<br /> <br /> GENERAL FEELING<br /> <br /> Amazing section !!!! Incredible mineral landscapes as soon as you go beyond Laguna Las Animas. It was tough because of the passes (and this was also my first hiking days and I carried too much food ... ) and the ground around the volcanoes is sand ! So it makes each step even more difficult. I loved the contrast between the areas around the volcanoes and the Laguna Caracol is just one of the most beautiful place I've ever seen !!! <br /> <br /> LOGISTICS<br /> <br /> - Bus from Molina to El Radal (off season and weekdays = only one bus at 5pm in Molina that stops in El Radal. Weekend : it goes directly to Parque Ingles and the schedule may also be different)<br /> <br /> - Hitchhiked from El Radal to Parque Ingles<br /> <br /> - First night in a camping in Parque Ingles = 5000 CLP<br /> <br /> - The day after, I had to register to CONAF. Office opening at 8:30 am. Entrance fee = 6000 CLP<br /> Some people (5 or 6) were going to El Bolson for the day but after Laguna Las Animas, there was absolutely nobody till the end !<br /> <br /> - Still snow when you go beyond the 2300 meters high<br /> <br /> - Be careful for the last pass Las Hornitos, a lot of snow at the top and it makes it impossible to follow the GPS track to go down. I found my way on the left when you face the valley and then got back to the GPS track<br /> <br /> - No problem to go out from the mine. Actually, workers I met on my way down to Los Cipreses suggestedto drop me by car to the main road. The guard was just smiling when he saw me in the car and when I told him I was hiking<br /> <br /> - Mini market where you can find basic food (eggs, spaghetti, chocolate ...) in Las Termas El Medano<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Feb-07 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Arnaud'''<br /> <br /> Amazing but hard section with a lot of denivelation. <br /> As we did not walk the section 5, we took the bus from Molina to Parque Ingles-7 Tazas (many buses, 4-5 buses per day). We registered to the Conaf Office and paid the entrance fee 6000 clp for foreigners. They gave us a mail adress so that we can announce our exit of the parque, to check the security.<br /> We walked the first 11km to the campspot El Bolson. It costs 4000 clp per person but has no interest. As the zone is protected, it is possible to freecamp only after el Bolson, before, it is prohibited.<br /> The Laguna Las Animas is very very beautiful and is welcome for a bath with the heat of this season.<br /> Then the paso las animas is easy and ashes are fun for downhills!<br /> We met nobody on the trail after el Bolson. So great! Except at one spot with termas with full of chilenos there.<br /> We lacked a bit of water at the laguna el Caracol but found 3kms further (just before the strong uphill) a source with drinkable water.<br /> No problem then to exit los cypress. We hitchhiked on the road with workers until the road to los Medanos.<br /> We stayed one day in los termas de los Medanos, at the camping and exit quickly (too many noise, people). The water is hot and nice after a hard section like this one. <br /> We resupplied at los termas (with pasta, arros, pancito, manjar). No gas available there.<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> You need to carry all the food for the entire trail. There is no food supply after Parque Ingles. If you meet arrieros at one of the Puestos you may ask for some goat or lamb meet but if you are not ready to take an entire or at least half an animal they may be reluctant to sell. Refill your water supply at the marked river crossings and the camps. In between these waypoints your will find only ocasinally some trickling water because water trickles away easily into the volcanic soil.<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> <br /> * 02-2025 / Clara : <br /> Los alamos : Hostal la Riviera 25k/n con desayuno. Possible to have lunch and dinner also (9500). <br /> <br /> El colorado is a good for full resupply. Several bus per days to and from Talca. 1 per day to and from El medano<br /> <br /> <br /> * 2023 / Michael and Kasia<br /> Molina: Hostal Nativos is three blocks off the main square. Run by very nice people, they have private rooms with shared bathroom for 25.000 CLP for the room. They also have a nice garden area with space if you need to clean gear. Ferreteria Franco had gas canisters for stoves. Unimarc on the plaza had cans for recharging, but didn't carry the screw route for stoves.<br /> <br /> * 2021 / Vera &amp; James<br /> <br /> Molina: It has plenty for resupply whilst being nice and small. There is a fishing shop opposite the Santa Isabel supermarket that sells gas.<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> * 2022 / Martin &amp; Helena<br /> <br /> Los Cipresses: small shop (only ice cream, drinks, choco bars, biscuits) + camp with cold shower, toilets, electricity and access to the river, all for 5000 for 2 people. We even got sandwiches for dinner as there was no other place around to eat. <br /> <br /> * 2022 7 Anna&amp;Christopher <br /> <br /> El Médano: The shop there has pasta, rice, bread, tomato salsa, mayo, chips, biscuits/chocolate and suncreme (but quite pricey).<br /> In El Médano we camped for 6k CLP p.p.<br /> <br /> * 2020 / Frank <br /> After 2KM on the road after Los Alamos (to El Medano) you pass 2 shops, better food selection than in El Medano. They have accommodation also.<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route= <br /> <br /> ==Parque Ingles==<br /> <br /> During the main season in January and February several buses go from Molina and Curico to Radal and some even go all the way to Parque Ingles. Outside of the main season there is only one daily bus from Molina to Radal leaving in the afternoon from the rural bus station in Molina.<br /> <br /> * Jan-24 / Joscha<br /> The Bus between Molina and Parque Ingles is run by the company &quot;Buses Hernández&quot;. You can check the departure times on their website.<br /> <br /> *2020 / Frank In summer there are 6 buses a day Molina-Parque Ingles.<br /> <br /> Mon-Sat they leave Molina @ 10:20, 11:30, 12:40, 3PM, 6:15PM, 8:15 PM Sunday Molina- Parque Ingles 7:45, 9:30, 2PM, 7:30PM, 10PM 2 hours to Parque Ingles, buses leave from terminal near main plaza in Molina. Parque Ingles-Molina 7:10, 11, 1PM, 3:45PM, 4:45PM, 6:30PM Mon-Sat Sun. 10:30, 1:30PM, 3:30PM, 5:45PM, 6:45PM <br /> <br /> *2019/ Martina &amp; Ivo <br /> <br /> Monday to Thursday: Molina-Radal: 17:00 // Radal-Molina: 07:30<br /> <br /> Friday: Molina-P.Ingles: 17:00 // Radal-Molina: 07:30<br /> <br /> Saturday: Molina-P.Ingles: 11:30 // 13:30 / P.Ingles-Molina: 18:00<br /> <br /> Sunday: Molina-P.Ingles: 09:00 // P.Ingles-Molina: 15:30 / 17:00<br /> <br /> ==Los Cipreses / El Medano ==<br /> <br /> * Dec 2024 / Sean <br /> One bus a day from El Medano to Talca 7:15 and Talca to El Medano 15:00 Monday to Saturday:<br /> [[Archivo:IMG-20241229-WA0000.jpg|thumbnailimage|Talca bus timetable December 2024 - Sean]]<br /> <br /> <br /> * 7 am in front of Los Cipreses - someone has to call in advance for the bus to go all the way to el Médano - loads of tourists there, though, so someone might have called. Other connections should be at 9:15 and 17:20 (one at 1620 l3aves from further downstream). The other way around, the buses leave Talca at 7, 13, 15 and 19, according to the schedule at Talca bus station.<br /> <br /> *This trail section finished at the Route 115 to Talca. Big road with many cars (hitchhiking possible)<br /> <br /> * 2023 / Louis, Rémi &amp; Noé <br /> <br /> From Los Cipreses only one bus at 7am. We hitchiked to El Colorado where plenty of buses are going down to Talca for 2 000 CLP (+ 400 CLP per bag)<br /> <br /> * 2023 / Natalie &amp; Tomáš <br /> <br /> Buses from Talca to la Mina go at; 7:00am, 1:00pm (only to la Suiza), 3:00pm and 7:00pm. <br /> Vilches: bus clearly did not follow the posted schedule so if you are there just ask the many locals around what time the bus comes, we caught the 1230 bus. <br /> <br /> * 2022 / Veronika &amp; Jo <br /> <br /> - There is no bus to Talca from Los Cipreses on saturdays or sundays. We asked at the shop and got a ride to Colorado from the brother-in-law of the shopkeeper for 15000 CLP.<br /> <br /> == Vilches ==<br /> <br /> * 2023 / Natalie &amp; Tomáš <br /> <br /> Bus clearly did not follow the posted schedule so if you are there just ask the many locals around what time the bus comes, we caught the 1230 bus.<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> * CONAF does register all trekkers at Parque Ingles (GPT01-WP004) but does not charge an entrance fee. Camp fires are not permitted within the national park that reaches from Radal (GPT01-WP001) to the Laguna las Ánimas (GPT01-WP013).<br /> <br /> * 2024 SOBO Permit required at Parque Inglés:<br /> - payment 8500 Pesos online! (not in cash) with online your Conaf account<br /> <br /> https:// shop.pasesparques.cl/evento/2564/radal-siete-tazas<br /> <br /> - offline formular at Conaf station<br /> <br /> - payment 7000 Pesos for Campsite El Bolsón in Cash (not possible with credit card, 200m from Conaf Station)<br /> <br /> * 2023<br /> <br /> When starting from Vilches and going northbound, a permit to access the Volcano (or the Condor Circuit) is required. CONAF won't let you enter in Altos de Lircay without it. Call them or write an email to get the correct number. The number ending with 554 works on WhatsApp, and a WhatsApp message from the land owner counts as &quot;written permission&quot;. Moreover, you have to pay the entrance fee to the reserve and it is closed on Mondays in March.<br /> <br /> *2023 <br /> <br /> Start at Parque Ingles: <br /> Entry ticket for Bolsón overnight needed: $10 USD (book it before online at www.aspticket.cl + get to the trailhead before 13:00) It needs to be purchased online in advance. There is good Entel service at the gate for last minute purchases. After purchase one change can be made to the date of the ticket, and there is no additional charge. After that you need to repurchase the ticket. Entrance for the camping permit is until 13:00. After that they refuse entry.<br /> In addition, you need to show CONAF proof of permission to camp at Bolsón, even if you do not plan to camp there. Bolsón is a privately operated concession within the park. Camping is 7.000 CLP pp and you buy the tickets at Rocas Basalticas campground about 50 meters down the road on the opposite side of the street from the entrance. The only way around this is to have contacted land owners that live beyond the park boundary and show CONAF proof of permission to camp on their land.<br /> They also require that you show them your gas stove, as all other cooking systems (alcohol, wood, etc.) are prohibited within the park, so have it handy.<br /> <br /> The parc can be entered illegally in the morning (around 7 pm).<br /> <br /> * 2019<br /> <br /> Optional start Vilches Alto: Entrance fee was 6000 and camping 3000 PP.<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT06 - Volcán Descabezado]]<br /> <br /> =Images=<br /> <br /> [[File:18 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.PNG|thumb|1100px|center|In the huge ash field]]<br /> [[File:10 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[Archivo:Greater Patagonian Trail (9).jpg|thumb|1100px|center|GPT06 - Volcán Descabezado]]<br /> [[Archivo:Greater Patagonian Trail (5).jpg|thumb|1100px|center|Greater Patagonian Trail]]<br /> [[Archivo:Greater Patagonian Trail (17).jpg|thumb|1100px|center|[[Cerro Azul]].]]<br /> [[Archivo:Greater Patagonian Trail (11).jpg|thumb|1100px|center|Greater Patagonian Trail, section 6]]<br /> [[File:01 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, El Bolsón.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|El Bolsón]]<br /> [[File:02 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Leaving El Bolsón.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|Leaving El Bolsón]]<br /> [[File:03 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|GPT 06]]<br /> [[File:04 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Laguna Las Ánimas.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|Laguna Las Ánimas]]<br /> [[File:05 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Pass 2560 m.PNG|thumb|1100px|center|Pass 2560 m]]<br /> [[File:06 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Approaching Laguna Mondaca.PNG|thumb|1100px|center|Approaching Laguna Mondaca]]<br /> [[File:07 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Laguna Mondaca.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|Laguna Mondaca]]<br /> [[File:08 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, that bypasses Laguna Mondaca.PNG|thumb|1100px|center|Bypasses Laguna Mondaca]]<br /> [[File:09 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|GPT 06]]<br /> [[File:11 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Termas de Azufre.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|Termas de Azufre]]<br /> [[File:12 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|GPT 06]]<br /> [[File:13 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|GPT 06]]<br /> [[File:16 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|GPT 06]]<br /> [[File:17 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|GPT 06]]<br /> [[File:19 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.PNG|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:20 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.PNG|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:21 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:23 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.PNG|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:24 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:25 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:26 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Leaving the Base Camp Descabezado Grande.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|Leaving the Base Camp Descabezado Grande]]<br /> [[File:27 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Hot springs at Base Camp Descabezado Grande.jpg|thumb|1100px|center|Hot springs at Base Camp Descabezado Grande]]<br /> [[File:28 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:29 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:31 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:32 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.PNG|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:33 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:34 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.PNG|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:35 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.PNG|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:37 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:38 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.PNG|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:39 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:40 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.PNG|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:41 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.PNG|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:43 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Camp near Laguna Los Hornitos.jpg|Camp near Laguna Los Hornitos]]<br /> [[File:44 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Laguna Los Hornitos.PNG|thumb|1100px|center|Laguna Los Hornitos]]<br /> [[File:45 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Laguna Los Hornitos.PNG|thumb|1100px|center|Laguna Los Hornitos]]<br /> [[File:46 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:47 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]<br /> [[File:48 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg|thumb|1100px|center]]</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT08_(Volcan_Chillan)&diff=120890 2025-04-01T03:06:44Z

<p>MiaimZelt: /* Season 2024/25 */</p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;packrafting&quot;, as above):<br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD, WHAT IS ENCLOSED IN &lt;&gt; MAKES IT BLUE):<br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/nowiki&gt;.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Overview=<br /> <br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> *'''2025-03-27 to 2025-03-31 / 4.5 days hiking / SOBO / OH 02 + RR + OH E + OH G + OH H + own route around Puesto/ MiaimZelt'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: Came from Talca and took the 2pm bus from Terminal Merced to Termas de Chillán. Arrived at 4:30pm and was the last one in the bus. Had to walk 1.5km on the road to reach OH 02. The trail to Pass {08-02} [2.8/2371] was easy, but very steep. No fun, i was stressed a lot because of time pressure, had only 3 hours of daylight left. Hurried down through the incredible Valle Aguas Calientes - what a pity! First hot spring was already occupied with tents. Could have camped near a hot river, but maybe not easy to reach the hot river in the dark. Therefore i continued until Camp {08} [40.4/2150]. Don't recommend this place, the evening and night was super windy, although it was less windy at the pass! Didn't dare to leave the tent to take a bath and didn't fall asleep before 3am. <br /> <br /> Day 2: Prepared everything and took a bath in the morning. So good!! RR was wet and sometimes not visible in the valley. Improved soon. Ford {08} [47.4/1390] was below knee and fast flowing. Ford {08} [48.4/1334] was mid tigh (i'm 1.73) and fast flowing. At Puesto {08} [49.6/1423] i saw 2 simple huts: one was locked. Ford {08} [50.5/1305] was possible dry feet. Ford {08} [64.1/1164] was also possible dry feet. Went to Camping Los Peucos and met 2 guys from Conaf. They told me the Camping is now officially closed due to problems with administration. Arrived late and was allowed to stay, very nice gardaparques. I hope they reopen soon, this place is awesome.<br /> <br /> Day 3: Short day due to weather forcast: 35l rain and 80km/h winds in the evening and night. All 4 fords at the MR were easy and low, but Ford {08} [71.3/1089] was very long. At least 5 apple trees at OH E! Sendero Los Ratones is nice, but some fallen trees. Searched for a camspot near the pass in the lenga forest. Stayed here on a not really flat place: <br /> -37.128033, -71.3195. Indeed tons of rain after 8pm. <br /> <br /> Day 4: Started late at 10am, when rain stopped. Again some fallen trees. Soon i flound better and bigger places to camp in the forest, the altitude-lines didn't let me expect this. No more dust! Trail until Laguna Roble was nice and beautiful. Below Laguna Roble i found a rabbit caught in a wire loop. I freed the poor animal, 100m further i saw a dead rabbit in another wire loop. Both campspots at Laguna Roble are nice and well protected in case if bad weather. <br /> Was lucky to climb to Pass {08} [100.6/2035] (El Encanto) on a cool day. Great views from the ridge! Also nice trail. After X {08} [105.4/1934] 200m CC. Camp {08} [106.6/1938] isn't flat. Followed the wrong trail and continued CC at the same altitude until i reached the RR again. Took OH G to get to Laguna Hermosa. Easy CC. Didn’t like the camp at the beach, not good in case of unstable weather. Stayed here: -37.27434, -71.383359 a bit further up. 100m below there is a well sheltered spot between bushes. Started snowing after i pitched the tent. Very cold night.<br /> <br /> Day 5: Sunny day, but cold and some snow at the mountains. The following km at the ridge were a bit difficult due to snow and ice. Snow covered the trail and made it difficult to follow. Fortunately i saw animal footprints - wild animals appriciate our trails! Took OH H, there is a nice trail. The beginning of the descent was very steep and still frozen. Improved in the forest. Met two Arrieros with horses and 4 aggressive dogs. Wanted to sneak around Puesto {08} [120.6/1513] to avoid right-of-way issue. First try was a fail - the vegetation was way too dense. Here -37.347131, -71.391773 i could follow an animal trail, which leads to a big meadow. Hiked on the meadow to the MR. Only downside: i was visible from the house, nothing happened. I guess: it's possible to sneak in NoBo when walking early or late when it's dark. Nice trail near Estero El Toro. Walked on the PR and got a very friendly hitch with a chilean couple to Los Ángeles.<br /> <br /> *''' 2025-03-14 to 2025-03-16 /3 days / HIKING/ NOBO / OH 02 + RR /Chloe and Mathieu<br /> <br /> We tried to to take the OH06 to avoid the right of way issue but when you go Nobo you have to go through the hydroelectrical central. For that you have to go there with one of the landowner located after the central. So we followed the advice of Robin and Manon and contacted Engelbert Egger (+56992392826). He's very Kind but he wasn't in Abanico at this time so he gave us the number of an other man wo has a puesto after the central. He wasn't available as well so we decided to start from Termas de Chillan to avoid this part. <br /> <br /> Day 1 : we started from Termas de Chillan and took the OH 02. We went up to the pass, easy trail. We went down to the agua caliente valley, very beautifull and almost all rivers are hot. There is one amazing just after the camp [37.3/2157] where you can bath. <br /> We slept at camp 40.3 where the hot spring is so nice as well. <br /> <br /> Day 2: we went up to the pass 39.1 quite sandy but the ascent is short. When we went down we lost the RR because we followed a more obvious trace so keep looking at the GPS. We <br /> reached RR again and followed the route until pass 33.2. Then we went down to the valley of estero Quebrado. At camp 29.5 we lost the track and ended in bamboo fight, so stay to the right side of the estero and it will be fine. <br /> We reached Rio Ñuble and crossed it preatty easily at the exact point on Locus because rivers are lower at this time of the year. We camped here S 36° 48.882', W 071° 15.278' but the camp 20.3 is fine also. The other places are protected by fences and big signs are saying that camping is prohibited.<br /> Day 3: we walked all the way to Puente Engles and found a lift to go to San Fabian de Alico. We slept at the Jahuel camping (15min from center and 8000p/p) nice restaurant : Zambie I Canuta.<br /> Took the bus next morning at 6:20AM to Chillan.<br /> <br /> *'''2025-02-23 to 2025-03-02 / 8 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Eric and Jakob'''<br /> <br /> Route: <br /> We sticked to the main route the whole time. !!!We had problems at the end of the main Route. Its best to use Option 6 (Rayenco) to avoid right of ways issue.!!!<br /> <br /> Travel:<br /> At this section our trip ended that’s why we hitchhiked to Antuco and even though it was Sunday we were able to buy a ticket for a nightbus directly from Antuco to Santiago. The bus left at 22:15 and arrived at 05:30 the following day costing the two of us 54 euros. <br /> <br /> Permissions:<br /> In the beginning is a gate a little bit before the marked gate at kilometre 22.8. The gate has signes on it stating that everything is private property and nobody is allowed to enter. The land is owned by a really nice man called Juan. His phone number is +56973133339. He is carrying his phone all the time so just give him a call before entering. He was really friendly to us and gave us immediate permission to cross his territory.<br /> When entering Parque Nacional Laguna del Laja don’t worry about getting a permission to continue hiking. We went to the Park Ranger at km 63.9 and he told us that no permission is needed to cross the national park.<br /> !!!The landowner at km 120.6 doesn’t let any hiker pass! No matter whether hiking SOBO or NOBO. There is also no way to get a permission. That’s why we highly recommend taking the Option 6 (Rayenco) to avoid these problems. He is a really straightforward person who makes you turn around no matter of how much water or food you still have left.!!!<br /> 
Resupply:<br /> No shops on the whole trail.<br /> <br /> Attractiveness: 4-5/5<br /> Difficulty: 4/5<br /> <br /> *'''GPT 08 / 2025-02-13 to 2025-02-07/ 7 days / NOBO / Mara &amp; Tobias*'''<br /> <br /> short: Avoided the right of way conflict at Puesto {08} [121.6/1513] by taking the ridge (difficulty 6). Water {08} [107.7/1951] is almost dried out. Aggressive cows in the valley close to Camp {08} [89.4/1449].<br /> <br /> Day 1: startet at Gate {08} [126.2/1339] at 12:30 and met Enrico there, who told us to not pass. After chatting a bit with him he told us to wait 20 minutes, until he left with the car and go for the ridge. So we entered after a while, went up the road and found water at -37.35773, -71.38068. From the satellite images variant A (photo) looked ok, but in real live seemed to be a bad idea. So we went for variant B, which took us 3 hours. Very steep, loose rocks, one part with climbing (difficulty 2). With the food for 7 days in the backpack not a joy 😂. While we were climbing up, we saw 3 cars passing the road. So be aware when you sneak in. Camped at laguna los Cóndores. Perfect Spot!<br /> <br /> Day 2: walked to Camp {08} [107.6/1938]. The marked spot should be shifted up to 37.24611 -71.39138 the shoulder right before (NOBO). Met Adrian, Julian and Valentin there who camped SOBO and camped beside us. Had nice conversations. Adrian warned us about the aggressive cows next day.<br /> <br /> Day 3: Went to Camp {08} [88.1/1514] and met Clara on the way. Cows close to Camp {08} [89.4/1449] showed an aggressive behaviour. Maybe it was the herd who were hunting the boys the day before. We had to do a 20 minutes detour up the valley to keep distance. <br /> <br /> Day 4: Went to camping Los Peucos and enjoyed the hot water.<br /> <br /> Day 5-7: walked to Puente Inglés without difficulties. Crossed Río Nuble with dry feet on horseback’s. 2 Arrieros (Guillermo and Renato) took us on the other side. Water was not deep either.<br /> <br /> <br /> *'''10Fev2025 - 17fec2025 / hiking SOBO / RR - OH1+new - varE - G - H - I - J / 7.5 days (with one half day at termas) / Clara'''<br /> <br /> Left the bus to Puente El Ingles here -36,67295, -71,29201 before los sauces (as Tomáš and Natalie said), easy road to the river and dry feet crossing. <br /> Lots of workers there, I was luckey to get a ride to El Roble after few hot MR walking km. <br /> Carabineros are nice, just want you to register and check out you have a good gps + satellite. <br /> <br /> <br /> Fords : <br /> - Rio ñuble: at 10am deep and flowing fast, I didn't feel it (1.57m, alone and i'm not used to fords). I knew it would probably be like this so I took OH1 and went back RR (thanks a lot Peggy and Dorota!!). Ford at the indicated place on OH1 is easy, water to knee flowing slow at noon. <br /> <br /> -Rio diguillin : 47.4 was easy (fast flowing but around knee). 48.4 harder (water to crotch, flowing fast), I did it few meters upper to tracks (exactly here : -36,93565, -71,40355)<br /> <br /> <br /> Navigation : <br /> <br /> - to avoid ford of rio ñuble : OH1 is easy with 2 nice camp spots (-36,85676, -71,22440 and -36,86615, -71,21507) and lot of streams flowing. Trail in the other direction is mainly in good conditions but sometimes disappear + cow paths make you going in bushes and loosing time (so if it can helps, this is 4 positions that I marked with my gps when I went back on the good trail just after loosing myself : <br /> S36.852906° O071.228763° /<br /> S36.850995° O071.230381° /<br /> S36.844944° O071.235431° /<br /> S36.839085° O071.245746°)<br /> <br /> Maybe (probably), there are other easy spots earlier to ford Rio ñuble and take the trail at the opposite side, especially when it gets close to the river, but I didn't explore it at all. <br /> And back on the other side of Rio ñuble... 3h30 later !! But I was very happy with it as it worked and was very easy. <br /> <br /> -I found not so much bamboo fight, maybe it have been cleared by all the people passing. I avoided one taking the good trail on the other side of the river around camp 29.5. 2 additional fords but very easy. (Cross river here S36.856564° O071.75578°, and then here S36.858440° O071.279470° to go back on RR)<br /> <br /> - CC part on the ridge after km113 is more demanding in terms of navigation and terrain. Some cairns helping (but once leed me in wrong and exposed direction). I ended up on varH without noticing but it felt good as there was less wind than directly on the ridge and a good trail. <br /> <br /> - I had still lot's of food so I took the ridge slow and went for the lakes (thank's to Sergio advise, and food!). Var G for laguna hermosa is easy CC, 20 min down. The lake is a beautiful ++ spot to camp (or lunch/swim), I found it way nicer than Laguna El Roble ! No water flowing upper to the lake at this time but water from the lake is perfectly clear and fresh. <br /> Var I looked nicer than RR for this steep going down. <br /> Then var J : good trails to go to laguna El Toro and to the viewpoint of laguna los condores. Not sure if you really can go down at this one and didn't look like there is place to camp. <br /> <br /> <br /> Camp : <br /> <br /> - Planned to camp at Camp 20.3 but the place was not nice and no water so went to next spot not marked here -36,81470, -71,25463. (Camp 21.6 is not good too, there is a fence and private property)<br /> <br /> - -36,85684, -71,27580. A bit before camp 29.5. <br /> <br /> - termas 40 : very nice spot. Incredible termas !!<br /> <br /> - camping Los Peucos : nothing to add about termas and camping. Sergio is amazing and very generous. The day after he had to do some stuff with trashes and he proposed me to come with him by car. He took me to the viewpoint of salto del blanquillo on OH3 that was nice and then left me around beginig of VarE<br /> <br /> - camp 87.1 : nice fresh water flowing just down to the spot.<br /> <br /> - camp 102.3 : there is actually a thin water just down, sufficient to cook and drink. The spot has an amazing view. Flat spot perfect for tent exactly here -37,21391, -71,37187. Not totally wind protected so better watch before how it's gonna be for the night ! <br /> <br /> - laguna El Toro : is not as perfect as laguna hermosa (and water is not as fresh and clear, maybe better to take water from the little stream on the path going down to the lake) but it's still a nice place to camp. Frozed in the night. <br /> <br /> <br /> Water : 27.5 is not really good (more muddy and stagnant water). Other markers are good. <br /> <br /> No snow. <br /> <br /> <br /> Right of way issues : <br /> - at puesto 120 : 5 very agressive dogs running and barking on me when I arrived. As others, the guy told me it's a private property and doesn't let people go since this season (because of trashes and fires). He was not angry and had to let me pass in this way but precise me that he won't let anyone in the opposite. Need to find an alternative way if you really want to go NOBO here, and don't approch the puesto.<br /> <br /> - cows around km88 where not aggressive with me but not friendly type neither. <br /> <br /> I can advise camping parque Antuco. Nice and calm place with shade and swimming pool. Homemade empanadas. Camp10k with electricity and perfect hot showers. Bernabe the owner is really nice and know about the GPT. Had really good talks with him !<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2025-JAN-29 to 2025-Feb-2 / 4.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Option 1 / Elijah &amp; Michael<br /> <br /> Rio Nuble remains a challenging crossing with water coming waist high at 174 cm. Trail is overgrown with Bamboo Grass up to the second pass, however improves thereafter. <br /> <br /> Both the undeveloped termas after the second pass, as well as Los Peucos are highly recommended. Camping &amp; rustic cabanas available at Los Puecos; as noted, Sergio is warm, welcoming, and generous with his available supplies. <br /> <br /> El Puesto {08} [120.6/1513] informed us that we were trespassing on private property and allowed us to pass on the stipulation that we never return. <br /> <br /> Antuco Base Camp sells hot coffee, cookies, chocolate, and at lunch, pizza. Light traffic on road to Antuco (Sunday). <br /> <br /> (Option 1: Michael split from RR to hike this option. Second marked puesto busy &amp; welcoming. No water available after basin before ridge walk, until Laguna el Lobo. Good views, comparable to Traversia Polcura.) <br /> <br /> '''2024-01-16 to 2014-01-26 / 1day+10days / Hiking / SOBO / RR+OH 1+new trail / Dorota+Peggy till los Puecos, after that Dorota'''<br /> <br /> Very demanding stage because of Rio Nuble<br /> <br /> 1Day: I walked alone and have idea to cross the river Nuble at km 22.0 km (-36.82021, -71.25381) at first gate. Then followed river, and after puesto I found trail. My idea was destroyed for next river and also on the other side I did not see possibility to continúe. So I backtrack to camping El Ingles and joined Peggy.<br /> <br /> Day2: We could not crossed safely Nuble. Night at km 21.6<br /> <br /> Day3: We continued option 08-01. It was possiblity of storm so we went to puesto (08-01)[8.0/1136]. We spent here night and learned how to made sopapillas and bread. Patricia y Juan gave us a lot of food. Juan explain us that exist path on other side of river (reffering to option1) which leads to termas. <br /> <br /> Day4: We risked to follow his innstruction and we reached the track RR. So if you would like to do this option: take variant 01, cross the river Nuble at about km 6.5 (-36.86712,-71.21317). And then not followed option 1. Instead turn right and followed path on the other side. You need to make some adicional kilometers, but it was worth of it. <br /> <br /> Day5: we reached termas. There was nice spot with two places for tent.(-36.90435, -71.35763)<br /> <br /> Day6: volcano Chillan using variant Natalie-Tomas. Till 2500 m nice visible path. Then sometimies. There were snowfields, only one with spikes. We met pair from Germany.<br /> <br /> Day7: We spend a lot of time for find good place for passing river Daulagin. We have crossed 100 m down stream. I have 1.64 cm, peggy 1.60 cm. Cuarrent very strong, water to hips. I reached camping los Puecos.<br /> <br /> Day7: Rest day at Puecos. Night at &quot;quincho&quot; house with place for fire. Price 15.000 clp. Ranger Sergio gave us a lot of food, breakfast and dinner. Also gas and food. He didnot like money adicional. Hot springs excepcional.<br /> <br /> Day9: I followed trail alone. Between 82.9 and 84.2 a lot tress and sometimes trail is not visible. Night at km 88.4.<br /> <br /> Day 10: views from the ridge were amazing. Between km 110.2 and 113.1 the trail very often is not visible. I camped at km 111. Water from snow.<br /> <br /> Day11: There were not water till km 117. Meeting with Rodrigo at his puesto were not so bad. At the beginnig I started to apologize that I am on his territory. Night at camping Antuco in luxury cabana for 4 personas. Price 30000 clp. Owner in the evening took me to Abanico to restaurant and buying some food. Very nice place.<br /> <br /> '''2025-Jan-20 to 2025-Jan-27 / 7 days + 1 day / Hiking / SOBO / RR from thermas de Chillán, Option 08-D + volcano Chillán / Chris &amp; Julia<br /> '''<br /> <br /> Tldr: Final ridge is difficult (navigation &amp; terrain), we had insane winds. Water [118.3/1733] is campable. All fords managable (2 pers, one 181cm), one a bit tricky to navigate. Option 08-D preferable. Dont miss out on Los Peucos!<br /> <br /> Skipped due to Rio Nubles to valles de agua caliente.<br /> Climbing volcan Chillán was a nightmare made from ashes and loose rocks. Saw condors from maybe 5m away and got blessed with amazing views. it took us in total approx. 7hrs. Many snowfields to cross and no real path, its just... very very steep.<br /> Valle de agua caliente was very nice, but also crowded. The water is not particularly hot, but relaxing &amp; nice during daytime. The first river that needs to be crossed to join the RR was pretty hot (almost burned my foot when crossing). We were a bit bummed, we didnt try to find a bathing spot there, away from the people and with some steam ;)<br /> Fording Rio Diguilli approx hip high and medium current, second crossing was easier than first but hard to navigate. At the marked location is a good spot, just hard to get there as the path was swept away. We followed horse tracks, last 20m pushed through bushes, climbed down and then traced the river approx. 20-40m upstream to the marked fording and crossed there. <br /> Los Peucos is a heaven, no shop though, so plan supplies accordingly! If lucky and he had a recent resupply run, he might sell you some food, but its not certain. Sergio is super nice &amp; welcoming, hot pools are suuuuper relaxing! Wifi available. 15kCLP pp.<br /> We took Option 08-D (some CC that Sergio (Los Peucos) recommended) to only cross Rio Polcura once. We crossed approx 200m downstream of the marked location where it was more narrow, less current but a bit deeper. We did this because it was easier to judge whats coming and it was belly high, but due to little current very managable. Rather a nice cool dip. We saw horse tracks exiting the trail a bit earlier to the left than the Option 08-D. Arrieros know best, i suspect this might be their trail, worth checking out!<br /> As others mentioned before, we also took the road and not the RR parallel to the river. We saw arrieros use it on horses, but with backpacks its hard and not enjoyable.<br /> Camp [97.8/1456] at Laguna el Roble was a dream spot. The ascend after was a dream too, 2hrs, amazing views.<br /> Final ridge approx from the salida de emergencia ongoing was hard to navigate, challenging terrain, insane winds! Took longer than expected!<br /> Camp [106.6/1938] looked not flat but okay, but water supply rather trickling than flowing. <br /> We camped at not-marked location very close to Water [118.3/1733] (when the path gets muddy, after crossing the little flow from the left, little ascend and then to the right is a nice flat spot between fallen trees). The water is actually a source and had wonderful cold &amp; fresh water flowing. <br /> <br /> In Antuco we found through asking a shop owner a little room, hosted by nice lady Sara: 3 beds, power outlets, wifi (fast), shower (warm-ish), watercooker, microwave, clean, central (near bigmarket) for 40.000CLP per night for it all. Her Whatsapp: +56 9 8503 8261<br /> No kitchen though.<br /> <br /> Wonderful and diverse section! Loved every bit of it!<br /> <br /> '''2024-Jan-02 to 2024-Jan-12 / 3 days+8 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR, backtrack from Rio Nubles, OH02, OH02A / Nimrod &amp; Tamar<br /> '''<br /> In short - we didn't cross Rio nubles and backtracked to opt 02.<br /> Great hot springs<br /> An angry guy at puesto [120.6/1513]<br /> <br /> Trail from Puente Ingles is an MR. There is a lot of worker traffic and it's easy to hitchhike.<br /> At Camp [21.6/873] there is a fence and it's currently impossible to camp there. At the same spot there is a cable bridge. We climbed the fence and tried to cross, but the cart was on the other side of the river and we didn't see anybody.<br /> <br /> We camped near Rio Nubles ford waypoint in order to try it early in the morning.<br /> The current was too strong and we didn't maage to cross the river (we are 170 cm)<br /> We decided to go upstream using option 10, cross the river, and try to go back to RR on the other side.<br /> We crossed the river at (-36.86714, -71.21322) and started hiking south.<br /> It was hard BB and we hiked about 1.5 km in 4 hours.<br /> We saw the river got wide so we decided to cross it again, stop suffering, backtrack and take a bus to thermas de chillan.<br /> <br /> We took a bus from Chillan to Termas de Chillan at 13:30 on Sunday. We walked about 1 km on the paved road and climbed to the first hot springs. There was a small not so warm pool.<br /> <br /> 2nd day - we climbed to Volcan Chillan. There was some snow but it was easy without spikes.<br /> Slept in the amazing Valle de Agua Caliente and enjoyed a hot bath in the hot river at night.<br /> <br /> 3rd day - We planned to get to Los Peucos but decided to spend more time in the hot springs valley and started hiking at noon. The ford in [48.4/1334] was quite hard. At afternoon the water reached our belly button, current was strong, rock at bottom slippery. <br /> We camped near ford [50.5/1305]. There was a fir pit.<br /> <br /> 4th day - we hiked to Los Peucos. Sergio the ranger accepted selling us some food (flour, eggs, cheese, pasta, tuna, pastrami). Payed 15,000 clp each for food+hot spring+camp. The hot springs were amazing! The best so far for us. You get to fill your own pool before going in so it's clean and warm! There's wifi and a place to charge as well. <br /> <br /> 5th day - we camped at (-37.10491, -71.31605) no water. Saw puma foot prints the next morning, and a research camera a little before camp. <br /> <br /> 6th day - saw Laguna de laja and volcan Antuco from afar for the first time. camped near Laguna De Roble, swem and rested in the afternoon. Beautiful place! A lot of ducks.<br /> <br /> 7th day - the path was clear most of the time and the view really nice.<br /> We camped at (-37.178223,-71.235131) - beautiful place with a view to volcan Antuco, water from melted snow.<br /> <br /> 8th day - watch out as going down the trail to the last valley- it looks innocent, but is actually quite steep and dirt is slippery, and land is hard and painful to fall on. Had some nasty falls on our butts! <br /> At puesto [120.6/1513] a guy named Ricardo was angry at us for entering his private property, but had no choice but let us continue down.We think he might not let NOBO hikers go up the valley.<br /> Finally we hitchhiked to Antuco. There was a lot of traffic on Sunday.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''2024-Dec-21 to 2024-Dec-26 / 6 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR, variant E, Option 2 / Sean &amp; Neele<br /> '''<br /> <br /> At the park entrance on the road they asked where we were going, once we explained we were going north to termas de chillan they asked to see the route. Wasn't a problem they just seemed curious, let us in without paying.<br /> <br /> Puesto 120km - lots of people camping in this area on a Friday.<br /> <br /> 117km to 107km - snow present. It's manageable but slowed our progress. Around 113km is the worst of it. North of 107km some very small patches but nothing difficult.<br /> <br /> Camp 106.6km - very wet at the moment there's a better option about 500m sobo.<br /> <br /> Camp without water 102.3 - currently has plenty of water.<br /> <br /> Camped at camp 87.1km - lots of horseflies<br /> <br /> Ford 71.3km - easy at 4pm<br /> <br /> Ford 66.4, 64.1 and 63.7km - also easy<br /> <br /> Camping Los Puecos 63.9km - great spot hot spring was a bit too hot for us. Host was a legend; he brought us breakfast on Christmas.<br /> <br /> Ford 48.4km - Very strong. Crossed around 5:30pm hip deep for Neele (1.61m). We took our time finding a suitable place to cross and ended up about 250m upstream from RR.<br /> <br /> Camped at Ford 47.4km eastern side downstream there's a great camp spot with a fire ring.<br /> <br /> Hot spring 40.4km is really amazing<br /> <br /> We took option 2 to Termas de Chillan to avoid Rio Nuble. Some snow but really not a problem.<br /> <br /> <br /> * ''' 2024-DEC-18 &gt; 20 / 3 jours / Randonnée / SOBO / frontiere argentine(voir GPT07) &gt; RR &gt; frontiere argentine &gt; RR / Pierre-Marie ​​'''<br /> <br /> Etape : GPT07+GPT08<br /> | Meteo : soleil<br /> | Eau : facile<br /> | Neige : beaucoup<br /> | Intérêt : 5/5<br /> | Difficulté : 4/5<br /> | Danger : passage de rivière difficile, foret d'arbres morts, neige sur pente raide.<br /> <br /> Le passage du Rio Nuble n'est pas facile, meme le matin. La fin du sentier avant la grande montee est vraiment difficile a suivre car peu empruntée et milieu humide avec beaucoup de vegetation. En revanche la montée est parfaitement entretenue.<br /> La crete est un vrai plaisir, mais elle est exigente physiquement et il n'y a pas d'eau ni de sentier. Les parties sableuses sont difficile car il y a des trous sous le sable. Pour la descente vers le Rio Polcura, il suffit de suivre le sentier. La riviere est facile a passer.<br /> Ensuite la premiere partie vers le lac est en mauvais etat meme si le chemin est bien visible. La foret est morte alors attention aux chutes de branches. La derniere crete est tres belle, mais il y a beaucoup de neige dans des endroits tres raide. Impossible a faire si la neige est glacée. La derniere descente est propre mais il y a beaucoup de moustiques dans le grand pré. La fin du dernier jour s'est faite sous un ciel menaçant, je me suis depeché de descendre pour retrouver de la chaleur et des endroits plats en cas de pluie. J'ai rejoint Los Angeles le lendemain avec 4km de marche, 5km en stop, puis en bus depuis Abanico par le bus de 8h45.<br /> DEC-21 : Repos Los Angeles.<br /> <br /> * ''' 2024-DEC-13 to 2024-DEC-17 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + OH (var. E, 06, 06B) / Ivan, Jakub, Daniel '''<br /> <br /> This stage is full of incredible diversity, encompassing almost everything. Epic views, challenging terrain, walking on snow, beautiful wild forests, the majestic Chillán volcano, hardened lava flows, hot springs, arrieros, a ridge trail, and, so far, the most challenging ford we’ve encountered here (see below).<br /> <br /> We got back to the trail by hitchhiking from San Fabián in the early morning. The following section [km 2.8 to approx. 21.9] is not a trail as described in the track files, but rather a solid MR that is being worked on by laborers. The settlement at El Roble [12.7/758] is actually a police station where we checked in and provided our contact details. <br /> <br /> The ford [23.7/950] across the Ñuble River is the biggest challenge of this section. We first attempted it in a line of three, but our tallest member, Daniel (198 cm), who was first, found the water almost up to his chest and the strong current was beginning to pull us in. We turned back. It wasn’t safe to cross. Eventually, we found a rock 100 meters upstream where the water was deeper but the riverbed was narrower. With a run-up, we jumped one by one as far as we could, and on three steps, we made it to the opposite bank. We sent our backpacks across the riverbed using a rope and carabiner.<br /> <br /> The ascent to the saddle of the Chillán volcano is a beautiful hike, and the extensive and geologically fresh lava flow at the Trailhead [34.6/1873] is definitely worth mentioning. The crossing point is unmarked at about [35.1/1852]. Above 2150 m, everything was completely covered with snow. Spikes came in handy.<br /> <br /> The descent to the Río Diguillín valley was okay, and we camped near the ford [48.4/1334], which is also a nice spot for a bivouac. We crossed the mentioned ford in the morning, and the water reached my waist at a height of 178 cm. It’s worth noting that the marked ford [50.5/1305] could be crossed with dry feet. The trail towards Termas los Peucos [63.9/1191] is a relatively well-defined path trodden by local arrieros. At the hot springs, which cost 7000 CLP per person, there is also a camping, but we continued further along the MR. At about [75.0/1160], we originally turned down the RR, but due to the challenging BB, we reversed our decision and continued along the MR to variant E.<br /> <br /> From the Trailhead [80.5/1248], there is a pleasant path leading to the beautiful Laguna Laja. We camped at Camp [98.3/1459] by Laguna El Roble, where you need to slightly clear some bushes, but there is a nice spot for three tents and a fire pit. The ascent to the Pass [100.6/2035] (El Encanto) is quite pleasant due to its zigzagging path. There, we were captivated by the literally breathtaking view of the Antuco Volcano and Sierra Velluda. Unfortunately, due to an injury to one of our members' arches, we had to skip part of the ridge and finish the section using variants 06 + 06B. We deviated from the RR at point X [105.4/1934] and at Bus point {08-06B} [2.9/734], we hitchhiked to Los Angeles.<br /> <br /> * ''' (2024/Dez/01-2024/Dec/07) 7Days/ Hiking and Packrafting/ SOBO/ RR / Lukas, Basil and Tabea ​​'''<br /> <br /> Entry point st puente el Ingles. The street to el Roble is beeing newly built and very easy to walk ou but also boring. The crossing of rii nuble was only manageble with packrafts, the river crossing ob foot is not possible at the moment. The mountain Pass at 39.1 km was duable but there was still a lot of snow from ca. 36.2 to ca. Ford 47.4. The hot springs were worth all the effort! The crossing at 50.5km was at the limit (for a person 170cm, over belly button). It was only possible in a line, manageble but not recommended.<br /> Hot springs at camp 63.9 km are great. Ranger station has all the necessary commodoities, we spent an extra day there. From there on the road was well maintained until the laguna de la laja.<br /> Packrafting before 3pm was very hard and slow due to SO wind, in the afternoon the west-wind made progress possible. Water levels are unusually high at the moment. As we were tired cold we hitch hiked with a fisher boat to the end of the lake afer ca. 14 km paddeling. exit over highway next to national park laguna del laja.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> * '''24-11-29- 24-12-4/ 6 days / SOBO, OH02, RR, OH08F, RR, OH06/ Volker'''<br /> <br /> A great spring hike, but not an easy one! <br /> To avoid Rio Nubles so early in the season I took OH02 (bus from Chillan, rural station, to Valle las Trancas at 10.10 a.m. (2 buses each day go to Termas de Chillan, schedule: <br /> https://busesrembus.cl/en/services.php)<br /> and walked/hitchhiked the last kilometers to Termas. Started around 14:30. The snow began immediately after the hot spring at 4.8. I walked CC on the nearly untouched white coverage to the pass. The valley was almost completely under snow with some green patches. Rio Diguillin (no ford indicated): why keep feet dry, why keep anything dry? It‘s a stream at about 38 C with many whirlpools. I stayed over an hour there and camped not far: 10qm for a tent inmidst all the snow on a warm spring evening. The night and the following morning: quite cold. It was a good decision to add some 800g to my base-weight for a warm layer and gloves. <br /> <br /> Day 2: Got up at 6.a.m and climbed with a mini-backpack CC on Volcan Chillan Viejo, at 9 a.m. on the summit, great view! In the afternoon I walked NOBO to the hot spring at 40.3 on RR. Back at the tent, it started to rain, mixed with snow.<br /> <br /> Day 3: Started late, waiting for the weather to improve. To avoid the NOBO detour to the RR I climbed CC to join it. This was easy, the problems began on the RR. The whole trail was under snow, I had to permanently use my device to find the point of reentry into overgrown area after steep snowfields. Later less snow, but now many broken trees and branches blocked the way. No major problem, but I advanced slowly. First ford at 47.7: difficult. Second ford at 48.4: very difficult! That was no fun, strong stream over my thighs, I could dare it only, because I found a spot, where two rocks are quite close, so I had to stand the stream only for a second, before I could cramp to the next rock. The OSM here is not correct, perhaps the river has a new bed. After the puesto the trail was cleaned up/bypassing broken trees easier. I finally moved quicker. Camp at 57.0. <br /> Day 4: Difficulties continued. Very cold in the morning, wet socks and shoes frozen; 5 fords, that are not indicated, all no major problem, but none with dry feet. The swamp before the puesto at 61.7 is bigger now (in spring?), several hundred meters of the trail under water. Again more fords than indicated, all easy, but one: water (flowing slowly) to my belly (1,97m!). The water reached to the lower part of the backpack. Didn‘t see anyone at the Los Peucos camp site. At the ford at 71.3 the water was neither very high nor very strong, but more than 100m to go the other bank! The following MR very welcome, finally allowed to move quicker. Camp on RR at around 77.5 directly on the trail. <br /> <br /> Day 5: I took OH08F and walked the 28,6 km MR. Met several arrieros (very friendly!) and at the Embalse Vega Larga two fishermen, father and son, who „sold“ me (they didn‘t want to take<br /> money, I insisted) two fishes, they had just grilled over a fire. Ford at the end of the MR to get back to RR: difficult. The Laguna Laja has more water than on OSM, at the spot, where the ford is indicated, one could swim to the other side, but the backpack… Camp at Laguna Laja with an extraordinary view on the mountains in the south.<br /> Day 6: RR, trail first hardly visible, very good after the lake. On the ridge very windy, a lot of snow - but great view. On the way down the weather seemed to turn, so at 105.4 I took OH 06. The weather kept good, but nonetheless a good decision. When you are down in the valley, the trail and then the MR lead through a wonderful forest. Great spots to camp along the MR after the puesto (gate) but 100 before the Enel substation. <br /> Day 7: Clouds at around 900 hm, good to be down in the valley. On a hot summer day, it’s probably very annoying to walk 15 km on a dusty MR - on a cool morning in spring, it was the opposite, and shortened by half, as an Enel worker gave me a ride to the exit of the hydropower area; from there 30min to the PR, then hitchhiked to Antuco for resupply and walked back into the direction of Abanico, as I found a nice cabana in Peluca (Villa Peluca, +56 9 8920 5676). 15 min. after my arrival heavy rain and storm for several hours.<br /> <br /> *'''2024-04-12 to 2024-04-15 / 3 Days / Hiking SOBO) / RR / Alex + Andrey'''<br /> Option from Termas de Chillan<br /> My favorite section for autumn and a perfect weekend escape from the big city.<br /> Difficulty: Moderate<br /> It’s not hot and there’s almost no dust after a little rain. <br /> The foliage of the trees turns into autumn colors!<br /> Fords are simple.<br /> Although Ford (easy) {08} [48.4/1334] has unusually more water for mid-April, photo attached in FB post.<br /> Thanks to Matthias de Austria for clearing access to the stream at the west shore of Laguna Robles. It is a whole year source of fresh water before the ridge.<br /> The Lagunillas Camping now is https://www.parqueantuco.cl/<br /> <br /> * '''2024-03-24 to 2024-03-28 // 4,5 days // Hiking // NOBO // RR + VARIANT E + VARIANT D // Quentin Clavel'''<br /> <br /> After few days off at Los Angeles, I took the bus to Abanico then hitchhike until the junction between the trail and the road. I had to pay at the park ranger gate the 5K CLP for the entrance of the park (online reservation only, impossible to pay cash, and there's hardly mobile service up there, so prepare yourself by advance ☺️). <br /> <br /> Then, you go straight up, and have stunning views over volcan Antuco and siella velluda. I had to check my GPS few times on this first part, and to change my trajectoire to stay on the RR and don't miss trailheads. <br /> <br /> I slept at Laguna lágrima. I don't know if it comes from the water here, but I had stomach issues the following days ...<br /> <br /> Views on this first part were absolutely wonderful ! <br /> <br /> The thermals of Los Peucos are just amazing ! Worth the stop, clean, well maintened, and with perfect temperature of water ! Sergio was so kind, he even invited me to lunch with him, that was a very nice break in this day ! <br /> <br /> Some swampy parts after the Puesto {08} [61.7/1298].<br /> <br /> The hike up to the plateau (KM42) was physical, but it results to stunning views over the volcan chillan, and all the wonderful surroundings! There were hundreds of cows on that plateau and it was quite swampy, at the end you reach a super nice camp with incredible thermals ! Best hot springs of the GPT so far for me ! <br /> <br /> Continue to the pass and arrive in the volcanic plateau, very great too. I was too amazed by the landscape that I lost myself ! I was following a pretty clear track and missed to go on the right of the valley. I had hard time to join the RR as I tried to shortcut, but it was very demanding, sleepy and with losing rocks. Would have been better to backtrack at the junction and find again the RR, anyway...<br /> <br /> After a way down where there's just a little overgrown part (for no more than 300m) I reached the terrible Rio Ñuble, that was (I was fortunate) easy to pass for me, at this time of the season, even with quite strong current. <br /> <br /> From then I only met amazing people, up for a chat and full of an absolute kindness ! Carabineros first, locals, and Sandra at the microshop in puente el inglés (that was my only option for ressuply (chips, biscuits, fresh drinks, pastas) but at the middle of nothing I was happy about that !)). <br /> <br /> * '''2024-03-18 to 2024-03-23 / 5.5 days / SOBO / RR,E,RR,H,RR/ Marilyne'''<br /> <br /> Day 1 - Took the bus from rural terminal in Chillán at 8am to Termas de Chillán. After option 2, I walked NOBO on the RR to the nice hot springs at 40.3, spent the day there and camped at 40.4.<br /> <br /> Day 2- Walked the dusty trail to Camping Los Peucos. Ford at 48.4: crossed about 400 meters upstream of the waypoint for the ford. The main flow is quite strong, so I looked for a spot where it was slightly more diverted. Got to camping Los Peucos and got offered a cabin with electricity for the same price as camping as heavy rain was forecasted for the next day (10k/night). Used the wifi which is pretty good around the ranger’s cabin. Hung out in the hot springs being chatted up by a 80-yo man who didn’t seem to care whether I understood all of what he said or not.<br /> <br /> Day 3 - 45mm rain - Rest day. The nicest campground attendant, Sergio, let me hang out in his cabin by the fire all day.<br /> <br /> Day 4 - Walked mostly on RR but using variant E on the road as the RR trail is overgrown and the trees were soaking wet after yesterday’s downpour. Met two people in a truck that worked for the pipeline that is along that road. Didn’t see anyone else. Camped at Laguna Laja.<br /> <br /> Day 5 - Followed the RR except for variant H. Camped at the edge of the forest before the camp waypoint 119.7/1520, didn’t find ants to be problematic. Met a group of 5 young hikers going to Laguna Los Condores right before camp.<br /> <br /> Day 6 - Hiked RR and GPT09 option 1A to Salto de las Chicas. Got a ride quickly to Antuco, where I went to the nice supermarket and took a room in town.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-03-11 to 2024-03-16 / 5.5 days / SOBO / OH2, RR, Variant C, RR, G, RR / Tobi &amp; Fangwen'''<br /> <br /> Bus to Thermas de Chillan departs 12:30 from Rural bus station in Chillan arrives around 5pm<br /> <br /> Hot springs @ KM40.3 indeed one of the best on the GPT - nice mix of hot waterfall and cold spring in one pool. Campsite there is not sheltered from wind, and a fair bit of trash left behind. Definitely worth the small detour from Thermas de Chillan <br /> <br /> Baños de Peucos are great for a half rest day, Sergio (caretaker) is the nicest and most welcoming host.<br /> <br /> At Laguna El Roble, the better campsite is on the western shore - there is one flowing water source along the edge of the forest a bit north of the campsite (lake gets a bit gross end of season).<br /> <br /> Between El Roble and Hermosa, there is cellular reception when on the western side of the ridge (Movistar).<br /> <br /> Laguna Hermosa is nice, there is one flat and South wind sheltered campsite behind the bushes on the north side of the lake. It's nice to walk around the lake, some easy scrambling. Do expect power lines overhead.<br /> <br /> The two hot springs, and the last ridge hike were definitely the highlights of this GPT section.<br /> <br /> The bus leaving Albanico for Las Angeles goes at between 5-6pm -ish<br /> <br /> Rest very straightforward, and as described below (dusty, dead horse).<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-25 to 2024-March-4 / 7.5 days / SOBO / RR B D/ Matthias de Austria'''<br /> <br /> No snowfiels, almost no Tabanos, except in the forenoon (none in the evening) at Laguna El Roble, about 30 to 40 Tabanos in 3 hours, on 1st of March!<br /> Mostly plenty of water, lots of unmarked streams. No water at 106.7 and at camp 119.7, dried up. <br /> <br /> Lots of dirt roads and paths veeery dusty.<br /> <br /> No camp at 106.6. Flat spot few hundred meters after at -37.24567,-71.39142. But no protection and no water.<br /> <br /> Fordings: all very easy except Rio Nuble. Crossed Nuble at ford 23.7, did not scout. It was deeper then it looked and for a meter or so I (187cm, 100kg) had a little fighting with the current. It was the first somewhat serious ford in my life. Got my undies a bit washed. Forded Rio Diguillin at -36.93549, -71.40313, where I saw horsetracks on the ground. Water around kneedeep, for a half meter strong current, but I simply step over it. I marked this easy ford position with a vertical tree stump, might be there until the next storm or flooding. Ford 66.4 was possible dry foot a bit east, but go back to RR afterwards, the road on the map does not exist anymore and this area is a jungle.<br /> <br /> At -36.94783,-71.41243 easy to miss junction.<br /> <br /> Camps: 1st shortly after the bridge at puente el ingles in the sand. Nice swimming next to it, but no morning sun until noon. 2nd abou q00 to 200m upstream of ford 23.7 next to Rio Nuble. Nice bolders, big pool, but strong current and very cold. 3rd camp 36.2, meadows quite wet, limited protection, just a few bushes. Small cold pool 150m away at Rio Las Minas. 4th a few hundred meters before ford 47.4 on a small flat spot next to the path. Nice camp shortly northwest of trailhead 80.5. Big nice pool at Rio Polcura for swimming next to where option 1 fords. West side Camp at Laguna El Roble as east has shallow water. Stream next to camp dried up, I found a small one a bit further north along the shore. Had to clean up 2m of thick bushes for water access. Camp at Laguna Hermosa very windy, but just follow the black cable to the west for maybe 20m, then go 3m through the treebushes and you are in a little quit well wind protected clearing: -37.274802,-71.383647. Camp 119.7, but water dried up, and very dusty and limited protection, not a good camp. There are some meadows a few hundred m further around the puesto, also no water there in March.<br /> <br /> Men cleaning up the RR path north of Los Peucos. Some workers at the camp, but the ranger is working on the trail. No ranger means no firewood for cooking, no wifi and the thermas are without water. So no point in staying there and I move a bit further camp on some dusty place next to the road with a bit clambering river access. Next morning first morning frost.<br /> <br /> Hot spring 40.3 is absolutely amazing. Best one I saw on the GPT. Stayed there for hours naked and got a bit sunburned. The &quot;smoking river&quot; a few hundred meters further west is also worth seeing.<br /> <br /> Lots of blackberries along RR Rio Los Sauces.<br /> <br /> Hardly any paths around camp 29.5 for a few hundred meters, overgrown or landslided. Not a big problem, just slows you down.<br /> <br /> Long boring road, but hitch until police station shortly after ford 12.2km. Police friendly, wants passport, detail plans and phone number in case of emergency.<br /> <br /> Gate at -36.81995,-71.25333, entry forbidden sign. easy to climb.<br /> <br /> RR after junction E is partly overgrown, but still walkable, just slows you down. <br /> <br /> Combined Section 7 and 8, in total 17 days, with lots of bathing and sitting around. Run out of food the last few days and had to restrict to one portion per day, which made me even slower due to lack of energy. But it was totally worth it. Still have way too much body fat. Last ridge one of the most beautiful parts of the GPT, stunning views and diverse path.<br /> <br /> Hitch ruta Q-45 to Antuco.<br /> <br /> Work in progress<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-24 to 2024-Feb-28 / 4.5 days / SOBO / RR / Gabriele - Trails of Wander'''<br /> <br /> Day 1 (0.5) - Termas de Chillan - near Camp 08 [42.3/2087]. Late start at around noon from OH-Tl-V 08-02 [2.6+3.3] (Thermas de Chillan Parking) after hitch-hiking from Las Trancas. Reached Las Trancas with RemBus from the Chillan Rural Bus Terminal La Merced. The Sendero Valle Aguas Calientes have been re-routed for a few 100s meters after the fumaroles and it stays higher than the original track. Easy to follow. Once in the Valle Aguas Calientes I continued to Hot Spring 08 [40.3/2173] NOBO which is really a must do on this section and then retraced back to a camping area about 200 m lower than Camp 08 [42.3/2087] that I thought was dryer, flatter and had good access to water.<br /> <br /> Day 2 - Camp 08 [42.3/2087] Valle Aguas Calientes - Los Peucos CONAF Hot Spings Camping. I followed the RR for this day. The only note of relevance is that the ford of Rio Diguillin at [48.4/1334] is still hips high with strong current and need to be approached with trekking poles and cautiously. The critical part is only about 2 meters wide, but the current is strong. Water is not particularly cold.<br /> <br /> Day 3 - Los Peucos CONAF Hot Spings Camping - camp on Laguna Del Laja shore at [-37.12935, -71.18614]. I was lucky to get a ride for 3-4 km right out of Los Peucos by a CONAF maintenance crew who was going to do some tree cleaning on a minor road down the valley. This route branched out from the RR MR and according to the crew it is shorter to get to the Camino Oleoducto road. The alternative route turns into a faint trail for the last km or so and it crosses Rio Polcura in a very easy and shallow spot with water always below knee and calm current. After the crossing it overlaps with OH-CC-a 08-D for the last km, then it meets RR MR shortly after the ford on the RR. This alt route is flat and easy and possibly shorter of about 1-2 km than RR. On Camino Oleoducto I was also able to hitch-hike for about another 3-4 km to reach the start of the Sendero Los Ratones RR-Tl-V 08[80.6]. Thanks to the rides I was able to reach Laguna Del Laja quicker than expected. I decided to camp on the lake shore at [-37.12935, -71.18614] rather than continuing to Laguna El Roble as the spot was scenic. There I met Hugo, the Arriero who stays at the Puesto nearby Laguna El Roble. <br /> <br /> Day 4 - Camp on Laguna del Laja shore at [-37.12935, -71.18614] - Laguna Hermosa. I just followed the RR for this day with the exception of the short CC to Laguna Hermosa where I camped for the night. <br /> <br /> Day 5 - Camp at Laguna Hermosa - Camping Lagunilla (10k CLP per day). Also followed RR for this final day. Camping Lagunilla is very good with hot showers and very nice camp sites. Unfortunately no more homemade empanadas, only bebidas from this week moving forward for the remaiming of the season. The following morning I easily hitch-hiked to Abanico where there are small stores and took the bus to Los Angeles at 1 pm.<br /> <br /> Overall a good section with variety of landscapes and views particularly around Volcan Chillan / Aguas Calientes and along the traverse above Laguna Del Laja with great views of Volcan Antuco and the Sierra Velluda.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-20 to 2024-Feb-27 / 8 days / Hiking / NOBO / El Abanaico - Puente El Inglés / RR + Option H + Option B / Alex &amp; Christophe'''<br /> <br /> It was a really nice section for us. The part we really loved was from Thermas de Chillan to Rio Nuble. It felt more wild and with less people. So even if you fear Rio Nuble, avoiding this part would be a mistake for us. We think that the edge between km 117.3 and 100.6 also really worth it but can't totally know as we were in the fog.<br /> <br /> A lot has already been said but here is what seems important to us:<br /> <br /> We started the section hitchhiking from Antuco with a easy and fast ride to El Abanico.<br /> <br /> There is some apple trees in the valley near Ford {08} [71.3/1089] and apples were nearly ready to be eaten. <br /> <br /> Los Peucos were a nice stop to relax but we weren't alone as a lot of the previous comment. 2 other parties (horse riders) were also camping the same night as us. The road is being improved so this will maybe become a bit more popular than the last 2 months. It was 10'000 CLP pp for us, with firewood and Internet. We didn't try to connect so we can't comment on the speed and quality.<br /> <br /> Ford {08} [48.4/1334] (Rio Diguilin) wasn't that hard. Just follow the horse track as it's a good place to ford and there will only be 1m with some current. It's still deep but we ford it at 6pm without any trouble. The best thing with this ford is that the water is warm and you can try to ford it without your backpack a few times before you're sure of the place you like the more. All this without frozen toes ;)<br /> <br /> Ford {08} [23.7/950] (Rio Nuble) was ok but still not a piece of cake. We crossed it at 11:30 am and didn't thought it was so deep before going in. I had water nearly to my waist (I'm 174cm tall) and the current in the center is clearly present. The good point is that the river is not ice cold, so you can take your time and go slowly, being sure of the position of your feet and poles.<br /> <br /> For the last 12 km, between El Roble and Puente El Inglés, it's full of fruit trees. It felt like being in a free fruit market. We could pick apples, pears, a lot of blackberries. There were even fig tree but it was a little bit too soon. So nice to have a bit of vitamin and fresh food after 8 days.<br /> <br /> Finally, after asking at the mini-shop in Puente El Inglés, we learned that there is no more bus going to San Fabián. So we took a beer and some french fries before camping near the bridge after a pretty long day. The next day we walked an hour before we could catch a ride to San Fabián.<br /> <br /> * '''Feb-9-2024 to Feb-14-2024 / 5 days ( of which 2 half days) / SOBO / Oh2, RR, var B, D, E, H / Matthieu'''<br /> <br /> Very beautiful and diverse section, with the volcan, pastures of agua caliente, the forest and the rock and thorny bushed mountains. <br /> At the end of the section, I suggest to follow RR to the lagunilla camping, it's an easy trail in the park, and 2 very nice cascadas to see. From the park entrance there is an osm track that cross Section 9 RR, direclty to the campsite, so you never have to walk on the road. <br /> I started at Oh 2 to avoid rio Ñuble.<br /> <br /> Trecking difficulties : <br /> 1) River crossing of rio Diguillin 48.4 is still not a peace of cake. The current is strong, and where i crossed it was max to the hips in the rapid water. I went on a large place with big rocks on the way to hide behind, it cuts the crossing into 3 difficult but very short parts, and you can hug the rocks not to fall. <br /> 2) The pass before Laguna Laja is a cemetery of trees, so the progression is a little bit slow but nothing difficult, it's basic gps navigation. <br /> 3) The part between laguna hermosa and Water 118.3 is steep, sliperry with rocks and sand. The tracks are difficult to follow at times. So the progression is slow, i suggest not to start it at the end of the day. I finished on var H without noticing it, just saw the trail from below. I was exhausted when i put my tent at camp 119.7 (an horrible mistake, see below).<br /> <br /> Camp : <br /> At Fumaroles at the beginning of Oh 2, some flat spaces in the valley and a clear cold river - Ford 50.5, arriero camp super nice - 300m before water 1.5 on var E, a nice flat place but very exposed. I wanted to camp at 72.9, incredible place, but a freshly dead horse was waiting for me, the whole place stinked like hell. Wanted to try to camp on RR along the rio after but it was overgrown at the beginning and it was late so back on var E - Laguna el Roble 98.3. It is an arriero spot with a clear river that goes into the lake. There is a trail into the trees that takes you into the beach for nice camp places. You don't really want to drink directly from the lake, so i don't suggest camp 97.8 (no fresh water). There is a puesto before the last uphill to the lake, really nice arriero inside who advised me this - Camp 119.7 : DON'T sleep there, the whole hill is an enormous nest of unfriendly red ants, I had to cook directly in my inner tent. The river runs very slow to so the water not good. So i suggest camp at the lagunas before, or if you still have courage to follow until the cross country after puesto 120, it's heaven for tents with view on antuco and the river is not far. <br /> <br /> Water : all markers correct, no concerns until the final ridge.<br /> For the ridge walk of cerro el toro, you can find water at camp without water 102.3 (so this year its name should be with water), water 106.6, laguna hermosa, laguna lagrima (the very little one after the cerro), and nothing after on RR until water 118.<br /> <br /> Snow : one patch on Oh 2 on the track, but you can avoid it by a sendero litteraly 10m above, with no problems. No other patches. <br /> <br /> Accomodations : bus from Chillan rural terminal, to thermas de Chillan at 14h, you have to walk from vale hermoso to the beginning of Oh2 - Camping Lagunilla, 10k per day, homemade empanadas sandwichs bebidas and cakes, very calm i loved it. For buses, you have to walk to albanico (6 per day for los angeles, of which 9h30, 11h, 15h30, 18h30). <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-05 to 2024-Feb-08 / 3.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / OH 02 + RR + OH E + H + J / Joscha'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: OH08-02 <br /> <br /> I took the bus at 2 pm from the rural bus station in Chillan to the Thermas de Chillan. From there I had to roadwalk 1.5 km to get to OH08-02. There are a few snow fields left around the Pass Pirigallo, but its easy to walk over them. At km 1.2 of OH08-02 I took the Valle de Agua Caliente Trail as short cut to the Camp at 42.3 on the RR. I did not like the spot there, but close to it at -36,91092, -71,36632 are some decent tent spots.<br /> <br /> Day 2: RR [42.3-75.1] + OH08-E<br /> <br /> The Ford at km 47.4 was max. knee high at 10 pm. (I am 191 cm tall). Be carefull fording Rio Diguillin at km 48.4. The water was just below my hips and the current was pretty strong (around 10:30 pm). I forded it about 60 m upstream of the gpx tracks. There was a big rock in the middle of the river to which I could hold on to. At km 59.6 is a closed barb wire gate that I couldn't open. I managed to climb over it, but it's a little tricky. The RR leads on to the property of the Thermas Los Peucos (km 63.9). After the ford at km 63.7 I had to step over a barded wire fence (no gate). Los Peucos was closed and I didn't see anybody. I didn't like the idea of trespassing so I climb over the front gate (km 63.9) and continued on RR. OH08-B might be a good alternativ to avoid Los Peucos. But I meet Ricardo a few km further south. He was on his way to Los Peucos. If I understood him correctly (my spanish is pretty basic) than he is going to be at Los Peucos for the next two months. So they should be open now if you are interested in taking a break there. There are two easy fords at km 70.0 and 70.6 on the RR. The river at Ford 71.3 is wide, but water was below knees in thr evening. I wanted to camp at km 72.9, but I found the body of a horse directly at the camping spot. It looked like it had died a few days ago and it smelled pretty bad. Therefore I continued to the camp at km 78.6. I accidently stayed on the dirtroad and walked variant E. It has some extra altitude but therefore some nice views into the valley. Water 0.7 on variant E was dry. All other water and ford Waypoints I passed today had water.<br /> <br /> Day 3: RR [78.5-107.0] <br /> <br /> Laguna El Roble is a nice break spot and the last water source until km 106.7. At the Camp Marker km 106,6 is only a overgrown meadow which isn't flat at all. But there is a descent camp spot at km 106,9. The Water at km 106.7 is only a trickle and might dry out soon. All Water markers I passed by today had water.<br /> <br /> Day 4: RR [107.0-115.2] + OH08-H + RR [116.3-117.4] + OH08-J + RR [117.4-134.5]<br /> <br /> The next water source after km 106.7 is Laguna Lagrima at km 113.5. I accidently hiked OH08-H instead of RR. Laguna Los Condores is pretty nice. But the last few hundred meters of OH08-J are overgrown and not so easy to walk trough. Its easier to follow the trail that leads to the eastern side of the Laguna and forks of at about km 0.6 of OH08-J. From this trail you can go down to the Laguna. There is water at all markers.<br /> <br /> The part from km 100 to km 117 is very spectacular.<br /> <br /> * '''2024 Jan 25 to Feb 5 / 12 days / SOBO / Opt 2, Opt 3, RR, Var D, Opt 6 + 2 OSM routes / Michael and Kasia'''<br /> <br /> TL/DR: A beautiful but exhausting section.Reserva Nacional Ñubles is officially closed, but they are still letting people in. If taking Opt 3, look for the trail that starts just after El Trumao heading NE for a more interesting hike. Los Peucos is open, but has no food or power so not currently a resupply option.<br /> <br /> Day 0 - <br /> We took the bus from Chillan to Recinto hoping to camp for the night and take the early bus up to Termas de Chillán to begin the hike. (The bus that goes all the way to the hotel only goes twice a day. Both leave from the Terminal Rural in Chillan one at 08:00, the second at 14:00.) There were no camping options in Recinto, so we walked to Los Lleuques. We found a hostel called Antupiren at the entrance of town. 13.000 pp for private with shared bathroom, very nice owners. They have a restaurant too. There were some other places with signs for hostal and campamento further down the street. There are 4 or 5 shops and grocery stores in town. If you stay in Lleuques, a little further on is a nice public access beach along the river called La Playita that is popular with locals and a good place to escape the heat for the afternoon.<br /> <br /> Day 1 - <br /> We got up early and were at the bus stop at 08:15. The bus arrived at around 09:30. It only goes as far as the hotel and then you have to walk about 1 km up to the ski center where the trail begins. The beginning of the trail was steep and dusty, then leveled off a bit. It passes by some fumeroles. There are two paths up to the pass. One is not on GPT or OSM at the moment, but it is a marked path that is clearly visible. It goes more to the left and up. The other is a horse trail which is the one GPT goes along. They both meet about half way up. We took the horse trail up. There is some grassy area and access to a stream. Nice views of the valley on the way up. Close to the top there was still a small snow field left and the way around it was walking above it on large, loose rocks. We had resupplied for 8 days and our packs were around 25 kg each. Due to this we felt it would be unsafe for us to try to navigate the section so we decided to walk back. It was disappointing, but we were also thinking about the difficulties others had in crossing Rio Diguillin further on and figured it was an early warning. On the way back we took the marked path which was actually more difficult than the GPT track, which surprised us since it looked more like a tourist trail. We were rewarded at one point however with a spring gushing out of the ground and took the opportunity to get fresh cold water without the need to filter. When we got back to where the fumeroles were, we chatted with some mountain bikes and a couple of hikers. There is another route down which had an OSM track on the map. The bikers explained that it is the route they all take down. It is open to hikers as well and there are signs advising bikers to watch for hikers, but the biker said there are a lot of curves and it is possible to get hit on the way down if you are unlucky. It was around 18:30 and he said they were the last group, so if we just waited for them to leave we should be able to hike down without worrying. We waited, and it was totally worth it. The trail down is very dusty, but with much less incline than the way up, and at a certain point goes through a really beautiful beech forest with lots of wildflowers growing. There is no access to the estero until the bridge at the end. We tried to find a place to camp, but no luck. We ended up walking the highway back to a point where we had seen a dirt road connect to the estero and camped there for the night. Not optimal, but it was already dark by that point, so we were just grateful to sleep.<br /> <br /> Days 2 and 3 - <br /> We walked the highway until the Los Coltrahues nature trail that runs parallel to the highway and then walked that to Las Trancas. It was a pretty path and a nice alternative to the highway. In Las Trancas we bought food for lunch and dinner at a shop next to the bus stop. There are one or two other stores back the direction of Lleuques as well. A micro picked us up and dropped us off at the beginning of Opt 3. We had barely started walking when a family in a truck passed and offered us a ride to the river. We were incredibly grateful as the first 3 km of the road is incredibly dusty and there is actually a lot of traffic moving through. From where they left us we walked to the bridge and down to the river to have lunch and coffee. Lots of families were camping around the area. After lunch we got back on the route. A little further on the road was closed to vehicles due to storm damage and construction adding new culverts. No issues walking it. About 6km from the bridge there is a campground called San Antonio. It was also closed since the road was closed, but it was easy to get into. There are picnic tables and plenty of camping along with river access. We camped two nights to give ourselves a rest day. A few locals passed through, but no one else camped. It was very peaceful except for the tábanos. I killed more than 50 over the course of the day and it didn't seem to make much of a difference.<br /> <br /> Day 4 - <br /> We got up early to beat the heat and walked the first hour in the dark. We passed the area where the road has collapsed and where they are doing a reroute. No issue to walk it. We arrived at the gate that Lilian mentioned, the one with the dogs, at 08:00. There were 4 dogs that bark a lot. The guard came out, it seemed like we had woken him up. We explained what we were doing and he actually had no problem letting us through, but asked rhetorically what we were going to say to CONAF upstairs. The road up is in good shape. There were a few places to fill water along the way. When we arrived at El Trumao there was a CONAF guard there as well as some other people. He was incredibly nice, just registered us and then told us because the park is officially closed there was no fee to enter. He looked at our route and told us about another option, charged our phones for us, let us take water, and then even walked with us part way. The OSM track that runs along the river is a really nice option and we really enjoyed it. The first part is no longer relevant as the river destroyed part of the road and CONAF had done a reroute. If no one is there to show you, head along the GPT route toward Valle Hermosa until you see a trail branch to the left. It will be very obvious as it has wooden posts painted yellow on top and the whole trail has rocks lining either side. Follow that up. The first part was a lot of up and exposed, but after a while we entered native forest and enjoyed stretches that were in shade. There was a rest area with river access. Just after the waterfall lookout the trail dropped down a bit into a grove of old oak trees that was really nice and we camped there for the night (-36.95540, -71.45022) River access was about 100 m further on. This is a really great route option. It is along a trail instead of a road, it drops into RR about 18 km further north than finishing Opt 3 as marked, if you want to go to Los Peucos, you don't need to back track, and it stays on the south side of Rio Diguillin, connecting with RR just after the ford point others had trouble with this season. (Jan, if you read this, we enthusiastically endorse this as a variant for Opt 3!).<br /> <br /> Days 5 and 6 - <br /> The pass was a little overgrown, but nothing too challenging. On the way up we passed through a beautiful forest. We stopped at the last marked water point on the way up for a snack and coffee. The way down was dusty and then it opened up into a plain. The plain was easy, but as we went around the corner it turned into a swamp. The GPT route avoids the worst of it, but careful foot choice is important in some places. It was also really hot and humid. Then it was up again and then down again to get to Los Peucos. We initially followed RR, but the ford point looked challenging and there was barbed wire on the other side. I went across without my pack to try to find a way up. The rocks in the river were really slippery and I feel in at one point, but no injury. On the other side I climbed under the wire and up a hill. Then I had to climb under more barbed wire. I walked onto the property and ran into Ricardo who manages Los Peucos. He was very nice, and took me to show me the front entrance and a much easier ford point that is defined for cars to pass, which turned out to be Var B. So if going to Los Peucos SOBO, I recommend taking Var B. I went back to get Kasia and my pack and we camped there for two nights in order to clean out gear and take a rest day.<br /> <br /> A few notes on Los Peucos. Los Peucos is open, price this year is 5.000 pp for termales only, 10.000 pp for camping, 24 hours of access to termales and wood to make a fire in a fire pit. They were having trouble with both their generator and solar panels and have been without power for two months, so don't plan to charge anything there. Also a section of the road there was destroyed over the winter, so almost no one is going there and they aren't getting any resupply for their tiendita, so don't plan on this as a resupply point until someone posts that this has changed, which may be awhile since there seems to be some bureaucratic issue preventing the road from being fixed.<br /> <br /> Day 7 - <br /> We left Los Peucos just as it was getting light. The road and trail are in good condition for walking. We took Var D to cross Rio Polcura. River ford was easy, thigh high but very little current. We stopped at the camp at [72.9/1104] to have lunch. There were some arrieros and Carabineros already camped for the night, and it was too early to stop for the day, so we continued on. The valley path that RR follows is surely more interesting than walking the road along Var E, but it is fairly overgrown with spiky plants and it was slow going. There is almost no river access along the path, but there were one or two streams. We do not recommend the camp at [78.6/1203], especially if you are using a trekking pole supported tent. It is overgrown and difficult to access, anything that is not sand is covered in those annoying plants that leave tiny spiky balls attached to your clothes, and river access is not great. We ended up camping in the old road grade just above, but it was pure dust. We really regretted camping here, however it was late and we didn't know if there would be any place else to camp further on. (There is though!)<br /> <br /> Day 8 - <br /> We were to tired to do the pass, but we didn't want to stay camped in the same place for the day. We found a better campsite just 2 km further up trail (-37.09454, -71.31211). Just before the trailhead to the pass, on the left side of the road, there is a dirt path going down to a camping area that arrieros use (it is the same road as the end of Opt 1). It has grass and could fit probably two or three tents. The river access is about 100 m away, but it was really clean access with a stone beach and even a small sand beach and a great swimming spot to cool off. There is essentially no shade so it wasn't great for a rest day in that respect, but it was directly below the pass, so a great starting point for that. We took advantage of the river and washed all the dust off the tent. The fabric felt like new afterward!<br /> <br /> Day 9 - <br /> We got up early to try to tackle the pass before sun hit. The trailhead is a little easier to find now as more arrieros and hikers have gone through. The pass up is overgrown in places, but not as bad as we had expected. There were some great early morning views. Something killed most of the forest in that valley some time ago and all the dead trees are sun bleached white which was really interesting. As Lilian mentioned, there is a place where the trail collapsed. People have been walking about 5 m upstream and crossing there, but the short reroute is eroding and it looked a little sketchy to us. We went into the stream bed and climbed up through the bamboo to regain the trail. It was lovely forest higher up and on the other side for some time. Keep a lookout for a nice view of Laguna del Laja from a distance on the way down. The valley was another world entirely. Completely exposed, mostly dry but with some sections of swamp, we lost the trail a few times in a maze of overgrown thorn bushes. We took an afternoon break at the puesto just before reaching the lake. We were a little underwhelmed by the lake itself, I think because it has no trees around. We got a little lost on the way up to Laguna Roble, but a very friendly and helpful arriero staying at the puesto at the end of the valley saw us and came out to help direct us up. We stopped at the marked campsite at the east side of the lake. Previous entries had suggested the west side campsite is more wind protected. I went packless to scout it, but I could not see any way in and the water access near the site looked like marsh. We stayed on the east side, no wind issue for the night. The water in the lake was not too cold, so nice to swim in.<br /> <br /> Day 10 - <br /> We started early to get through as much of the pass as possible before the sun hit. The beginning of the trail was actually hard to find, but once we were on it, it was clear. The up was very demanding and exhausting, and it was overgrown in parts. There is a saddle just before the final push to the pass where we stopped to take a break and some pictures (great view of the lake, volcan Antuco and Sierra Velluda) but there were biting ants everywhere that swarmed us and our packs so we moved on. Good views of both valleys as we walked along. Reports from previous years suggested no water between Laguna Roble and Laguna Hermosa. There was at least two water points between, one of which was a very nice spring with shade around (-37.21425, -71.37259). Being exhausted and running low on supplies, we had already decided that Opt 6 would be our exit from GPT08. The route down was steep and thus slow, but clear and easy to follow. There are multiple water points on the way down. We camped about 1 km in at the first marked campsite. There was a shady, somewhat flat, somewhat grassy area that arrieros use for camping and a spring flowing just below. It was a nice spot after hiking so many hours completely exposed in full sun.<br /> <br /> Day 11 - <br /> The first part of Opt 6 down was really nice. There were nice views of the mountains as the sun came up, then it goes into forest for awhile before the arriero path finally meets the service road. We were also fortunate to have cloud cover for most of the day. There are a few unmarked water points between the last marked one and Rayenco. Rayenco is not a settlement but connected to the power plant. Shortly after Rayenco there is what looks like an abandoned picnic area and sports concha. We stopped for lunch, and it could be used for emergency camping if necessary. Hitchhiking out seems essentially impossible. It's just cars associated with the power plant, and our experience is that those vehicles don't take hitchhikers, probably a company policy. We walked to the highway, chatting with the gate guard on the way out. On the highway it took about half an hour, but finally a kind soul, Sergio, who had actually passed us, turned around and came back just to pick us up and dropped us at Plaza de Armas un Antuco. We found lodging at Cabañas Puelche 2 blocks east of the plaza, 15.000 pp for a private room in the hostel portion of the establishment, shared bath, fridge, pool.<br /> <br /> * '''2024 Jan 05 to 2024 Jan 09 / 5 days/ SOBO from Termas de Chillan / RR / Hannes&amp;Christian'''<br /> <br /> 1. Day: Walked from Termas de Chillan to Rio Diguillín. Slept there at -36.935262, -71.403804 and forded the next morning around -36.935730, -71.401841. Thought there would be less water running in the morning, but actually it looked pretty the same as the day before…<br /> 2. Day: Walked to Los Peucos and further down for a nice campsite near the river -37.046868,<br /> -71.415394<br /> 3. Day: We took Option D to short cut the minor road…easy to walk, CC, recomendable…then along road and path and road again, up to a pass in the woods and down to a widening valley, camped at -37.15603, -71.32019. As others already wrote on wikiexplora we had there as well a pretty freezing night around 0 degrees Celsius I think, although the spot was not that high….around 1450m. A lot of humidity.<br /> 4. Day: For us here the nicest part started, walking down to Laguna de la Laja, up to a pass and then all along ridges to Laguna Hermosa. Amazing views. Instead of walking down to L. Hermosa you can camp as well a little above the lake around -37.269841, -71.381748 with water access, at least in early summer I guess. Personally I think it isn’t worth to go down to the Laguna (except no water possibility above) , first because you’ll have an electric power line over your head sleeping there (there is a hydroelectric power station in the valley nearby), second because it can be a windy place at shore…at least for us it was like this. Third: Still something like 1 km from the ridge. Choose yourself.<br /> 5. Day: From L. Hermosa to Estación de Esqui. Pretty nice views of surrounding peaks, at the end we walked a pretty annoying road out to the ski area. Then we hitchhiked to Camping Lagunillas, an amazing place with very nice owners. Feels there like being on the Gpt, but with running water and shower. Probably depends on the season…<br /> <br /> * '''2024 Jan 13 / 5 days / SOBO / RR, OH-TL / Anh'''<br /> <br /> Everyone feared Ñuble, me too, so I took option 2.<br /> <br /> The trail was difficult to find from km 112-117, I left RR and took OH-TL. Otherwise the trail was easy to see. There were only a few snowfields that were easy to cross.<br /> <br /> Ford km 48.4: Disclaimer: please do not my mistake! I first tried two best possible spots (hip), but the flow (13:00) was too strong, I couldn’t hold my hiking poles. Then 50m further on I saw two tree trunks arranged like bridges from other GPTs. After crossing them, however, it was not possible to go back to RR after a few attempts. My best possible option was BB with 70 degree slope straight up. It was only possible with bamboo trees, but was very dangerous. I'm writing my mistake here so you can avoid it!<br /> <br /> Camp km 106.6: I included this camp in my daily plan (about 20km, 1000m uphill, 350m downhill). here is not possible to find 1qm flat spot. So I had to walk 4km further from my reserve.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-11 to 2024-Jan-15/ 4.5 days / SOBO / Termas de Chillán(Var 2)+RR+Var G+H+J(Lakes)/ Matthias'''<br /> <br /> Started in Termas de Chillán. Hiking, most fordings (see day 1) and orientation was quite easy on this section. Only on last part of Travesía Pilcura some steep snowfields to cross. Warm and hot creeks on first day (Fondo Aguas Calientes), views and lakes on forth day (Travesía Pilcura) were spectacular. Plenty of water everywhere. A lot of annoying horse flies.<br /> <br /> Day1: Termas de Chillán - km53.6<br /> Only minor snowfields. Ascent of Volcán Chillán Viejo should be possible without crampons, no snow on steep upper slopes. Fumaroles on ascent from Termas, warm creek with pools right when you come down to Fondo Aguas Calientes. Also people camping there. I underestimated ford at km48.4 (Rio Diguillín), water was up to upper hips and current, I was washed away… But overall no dangerous crossing and with more cautious selection the fording should be easier. Arrieros at puesto at km49.6 (Coihuería) were the last people I met until end of section!<br /> <br /> Day2: Reserva Nacional Ñubles<br /> Officially the reserva was closed. I entered Termas Los Peucos via RR, watering of meadows was running, I said „Hello“ but nobody answered. <br /> Took a bath in the beautiful hot springs, two stone-walled pools.<br /> <br /> Day 3: km78.6 (Rio Ñubles) - km98.3 (Laguna El Roble)<br /> Easy day … nice swimming at the camp with fireplace in the evening <br /> <br /> Day 4: Travesía Polcura - Laguna ElToro<br /> Spectacular day: great views, mountains, lakes and path.<br /> The detours to the lakes (var G+J, Laguna Hermosa, ElToro and Los Condores) are worthwhile!<br /> Some steep snowfields on RR below Cerro El Toro, I used microspikes, but in a warm afternoon you can also safely cross without. Beautiful (!!) camp at Laguna El Toro with sun until 19:45 though it’s deep in a cirque.<br /> <br /> Day5:<br /> Nice view of Volcán Antuco from the ridge just before the volcán (ca. km125). I left the road and walked +-height parallel to the solar collectors which are visible on the ridge from the MR.<br /> From Curva El Candado I tramped down most of the road to the junction to Abanico, where I ate lunch at the friendly cafe/restaurant „Roca“ and where the bus to Los Angeles leaves at 15:00.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-28 to 2024-Jan-01 / 4.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / {08-03} - {08-C} - RR - {08-06} - {08-06B} / Lilian'''<br /> <br /> Avoid of crossing Rio Ñuble, i go for {08-03}.<br /> <br /> There is a bus from Chillán to Los Lleuques at 18:00, take about 1.5 hour. A small shop and some tiny shops there, friendly and good resupply. Look like have some restaurants too, but i'm too late so they're already closed.<br /> <br /> {08-03} km3.3 : tiny shop selling drinks.<br /> <br /> Km4.3 : camping spots or camping possibilities start from here to south.<br /> <br /> Km11.3 : ranger station for guard of Reserva National, look like need booking in advance or some permits. Otherwise you can't go in by this gate. (It is impossible for sneak in, two dogs here.)<br /> <br /> Luckily after i took 10min to explain what I'm doing, where does my routes go, why i'm here, I'll pack out all my trash, no fire, no pick plants, dig a hole for poop, etc. He let me go in, 1000% thank you to him!<br /> <br /> Km19 : bridge for crossing Río Diguillín.<br /> <br /> Km19.45 : El Trumao, Camping Relbún. Ranger station and Conaf campground, didn't see anyone when i passed here.<br /> <br /> Km19.7 : closed gate, you can open it on left side. Old, steep and rocky dirt road behind this gate, look like no cars on it for some years. (Some place landslide, cars impossible to pass by)<br /> <br /> Km21.3 : Rio Relbún, good water flowing nice, rock hopping for dry feet.<br /> <br /> Km22.8 : view point of valley, also some flat spots with trees can fit 2-4 tents.<br /> <br /> Km23.7 : pass, Paso Atacalco, descent to a beautiful valley.<br /> <br /> Km25.3-km26.2 : some tiny streams flowing with good water, but maybe dry up soon.<br /> <br /> Km28.4 : Valle Hermoso, Ranger station and Conaf campground, didn't see anyone when i passed here. Río Blanquillo flowing at here too.<br /> <br /> Some more tiny streams flowing across the road at south, but i think they will all dry up soon.<br /> <br /> Km35.6 : a side trail to see a waterfall, I think it is just soso.<br /> <br /> Then connect with {08-C}, then back to RR.<br /> <br /> {08-C} km2.4 : a very beautiful demon rock hill on your left side, worth take a look!<br /> <br /> RR Ford[71.3/1089] : crossing of Río Polcura, it's a wide river crossing about 80m, luckily it is already made for vehicles crossing so have a rock bar underwater, easy to cross. Mostly just half of calf, in the middle about 10m, up to knee and flowing very fast.<br /> <br /> Camp[72.9/1104] : it's a really nice camping spot with tree shade and beside a river.<br /> <br /> Camp[78.6/1203] : this spot is not beside RR. When you finish valley trail walk, if you don't join dirt road and keep going walk in the valley then you'll arrive here.<br /> <br /> Water[79.1/1214] : log bridge crossing.<br /> <br /> Trailhead[80.5/1248] : not easy to notice the trailhead, although it have a fallen board on the ground.<br /> <br /> North of the pass is overgrown, south of the pass lot of fallen trees block the trail.<br /> <br /> Didn't see any camping spots until almost to valley.<br /> <br /> Water[81.8/1475] : when you get close, be careful dont walk too fast. Just before the stream dont follow the trail to left side and go down, it is already landslide and you'll fall off 2m vertically.<br /> <br /> Pass[84.2/1744] : tons of huge dead trees and ready to fall down in next second. Don't camp here, it is dangerous.<br /> <br /> Km85.8 : flat spot can fit 2-3 tents.<br /> <br /> Km86: flat spots can fit 1 tent before and after a stream crossing.<br /> <br /> Km95.2 : excellent view point of Volcán Antuco, look like some flat spots at downhill side close to the beach.<br /> <br /> Camp[97.8/1456] : beside a tree, can fit 1-2 tents with fire ring. Last reliable water when you climbing up.<br /> <br /> Km102 : snow start here, but all you can go around.<br /> <br /> Camp without water[102.3/2063] : no camping spot as now, wet, muddy and lot of stream are flowing by snow melt, a fire ring is in the stream too!<br /> <br /> I camped at km103.45, just before the pass, there is some brushes provide wind protection from west. Can fit 1-2 small tents.<br /> <br /> Km104.1 : a large flat area, but no wind protection.<br /> <br /> X[105.4/1934] : no more trail junction at &quot;X&quot;, you need to go down a little, then CC to connect the trail at south.<br /> <br /> Camp[106.6/1938] : wet, grassy and steep spot. A large flat area after you climb up the stream at km106.95, it is in a valley and no wind protection.<br /> <br /> Km109.45 : a small pass, excellent view point of Volcán Antuco and Sierra Velluda!<br /> <br /> Snow start at km109.9, unfortunately when i almost climbed up to ridge, i found that km111.8 to km113.5(at least) , all covered by snow on a very steep slope. It is not a good idea to go through this high risk area, also Cerro El Toro is a very sharp rocky peak, not possible walk on the ridge to go around the slope, so i turn back to &quot;X&quot;[105.4/1934], and join {08-06} continues to south.<br /> <br /> {08-06} is a nice trail to go down, and look like somone have maintained it, nearly no fallen trees and just very little overgrown, easy to follow and walk.<br /> <br /> {08-06} km4.5 : junction of {08-06} and {08-06A}, look like {08-06} in a better condition, also {08-06} from here to km5.6, it is an old dirt road and no more using.<br /> <br /> Km5.6 : junction to join a good dirt road. Camping spot just before the junction, and there are also lot of camping possibilities along the good dirt road.<br /> <br /> Gate[8.6/808] : locked, climb over it.<br /> <br /> Km9.3 : another gate, you can open it on left side, if you want to camping, better before this gate.<br /> <br /> Km22.4 : i join {08-06B} for shorter distance to main road for hitching to Antuco.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-19 to 2023-Dec-20/ 2 days / Hiking / NOBO / Antuco RR and Option 6/ Jens'''<br /> <br /> Tried to go up the main route. First pass was steep and full of snow. Decided to turn around and try Option 6. <br /> <br /> As option 6 is on private land owned by the Hydroelectrico, a guard picked me up and told me to register with the Carabineros in Antuco. Frustrated I decided to skip section 8 in favour of section 7.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-21 to 2023-Dec-24/ 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / San Fabian - Las Trancas / Ella'''<br /> <br /> TLDR: River fords are still heinous, especially Ñuble. Bring micro spikes if crossing Paso Prigallo to go towards Las Termas de Chillan.<br /> <br /> Day 1: Hitched a ride part of the way from San Fabian, and then caught a bus (was a Thursday around 1 pm) until Punilla. Camped at a small, windy site with good river access and near the Punilla swimming hole, which is definitely worth a visit. Some friendly caballeros came around 8 pm to camp as well.<br /> Day 2: Walked towards Los Sauces, splitting off to the right where the road/trail led. Could not cross river here because of construction. Went back to the main road and walked North to where there was a (padlocked) cable car and did a challenging ford - current was somewhat strong and water went to my navel (I’m 5’8”/172 cm). In retrospect, would have been better to just walk/bus all the way into Los Sauces and make a safer crossing there. Cabineros in El Roble were nicer to me that the ones in San Fabian. Camped just before Camp {08} [21.6/873] since it now seems to be on private property. <br /> Day 3: Had to trespass for about a mile before reaching the Ñuble river but didn’t run into anyone. Ñuble was really difficult. I got there just before 8 am. Crossing the river at designated spot was not possible. I went upstream, around the bend, and about a hundred meters further to where the river widens and gets a bit shallower. I crossed with water about up to my navel (I’m 5’8”/172 cm) but a little past midway the current took me off my feet and I went for a brief swim before grabbing a rock and recovering on the other side. After getting to the other side, I had to scramble/bushwhack up a near-vertical slope to where there appears to be sort of a terrace in the landscape. I found the best spot was behind where the bank of the river flattened out a bit. Thankfully once getting to the top, you’re blessed with a faint trail leading back to the main route. This approach was not very fun at all - it is probably best to wait another week or two before attempting the river. <br /> After that, the trail gets harder to follow, especially after entering the larger valley. As per others advice, I tried crossing the river in the valley to the right side, but also ran into impassable shrubbery/broken trees there so I ended up crossing back and forth as needed. The first pass didn’t have any snow. There is a difficult ford after the marker for Trailhead {08} [34.6/1873]. Camped at Camp {08} [36.2/1953] which was lovely.<br /> Day 4: Headed towards Las Termas de Chillan. Both passes were very snowy. The second pass, only necessary if going off main trail towards Las Termas, had steep sections that called for micro spikes. I was lucky that there were some people who had just come through and kicked steps in, making this part easier. Hitched a ride to Las Trancas where there are multiple well stocked mini markets and nice hostal options. Not sure if I will continue on GPT 08 given the snow and river conditions so far.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Apr-02 to 2023-Apr-06/ 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / El Roble - Los Peucos - Recinto / RR + OH03 / Hannes &amp; Luisa'''<br /> <br /> Hitchhiked from San Fabian to way after El Roble, rather easy on weekends as it seems many locals around. Ñuble crossing with strong current and water above knees (me 185cm), but still ok compared to other months I think. Went up the mountain and into this valley with beautiful oak-trees. Getting out of this forest we crossed the river to the orographic left side as suggested by others...initially a good choice, all the same we had to switch like 2 to 3 times river bank to avoid some nasty Bush bashing...We reccomend to just open your eyes and see which side works best for you after the initial crossing at approximately -36.856679 -71.275261. After the last camp in the valley path clearly visible and steep ascent to the pass. After the pass we got into this amazing volcanic landscape east of Volcan Chillàn. After the second pass we descended to Aguas Calientes, hot thermal pools at the end of a valley surrounded by some green yellow pasture and loads of cows. Good spot to camp...Then we went to Termas Los Peucos, took us 3.5 days till there. Just for the pools they take 10k, pools and camp was 14k. As one of us felt little sick we decided to hitchhike out over OH03. Do not consider this an emergency exit as it is rather difficult to hh out there, very few cars on the road as access is limited due to a private tunnel and only Carabineros and some oil- and gas-pipeline companies are around there with their cars it seems. All the same we were lucky and got out to Recinto (further down in the valley of Termas de Chillán, near Las Trancas...) In this valley or if you get out at Termas de Chillán we highly recommend Cabañas Ayunkoyam owned by Vincente Ruiz in Recinto, +56999991737, call him before. For this rather expensive valley quite a good option. Vincente is a local mountain guide who seems to know every mountain in his country and is a nice guy to talk to.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Apr-02 to 2023-Apr-02 / 3 days / Hiking / SOBO / El Roble - Volcán Chillán - Termas de Chillán / Noémie'''<br /> Very short section because I got a lift from San Fabián until after El Roble (21.0), a bit before the end of the minor road. Carabineros checked ID and asked for sufficient equipment. Ñuble crossing was not that hard but I had water until my waist, even at the end of the season (I am 1m60 though...). Camped the first night at Camp {08} [29.5/1441], on the left bank of the river, where there was a bit of space. The next morning, it was a bit hard to go up the valley with all the dead trees and no path visible. Tried to follow fellow GPT hikers advices, but ended up crossing the river multiple times to find a walkable path without too many bushes, until Camp {08} [31.3/1629]. After this tricky part, both paths are beautiful and quite easy. The thermal river is amazing. There was plenty of space with beautiful hot water pools but also cold water at Camp {08} [40.4/2150]. The last day, I took OH {08-02} and OH {08-02A} to go up Volcán Chillán and then exit at Termas de Chillán. Beautiful ascent with no specific difficulty except the steep last 300 meters. The place is full of condors flying really close, super impressive. <br /> There are no housing options and no buses during the week leaving from Termas de Chillán. You can walk/hitchhike until -36.910163, -71.417798 where buses leave regularly everyday for Chillán. Found many cabañas options in Trancas de Chillán a bit further down. Overall, very beautiful and diverse section (forests, rivers, sand deserts, volcanos) with amazing hot springs!<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2023-Mar-13 to 2023-Mar-18 / 5.5 days / Hiking / NOBO / Abanico — Thermas de Chillán / Iris, Alexis '''<br /> <br /> Starting from Los Angeles, we took a bus (at 12:30) towards Abanico and then two rides until the start of OH-MR-V {08-K} [0.0+0.1]. Then, there is a gate (after the Bridge, Gate {08} [126.7/1339] point) locked with a padlock but easy to climb. The CC section (RH-CC-A {08} [26.4/122.0+1.9]) is actually following the MR so we thought better stay on the road. When we reached Camp {08} [120.2/1520], it was completely dry so we continued a bit and found a nice spot in the forest (close to -37.32983, -71.39823).<br /> <br /> On Day 2, we continued on the trail, simply taking the shortcut OH-TL-V {08-I} [0.0+0.2]. Then, we chose to take option 08-H to stay high, it was really beautiful. We stayed on the rim until a hard part and then we diverged on the trail that was present a bit below us. As other as noted, on RH-CC-A {08} [18.1/113.7+2.0] you follow a trail or a set of footprints. When the trail and the trace diverge, follow the trail, it is usually the best option. And don't miss Trailhead {08} [113.7/2184], we tried to go around it but regretted it. Then, the trail until Laguna El Robles (Camp {08} [98.2/1456]) is nice but the descent is steep. We believe the path has been cleared recently because lot of fresh fallen branches on the ground. On the lake, we camped on the east side but it was very windy. The other side looked more protected. <br /> <br /> On Day 3, we followed the RR until Camp {08} [73.3/1104]. It was a rather uneventful day except we met a lot of arrieros in the morning that went for a wild bull hunt. The camp is nice and felt like a campground.<br /> <br /> On Day 4, we hiked for just a few kilometers to reach the Thermas Peucos. It was a very worthy stop, an oasis in the middle of the hike : 10k PP for the camping and hot springs (stoned pools). We even bought a lunch from the minishop which has quite a nice selection. Like others, we used the option 08-C to avoid the pointless climb in the RR. <br /> <br /> On Day 5, we did a rather long walk until Camp {08} [40.4/2150] to enjoy the natural pool. The trail is a bit overgrown after the thermas but nothing bad. The day was full of going up : 2500 on the tracks but the GPS said only 2100 at the end of the day. The hot springs are amazing, truly the best we encountered. And we were alone there. <br /> <br /> On Day 6, we met a horserider when leaving the camp a bit angry because he did not sleep. He camped near a group that partied the whole night (we believe it was close to Ford {08-02} [1.6/2097]). Then, option 08-02 and variant A to ascend the volcan. It starts with a nice trail and ends up with sand that is really hard to climb. Nothing difficult nor dangerous but extremely tiresome. It took us 3h to go up but we enjoyed our lunch at the top! Then the descent is really fast, thanks to this sand (about 1h). The rest of the trail until Thermas de Chillán is a bit overrun, we met numerous hikers (but it was a Saturday). There, we hitched a ride until Recinto and took the 7:00PM bus to Chillán for a ressuply.<br /> <br /> Overall our impressions on this section are a bit mixed. We enjoyed the numerous hot baths and the volcan summit but we were less amazed by the landscapes compared to the previous sections (of note as we did go up quite a lot, we probably were a bit too exhausted to truly enjoy it completely!) . Perhaps it is more rewarding when going SOBO? <br /> <br /> * '''2023-Feb-02 to 2023-Feb-08 / 7 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + emergency exit / Martial '''<br /> <br /> Puente Inglés - Los Peucos - Antuco <br /> Super pleasant trekk in various landscapes and sweet hot springs. Met Ondrej at the start and shared the road walking before he eventually escapes in the first climb ! Met again finally at the hot river for a deserved rest after big climbing day. Next the descent to los Peucos is rather long with overgrown detour of the swamp at the end. That’s where my phone died for no reason. May it RIP with all my pictures :’( Still if there’s a good soul out there with a machete and long trousers feel free to save this beautiful trail ! Then los Peucos was a paradise oasis for a 14000$ 24h rest day. Not so expensive to me considering the quality of the hotspring service and resupply in the middle of nowhere ! « El Toro » hotspring is a once in lifetime experience for sunrise and had the all domain for myself 😌 Do not hesitate to stop there and meet Ricardo who doesn’t see many souls otherwise.<br /> 4th night spent 3km down near los Peucos in a super recommanded magical waterfall bassins with perfect « nuit à la belle étoile » on the hot rock.<br /> After km 80 the forest is kind of colonised with annoying flyes and thermites wich makes it not an enjoyable place. Also recommend taking plenty of water from laguna el roble cause dry climb and ridge walking ahead (there’s still a little stream pond under a tree a few km after the pass if you look well). Arrived there in late afternoon with no place to camp and saw emergency exit on the right which triggered green light in my brain (as gear failures were acumalating and motivation low). Felt good after a few tears but the long road walking in the hydraucentral gave me some regrets until i eventually arrived in Antuco after hotish hitchhiking.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-28 to 2023-Feb-04 / 7.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + volcán chillàn &amp; volcán Antuco / Natalie &amp; Tomáš'''<br /> <br /> Day 1<br /> Got off the bus here (-36.67295, -71.29201) instead of Los Sauces for an easy ford. The bus driver knew of this place. The ford was here -36.67738, -71.28739, knee-high. We crossed around 3pm. The road section until the carabinieros was surprisingly popular on a weekend: we got a 3km hitch, but if we started earlier, I am sure we could have hitched a lot more. The valley is nice to walk in though.<br /> The carabinieros basically just wanted to know if we had a proper GPS and map. We could not understand if they were telling us &quot;not&quot; to go close to Volcán Chillán or just &quot;warning&quot; us. I checked online the day before and it said the volcano is in green, but the cabineros said it was yellow.<br /> Made camp at the 17km waypoint because it was a good spot. Lots of unmarked water waypoints on the road such as -36.69615, -71.27770 and -36.72718, -71.26420.<br /> Day 2. <br /> Crossed Nuble with no problems around 9am. The water was not strong but not totally calm and was under our crotches: I am 170cm and Tomáš is ~173cm. Hats off to the others that crossed when water levels were much higher! Remember to turn right and not left after the ford.<br /> The path was better than expected, but still can be easily lost until the first pass at 33.2km. Thanks to the tip from Will, we took the path on the other side of the river once out of the trees to avoid the blow down, somewhere around or close to camp 29.5. Hot pass.<br /> We made camp at the hotsprings ([40.3/2173]) after the second pass, their beauty and heat made up for the long day. There are a couple of perfect spots near the hotsprings with some cold water for drinking, -36.90156, -71.35089. Spent two nights here. The hot springs are regular creeks, most of which in the valley are hot. Saw some locals camping in other spots, seems like a popular place.<br /> Day 3.<br /> Volcán Chillàn. Easy climb following the standard route but the last 600m was slow sandish-like material which made for a very quick descent. Instead of going back the way we came, we followed an unmarked/unmapped &quot;road&quot; on the south side of Volcán Chillán that lead to switchbacks down to the hotsprings that we saw earlier that morning. Basically if coming from volcano, follow the road east from here -36.89199, -71.38543 and aim for the switchbacks to the hotsprings camp here -36.90336, -71.36145 [as of 2024 included in our suggestions in the released Track files]. There is some dirty water on the way but very interesting and scenic. I am slightly worried about posting this because it is likely not meant to be walked, also not sure it actually saves time compared to the normal trail but it allows for a nice roundtrip. One can get Internet on the way to the volcano when the ski resorts are visible. Camped again at the hotsprings.<br /> Day4<br /> Nothing to add for this day, trail was nice and under trees a lot of the way, all fords easy or jumpable. Met two French who were doing the GPT northbound. Camped near the puesto 61.7 before the hotsprings, path was always there, just a little overgrown. <br /> Day5<br /> Trail to hotsprings was not that bad, just overgrown bamboo but otherwise nice. The hotsprings is not actually CONAF but a concession. Prices were as described 14mil for camping and 7mil just for hotsprings. If you want to buy food from them, I recommend going at the beginning of the month as that is when they restock, for us there was still lots of food left but nothing fresh or good, very expensive. <br /> On the road we used option C to avoid the hill as others suggested (seems like the main road now) and as for variant D, we did not see anything, so we back-tracked a bit and took a different unmarked trail here that was successful -37.06894, -71.39599 and forded river here -37.06857, -71.39158 to meet the RR [now in the suggestions too].<br /> The trailhead at 81.0 is hard to see, be ready.<br /> That trail from 81.0 to the pass was more overgrown in my mind than the rest of the days but still not terrible. Camped on the other side 88.9 (actually a bit further down were nicer camp-spots with lovely short grass).<br /> Day6<br /> Somehow at camp 88.9 we woke up to frost over everything. Have no idea what kind of phenomenon this is because I don't think it froze (forecast was for 16 in the night) but even the little moisture in my breakfast bowl froze shortly after eating it...<br /> Quick trail to Laguna el Roble except the trail is easy to loose just before the Laguna in the grassy section, keep climbing left towards an unmarked puesto here -37.20868, -71.33023.<br /> There should technically be a better water source than the lake itself at camp 98.8, but I just took water from the lake:S. The next pass towards the ridge was hot but easy. Good trail until you hit the X at 105.9. Then the path is harder to follow. The camp at 107.1 seems silly and would be better higher above the listed water source. We ended up going cross country all the way from a pass like structure here -37.25066, -71.38499 to Laguna Hermosa because there was a trail on the other side (a bit lower than official RR so it made sense to follow it elevation-wise) that eventually faded away.<br /> Laguna Hermosa was worth it as others have stated but unfortunately very heavy winds crept in that night. It was way less windy on the East side of the lagoon, which we only noticed in the morning.<br /> Day7<br /> Very heavy winds. We made a small short cut to the RR from the Laguna by heading west sooner [included in our suggestions]. We considered turning around on the ridge as the winds were likely around 80km/hr at one point near the pylons, but luckily since the route is not actually on the ridge but under it, the rest of the way was okay, still windy but not pushing us over. The rest of the ridge was no problem for us, slower of course since there is sidehilling and edging but nothing scary or exposed. There was no snow though.<br /> El Puesto at 121 had two dogs but we did not see anyone. We camped at Laguna Laja (not nice) to climb Antuco the next day. To no surprise the restaurant and cafe at the ski resort are closed. Other than the water in the lake, there are no good water sources past the last water source before El Puesto if heading in this direction. There is Entel 3G coverage here.<br /> Day8<br /> Started early to beat the heat for Antuco. I turned back after the top of the ski lift because of a stomach bug (probably food but still nicer to vomit in the shade...) but Tomáš went on to finish the climb. The climb was not worth it. The volcano is not black sand but rather loose rock (boulders to pebbles) which made especially going down annoying. A rock fell on my waling stick and partially destroyed it. After the ski lift there is virtually no trail. Plus the fact there was only a small crater on top and the weather was very hot and windy in the early morning. I think we were there during a small heat wave, supposedly the day before was 38°C in Antuco proper. After the climb we hitched to the campsite Lagunillas (10mil/person) in hopes of going back to Los Angeles but after analyzing the smoke situation of the forest fires we stayed here and used it as a base for preparing for GPT09-10.<br /> <br /> It took us 168 hours but without climbing the volcanoes the trail could have been walked in five full walking days. End of January means there were virtually no horseflies. <br /> Nice trip but due to foot issues, things breaking down and a stomach bug at the end, it was a bit of a suffer-fest for Natalie (Tomáš's new shoes are unfortunately painful too). However, the hotsprings, Volcán Chillán, Laguna Hermosa and the trees (especially the ones with usnea) made it worth while!<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Feb-02 to 2023-Feb-07 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Option 08-C / Ondrej '''<br /> <br /> Puente Inglés - Camping Las Lagunillas <br /> Overall an extremely beautiful route, my favourite in GPT06-08. Compared to GPT06 and 07, this section felt most diverse but also most challenging to navigate. I accidentaly got off track much more often. Still, the route is visible most of the time except the last day after Laguna Hermosa. Even there, sticking to the gpx files makes the section easily passable. One just need to pay a higher attention to where their steps are placed. The fauna is quite rich too - I had a chance to see a tarrantula (the minor road on day 1), crayfish in the rivers, and a snake which I believe was Tachymenis chilensis (on the shores of Laguna El Roble). I believe this section is much more demanding in Dec or early Jan when snow is still present on the slopes. Horseflies were not a problem in my case. I encountered some between km 75 and 85 but that was far from frustrating. I recommend gaiters due to dusty roads in some sections. From thermas Chillan I haven’t met a soul until the end of the section.<br /> <br /> Details:<br /> On the first day, it is easy walking on a minor road that winds through a forest so you can enjoy shade most of the walk! No complications, just need to climb some gates. I enjoyed a company of a fellow GPT hiker Martial, who shared some useful trout fishing tips and gear with me. We camped at the Nuble crossing. <br /> <br /> Second day, Nuble crossing was no problem. Knee-deep at the recommended ford. Then I got lost in the forest numerous time. Checking the gpx frequently definitely helped. I followed the advice of others to cross the river and find a path om the right upstream side. That worked really well, didn’t have to cross any fallen trees! I camped at the hot springs - it is actually a whole thermal river. Amazing, amazing place. Loved to lay in it and watch the stars. Quite a few other people were there (some arrieros and a Chilean family) but there really was enough space for everyone. <br /> <br /> The third and fourth day were rather uneventful for me. Very beautiful views along the trail, which was mostly through forests and relatively simple to follow all the way to 2km before Los Peucos. Even there the trail was visible, it was just overgrown. I worried about this part too much based on the previous reports. The path actually felt quite okay in my case. Unfortunately, no soul at Los Peucos. I saw a parked car and a horse, but no human in the area. So I decided to walk 3km more and camp at the next river ford at km 66.4. I also took option C as recommeded by other hikers below, it was perfect!<br /> <br /> The 5th day was easy up to the laguna El Roble. Then the climb is quite demanding. Most importantly, there is hardly any water between Laguna El Roble and km106.1. I found a little stream at km102.8 but I wouldn’t rely on it. My strategy was to drink about 1 liter at the laguna El Roble (I filtered the water there as the laguna didn’t seem that clear) and then I took 1.5l with me. It lasted me all the way to Laguna Hermosa. Maybe next time I would take only 1 liter. However, I felt safe to have the reserves. Once you get to the pass, the views are beautiful, as is Laguna Hermosa where I camped for the last night. <br /> <br /> On the 6th day, I started from Laguna Hermosa at 8am and reached the main car road around 3pm. The trail after Hermosa disappears and requires a lot of attention to your GPS to navigate. The scree traverses are entirely manageable. I had to think twice before placing my feet though. The trail becomes visible and much easier at km115 when the valley trail connects. No one was at the puesto at km121.1, just three dogs. Trekking poles were enough to fend them off. There is indeed a new metal gate with a lock at approx km 126. No guards are positioned there. I climbed the gate without issues. I then hiked to Camping Lagunillas. There is a very kind owner and his son. Really good people to chat with. After listening to my story they also let me a cabana for a price of camping (10,000 CLP) for the night. The owner’s son is keen to learn more about the GPT and to potentially hike part of the route too. The camping has a small almacen there with some lentils and rice to buy (however, the selection is not enough to resupply). They also sell beer, cookies and can make you a soft dinner and breakfast (empanadas, lentils, waffles, coffee, sandwiches). I hitchhiked to Abanico the next day. It seems there are many more buses from Abanico to Antuco/Los Angeles than just two these days. The bus schedules could be looked up on the Internet. I caught one at 9:30am. <br /> <br /> *2023-Jan-16 Frank RR SOBO 5 days<br /> <br /> Crossed the river before Los Sauces where a dirt road goes right, crossing was only ankle deep. The cable car at Los Sauces is locked &amp; there is often no one there. River is a lot deeper by the cable car (at least waist deep)<br /> <br /> At Los Robles the carabineros were not very friendly, which was unusual, &amp; were not too happy about me hiking solo, but after I told them I'd walked there from Santiago they allowed me to proceed. They had no info. about the activity level of Chillan. The 'shop' in Los Robles only had 2L bottles of soft drink &amp; eggs. Rio Nuble was thigh deep late in the evening but you need to pick your spot: a few metres downstream from the RR crossing, before some boulders in the water. Camped a little after the crossing. Before Rio Nuble there is a no entry sign &amp; locked gate but you can climb over it easily &amp; there was no one there. Campsite marked on track file before the crossing was fenced off with no entry sign.<br /> <br /> Coming down from the pass late on day 2 there is a cold water spring just before the hot waterfall. Filled up at the spring as the water in the valley is thermal, not sure if it's good to drink. Camped in the valley by the hot stream.<br /> <br /> At the CONAF hot springs it was 14,000 CLP to camp but they allowed me to use the hot bath for free. They have a shop but most items are too bulky for one person. I continued for about 10KM &amp; camped in a 3 sided hut 100M to the right off the road before a wide but easy ford. The hut has a dirt floor so you can pitch a tent inside. After Laguna Roble you climb to a pass &amp; there is a spring a little after the pass. I camped just before the spring (room for one small tent, had to clear away some rocks but it was OK) The traverse after the aerials was a bit sketchy but soon improved &amp; I picked up a tiny trail through the scree. Walked to the CONAF entrance gate on the road &amp; hitched out from there. There is a lot of traffic on the weekend. <br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-13 to 2023-Jan-18 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / Start in Termas the Chillan opt. 2 than RR from 40km to 105.9 and finished using opt. 6. / Maks&amp;Gabi '''<br /> <br /> Trail is visible almost all the time. All the fords are easily passable. We had met arrieros 3 times, they were nice and helpful. One of them asked about why we are hiking, as there is a lot of people going this way, but he seemed to be okay with it.<br /> There is a lot of really horseflies especially between 83 and 93 km. <br /> There were also quite a lot of cows on trail, that were not so happy to see us, but we just walked around them (with some bigger distance). Be careful as the bulls seem to be very protective over the small ones. <br /> <br /> Option 06A is probably overgrown - we spent about 15 min trying to find the trail but we gave up after all ( it was about 300m after crossroad ).<br /> Gate on 8.6km of option 6 was locked with the padlock, but noone was there so we just walked over the fence. <br /> <br /> All other gates on all trail were easily passable. One of the arrieros just noted that we should close them after crossing. <br /> From the hydro powerplant till the end of the option 06B there were a lot of people working on a road but none of them seemed to have a problem with us being there.<br /> We hitch hiked to Antuco. <br /> It was our first try on the GPT (recommended by a local mountain guide from Termas de Chillan) and it was definitely worth it! <br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-03 to 2023-Jan-08 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Will '''<br /> <br /> Probably my favorite section so far! A nice mix of remote alpine stretches, forests, and fields. However the horseflies made it hard to appreciate at times, they were pretty much constant during the later section around Laguna Laha.<br /> <br /> I hitched from San Fabián around noon and did most of the road walk the first day. The campsite at 21.6 is fenced off. I stayed at 20.3 which didn't have great water access, just a muddy spring. Scrambling down to the river wasn't feasible but I found a bit of clean flow partway down.<br /> The Nuble crossing wasn't so bad for me, it was just below my waist (5'11/181cm). Still the hardest one so far. I found the trail afterwords pretty hard to follow, with lots of side paths eventually leading to thorny bushwhacking. It finally convinced me to pull the route up on my watch for the first time, definitely worth it here.<br /> A ways after the river crossing you'll come out of the woods into an open river valley. I recommend crossing the stream there and finding the path on the other side, instead of struggling through the blowdown/landslide debris along the gpx track.<br /> The trail was fairly slow from the Nuble crossing to los Peucos. After that it's super fast except for a few stretches in the mountains above the Laguna Laha. <br /> The natural hot springs just below the pass near the Volcan Chillan were very nice, but full of little flies. They didn't seem to bite.<br /> The camping at los peucos was very expensive, but they had a bit of food for sale (fruit!!). Comfy grass, wifi, well maintained bathrooms. The hot springs there were too hot for me, slightly painful.<br /> I missed option C and definitely regretted it. The road up was super rocky, and hot with no shade.<br /> The stretch above Laguna Laha was the driest I've passed so far. Thankfully there were a few snow fed streams/ponds left, but I should have carried more water to be safe. Laguna Hermosa was true to its name, a nice place to camp my last night.<br /> The main road at the end was pretty busy, you could hitch right away and skip the entire last 13ish km. But the extra little stretch of trail at the end was definitely worth it to me.<br /> It took me a while to get a ride to Antuco even though the road was busy. Most people were just going a bit further along. It's not the nicest town but there's decent selection for resupply. I got a room for 15k/night at a cabana/hostal place on Sgto. Aldea street. For some reason I didn't have cell service there, with Movistar.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-01 to 2023-Jan-07 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Option C / Martin &amp; Helena'''<br /> <br /> We took bus from San Fabian (corner on the other side of the gas station) in the afternoon, and camped after ford of Los Sauces river (water only to the ankles). A lot of annoying tabanos, but plenty of space to camp. Quite a lot of locals go there as well. The next day we continued to the ford or Rio Nuble that turned out to be the worst so far for us. Doing it in the afternoon was not the best idea - the current was strong and even when it was just waist-high, we were not able to pass through the fastest part where the path takes you. We figured out to go more upstream, but just like 30m maybe? to a point where the water was really deep but completely calm. There is a rock wall on the other side. The water reached our chest at that part and our hands holding poles were under the water, making it hard to gain stability. We decided to take our chances and try to cross, using rocks covered with some grass to gain traction. There were times when we were floating in the water with close to 0 stability but we eventually made it. Best to be there early to have the best possible conditions. Until the end of the day we managed to get up through the forrest. Before you get out of the forrest you are crossing a stream that is going down between the rocks, but if you take a minute or two before it path that goes lower than trail, you will find a nice spot by the water with some wooden bench and nice covered place to camp. We prefered to be out of the forrest so we continued, but found only a field of fallen trees caused by landslide. It was possible to find a place to camp closer to the river. It is best to continue on the other side, which we did the next day. You will soon connect to the trail again, before going up.<br /> <br /> The way up from the valley is quite steep. From the pass you get a nice view of the Chillan volcano. Going further down to the lava field, we followed advices of others and get up to the top of lava field right away and continued walking on it. After the pass you will find a valley with hot springs which are simply amazing. Good to plan camping there so you can enjoy it fully. From the valley the trail is clear, until a short section before the official camp (1-2 kms before it), where it’s more of a bush-bashing. This part starts near a puesto where we came across herd of young bulls that seemed to be more curious that we would like and we had to go around them, a little off the trail. We struggled a little to find our way into the camp, which was not so clear from our gps (eventhough the path is clear all the way to the river) - the camp is secured by wire fences that we wanted to avoid, but at the end we crawled under them to get to the camp, aprox. according to our gps. If you follow the river downstream you might get to the official gate / entrance, not sure. Like other mentioned the price is quite high, and so are things in the little shop - most of it are classic camping things that last long like pasta, rice, canned fruits, a lot of cookies… but we were grateful for it anyway. The hot springs there are also amazing, man-made stone pools, with the view of the stars in the night it is perfect and worth the price. There are maybe 10 dedicated places to camp with wooden desk and bench, covered by roof (good when it’s raining). More space is close to the showers and the common, shared house with kitchen, fireplace and again desks with benches. We met there some workers from a gas company, fixing pipes close to the laguna, who were sleeping in the camp. The guy watching over the camp (from CONAF) was also nice and helpful - if you need anything, this is the right person to ask.<br /> <br /> On the next day, we continued on the minor road, where we took the C option, like others. Following the RR we found the 08-E option (which follows the MR) to be a better choice since the RR is a little overgrown in the beginning and with thistle-vegetation. Easy pass in the forest, and nice places to camp in the valley. We were lucky to find their cows again (luckily on the other side of the river), but bulls woke us up in the morning - this must have been the fastest packing in the history. We enjoyed more fun with the cows and bulls later in the valley, that were blocking our way and refusing to go away - that made us to take another short detour around them.<br /> <br /> A lot has been already written about the last part of this section that takes you up to the plateau. The climb is quite steep and long so don’t forget to take water from the last laguna - that is the last option. The next stream we found was about 2 kms from the point where you reach the ridge. We camped before Laguna Hermosa with nice view of the volcano. There was some melting snow above the laguna and we found 4G signal there (where the pole is). We found the descent down to be quite ok, there are small slippery rocks so it’s necessary to be careful, but nothing too bad. The descent gets very dusty later (when it’s dry) and is still steep in the forrest with a lot of water from the snow. We got to the main road in the afternoon and were lucky to catch a ride all the way to Antuco. We booked the only available place we found on booking called Puelche de Antuco, a really nice cabin. The town is nice with a lot of restaurants and shops.<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-28 to 2023-Jan-02 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / Los Sauces - Antuco / Anna &amp; Christopher '''<br /> <br /> We took the bus at 6 pm from San Fabián to Los Sauces and camped next to the river.<br /> <br /> The path until the river crossing of Rio Ñuble is basically a dirtroad, so we got there pretty fast. Only the horseflies were very annoying. We recommend bringing insect repellent.<br /> Christopher is 1.88m and the water went up to his navel at the main route crossing. Anna with 1.63m was not able to cross the river there.<br /> After some tries we found a possibility a couple of hundred meters upstream, where the water just went up to Anns knees. The tough part was to get up to the path on the other side. After some bush bashing, you have to get up a 3 to 4 meter high, almost vertical slope. We found a tree, whose roots we used to climb up, which was not super easy. Once you are up there, there is a good path that leads to the main route.<br /> <br /> The next day was nice until the valley around km 25 (where the river is not correctly positioned in the gaia app). There are tons of fallen trees and it was really hard to get through and there was mostly no visible path. It's probably best to stick to the upstream right side of the river.<br /> Afterwards the path gets really nice. Especially in the evening sun, it was very beautiful to cross the volcanic landscape. We camped in the valley at km 40 at the hot springs.<br /> <br /> The third day has a good path at the beginning. Just the last 3 km it gets more difficult, especially approx. 2 km before Los Peucos, where it's mostly bush bashing.<br /> The camping at Los Peucos is nice, as well as the hot springs, but we had to pay 14k CLP p.p. to camp there and in the evening there are tons of mosquitos. We would have camped a bit further downstream, if we had known that to be honest.<br /> <br /> The next day we took option C, like Veronica suggested, to avoid an unnecessary climb. Then we made an unnecessary climb following the road and not the main path, because we couldn't find the entry to the path right away and feared more bush bashing. But the path looked great from above.<br /> The rest of the route until shortly after Laguna Hermosa was really good. There is not much snow left and therefore there are not a great many places to fill up water.<br /> After Laguna Hermosa the path gets very hard to cross, due to lots of stones and gravel without a visible path.<br /> But it's very beautiful up there and finally not hot anymore.<br /> The descend has a easy to find path but is pretty slippery. Once you pass that the rest is pretty easy until the road, from where we hitchhiked to Antuco. We stayed at Camping Rucue for 15k CLP the camping lot. You pay for the lot not per person.<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-14 to 2022-Dec-19 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + GPT08-02 / Véronica '''<br /> <br /> Route: Los Sauces - Río Ñuble crossing - backtrack to Los Sauces - hitch to Termas se Chillán (GPT08 option 2) - Los Peucos - Laguna Laja - Laguna Hermosa - CONAF near Abanico <br /> <br /> San Fabian is a great place, loved swimming in the Ñuble River when it got hot. The owner of Cabañas San Fabian is super kind. I hitched back to the trail because I didn't want to wait all day for the bus that leaves at 6pm. <br /> <br /> Registered with the carabineros at El Roble, but I could not ford Río Ñuble at the RR crossing. Current was very strong, and has I been able to stand up in it, the water would have easily reached my chest (I'm165 cm). I tried several times to ford the river at three different places, several km apart from each other, with no success. I would advance in the stream until I felt I couldn't take another step without being swept, and couldn't get halfway across. I suppose I should have expected this - it's a very high snow year and mid-December. I even tried calling out for help at the puesto on the west side of the river near the &quot;no trespassing&quot; gates, but no one was there. The long walk back to Los Sauces felt very defeating. Also, the &quot;wooden bridges&quot; described by Jo and Veronika are actually only cable crossings, and inaccessible by two barbed wire fences. Not possible to cross the river there either. Ríos Los Sauces and Las Truchas only came up mid-thigh though. <br /> <br /> Regained the GPT at Termas de Chillán, Option 2. Basicall took almost the whole second day to hitch there. Beautiful trail, but steep. You get to ford hot creeks, which was pretty cool. <br /> <br /> The trail is overgrown in some places, the worst spot is between the last puesto before Los Peucos and Los Peucos. Very hard walking through, wished I had a machete. Only lasts a km or two thankfully. All three puestos before Los Peucos looked abandoned. <br /> <br /> Didn't meet anyone at Los Peucos since I got there fairly early in the morning, but the hot springs there are amazing. Really hot, clear water, a little stone pool in a garden. Loved spending time there. <br /> <br /> Taking GPT08-C avoids a pointless climb and descent on the regular route, and has a nice path the whole way. <br /> <br /> Trail gets more difficult once you start climbing up to the ridge after Laguna El Roble. The views are incredible though, absolutely spectacular. Lots of water sources up on the ridge due to many lingering snow patches. Most of them are not a problem. After the junction with GPT08-06, the trail kind of disappears. Keep an eye on the GPS as you climb and descend steeply on the slopes. It reappears again after the following camp and water waypoints. <br /> <br /> Laguna Hermosa still has a couple snow patches on its shores, cold place to camp, but beautiful. After Laguna Hermosa is where it gets really challenging. There is no trail afterwards that I could find, basically cross country the whole way to the TR at 116.8 km. As you approach the &quot;trailhead&quot; waypoint, there is LOTS of scree traverses, and steep snow patches which require microspikes or extreme clambering to get around. Treacherous in some places. I fell a couple times. The ground is very loose and unstable. Things get better actually once you reach the official cross country section at Laguna Lágrima. Still some steep bits, but the ground is more consolidated, and there's more bedrock to help with traction. I reccomend taking the optional route CC-08-H. There's a faint trail to follow and it avoids clambering up on the ridge. <br /> <br /> Very glad to see a clear track again at 116.8. But still some problematic snow fields in this stretch above Laguna Toro, where it was too steep even with microspikes, and I had to do some very careful/serious climbing around. Not fun. Fell again here. Once you reach the long descent into Valle de los Carpinteros it gets much better. Still some snow in the woods over the creek. Right now you can walk on top of it like an ice bridge. There clearly was a LOT of snow here this past winter, it lingers until 1750 m or so in the south-facing valley. <br /> <br /> The puesto at 121.1 looks abandonned too.  Lots of downed trees in the area. There was no one, and no metal gate (or any gate) whatsoever before reaching the road in the National Park. <br /> <br /> The 4 days from Volcán Chillán to the end of the section, I saw no other human. I found this section also to be harder than GPT06, especially the last day. The snow complicates things. If you wish to avoid dangerous clambering and sketchy snow and scree traverses, take Option 06. The trail is good before then.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Jan-28 to 2022-Feb-06 / 10 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Veronika &amp; Jo'''<br /> <br /> Los Sauces -&gt; banks of Rio Ñuble -&gt; hot springs at flanks of Chillan (-&gt; escape to Concepción via Termas de Chillan to buy new shoes -&gt; hot springs at flanks of Chillan) -&gt; Los Peucos -&gt; camp before Laguna Laja -&gt; Laguna Hermosa -&gt; camping Lagunillas (6 proper hiking days)<br /> <br /> Nice section again. Hot springs in the first half, beautiful views of Laguna Laja, Volcán Antuco, Siella Veluda in the second half. Laguna Hermosa is true to its name, and was the first to not have horse or cow droppings on its sandy shores :D Sad to not have crossed Molly and Melissa.<br /> <br /> - The lady at the cable car was not sure whether we could cross with our heavy backpacks, so we forded the river at Los Sauces.<br /> <br /> - From about km 20 the sides of the road are fenced. The camp at km 21.6 is no longer available. <br /> <br /> - There is a gate at S 36° 49.177', W 071° 15.206' (blocking access to the trail) marked private, no entry. We saw some cars returning through a second gate (blocking access to the river) and asked if it was ok to cross the first gate. They said &quot;For you, sure.&quot; I get the impression that Chileans rather want to keep Chileans out... This gate is not a problem NOBO.<br /> <br /> - Fording Rio Ñuble was the deepest ford we ever did. Balls deep indeed! Quite doable though, as the water is clear.<br /> <br /> - There may be an alternative path on the western bank, starting at the wooden bridges at S 36° 49.177', W 071° 15.206'. Some local at the San Fabián tourist office mentioned having hiked this way.<br /> <br /> - The trail at S 36° 49.177', W 071° 15.206' (around km 30) has eroded. After searching, we had to push through some bushes on a steep ridge to continue the trail. Maybe more obvious NOBO.<br /> <br /> - At the start of the cross country at km 34.6 get to the top of the lava strip after fording the river. For us, this was easiest at S 36° 52.853', W 071° 18.793'.<br /> <br /> - The water at the camp at km 37.3 was mostly dried up. Don't count on it by the end of January.<br /> <br /> - The bus stop at Termas de Chillan is close go Hotel Nevados de Chillan. There are way more buses at Las Trancas de Chillan, 8 km down the road. Fortunately, the whole area has great 4G coverage with Entel, so you can look up the bus tables with the key words &quot;REM bus Termas de Chillan&quot;.<br /> <br /> - The CONAF camp Los Peucos has excellent hot springs and a mini shop. Camping costs 10.000 pp. The guards are very friendly and donated some fruit :)<br /> <br /> - The CC section around km 95 had a clear path, but the subsequent TL section before Laguna El Roble did not.<br /> <br /> - The trail after Laguna Hermosa was hard to find, we went quite slowly clambering on the loose scree or sand. Going down the mountain ridge at the end of the CC section was similarly difficult. Fell twice - could not find solid footing on the slope.<br /> <br /> - The lady at the puesto at km 121.6 was friendly, asked where we came from, went to, and pointed us to the exit road. She seemed friendly, but a subtle hint to &quot;please stay off my land&quot; would have been lost on us in translation. The new metal gate is easy to pass through. The CONAF guard's wife at the final CONAF post mentioned that we were hiking the &quot;sendero biologico&quot; when we mentioned Laguna Hermosa. This trail must pass over the lady's land too?<br /> <br /> - The ATM at Antuco is broken.<br /> <br /> - Supermercado Santa Teresa in Antuco sells 125ml bottles of alcohol desnaturalizado 96° in the nail polish section.v<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Jan-24 / 6.5 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR + OH Cerro Las Águilas / Molly and Melissa'''<br /> <br /> At the &quot;gate&quot; waypoint, we actually met two men installing a new metal gate. They told us we needed permission to pass, and that the owner would come by shortly. We talked to her, and at first she was very determined not to let us through. I don't know what convinced her - we showed her our garbage bag and shovel to show we would leave no trace, we told about the gpt and how far we had walked. She also expressed concern for her animals being disturbed, or that we would get lost. We then showed her our personal locator beacon, and she finally softened and told us we could go through if we payed 5000 pesos each and continued all the way to Laguna Hermosa, past her lands, before we made camp. She also owns the puesto marked on the route. If going northbound and wanting to avoid a potential conflict, it might be better to take the option along the ridge.<br /> <br /> We took the bus to Abanico and hitched to the national park, not the easiest as all the cars were full. The car was stopped at the entrance, and we had to explain our route. We weren't asked to pay, probably because we weren't really going to the national park. You walk a little through it though on some nice paths, and then you reach a gravel road. Shortly after, at the &quot;gate&quot; waypoint, we actually met two men installing a new metal gate. They told us we needed permission to pass, and that the owner would come by shortly. We talked to her, and at first she was very determined not to let us through. I don't know what convinced her - we showed her our garbage bag and shovel to show we would leave no trace, we told about the gpt and how far we had walked. She also expressed concern for her animals being disturbed, or that we would get lost. We then showed her our personal locator beacon, and she finally softened and told us we could go through if we payed 5000 pesos each and continued all the way to Laguna Hermosa, past her lands, before we made camp. She also owns the puesto marked on the route. If going northbound and wanting to avoid a potential conflict, it might be better to take the option along the ridge.<br /> As noted previously, after climbing to the ridge on the rr, the terrain is difficult, but the views are amazing. Not a lot of water, but we managed. Many of the campsites off route, including Laguna Hermosa, require quite a climb down.<br /> You stay high up quite a while, which gives amazing views. <br /> <br /> The cross country along Laguna Laja has a nice path all the way. Then you reach Patricio's puesto. He's very welcoming, and has had people stay in his puesto before. We just drank coffee with him though. His brother German lives in the valley right after Laguna el Roble, but his puesto is hidden in the trees.<br /> <br /> Alternative route Cerro Las Águilas<br /> We chose the Cerro las Águilas alternative, because Volcán Chillán was in yellow alert. While walking there, we met two carabineros on horseback who wanted to know which way we went. Don't know if they would have forbidden the rr. The ascent to Laguna el Lobo is through deep sand, it was very tough and took way longer than we thought. We ended up camping at the Laguna which was nice enough. The ascent from there of the first little hill seemed completely unnecessary to us, at least if you have been by the laguna, as you descend to the same level. It would be worth it to walk to the right and ascend directly on the brown mountain, following the GPS from there. The ridge walk was tough as well, a lot of scrambling. The GPS often wanted us to go right of the rocky tops, where going left or directly over often seemed easier/safer. There is no water until the valley between the two passes. There, we also found a nice campsite right after the big stream on the bottom, a little to the left.<br /> After reaching Rio Ñuble, you follow it for a long time. There are multiple streams running towards it where we had to take off our shoes - no lack of water here, though. The alternative also fords Rio Ñuble itself in a different location compared to the rr - we had no problems whatsoever there. It reached mid-thigh and wasn't too strong, and we are both around 160 cm. It is a very low snow year though, and very dry. Here would be a nice place to camp.<br /> <br /> After rejoining the rr, we decided to continue to the waypoint &quot;camp&quot;. That was a mistake, though, as everything around there is fenced in with big signs saying &quot;private property&quot;. The second campsite right after is not fenced in, but doesn't look that good on the first glance. The rest of the way to Puente Ingles is gravel road. El Roble has a house that sells sodas - it has a &quot;bebidas&quot; sign. <br /> We crossed Rio Los Sauces beneath the cable cars quite easily, the water was mid-thigh - again very dry year. <br /> <br /> Puente Ingles<br /> In Puente Ingles we stayed at a campsite a little north of the cable car crossing, marked on the map in Locus Maps as &quot;lugar&quot;. It is 10,000 per tent, there are bathrooms, cold showers and tables. They also have a cabaña which was occupied. Puente Ingles has a small shop with sodas, ice cream, tortillas, biscuits, coffee and chips. It is quite nice to bath in the river. The bus still leaves at 7 and 10 in the morning.<br /> <br /> * '''2021-Dec-15 / 5.5 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR / Marc Anthony'''<br /> <br /> Beautiful view of volcán Antuco when walking up towards the ridge line by Laguna Laja and a staying at Los Peucos camping site was a big highlight on my journey on the GPT. Had my dinner in their wonderful hot spring while staring at the clear starlit sky in the cool night. Two nice guys working here and they even donated me some pasta, fruits and vegetables. Walking near the active Chillán Volcano and watching the fumaroles while being circled by a group of condors was also a cool experience. <br /> <br /> With that said, this section kicked my ass. Mainly due to some bad fitting shoes I recently bought in Los Ángeles and because I suffered from bad chafing in my butt which made me walk like I had shit my pants for a couple of days. This combined with some tough terrain (specially near Laguna Laja) and countless of horseflies made this section quite challenging for me. But definitely worth it! <br /> <br /> Like mentioned by hikers in the previous years fording Rio Ñuble can be a bit demanding especially for shorter people. It was getting late when I reached the river so I decided to camp nearby and cross the river in the morning. Had water up to the balls (i’m 189cm) and the current a bit strong but it was not too bad. <br /> Hitched a ride from Puente El Ingles to San Fabian and later jumped on a bus to Chillán to buy new shoes once again. Room with private bathroom for 15.000 at hostal El Molino in San Fabian, nice lady who owns the place.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2020/21==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> <br /> * '''*2019-Nov-10 / Jan Dudeck'''<br /> Volcan Chillán remains active. The regular route passes the crater closely therefore Option 1 appears currently the saver if someone does not want skip section GPT08 completely. This option passes the danger zone with more distance. In case of an eruption volcanic ash is likely to affect Option 1 but the risk of direct volcanic effects is lower (flash flood from melting snow and glaciers, land slides, lava and flying rocks). <br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-30 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / Ian Hikes + Tobias'''<br /> <br /> Overview: <br /> Just want to say quick that the termas vapaors in Mèdano are worth checking out, I highly recommend them. Please consider checking them out, they are only ½ km off the trail and absolutely worth it. They are sauna boxes built around a few hot rocks emitting hot steam. The result is a steam room/ sauna experience. I personally spend over 4 hours chilling out in the steam rooms.<br /> After a 2-hour road walk on the side of the highway you make your way back on trial. This section takes you thru many areas used for grazing livestock with puestos in sight almost all the time. Carizales a small settlement right on trail has a small store and the family also sells bread. There was also a puesto that sold us fresh goat cheese and Coca Cola. It is marked as a waypoint on the GPX file about 20km south of Carizales. Much of the trail is very dry and exposed and the landscape is void of trees and vegetation. There are many great places to jump into the river and cool off. The section up and around the lake offers great views of the mountains, volcanoes nearby and Laguna Dial. The trail itself is well established and never had any real trouble navigation. There were also quite a few hot springs on trail or close by.<br /> <br /> Difficulties: Hot and Exposed (especially in summertime). Resupply Distance.<br /> <br /> Highlights: Hot springs. Great sweeping views. Pools of cool water to jump into in the middle of the day.<br /> <br /> Please feel free to reach out and ask me any questions at Ultratrailca@gmail.com<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-20 / 3.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / Option l start south OH 08 - 02 / Martin '''<br /> <br /> Solo. Because I was not allowed to walk close to the Volcanoe by the carabineros, following the RR, had to take the optional start south OH 08 - 02, in Nevados de Chillán Ski Resort. Funny enough, I walked the first day across the volcanoe anyway, it had some smoke coming out but nothing dangerous happened. Then followed RR to the end. Cross country segments in the ridge close to Laguna del Laja were demanding and not ideal for a solo hiker. But it was worth the effort, one of the most amazing views I have seen so far. Beautiful section. Resupplied and stayed for one night in Abanico.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-05 / 3 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR /Ty &amp; America '''<br /> <br /> Can ford river @ los sauces easily rather than walking from Puente Ingles. Cable Car was all<br /> Locked up. Registration @ El Roble like the others. We camped at the hot rivers close to Volcan Chillan and I fucked up with the gasoline in my stove. Buzzkill...: but Fortunately there was an exit to Termas De Chillan close. We got rides easily from the road.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-03 / 4.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Maddie &amp; Tom '''<br /> <br /> Starting at El Ingles and hiking southbound towards Abanico. Lovely section however can be slow at times when the track is hard to follow. <br /> We had to register with the Carabineros at El Roble. Before crossing Rio Nuble there is a large gate with ‘private property: no entry’ written on it. We found this off putting. The river crossing itself was fine in the early morning but could be challenging without trekking poles and with a very heavy pack. <br /> After the Laguna de La Laja the track becomes especially more challenging and rocky. In poor weather it could be dangerous given the slippery slopes and steep descents. <br /> We honestly found this section harder than GPT06 and would swap the difficulty ratings. <br /> Took a bus into Los Angeles at 5pm to resupply for the next section. Did not investigate Abanico as we caught the bus as it was leaving.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-02 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + optional hike along Laguna de la Laja / Martina &amp; Ivo '''<br /> <br /> Los Sauces to Abanico.<br /> <br /> Los Sauces: If you tell the bus driver you want to cross the river by cable car (carro azul) he honks at the bus stop and señor Marcial comes from the other side to get you.<br /> Ford Rio Ñuble: If you are a dwarf like me, you should ask your taller hiking partner to carry your backpack, otherwise it will get wet. Demanding.<br /> Volcan Chillan: PLEASE NOTE: We were absolutely aware that our buddy Volcano could erupt or explode at ANY GIVEN MOMENT and that this was NOT a SAFE option to hike. (But it was beautiful! ...and a bit overgrown in some places. There is not much of the trail left before the first pass.)<br /> Laguna de la Laja: It was beautiful but we definitively wouldn't recommend it. There is no trail along the Laguna. At the beginning you can walk on cow tracks close to the waterfront. Afterwards it's 15 km of cross country. The 3 km into the third inlet took us 3 hours and were really dangerous because of loose rocks and steep cliffs. The following investigation part (@08-04-#002) was mainly a quite nice trail, but we lost it twice and it took us ages to find it again, and in this steep and not very easy terrain you don't want to loose the trail. We were really glad when we got back to the regular route.<br /> From Abanico there are several buses per day going directly to Los Angeles. Resupply in Abanico is possible.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-30 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / OH 1 / Matus &amp; Anna '''<br /> <br /> We had to register in Carabinieros. They didn't have a problem with leting us go even regular route, seemed like eventual crossing to Argentina is their primary issue. <br /> Optional 1 - to the juction with valley walk without problem. Cross coutry part on the ridge was easy to navigate. On downhill there is no trail so we went crosscountry again. It's bit overgrown in some spots, we found trail cca after half of descend. Last flowing water is before juction with valley walk. We saw some water holes cca 2-3km before Laguna de Lobo. <br /> Rest of the regular trail - cross coutry sections were demanding. Otherwise no problem. <br /> We got hitch to Los Angeles after CONAF station so no idea about resuply or accomodation.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2018/19==<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Jan-13 / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Martin Lizondo '''<br /> Volcán Chillán was in &quot;alerta naranja&quot;.<br /> Río Ñuble impassable at S36° 50.188' W71° 14.935' Better continue following the minor road in the alternative route.&lt;br /&gt;<br /> When hiking the alternative east route (Paso Aguila) do not descend to the valley at S36° 57.919' W71° 14.752'. It's unmantained and overgrounded, because of recent forest fires. Better stay above the tree line until Laguna El Lobo.&lt;br /&gt;<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> *Abanico<br /> At least one restaurant with pizza<br /> Store?<br /> <br /> *Antuco (from Abanico)<br /> Many smaller supermarkets, which have most things - easy enough to resupply here.<br /> One of the two ferreterías has gas (the one furthest from Abanico).<br /> Many accommodation options and some restaurants. March 2024: Good Accomodation with a nice Mapuche family in a single room, shared bath with hot shower, washing machine and including breakfast 18000 peso: Fanny, +56 9 9404 4771.<br /> There is an ATM (Fee: 5500)at the town square southend of town which even gives some smaller notes.<br /> Bus to Los Angeles<br /> <br /> *Camping Parque Antuco : <br /> 10k for camping. Cabañas also. Nice calm place, swimming pool, shade. Electricity and hot showers. Homemade empanadas. Bernabe the owner is really kind and know about the GPT. His number +56 9 9507 2559. <br /> <br /> *Puente Ingles<br /> Store with chips, ice cream, bread, chocolate, sodas. Possibly some accomodation option at the store. Campground with one cabaña a little further down the room - sign says cabañas - 10,000 per tent, toilets with cold showers and a room with a fireplace for cooking<br /> <br /> *San Fabián (from Puente Ingles)<br /> Many accommodation options - almost everything was fully booked when we were there (Feb 2022). <br /> Supermercado La Montaña seems to be the best option - not the easiest place to resupply, but definitely possible. Harder than in Antuco.<br /> Great Venezuelan restaurant Canela Passion. <br /> Bus to San Carlos<br /> <br /> *San Fabian - Fev 2025 (Clara) : <br /> - Very good resupply possible in the supermarket Los Alvis.<br /> - Accomodation : cabaña nativa : very nice cabanas clean, big confortable bed, climatisation, kitchen, pools, jacuzzi. 35k for a 2 persons cabaña (for 1 person). Just in front when you go out, there is a place where you can buy very good tortillas de rescoldo and pan amasado. Lots of restaurants. <br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> <br /> <br /> * 2025 - 02 : there are direct buses from Chillan to San Fabian. Then San Fabian to Puente Ingles. Buses at 2 pm and 6 p.m. in front of the carabineros including Sundays and Holidays. <br /> <br /> *Puente Ingles to San Fabián<br /> Bus at 7 am and 10 am - leaves from the campground, drives to the shop and the back again towards San Fabián<br /> <br /> *Bus from Antuco to Los Angeles about once an hour in daytime. <br /> <br /> *A few buses from Abanico to Antuco or you can hitch fairly easily.<br /> <br /> * Jan-24 / Joscha<br /> <br /> Bus from Chillan (Terminal La Merced) a Thermas de Chillan at 8 am and 2 pm (weekends at 1:30 pm) for 3900 Pesos. The buscompany is &quot;Rembus&quot;. Their Website isn't up to date, but you can check their Facebook page for informationen.<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> * At the puesto (120,6/1513), the owner does not want us to pass through his land (as of 02/02/2025). He clearly stated that it is private property. It might now be preferable to take a detour through BB, passing well to the right beforehand and rejoining the path well after his house (which was under construction with many tents around it at that time)? (Peggy)<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT08 - Volcán Chillan]]<br /> <br /> =Images=<br /> <br /> [[File:Segundo_Rio_Termal_zona_cascadas.jpg|thumb|center|1100px|This river is hot! Aguas Calientes Valley]]<br /> [[Archivo:Greater Patagonian Trail (8).jpg|thumb|center|1100px|Laguna Laja and [[Volcán Antuco]], by Matúš Lašan]]</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT16_(Volcan_Quetrupillan)&diff=120776 2025-03-16T23:37:48Z

<p>MiaimZelt: </p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;packrafting&quot;, as above):<br /> <br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/nowiki&gt;.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Overview=<br /> <br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> *'''2025-03-10 to 2025-03-13 / 3.5 days hiking / NOBO / Villarica Traverse (OH 04 + OH 02 + RR + OH A + OH 01) / MiaimZelt'''<br /> <br /> Summary: Very pleasant stage with nice trails, posing no real difficulties. Didn't met a lot of people. <br /> <br /> Day 1: Took a Uber for 10k to the Centro de Ski. It was raining and it's necessary to walk the last 2km to the beginning of the starting point of the trail. Started on monday, although the NP Villarica us officially closed. Prepaid the fee online for tuesday. <br /> Trail was very easy, but the first 3 hours were hard because of rain and the cold. Camping options for example here: -39.435913, -71.993726 and -39.447416, -71.987115 (sheltered). Camped here exposed but with brilliant views: -39.472071, -71.957839. Water was easy to find, but don't take it from Ñilfe - very dirty. The small streams were the best. Met only one guy on horseback.<br /> <br /> Day 2: Sunny wether all day long. Again easy hiking, met a group on the way down. Water at Río Pichillancahue was clean. Needed to register at CONAF Sector Quetrupillán and showed my payment. Take water before ascending, the next sourse comes here: -39.471659, -71.826306. The next 3 hours i didn't see water before this point: -39.503012, -71.764707. Camped there at the last possibility with shelter from the wind before Laguna Azul. <br /> <br /> Day 3: Sunny, but very windy. Great views at Pass {16-02} [2.5/1924]. Hiked CC until i could see the milky lagoon nearby. At Laguna Azul i met local people camping and fishing with campfire at this spot. He gave me Piñones but asked strange questions, prefered to carry on. Ford {16} [36.6/1652] was posible dry feet. Water was greyish, better take from the small stream directly after the small pass before Laguna Blanca. Laguna Blanca was incredible! Camped near Lake, Camp {16-01} [33.6/1456], but wasn't the best choice because of tons of condensation. It's better to camp in the forest. <br /> <br /> Day 4: The next km had a lot of fallen trees - very often it's necessary to walk around or climb over them, but always doable. Came across some streams. Hiked on the trail until Sector Puesco Park Ranger {16-01} [22.8/731]. Here i had to sign again and waited to get a hitch. Lot's of cars, but it took some time until someone stopped. <br /> <br /> * '''2025-02-13 to 2025-02-16 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / Vulcan Villarica+OH4+OH2+RR / Dorota'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: After finishing stage 15, I took a micro from Curarreuhe to Pucón. I have found a good hostel, Raiz, for 15000 clp in a room of 6 persons, but you need to pay cash to avoid IVA. In Pucón, I bought shoes, but only for men. For women, there is no big choice. It is a very touristic place. I have decided to make a volcán Villa Rica with an agency. When I was buying shoes, a woman said to me that she was trying alone (she is from Pucón) and paid &quot;multa&quot;. I paid 150.000 clp. The price includes full equipment (shoes, icepeak, crampones, jacket, trousers, gaiters, gloves, casque, backpack, mask, parque fee, and transport and equipment for sliding down it). They took my backpack, so after that, I could start Travesía Villarica from the Ski station in Pucón. Important: the ranger said to me that Puesco is closed because of a fire. I took water from &quot;banos&quot; near the Ski station and made camp at km 1 of OH4.<br /> <br /> Day 2:<br /> Continued Travesía, very spectacular views of volcanoes and valleys. I did not have problems with water, but very often it was dirty. In the forest trail, it was clear.<br /> Water: <br /> 6.5 km Zanjón Vaipoi - dirty<br /> 12 km Estero - dirty<br /> 16 km clean water<br /> Camp at km 26 - Río Pichillanchahue. Place for one tent.<br /> <br /> Day 3:<br /> I met two people from Czechia. They went from Nobo. The The Ranger had not allowed them to go to Laguna Azul. Then I met a family from Chile who were doing Travesía from Puesco. They bought tickets before closing Puesco, so they were allowed to start from there. The The Ranger was very polite. I was not registered officially on the trail. But when I was doing Volcan Villarica with an agency ranger who was there, he took my datos and made me a photo, so the ranger at point 31.9 km knew me. Of course, it is not standard:) After 31.9 km, the trail was going up significantly. In the forest, the trail was clear. I took water at km 36.5, then till km 42, there was no water. After the trail was following a ridge with views and then again, no views. I camped at km 43 in the place where there is a table &quot;Mirador of Quetropillán&quot;. Water was near. It was an amazing place. There was no wind but very cold. <br /> <br /> Day 4:<br /> On the km of 44.5 of option OH4, I joined option OH2. In the morning, at the height of 1800 m n.p.m. small streams were frozen. After passing there, there were some patches of snow very easy to pass. Laguna Azul espectacular, but I have met people on motocross there. Here I joined variant RR (km 40.2). Ford near Laguna was very easy to cross. In the forest trail, it was clear, sometimes I needed to go around fallen trees. At km 59.9, near a destroyed bridge, there was something like a bridge, but I crossed the river a few meters after, in the deepest place, the water level was to the knee of my height ( 1.64).<br /> Then till the village Reyehueico, there was no place for a tent. In the shop of the village, there were a lot of things to buy. I asked the owner to put my tent in his garden. He agreed. He gave me a table and I had water. He allowed me also to take my dog, who followed me. The dog was sleeping in my tent.<br /> <br /> * '''2025-02-07 to 2025-02-11 / 4.5 days / Hiking / NOBO / OH 04 (Villarica Traverse), OH 03 (Volcán Quetrupillán), OH 02, RR / Peggy<br /> <br /> I started from Molco, where I had spent the night, following a trail along the Río Correntoso (note: this river is dry). It took me about 3-4 hours to reach the ski station.<br /> <br /> Villarica Traverse<br /> <br /> I really enjoyed this traverse. The first part alternates between lava fields and forests, offering beautiful views of Villarica. Be mindful of water sources—rivers in the first kilometers are dry. The first water source I found was at -39.42548, -71.98709, but the water was whitish and carried volcanic sediments. A better water source was available from a faucet at km 36.3.<br /> <br /> There's a beautiful forest section before reaching the park ranger station (31.9/996). Afterward, the trail climbs through a stunning forest of araucarias and other trees I couldn't identify. There are two notable water sources:<br /> <br /> Km 24.1, which appears on maps (Locus and others).<br /> <br /> -39.288052, -071.492708, where a small spring is located. This spot is also a great place to camp if there's no wind, with a breathtaking view of Villarica. This water source isn't marked on maps but was indicated by the park ranger.<br /> <br /> <br /> Volcán Quetrupillán<br /> <br /> The OH 03 connecting to the volcano is marked as CC but is quite manageable. There was still a lot of snow on the ascent, making it pleasant and easier to climb. The summit offers incredible views of the crater and surrounding volcanoes (Villarica, Lanín, Mocho, and Choshuenco).<br /> <br /> There are two routes to the top. I first followed the GPT route to the crater, but when I tried to climb higher, I stopped due to a steep, slippery section that made me uncomfortable. On the way down, I decided to try the other route (further left) and managed to reach the highest point, crossing snowfields and finishing with a steep, rocky slope.<br /> <br /> I camped by a beautiful green lake on my way down toward Laguna Azul, but I barely slept because of the strong wind. Thankfully, my tent held up!<br /> <br /> The next day was spectacular—I was completely alone. Even at Laguna Azul, where there's an excellent, wind-sheltered campsite, I saw no one. Laguna Blanca was absolutely stunning! A must-see!<br /> <br /> Descent to Curarrehue<br /> <br /> I followed the RR down to Curarrehue. I camped near the Estero Huililco on private property, being respectful of the place (as always, of course).<br /> <br /> From -39.238782, -71.394307, there are several gates and enclosures to pass through, but the path remains accessible. A local man told me that the trail the track follows had been closed by &quot;los indígenas&quot;, and he wasn’t sure if it was still passable. However, I had no issues. Just follow the GPS track carefully at intersections.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2025-01-28 to 2025-01-31 / 3 days / Hiking / SOBO / Option 1, RR, Option 3 (Quetrupillan ascent), RR / Lucie and Thomas '''<br /> <br /> We came by a bus Temuco 8am - Curarrehue ~11am. From there we easily hitch hiked to Puesco/Mirador (beginning of OH1 SOBO).<br /> Day 1 afternoon: mirador to Laguna Arguntas. The path is generally very well marked. A couple of fallen trees on the path and we encountered several groups of cows. Almost not disturb by tabanos.<br /> We stoped to camp on the west side of Laguna Arguntas where we camped. Tabanos were quite present until sunset. Better camp with water and view on Lanin 150m above. <br /> We regularly found water al along option 1 until we reached the volcanic plateau, and last melted snow water at -39,56982 -71,682110<br /> Day 2: Laguna Arguntas &gt; RR to Laguna blanca and then Laguna Azul &gt; Quetrupillan ascent where we camped at -39,49878 -71,72278 on the ridge (amazing sunset, stars and sunrise views, totally worth it if the weather is good).<br /> Amazing and scenic views on the plateau, we highly recomand to hike up from the Laguna Azul at least until -39,53391 -71,73845. <br /> End of Quetrupillan ascent following GPT track was easy given the afternoon melted snow. You can also pass by by the west of the summit and ascent by the more used NW path.<br /> Day 3: Way down from Quetrupillan summit to the broken bridge at 58,6km following RR (very good camp site before the broken bridge).<br /> Easy path, beautiful first part through araucaria forest, the rest through regular forest. <br /> Day 4 morning: minor road during 10km (worth hitchhiking) until the crossing with 201. <br /> We walked to Quilimo camping for the packrafting section 17P through rio Cua Cua.<br /> <br /> * '''2025-01-22 to 2025-01-25 / 3 days / villaria traverse middle part hiking in-out / Steve Behaeghel &amp; Katrijn + kids Lotta (9ys), Bosse (6ys), Pelle (3ys)<br /> <br /> We did a 3 day trek starting at fundo porvenir (-39.476849 ; -71.786063) where we paid 15000CLP to leave our rental car with the very hospitable farmers (there is also a little campsite here with them). We did not buy a national park ticket and as expected we did not meet any ranger. We did only meet 4 small hiking groups during those 3 days.<br /> We hiked up to the saddle between Villarica and Quetrupillan where we set up camp at (-39.476849 ; -71.786063) where there is still melting water from snow fields on Quetrupillan. A lot of fallen trees in the hike up via Estero Mocho.<br /> From there we hiked up and back to Laguna Las Avutardas. Still some snow fields to cross above 1700m.<br /> We hiked down via the alternative exit from the summit route of Quetrupillan.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2025-01-09 to 2025-01-11 / 2.5 days / NOBO / RR / Mara and Tobias<br /> <br /> Day 1 - walked 7.3 km from the Settlement, Shop {16} [66.5/237] to Bridge {16} [58.6/440] where we camped. Easy roadwalking, 2 hours. Day 2 - walked 24 km to Laguna Azul without difficulties. The trail is in a good condition, since people with motorbikes cross the park illegally. There were 6 other persons on the camping. Very beautiful spot. Day 3 - 32 km to Catripulli. Last Kilometres we got a lift. I sank up to my knees in the mud at Laguna Blanca. Watch your steps! We count 8 people on motorcycles that day. There are several Conaf signs indicating that motorcycles are illegal in the national park. Anyway, it was a nice section with various vulcanic rock formations, stunning views and beautiful araucarian forests!<br /> <br /> * ''' 2025-JAN-05 &gt; 07 / 2,5 jours / Randonnée / SOBO / RR &gt; 16-A &gt; RR &gt; 16-02 &gt; 16-03 &gt; 16-02 &gt; 16-02A &gt; RR / Pierre-Marie ​​'''<br /> <br /> Etape : GPT14+GPT15+GPT16+GPT17+GPT18+GPT19<br /> | Meteo : soleil<br /> | Eau : plutot rare<br /> | Neige : oui beaucoup<br /> | Intérêt : 5/5<br /> | Difficulté : 3/5<br /> | Danger : gouffres sur le sentier<br /> <br /> J'ai fait quelques achats a Curarrehue. La montée se fait bien même si certaines clôtures ne sont pas facile a passer. Il y a un ford au point (39.470744° S 71.631158° W). Il n'y a pas autant de point d'eau que d'habitude, et moi qui aime marcher sans eau, c'etait parfois limite. Il y a encore beaucoup de neige dès 1600m. Je campe au lac a 1830m et il est en grande partie glacé et recouvert de neige.<br /> Volcan Quetrupillan facile car beaucoup de neige ce qui evite les pierriers, puis grande boucle dans la forêt. Il y a de l'eau mais l'accès est difficile. Quasiment tout le chemin est en bon état, même si des moto-cross et des quad sont passés et l'ont abimés. Il y a des gouffres sur le chemin. Au km 58,6 le pont est detruit. Un arbre couché par les locaux permet de passer.<br /> <br /> '''2025-Jan-07 to 2025-Jan-10 / 3.5 days / Hiking / Eastbound / OH04, OH02, RR, OH01 / Sean &amp; Neele'''<br /> <br /> TLDR - Had to pay entrance fee and was checked by a ranger in day 2, plenty of water at this time of year due to snow melt, still some snow patches but not a problem at all.<br /> <br /> Got an uber to the ski resort. A ranger stopped our uber and made us pay 10k each entrance fee.<br /> <br /> Camped at 22.1km<br /> <br /> Park ranger 31.9km - no one here but met a ranger further up the climb<br /> <br /> 34.6km - met a ranger clearing the trail. He checked we'd paid entry. <br /> <br /> 36.3km - last water until 42.8km. Trail is a bit overgrown/lots of blow downs between these two.<br /> <br /> Camped at 42.8km<br /> <br /> Took option 2 to Laguna azul patches of snow around pass 2.5km but all manageable.<br /> <br /> RR Ford 36.6km just a stream at this point dry feet crossing.<br /> <br /> Took variant A - water on this section at the moment.<br /> <br /> Option 01 - passes 40.4km and 39.1km little snow patches but never a problem. <br /> <br /> Camped at the lake 33.6km<br /> <br /> We got a hitch from CONAF Puesco to Curarrehue in about half an hour and took the bus from there to Pucon.<br /> <br /> <br /> *'''2025-JAN-02 to 2025-JAN-04 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Ivan, Jakub, Daniel'''<br /> <br /> This tranquil section of the trail offers stunning highlights, including the plateau beneath Volcán Quetrupillán, featuring a two lakes and breathtaking views of Volcán Lanín.<br /> <br /> Between kilometer 6 and the bridge at [14.3/500], there are several gates you’ll need to climb over. At the settlement near this bridge, locals kindly allowed us to refill our water from their tap. Note that at coordinates -39.4708371, -71.6312554, there is a ford that is not marked on the track files.<br /> <br /> While ascending through the forest, we encountered many cyclists going down the trail on mountain bikes. Once above the tree line, the landscape changed dramatically, revealing the majestic Volcán Lanín. On the plateau, patches of snow still covered several hundred meters of the trail in some areas.<br /> <br /> The first ford in the Los Ríos region [36.6/1652] can be crossed dry-footed by stepping on rocks. From the crystal-clear Laguna Azul, we descended again into the forest, largely dominated by araucaria trees.<br /> <br /> A great camping spot can be found just past the gate at [51.8/805]. Note that the old bridge at [58.6/440] no longer exists. However, a temporary log bridge has been installed, allowing for a safe crossing of the river.<br /> <br /> <br /> 21-12-21- 24-12-24/ 4 days / WEBO / OH01, RR, OH03, OH04/ Volker<br /> <br /> Day 0: I went for cherrypicking and skipped gpt13-15. Bus at Liucura (end of gpt12) to Victoria at 7 a.m., direct connection to Temuco and from there to Pucon. Pucon is very touristic, I didn‘t like it and continued to Currarehue - nice town, everything for resupply, I recommend Hostal Quechupehuen (25k with breakfast)<br /> <br /> Day 1: Very good weather forecast for 2 days. So instead of the long RR I took OH01 from Puesco (few cars on the road this morning, a local offered to give me a ride for 10k, fair offer). He would have brought me to the point, where OH01 leaves the PR, but I got out at the entrance of the Nationl Park. I think it‘s fair to pay the entrance fee (10k), untouched nature has a value. You don‘t have to walk along the PR, go 500 m to the east and you will find a path, that brings you to OH01 at S 39.549907° W 71.576084°. <br /> Relaxed walk to Laguna Las Avutardas (many broken trees on the last 2 km). On the way to the pass first 1/3 swamp, 1/3 snowfields, later most parts of the trail covered by snow (flushy in the afternoon). Very, very scenic, most impressive section after many very beautiful others) Camped 1km before Laguna Blanca. <br /> Day 2: Started early and left the RR at the ford at 36,6 (few water, snow bridges, take care) to go CC on the snow (99%} in the direction of Quatrepillan. Joined OH03 at S 39.502659° W 71.730390° and left my backpack there. While I was approaching the summit, the sun had melted the surface of the snow, what alllowed for a secure ascent to the summit on the steep slope with mini-spikes (last 200m some easy rock climbing). No clouds, no wind, stayed more than an hour on the Seat of the Gods. Back on OH03, , then OH04 (Villarica Traverse). Camped at a protected place on the ridge before the trail starts to go down to the ranger station.<br /> Day 3: From 1750m down to 1050m (no Ranger there), up to 1250m, down to 1150m, up to 1500m. After leaving the forest zone very easy and scenic. Camped at S 39.459022° W 71.978801° <br /> Someone should explore, if it‘s possible to follow the „Panorama Route“ (Conaf signs and on the OSM) and from the point, where this trail touches the glacier of Volcan Villarica go CC downhill to rejoin OH04. <br /> <br /> Day 4: Tried to get to the Villarica summit. The southern side is less steep than all others, but local hikers had told me, there are many cleavages, moreover you see a bergschrund from below. Instead of going to the ski station (down from 1600m to 1400 + the ups and downs, I left my backpack at S 39.454841° W 71.982446° and went CC. The plan was a traverse to join the normal route from the ski station at around 2400 m. But when I arrived at the first snowfields at around 1800m it turned out, that even at 11 a.m. the snow was very hard. Just impossible without crampons. So I went back to my backpack and completed OH04. No summit, but very scenic, saw a puma. Lots of people at the ski station, many organised tours to the summit, all with complete equipment (crampons, ice peak and helmet). Hitchhiked down to Pucon.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> * '''22Dec2024 - 27dec2024 / hiking / OH4 - OH3 - OH2 - RR - varA - OH1 (Villarrica traverse + summit quetrupillan) / 4,5 days / Clara'''<br /> <br /> From Pucon, took uber in the afternoon to get to pucon ski station. 10k. Didn't stop at conaf so didn't pay anything. <br /> <br /> Camp : <br /> - -39.42611,-7198716. (Zanjón Voipir). Close to good water flowing. Nice spot with great views, almost flat spot on confortable soft sand. <br /> - estero aihue (-39.47717,-71.88487). So nice spot with view on 3 volcanoes : villarrica, mocho y lanin. Incredible sunset. <br /> - end of OH1, just under quetrupillan. Crazy high wind comming during the night that broke one of my tent pole. Better to find a wind protected spot, even if sunset up there was incredible. <br /> - laguna azul : a paradise with shade, beach around the lake, can swim, really nice camp. <br /> <br /> <br /> So nice traverse with great views all along. <br /> <br /> No navigation issues even if the trail is a bit overgrown between 34 and 42km on OH4 and even more when descending on OH1 on kms before and after laguna las avutardas. Often slowing down. <br /> <br /> No one at the conaf quetrupillan as it was Christmas. <br /> <br /> Snow : few patches but nothing problematic. On quetrupillan volcan, was possible without spikes during morning (snow not too strong and neither to melted). The end is really steep climbing on snow. So nice view up there. Easy ski descent. <br /> Water : all rivers flowing well at this time with snow melting. <br /> <br /> Return : Hitchhike to Pucon was a bit hard (lots of cars but no one stoping). You can go down to the conaf point after end of the trail, good spot to hitchhike, there is free wifi, water, possible camp spot (the guy of conaf that was sleeping here told us it was ok if we couldn't find a car) and buses 1 or 2 times per day. <br /> <br /> <br /> * '''Start 2024-11-18/ 3d / Hiking SOBO RR / Mo'''<br /> <br /> Bus Liquine from Santiago to Curarrehue, after short part PR, MR with quite some fences to jump over, snow starting higher than 1400m, hitched to Liquine on MR and PR after crossing. Some small supermarkets and restaurants in Liquine<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> * '''2024 Apr 10th to Apr 13th / 4 days / Eastbound / Hiking / Villarica Traverse (Opt 4 + Opt 2 + RR + Var A + Opt 1) / Maddi and Tom'''<br /> <br /> Day 1:<br /> Got an Uber right up to the ski centre so didn't pay the entrance fee. Started walking along the side of the volcano with high winds blowing us over every time we gained a ridge - seems we started on the same day as Michael and Kasia but we didn't see them unfortunately. Small trickles of water available at a few points along the route but filled up all our bottles for the night at the marked tap (-39.43584,-71.99555). We persevered through the high winds but still only made it about 15km for the day before setting up camp just beyond Estero Nilfe (not really any water in it) in the outcrop of trees. Plenty of little camp spots out of the wind, with awesome volcano views. Lucky the wind completely died off as we were setting up and we had an awesome fiery sunset over the lake. Went to bed and had an eerily quiet night. We couldn't work out why until we realised this was the first time we hadn't camped next to running water for 3 months.<br /> <br /> Day 2:<br /> Awesome sunny and windless day walking along the volcanic landscape. Water a bit scarce along here but managed to fill up from some smaller trickles until we got to Estero Aihue for lunch - plenty of water flowing. Steep descent down into the forest, crossing Rio Llancahue (plenty of running water) before getting to the 4WD track. Pichillanchue has no camping signs around now so not sure if it is still a camp spot. We continued up the road, did a quick side trip up to the glacier (probably not really worth it unless you haven't seen a glacier yet) then walked along the road to the CONAF office at Sector Quetrupillan. Set up camp just after the bridge (-39.45825,-71.81663) and had a very frosty night. Water available from stream under the bridge.<br /> <br /> Day 3:<br /> Really picturesque day walking up the ridgeline along Sendero Los Venados - probably our favourite day. Super clear views of all the volcanoes including our first glimpse of Lanin. Fill up with water before gaining the ridgeline as we didn't encounter any after the spring at (-39.47151,-71.82642) until our lunch spot (-39.50227,-71.76688). A few tree obstructions and some steep bits down into the valley but awesome views! Had lunch below Quetrepillan and was debating whether to climb it. By this point it was engulfed in cloud so we decided to continue on without the summit (very sad). Took the detour out to the cool green waterfall in the middle of the volcanic landscape. Then began the climb up and over to Laguna Azul. Some snowy patches but overall fine to walk along. Started getting very windy in the afternoon. Lots of tents at Laguna Azul (and lots of waste, pretty gross). We found a spot in the trees but had a very windy night.<br /> <br /> Day 4:<br /> Woke up to high winds and clouds so decided to leg it out of there. Good views on the descent to Laguna las Avutardas but Lanin unfortunately in cloud. Walked all the way out to the road and tried for a hitch for about an hour. First time on the GPT so many cars flew by us - normally we get a hitch straight away! Finally got a ride in the back of a pick up to Curarrehue where we got the bus back to Pucon.<br /> <br /> * '''2024 Apr 10th to Apr 18th / 7 hiking days &amp; 1 zero day / Eastbound / Hiking / Villarica Traverse (Opt 4 + Opt 2 + RR + Var A + Opt 1) / Michael and Kasia'''<br /> <br /> TL:DR The Villarrica Traverse was one of our favorite sections this season; we were really happy we did it in the fall because the color change in the leaves was really beautiful; going eastbound it definitely gets more beautiful as you progress; we had less trouble finding water than we anticipated given previous reports; we caught a hitch all the way to the ski center and so did not pay an entry fee, and we also did not encounter any guardaparques during the 9 days in the park.<br /> <br /> Camp points:<br /> <br /> Night 1 - (-39.39748, -71.96793)<br /> <br /> Night 2 - Estero Nilfe (-39.45876, -71.97840)<br /> <br /> Night 3 - Rio Pichillancahue (-39.46861, -71.85707)<br /> <br /> Night 4 - Camping Chinay (-39.45898, -71.83026)<br /> <br /> Night 5 - below Quetrupian (-39.50221, -71.76620)<br /> <br /> Nights 6 and 7 - Laguna Azul (-39.54443, -71.74855)<br /> <br /> Night 8 - after river (-39.334752, -71.393837)<br /> <br /> Water points - we found water often in this section. Around Volcan Villarrica we would sometimes see just a faint trickle across the path, but by going above or below the trail just a few meters we would find pools of clean water.<br /> <br /> Day 1 April 10th<br /> <br /> We left Pucón around 09:00. It was sunny, but pretty windy. We walked to Camino Al Volcán since it was more likely that cars on that road would be going to the park. It took two hitches, the second took us all the way to the ski center ticket office. This bypassed the CONAF office which is located at the bottom of the hill, so we did not pay or register. The ski center was closed and the road from the ski center ticket office to the beginning of the trail is gated off to cars, so it was about a 2 km road walk on a dirt road. Right at the entrance to the trail to the left are two buildings, one looked like a garage, the other a kitchen/dining room for the ski center workers. There were some people there working. I stopped and asked if they could fill a bottle of water for me and they did. We started on the trail, but the wind was very strong. We got about 1.5 km into the trail before we decided that we wouldn't make it very far since we were spending almost as much time standing and bracing ourselves against the wind as we did walking. We backtracked to (-39.39748, -71.96793), where we had spotted a somewhat wind-protected spot in a small forest. The site can accommodate 1 tent, and is a little on an angle, but not too bad. Wind protection wasn't amazing, but much better than being out in the open. We found water a little further on the trail. It looked like just a trickle coming across the path, but 3 or 4 meters above the trail there were a couple of pools of clear water deep enough to ladle out water with my mug. It was a cloudless night and a really amazing, long lasting sunset, and we could see the red glow of the volcano reflected in the smoke coming out <br /> <br /> Day 2 April 11th<br /> <br /> A sunny, windless day. There were nice views of the valley below and it was a walk through a classic volcanic landscape, up and down the various zajons, and through some forests. Overall a beautiful day. We also collected a lot of chaura, the little white, pink or red berries. I called them foam berries because they have a kind of airy consistency, but they were sweet and enjoyable, vaguely apple/strawberry flavored I guess. They aren't really filling, but we enjoyed eating something novel and wild harvested.<br /> <br /> We camped at (-39.45876, -71.97840) at Estero Nilfe. There was a flat space big enough for one tent. It just barely fit our Durston X-Mid 2, but we managed to squeeze it in. The sunset view was absolutely amazing. The water in the estero was nearly gone for the season. I had to walk about 25 m up the gulch until I found a trickle like a faucet that wasn't fully turned off, and it was still cloudy. I would recommend filling up at (-39.45497, -71.98195) for drinking and cooking before heading there. This was our favorite campsite of the section, not necessarily because of the site itself, but the views. Highly recommended, but also recommended to get there early if going in high season.<br /> <br /> Day 3 - April 12th<br /> <br /> We had a nice sunrise in the morning. The landscape for the day was almost entirely volcanic until the end. Kasia was very taken by it and enjoyed it a lot. We had a very interesting experience as well. At about 14:00 we crossed a dry river bed at Estero Tralco. We were standing part way up the hill on the far side. We were listening to a sound that we couldn’t tell if it was wind or water. We were looking up the river bed and finally, about 30 m up we saw running water. We kept watching and the water started getting closer. Within 10 minutes the water had gone past us, and the river bed, which had been dry when we crossed it just minutes before, suddenly had a stream probably a meter wide and 6 cm deep. It was very impressive to see a stream just appear before our eyes. <br /> <br /> The path down to Rio Pichillancahue was in the forest, steep but in pretty good condition. We camped at (-39.46861, -71.85707). There were flat spots with space for two tents above the path and another one or two below, with decent river access. There is a sign that says “No Camping”, but it obviously had been a campsite at some point. We arrived nearly at dark so no one was around. <br /> <br /> Day 4 - April 13th<br /> <br /> We had a slow start. A few hikers passed by as we were wrapping up camp. I was surprised when we arrived at the road. I had anticipated a road that was too damaged to drive on, but there were a variety of vehicles parked or driving on the road throughout the day (it was a weekend). There were also a fair number of hikers along the road as well. <br /> <br /> At (-39.46156, -71.84584) we encountered a wooden cross standing in a clearing just off the side of the trail. It was unclear if it was a religious thing or art. A little further back there was a short path going down and a water spigot that worked. The water seemed good, though I would probably filter it.<br /> <br /> We camped at Camping Chinay (-39.45898, -71.83026). There were 10 or 12 campsites with picnic tables and benches. There were also a number of buildings, several of them clearly intended to be bathrooms. There is no running water, but the river is just a short walk back toward the main path. I'm not sure what happened there, but my best guess would be that it was a concession that started to build a campground and went bankrupt and just abandoned the project. It was a good spot for the night. <br /> <br /> Day 5 - April 14th<br /> <br /> We passed the CONAF office around 7:30, we didn't see anyone there. We filled up water at the first river crossing. It was a cloudy, still morning. The trail up for the first few km was in good condition and easy to follow. There were a few more water points on the way up. The one marked with a sign saying ”Water 20 m” was the last one we saw until we camped that night. We didn't need water, but I went down to check it out. The path down was very steep and there wasn't really easy access to the stream which was piled over with blow downs. A mug or something small would be helpful to ladle water out. There was also a huge araucaria that had dropped a ton of piñones there and we spent nearly an hour collecting. It was the only really good piñones score that we encountered during the section. <br /> <br /> Immediately after that were a few problematic blow downs. The trail went into and out of forest sections with some amazing views in between. By the time we reached the pass it was mostly clear. The pass had an almost 360 view, and from one point we could clearly see to the east Lanín and Quetrupian ahead of us, to the north Volcán Llaima in PN Conguillio just to the west of GPT13, to the west Volcán Villarrica behind us, and to the south Volcan Coshuenco and Volcan Mocho in RN Coshuenco adjacent to GPT18. We had lunch at the pass. <br /> <br /> The route down was very steep in some parts, and at times felt a little sketchy until we were back in the forest. I would not want to be doing it on a windy day, and I would definitely budget a little extra time. There were some tricky blow downs on the way down as well. We arrived at a water point at (-39.50221, -71.76620), a stream, and decided to camp next to it. There was a clear, flattish spot and the remnants of a past campfire. There was one more possible campsite 100 m or so on that we saw the next day.<br /> <br /> Day 6 - April 15th<br /> <br /> We awoke to Quetrupian completely covered in fog. We got a slow start hoping that it would eventually clear, but it remained that way throughout the day. We passed by the Volcán Quetrupian camping spot and were glad we had stayed where we did the night before. It was completely barren and exposed other than a couple of low rock walls. It started to get windy as we made our way down to Laguna Azul. We had seen on the weather that it was supposed to start raining that evening and rain the whole next day, so we wanted to get a good campsite to sit it out. The Laguna was very pretty, but the camping area is, as others have mentioned, kind of trashed. Additionally it was not so easy to find a good spot. Most of the flattish areas were essentially the bottom of a bowl that would accumulate water fast, and there was a lot of cold wind coming directly off the lake. We found a spot around (-39.54443, -71.74855) near a small beach on the way towards RR going south that was more wind protected. We set up two ponchos to have an outdoor cooking and eating area and did some extensive trenching around the tent and built a low rock wall on the water side. <br /> <br /> Day 7 - April 16th<br /> <br /> Rain, wind and fog all day. The trenching turned out to be very useful. The rain was heavier and lasted longer than the weather prediction, and the trenches filled multiple times throughout the day. Some water found its way into the tent, but not too much. We managed to stay dry overall. We spent the day cooking and peeling piñones in the outdoor area. It was very wet and very windy, but we were grateful to have a fairly protected spot. <br /> <br /> Day 8 - April 17th<br /> <br /> There were clear skies and sun in the morning. We took extra time getting the wet gear as dried as we could, anticipating that we might not have a good opportunity later. Ford [36.6/1652 ] was dry foot crossable. The water was milky. On the way down to the branch in the trail toward Laguna Blanca there was a good, clear stream that looks like a permanent feature given all the plant growth around it. We dropped the packs and walked to Laguna Blanca. Kasia liked it very much. It didn’t do much for me. There were some great views on the way up to the passes.<br /> <br /> Once over the second pass and back into Chile, there were absolutely stunning views in the evening light. The whole valley had a magical quality. Along the route down much of the landscape is essentially wetland, so it was a little slow going to not get our feet wet. We camped at (-39.334752, -71.393837) just on the other side of the river. The spot was above the path tucked away in the trees. It was a fairly large clear spot, though on somewhat of an angle. Going back out to the path, we had an exceptional sunset view over the mountains.<br /> <br /> Day 9 - April 18th<br /> <br /> We had an amazing sunrise in the morning. The route down continued to be wet and boggy in many places, requiring careful choice of footing. There were great views on the way down with the fall color. The trail through the woods above Laguna Las Avutardes was better, though there were some blow downs. We did not make the detour to the lake. There was a very nice forest further on with some very large trees. We hiked down to the highway and tried to hitchhike from the rest stop just across the street from the cafe, which was closed when we were there. After a bit with no luck we started hiking the highway down. After about 30 minutes a Mapuche man in a truck stopped without us even trying to hitchhike and offered us a ride to Currarehue which we gratefully accepted. He dropped us off on the main street in town and we caught a bus a few minutes later to Pucón.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Mar-24 to 2024-Mar-28 / 4.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / 04 02 RR B / Matthias de Austria'''<br /> <br /> No snowfields, Tabanos, Mosquitos and only very easy fords. Clean water is limited in some parts. Water markers flowing. Laguna Azul nice for a swim.<br /> <br /> Started in Pucon, going for 04 Villarrica Traverese, the one Uber on Sunday forenoon does not want the job up to the ski center, and hitchhiking is harder then expected on this sunny, blue sky sunday. So first lots of road hiking, got 3 short rides later on.<br /> Rangerstation at -39.349925,-7196941 Entry fee is 8k, friendly ranger, you get a map, not that useful though. The ranger paints the possible campsites on it. <br /> <br /> Water at -39.435836,-71.995461<br /> Next clean water at -39.454973,-71.981950 camp here or take water for camp next to Estero Nilfe.<br /> <br /> First camp at Estero Nilfe, very brown, sandy, fast stream: -39.458163,-71.978453, camp: -39.458755,-71.978396<br /> Next water again very brown and sandy at -39.476059,-71.924327<br /> Tiny stream of fresh clean water at -39.474726,-71.891417<br /> Bigger clean stream at -39.477181,-71.886020<br /> Further at -39.475188,-71.874056<br /> Bridge over not so clear water at -39.467944,-71.857586<br /> Next clean water at -39.461168,-71.832391<br /> <br /> Second camp at ranger camp -39.456630,-71.817651 (noone around there). There are toilets, access to river 5m southeast at the bridge -39.457709,-71.816879<br /> Soon next clean water at -39.461418,-71.819858 I think there is one more fresh water soon after, but not sure. Take a bit, there is non for a while until -39.502209,-71766203<br /> Next at -39.507045,-71.754523<br /> <br /> Few km after park ranger 04 31.9 on 04 is partly overgrown and lots of fallen trees, especially on ridge on downhill from ridge to the east. Third Camp nearby close to the waterfalls around -39.511782,-71.750506 some stonewalls for tents but no larger vegetation. Shortly after last water until lake azul. Amazing viewpoint south of pass 2.5/1924. Ford 40.3/1593 should be dry feet crossing now, I built some stone islands into the stream.<br /> <br /> Quite dense forest afterwards, next possible camp where 02a ends, but not so nice and no water. Afterwards regulary patches of meadows but without water. Path at -39.652889,-71.843811 impassable but wacky lodge bridge at -39.652985,-71.843994, just a few meters west. Bridge at 58.6 is gone but easy ford a few douzen meters southeast. Camp after ford, asked the guy from the settlement, he is super chill and say I can choose wherevee I want to put my tent. Meadows full of shit though. Around 8-9pm massive blast of Bumm-Bumm music from the settlement, easy to hear even 200m away next to the river and with earplugs.<br /> <br /> Gate at RR eastwards at junction B. Got a lift there to Liquiñe. Panderia, pasteria, minishop and cafeteria at -39.741773,-71.855479. I said I take 10 eggs if they cook it hard, they do so for 1k. +3k for the eggs.<br /> <br /> Parts of Villarica Traverse is really beautiful. Southern parts of RR it's long, long boring road walking.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Mar-05 to 2024-Mar-08 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + summit Quetrupillan / Juliet and Martin '''<br /> <br /> Day 1 Cararrehue to (-39.47055, -71.63177)<br /> <br /> We left Cararrehue after sleeping in a campsite (altitude 360) for 7000 pesos per person. It's a good idea to stock up on water, as the rivers are milky. We filtered the water with our water bottles and it was fine. Lots of gates to climb. We slept in the forest near a river at the entrance to the national park. We recommend it. <br /> <br /> Day 2 from (-39.47055, -71.63177) to Laguna Azul<br /> <br /> We reached the laguna blanca, which is also milky. Magnificent. Great bivouac spot at laguna azul, which is finally transparent. Several places to shelter from the wind. There are a few people and garbage, but it's easy to get away from them and set up camp. <br /> <br /> Day 3 ascent of Quetrupillan volcano<br /> <br /> A long day's walk to the summit of Quetrupillan volcano and back. Lots of wind. Magnificent views, a must! We decided to do the grand tour, following the marked path (track on gaia) and not the GPT tracks after reading about other experiences on wikiexplora. We didn't encounter any technical difficulties. Long climb and very steep at the end. We recommend following the Gaia trail. <br /> Back to laguna azul where we had left our gear to climb lighter. <br /> <br /> Day 4 laguna azul a ruta 201 CH<br /> We finally finished this section in one last day due to bad weather (continuous rain). Last day in the forest. No interest beyond that. We rejoined ruta 201 CH, where we were quickly picked up and hitchhiked to Conaripe. We stayed in Conaripe at the Hotel Chumay, which is very good and not too expensive. <br /> There are buses in Conaripe, and we took one to Licanray as we'd missed the direct one to Panguipuilli, but it runs once a day. From Licanray we reached Panguipuilli and then Valdivia. <br /> <br /> * '''From 2024-03-06 to 2023-03-08 // 2,5 day // Hiking // NOBO // RR + summit Quetrupillan // Quentin Clavel'''<br /> <br /> After a long, smooth and easy to follow ascent, threw gravel road then nice and large forest track, and finally lovely little path, I reached the volcanic plateau. <br /> <br /> It was very windy when I arrived at Laguna Azul, and I really hesitated to go up to the volcano Quetrupillan. I finally put my pant and jacket on, and start the climb, without my bag that I left at the campsite next to the Laguna. <br /> <br /> Even if it's windy, I think the first part of the climb is definitely worth it, to have this amazing view on Villarica on one side and Lanin on the other ! Stunning ! <br /> <br /> Then I continue, but didn't follow the GPX track, and just cross country threw different snow patches, and loosing rocks area, to reach the crater (east part). I stayed there less than 2 minutes I guess, the wind was just that crazy that thought I'll be blown away. <br /> <br /> The view up there is pretty nice, but from where I was on the crater, I've got the summit part in front of me that hide the Villarica volcán. Anyway, with these conditions it wasn't doable to go to the summit safely. So I just went down, sliding on volcanic little rocks and snow patches, lot of fun ! <br /> <br /> I found back my bag and spent the night at Laguna Azul campsite, enjoyed to be sheltered from the wind on this tiny forest. <br /> <br /> Before leaving the area make sure to fill your water as you'll not have clear/clean water for a while. <br /> <br /> The next day was very hard because of the harsh weather. It was rainy a lot, very windy and so cold. I even was into a snow storm on the volcanic plateau and all the length until the entrance on the forest. That wasn't fun at all ! I struggled a bit on the turn around laguna blanca, as the water from the heavy rain created some small rivers that I had to cross. <br /> <br /> Then as the altitud decrease, snow became rain, and it finally stopped to turn into blue sky at the end of the day. <br /> <br /> From the volcanic plateau, you'll alternate between forest trail, gravel road and asphalt road. Mostly very easy to follow. Few time you'll pass kind of residentially place, all the people that I met were absolutely lovely ! <br /> <br /> Between PK 12 and PK 8, you'll have few gates and fences to jump. I met Don Carlos at PK12, he's the owner of the property where you have to climb 2 fences and pass a gate, very nice and kind man, he even escorted me to pass the first gate and the fence and explained me the way very precisely. <br /> <br /> Then after PK8, you reach a gravel road, it was longer for me because I stopped very regularly to eat looooot of blackberrys and plums that I found on the way. Finally, you'll reach the internacional road, and the city of currarehue. <br /> <br /> Currarzhue is kind of a big city, where you'll find easily places to resupply (there's at least 4 supermarkets and 10 minimarkets), foodplaces and accomodation (cabanas, hospedaje and hostel (at the end of the city)). Didn't checked in all supermarkets, but there's a good chance to find Gaz in this city I reckon, if not in supermarkets, probably in ferretería ?<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-23 to 2024-Feb-25 / 2.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + OH 02 +03 + B/ Joscha'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: RR [0.0-34.6]<br /> <br /> Bus from Pucon to Curarrehue leaves frequently from the terminal Vipu-Ray (-39.27753, -71.97265) and costs 2000 Pesos. I had to climb a locked wooden gate (8.6), locked barbed wire gates (10.1 and 11.4.) and barbed wire fence (9.8 and 11.7) while following the RR. Other than that the first 20 km are pretty easy to walk and relatively boring. There was a little stream next to RR at km 11.2. At km 15.7 and 18.3 it's possible to acces Estero Huililco. The RR crosses a small river at km 23.1, which is the last water source until Laguna Blanca. There is plenty of flat space for camping all around Laguna Blanca.<br /> <br /> Day 2: RR [34.6-40.2] + to Volcan Quetrupillan and back on OH16-02 + OH16-03<br /> <br /> There are still some big snow patches on OH16-03, but they can be avoided with some rock scrambling. Just before the Summit of Quetrupillan I had to use both my hands for climbing up. On the way down I took the OSM trail that leaves the RR at -39.49735, -071.72325 and rejoines the RR at -39.50155, -071.72667. It's pretty steep, but I didn't had to use my hands to climb down. But I had to maneuver around some snowfields to get back to the RR. There are a few water sources during the first 2 km of OH16-03. The view from Volcan Quetrupillan is amazing and the hike to the summit isn't to hard. <br /> <br /> Day 3: RR [40.2-64.5] + OH16-B<br /> <br /> The Bridge at km 58.6 is gone, but its an easy ford. Possible camping spot just south of water marker at km 44.2. I took OH16-B down to the main road and hitched from there to Conaripe. There is water at all water/ford markers on the whole RR. <br /> <br /> Outside of the area around Volcan Quetrupillan the RR is pretty boring. A traverse from the ski area (OH16-4) over Quetrupillan to Puesco Norte (OH16-1) is the more scenic route.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-02 to 2024-Feb-06 / 4.5 days / Hiking / Westbound / Villarrica traverse / Gerald'''<br /> <br /> Since i came from Argentina i wanted to start at Puesco. In Curarrehue i couldn't find a Gascontainer with a screw. GYG had none and the Ferreterias have only the long one or the one without the screw.... But there is a bus going to Pucon every 20min for 2k. <br /> Run out of time and camped at the Puesco Cervezeria. Nice beer and good spot next to the river. CONAF couldn't give me any information about water sources along the trail. If you start in Pucon they do incl. a Map....<br /> I always found enough water, but i don't need that much. Camped at Laguna las Avutardes (bad weather was coming), Laguna Azul (really nice, almost no litter), Rio Pichillancahue (only spot for maybe 2 tents, water was cloudy but drinkable aber you let the soil (?) settle, in the morning it's cleaner) and 6km before the ski center since i wanted to see the volcano glowing at night. Camping on volcanic gravel was not smart but didn't damage my tent :)<br /> I had a lot of luck with the weather, since i could descent right before the big rain. Beautiful trail, landscape is unreal. Just keep in mind if you wear trailrunner, the vulcanic rocks will eat them :)<br /> In Pucon is a shoe repair shop between Uruguay and Peru street called &quot;clinica de calzado&quot;. They seem more specialized in leather boots, but tried their best on my trailrunner. Have Frankenstein shoes now :)<br /> There are tours going up to the volcano villarrica, but they are not allowed to summit right now. They charge around 100k. Maybe with some planing it is possible to get the gear from an tour operator at the ski station and continue the journey. In the area around Villarrica is cell reception.<br /> <br /> * 2024-Feb-07 - 2024-Feb-10, NOBO, Hiking, 4 days, RR, 16-01, czimahi<br /> <br /> from Liquiñe by road and the direction Trancas Negras; Join RR, Bridge 16 (5 - no bridge; night in camp without water. Next day to Laguna Azul and by 16-01 to laguna Avutardas (camp before 34,7) lots of water on the way till the last indicated. next day to Puesco camping on road (with artesanal beer), then going back to Conaf to 16-01. by the level of camp Puesco there is a bridge but closed by gate, easy to cross by left side, i decided not to go but then I was in that place, the way is just here. Just one spiny fence without any gate on the way.<br /> <br /> If you go just the larger &quot;road&quot; for a car you will get join to the 16-01 which in some case is marked by some horse trail or something like this - I returned thinking I'm lost but I would get the route. In Trancura a car stopped me and took me to Curarrehue.<br /> <br /> * 2024-01-28 to 2024-01-31: Fangwen and Tobi / 4 days Villarrica traverse<br /> <br /> Like many others, we chose to do the scenic Villarrica traverse. We skipped the first day around the Villarrica mountain and started from CONAF Chinay (by taking an Uber -- until 1km before CONAF it's 2wd friendly). We left our stuff at the somewhat abandoned looking campsite at S 39° 27.571', W 071° 49.815' and went for a short hike up to Glaciar Pichillancahue. Nice, but not really a must in our opinion. The next day we hiked to the refreshing waterfalls at S 39° 30.715', W 071° 45.147' and camped there. The third day, we went up to the rim of the Quetrupillan volcano -- nice views! This involved hiking up some snowfields (but no technical gear was required). The peak itself involves scrambling up a short route. Not difficult but the rock is incredibly crumbly and so we turned around. Fun descent via buttsliding down the snowfields. Hike to the very scenic Lago Azul. We pushed on along the very scenic trail and camped at S 39° 33.759', W 071° 39.654', a bit after the getting back across the border to Chile from Argentina. The argentinian side would make for an awesome campsite with a great sunset too (in our case, there was also water from snowmelt), especially at S 39° 34.315', W 071° 40.548'. The fourth day was simply a hike out with a short stop at another lake. Easy hitchhike back to Pucón.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-12 to 2024-Jan-16 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / Villarrica Traverse / Alex &amp; Lotti'''<br /> <br /> We liked this hike a lot, especially the diversity of the landscape with the forests, volcanoes and lakes. We were happy that we did it in eastbound direction, because this way the landscape got more and more beautiful towards the end, and transportation to and from trail was easy. <br /> Trail conditions were very good, only the trail from &quot;Cafe Villarrica Traverse&quot; to the Puesco CONAF office (part of Option 1) was overgrown and sometimes hard to find. <br /> <br /> Camping:<br /> Estero Nilfe (Beautiful view, no clean water), CONAF camp Chinay (weird abandoned construction site, but river close), Laguna Azul (beautiful campsite, but clearly used by many people, not much trash when we were there), Laguna Las Avurtardas (beautiful lake and campsite, lots of cow and horse shit, so water has to be filtered)<br /> <br /> Transport to start:<br /> We took an Uber to the Ski Center and paid 12000 pesos (more than what the driver asked for, but he had to wait for us while we did the registration at the CONAF office, so we paid a little extra).<br /> <br /> Transport from end:<br /> Bus at 5pm from the CONAF office in Puesco to Curarrehue, then bus to Pucon. (There is a river with nice swimming sites very close to the CONAF office to make waiting for the bus enjoyable) <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-19 to 2024-Jan-24 / 5 days / Hiking / (eastbound?) / Villarrica traverse RR - {16-04} - {16-02} - {16} - {16-A} - {16-01} / Andrew'''<br /> <br /> This was my favourite hike so far. I did it in 5 days, but I wish I'd added an extra day to do the 2 side trips mentioned by Nat and Tomas (Quetrupillan summit and glacier Pichillancahue). Notes for logistics if you're doing the traverse and plan to return to Pucon: Chili Kiwi hostel won't store bags during the high season while you hike, but Gecko hostel will (for $5.000 CLP).<br /> <br /> Day 1 (trail start to Zanjón pino Huacho):<br /> <br /> Two rides got me up to CONAF station. I registered for the hike, $10.000 CLP, and they gave me a map of the trail and a tag for my backpack. I only saw the park rangers once however in the final 2km of the trail. Officially no wild camping. I was eager (ok maybe impatient) to start so I started hiking up to the ski centre after about 15 minutes without success hitchhiking. In hindsight I wished I waited longer, as the 8km uphill to the ski centre is not that interesting. I ate lunch at the ski centre, refilled my water bottles, and started the trek.<br /> <br /> Incredible landscapes, going back and forth between barren volcanic rocks spotted with wildflowers to tall grasses. I found a stream that looked clear at ( 39°24'57.16&quot;S, 71°58'18.54&quot;W), so I drank water from it. Otherwise no water until Zanjón pino Huacho where I camped.<br /> <br /> Day 2 (Zanjón pino Huacho to near Chinay):<br /> <br /> Started with Araucaria forests, and then back to volcanic landscapes. First glimpse of the twin peaks of Choshuenco/Mocho and later on Lanin. After Valle de Fuego, you up and down over a couple valleys, the last one had a stream and that's where I had lunch. Long uphill stretch, a stand of Araucaria trees, and then windings paths through tall grasses just above the treeline. Many day hikers walking up from Pichillancahue to the mirador del volcan. River Pichillancahue looked like it had some nice places to camp, but marked with no camping signs. With so many people going back and forth I decided to continue onwards. I camped at an official looking campground with a water spigot and a thunder box close to Chinay.<br /> <br /> Day 3 (near Chinay to Quetrupillan waterfall):<br /> <br /> After Chinay there is a long uphill but worth it for the views. Partway up the hill there's a sign for water 20 m downhill. Tricky to get to, but this is the last water for several hours. I was carrying 1.75L and that wasn't enough. Amazing views up high, then a slow descent. Found some muddy pools, and then finally a clear stream at (39°30'25.70&quot;S, 71°45'15.91&quot;W). Lots of blackflies, but there was a cool moment where a lizard crawled onto my shoes and started hunting them. Camped at Quetrupillán waterfalls, stunning landscapes and view of the fire from Villarrica at night.<br /> <br /> Day 4 (Quetrupillan waterfall to Laguna Avutardas):<br /> <br /> A couple spots where the trail is covered in snow and you need to find your own way down. Stopped at Laguna Azul for lunch. Sad to see the state of the campground there, so much trash. If you're doing the traverse make sure you don't start following the main GPT trail after the lake like I did. And then it's worth going back to the main trail even if you have to cross the river at a difficult spot. I tried to find another crossing, and then made my own way through the lava field which was difficult, would not recommend. Continued onwards, more snow. Laguna blanca was worth a detour. More amazing views, and then the last snowing section followed by a long muddy descent to Laguna Avutardas. Several other Villarrica traverse hikers camped on the beach.<br /> <br /> Day 5 (Launa Avutardas to end):<br /> <br /> Coldest night by far with frost on my tent in the morning! Easy hike to the road. First sighting of the park rangers. Hitchhiked back to Pucon.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-17 to 2024-Jan-19 / 3 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR - {16-02} - {16-03} - {16-02} - RR - {16-B} / Lilian'''<br /> <br /> I really enjoy GPT16, walking on the beach beside Laguna Blanca, climbing Volcán Quetrupillán, camping at outlet of Laguna Azul and soaking in hot spring at Liquiñe, they are all so lovely.<br /> <br /> Volcán Quetrupillán still covered by lot of snow above 1930m. Also need to climb up a 40° snow slope and traverse to it's rim. Take your time.<br /> <br /> RR km0 - km8.9 : dirt road walking.<br /> <br /> Km8.0 : clear water flowing beside the road. (-39.38490, -71.63200)<br /> <br /> Km8.3 : camping possibilities on grassland at uphill side with no fence.(-39.38470, -71.63648)<br /> <br /> Km8.65 : locked gate with barbed wire fence, a house just behind the gate, better ask for the permission first.<br /> <br /> Km8.9 : 4 way junction, dirt road become an old trail.<br /> <br /> Km9.75 : crossing of barbed wire fence, no more gate here. 2 holes at fence , one is already covered by bamboo, another one is at (-39.38352, -71.64776), go through it you will connect to an dirt road at other side.<br /> <br /> Km10.1 : locked gate with barbed wire fence. Open the gate at top, remains the lock there and big step over, my legs are too short, the barbed wire breaks a hole at my shorts here ;(<br /> <br /> Km11.1 : locked gate with barbed wire fence. At right side there is a small gap let small people go through, but not for backpack, so climb it!<br /> <br /> Km11.15 : bridge and a stream flowing good at right side(-39.39046, -71.65845), go over the bridge then you will find a side trail at right side to stream.<br /> <br /> Km11.3 : bridge and a stream flowing good, but no way to go down.<br /> <br /> Km11.35 : locked gate with barbed wire fence. Climb.<br /> <br /> Km11.7 : crossing of barbed wire fence, no more gate here. Houses at (-39.39480, -71.66123), a dog continues barking when i was climbing the fence, make me so anxiety...<br /> <br /> Km12.2 : finally, this gate can open it with the chain at middle. But i didn't know it can be opened before i saw the chain, so i climbed the gate...<br /> <br /> FYI : RR follow the valley and Estero Huililco climbing up, but no clear water, because the river is milky.<br /> <br /> Km16.5 : grassland(-39.42330, -71.65069) with no fence can fit many tents, but i think this spot is just for group hikers, because it is beside the road without any covers, every cars passing here must see you, it is not safe for solo hiker.<br /> <br /> Km18.25 : camping spot can fit 2-3 tents with fire ring beside the river. Some trees and bushes here, very little privacy.<br /> <br /> Km18.6 : bus stop here, and i don't know about the bus schedule.<br /> <br /> Km18.65 - km19.2 : look like is a paid campground.<br /> <br /> Km20.05 : dirt road junction, an old dirt road at left side, flat and without rocks, you can camp here if need. South of RR in this forest also lot spots for camping.<br /> <br /> Km23.15 : crossing of a milky stream, just above ankle. It is the last reliable water until Laguna Blanca.<br /> <br /> Km26.25 : junction of dirt road and trail, RR is turn to trail now, dirt road will end by damaged and huge blowdown, so turn left and climb up on the trail.<br /> <br /> Km27 : information board( with Spanish and English). From the board, RR-CC-A[29.3+5.9] is the official route.<br /> <br /> Km29.3 : junction of RR and {16-A}, RR at here is a clear trail, not CC. Easy to follow.<br /> <br /> Km29.85 : water spot(-39.51775, -71.65871)! Tiny stream flowing low with fresh, clear and cold water by snow melts, easy to collect. No water at downstream, because it just flow some meters then seep into sand. Some more tiny streams also flowing low beside the trail or across the trail by snow melts, but i think this is the best one in some km.<br /> <br /> Km30.6 : viewpoint of Lanín! Some snow patch nearby, flat and easy to walk on.<br /> <br /> Km32.6 : Laguna Blanca, cross 2 chocolate stream, just above ankle, but the riverbed is muddy in some steps.<br /> <br /> Km33.05 : a 80m snow patch, not steep, not difficult, but you'll drop into the lake if slide.<br /> <br /> Km35.2 : junction of RR and {16-A}. Tiny stream flowing good with fresh, clear and cold water by snow melts beside the junction, easy to collect. <br /> <br /> Km35.4 : steep snow slope at east side of the pass. Better go around it at right side (north). Tiny stream flowing good with clear water by snow melts, at west side of the pass too.<br /> <br /> Ford[36.6/1652] : crossing of a milky stream, above ankle.<br /> <br /> Km37.6 - km38 , km39.9 - km40.1 : snow patches, easily go around.<br /> <br /> Then i go for {16-02} then {16-03} climbing Volcán Quetrupillán.<br /> <br /> {16-02} km0.15 : small stream flowing good with clear water by snow melts, easy to collect.<br /> <br /> Km1.65 : snow patch.<br /> <br /> Km1.9 : junction of {16-02} and {16-03}, {16-03} maybe sometime have rock cairns, but i just find the trail when it is already very close to summit, so mostly CC go by yourself. {16-02} km2.1 to pass[2.5/1924], almost half is covered by snow, it becomes steep when get close to pass, be careful.<br /> <br /> {16-03} km0.45 : snow slope steep go down, i go down at a little north, the slope is much shorter.<br /> <br /> Km1.15 : due to lot of snow melts, the milky lake become larger than it shows on map. So walk a little east to go around.<br /> <br /> Km1.3 : snow start, i recommend just walking on snow to trail junction waypoint at km2.1, it is gentle.<br /> <br /> Km2.1 : tiny stream(-39.51478, -71.73556) flowing low with clear water just beside the trail junction (but i didn't see any trail here.)<br /> <br /> Then the climbing is covered by lot of snow. You can walk on a dry rocky slope until km2.45, then choose continue finding dry slope to walk (but they are going around and around so the distance are a little longer and some puds, also sometimes block by snow wall), or climbing up on snow directly. <br /> <br /> I climbed on the snow slope, because they are stable and not too steep, looks like better than following rock cairns on the dry slope.<br /> <br /> When you arrive km3.7(-39.50145, -71.72655), look up to the mountain top. Of course the sharp peak at left is Quetrupillán, and your target is climbing up to the part at its right side, red colour and a little rocky one, that's the pass(-39.49857, -71.72277), also trail there.<br /> <br /> Because most of the slope still covered by snow, so go a little southeast, you'll find a dry rock slope, parallel to GPX tracks. Not too much, but at least some places you can stand on easily and take a short break in climbing. Straight climb up the 40° snow slope to km4.05(2265m) (-39.50003, -71.72333), then traverse to the red part, trail is here(-39.49889, -71.72298). When it close to the red part, the snow slope becomes a little icy, kick step and be careful.<br /> <br /> Arrive on the red, you can follow the loose rocky trail to the pass. You can continue climbing up to summit or walking on the rim for views.<br /> <br /> After enjoying the moments for volcano, i slide down at here(-39.49886, -71.72313), a good way without rocks. Then skiing back to {16-02}. Lot fun!<br /> <br /> I took 4.5 hours for climbing up and 2.5 hours for go down back to Laguna Azul. At my first plan, i want to go down to camp beside the waterfall at (-39.51315, -71.74967) then back to the Laguna Azul on next day, but it looks like lot of snow in the valley after the no trail's trail junction, also need a steep going down the pass. So i just take a round trip even i climbed Quetrupillán with my full backpack.<br /> <br /> RR lake,camp[40.2/1597] : Laguna Azul, clear water. Can fit 3-4 tents under some short trees, with fire ring and wind protection, but a little crowded.<br /> <br /> Ford[40.3/1593] : lake outlet, wet feet crossing, a beautiful camping spot can fit 1 tent just downstream 20m, another crossing point there too.<br /> <br /> Camp[40.3/1601] : still covered by snow patch now.<br /> <br /> Km41.7 : camping area with fire pit and log seats, covered by many trees.<br /> <br /> X[49.6/997] : 4 way junction, some more junctions at south.<br /> <br /> Water[51.1/871] : flowing low with clear water.<br /> <br /> Km51.6 : 3 way junction, at left, a good road going down at east side of the valley. At right is RR, go down at west side of valley. Road is heavy damage just after the junction, be careful for crossing, the road is collapsing(-39.60354, -71.81894).<br /> <br /> Km51.9 - km52.4 : a large beautiful grassland, nice camping spot. Start from here, the &quot;road&quot; becomes better condition.<br /> <br /> X[55.6/618] : junction of RR and a good road, looks like coming from other sidecof valley.<br /> <br /> Km57.75: grassland, camping spot.<br /> <br /> Settlement, bridge[58.6/440] : the road is damaged before the &quot;bridge&quot;, a board bridge (-39.65286, -71.84399) for human crossing. The bridge also is damaged, looks like washed away, so crossing at upstream (-39.65410, -71.84389), rock bar underwater, above ankle. This stream's water is flowing good with clear water. After crossing is a nice spot with lunch, well tree shade. Fire ring and log seats under a tree too, but it is in the area of settlement.<br /> <br /> Camp[62.1/486] : i didn't notice the spot when i passed here, maybe I missed it.<br /> <br /> Km64.5 : junction of RR and {16-B}, i take {16-B} because of shorter distance to main road, also no need to climb up 120m again as RR.<br /> <br /> Settlement, shop[66.5/237] : small shop, a little pricey but good stock for resupply, very friendly. ( I think the shops in Liquiñe is much pricey too)<br /> <br /> Then i walked all the way to Liquiñe, no bus and no luck(no successful hitch).<br /> <br /> For resupply details read GPT17.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-10 to 2024-Jan-12 / 3 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + option 4 +sendero glacier Pichillancahue ( we did a cross country after towards the East to go to the Morador Los volcanoes ) / Yannick &amp; Nolwenn'''<br /> - Water : easy to find<br /> - Snow : still snow left on the Quatrupillen volcano but manageable to go up <br /> - Camping spot : easy to find<br /> - Weather : Sunny<br /> - Resupply : in Pucon to start and in Conaripe at the end of the section<br /> <br /> * '''2023-01-02/05 / 4 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR + volcano Quetrupillán / Hermann &amp; Coline'''<br /> <br /> The GPT16 was a really nice experience !<br /> <br /> Milagro, who hosted us in Liquiñe, gave us cherries and nuts for the travel ! With that, the sloapses up-hill felt less hard than it was for our legs.<br /> <br /> We slept at the Camp Without Water {16} [52.3/794] the first night (and even found water nearby). We arrived at the Laguna Azul the next day.<br /> <br /> We stayed there two days, so that I could walk up to the summit of Volcano Quetrupillán.<br /> <br /> The ascension was okay. The sunny sky was a bit covered by clouds, but without wind. I just had a headhick after, because of the UVs reflecting on the snow (I guess). There are some places where one's can't avoid walking on it, so I took my time to &quot;read&quot; the landscape (underground rivers etc).<br /> <br /> I left the GPT to take the optional road on Locus, that follows the crater at the end. It was scary at the top, but not dangerous.<br /> <br /> On the way back, I started by following a group of men on a much easier way going westbound. Then, I went south and it was easy to follow the landlarks I had token outbound (the frozen lake for instance).<br /> <br /> There was wind in the mid of the day and two chilians warned us that there would be snow in the night. Therefore, we spend the night at the Laguna Blanca : lot's of wind, but no snow there and even a new glacier river in the morning !<br /> <br /> Thanks to the previous posts on Wikiexplora and also to Lukas and Tess we've meet on the way, we took enough water for the next 30kms down-hill. Actually, there was a river (probably due to the storm), even crossing the road at some point, but I'm not sure it was drinkable.<br /> <br /> We went to Catripulli instead of Currarehue. We wanted to take a bus to Villarica – where there is a Scotiabank –, and to skip sections 14 &amp; 15, so to join the GPT again at Icalma. This was a bad idea... There's no direct bus between Villarica and Melipeuco ; we had to first reach Temuco. Moreover, there's no bus from Melipeuco to Icalma, so we hitchhiked. (There were not many cars ; it took us a day.)<br /> <br /> Food : <br /> 1. In Liquiñe, the shop just before the bridge is smaller and more expensive than the others (saying Milagro). <br /> 2. There are no piñones at the foot of the Araucanian tree, since the season starts in march (saying a woman who took us in her car). <br /> 3. In Catripulli, there's a shop with all you need and more – even argentinian cakes and Malta beers ! <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-02 to 07 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / Huella Andina plus new options / Natalie &amp; Tomáš'''<br /> [Note 2024 November: This is not in the GPT yet at all, but it is in our suggestions in the 2024 Track files. This is a start of an alternative Argentinian route connecting GPT16 all the way to GPT21. In our opinion, for hikers it is probably better as it involes a lot less roadwalking and is very scenic (and the roadwalking there is is mostly easily hitchable). It might be slightly mode difficult than the RR. This is especially useful when coming from the Villarica traverse. What follows is roughly what corrresponds to GPT16 to middle of GPT18, next log is in GPT18H. Look also at Hannes von S report who followed us:<br /> https://www.facebook.com/groups/222224388283455/posts/1754087775097101/.<br /> <br /> Our pictures: https://www.facebook.com/groups/222224388283455/posts/1758304798008732/.]<br /> <br /> In summary, we crossed the border into Argentina from Pucon and gained a ridge beneath Lanin's east face and traversed it towards a hiking trail in Argentina known as &quot;Cara Sur Volcán Lanin&quot;. We then utilized the Huella Andina (HA) to end in San Martin. It took us ~5 days.<br /> <br /> Day 1: Pucon-border-camp 1<br /> From Pucon we took the Pullman Bus (&quot;IGI LLAIMA&quot;) heading to San Martin, Argentina. It is the only company going to Argentina and leaves at 11:00am. I figured it would be the easiest way to cross the border and also the most likely way to keep food from being checked. It worked but it was slow and expensive (19 thousand CLP per person). They never ended up asking about food in the end, but the bus driver told us no fresh food was allowed and to make sure to have your PDI paper (a photo of it works too). The bus driver let us out at the National park guards for the Lanin park (we failed to explain we wanted to get off 2 km down the road). Luckily nobody at the park asked us what we were doing. We just continued walking on the road and got a hitch 2km to the start of the route. It took about 4hours to get from Pucon to the start, border time waits will vary. There just so happened to be a locked gate where we started and an old road, we jumped over it and prepared our things under some Aracaurias.<br /> <br /> It looked as if there were many options for access but we decided against following any of the side ridge lines and instead aimed for a green bushy bowl at the top of a gentle valley in front of us. The valley is between a highly cliffy ridge to the right (the first one post Lanin) and a slightly rocky ridge on the left. There was an old road that took us to the base of the slope. The road goes along a circle, one might want to go directly cross country. Anyway, then we marched up the first steep slope through low shrubbery. On top we then made an ascending traverse to the left side of the valley, crossing through a fairly recent burn zone and a creek that runs in the middle. Despite the trees down, the walking was still pleasant, there were cow tracks here and there that we could follow. Looking from top of the first hill where the burnt Araucarias are, there was a nice non bushy c-shaped curve on the left of the creek that looked like it would take you in nicely.<br /> <br /> To get to the top of the ridge (or green bowl as I say) you will have to cross some shrubbery but it was never terrible, only ~300m of rather easy bush bashing. However, getting from the creek to the shrubbery was rather steep. We followed a sloped washout, it was a mixture of steep rock (mostly solid) and hollow dirt, which seemed to enjoy engulfing your leg at times (postholing through dirt). I wouldn't worry about it too much, but to some it may be uncomfortably steep. <br /> We made camp at the top of the ridge in a grassy plateau with water (-39.63637, -71.43107), unfortunately it was very windy. <br /> <br /> Day 2 - Camp 1 - lanin Traverse - Lago Paimun <br /> The next day we ascended a bit above camp and then followed underneath a ridgeline and made a long traverse with mild up and downs to the main pass before the ugly moraine part near one of Lanin's SE glacier's (-39.66646, -71.47695). The traverse before the moraine was easy, one could take many ways, the terrain was simple and there was lots of water. The moraine however had more obstacles and the hanging glacier up high made crossing in the mid day heat feel a bit intimidating. My main worry was crossing Arroyo Rucu Leufu near the end, my plan was to cross it high but since there was still solid snow covering it, we crossed it easily (breaking through was not a worry but if it happened it would have terrible consequences, therefore maybe aim to cross it higher than where we crossed, when snow is gone, fording should be easier). For the moraine crossing, one could traverse it high or low. My plan was to cross low where the moraine walls were less steep but we did a bit of both, Tomáš traversed closer to the 2000m mark and it was fine for him, I dropped down to see how the lower slopes were and I was happier on them. However if you go low you will have to climb back up no further than the moraine rib ~ here (-39.67443, -71.48657) as it is the one before Arroyo Rucu Leufu.<br /> Once we hit the lookout trail on the other side the 10km decent went very fast. Apart from the unnecessary river crossing we did twice; the signage and gps are misleading and make you ford the river twice but there is a trail now that stays on the west side of the river, no need to cross. Near the end of the trail we took a dirt road on our right to get to camping Mawizache faster. I was told this camping had good food, but I wish we had just gone straight to the boat crossing and camped on the other side. However, bcs of this we never crossed the park entrance so noone ever ended up asking questions...<br /> <br /> At Mawizache we had our first taste of bizarre Argentina currency exchange. The camping was an okay price (2mil each) but the dinner ended up costing us a lot more than expected. I had changed a 50us bill to Argentina pesos in Pucon but it was such a terrible rate (25000pesos for a 50, almost half of what I should have gotten) that I could not even afford to buy the dinner. Because of this we had to pay with a 50usd bill or 100usd bill bcs anything less cannot be exchanged in Argentina. We got the change back in pesos at a rate around ~1usd:650pesos. Long story short, it sorted itself out and it was nice to have a dinner on the lake, the trout and wine was excellent but she forgot to make two other dishes we ordered. We bought some white bread loafs from the man at the camping for 1mil each. <br /> <br /> Day 3: Lago Paimun - Termas Camping<br /> As for the next day, we crossed Lago Paimun by the little boat with a bell (-39.74619, -71.52482). It cost 3mil each bcs we were not staying at the campsite. Another reason we should have crossed the night before (hours for the boat bell system are 8-13:00 and 15:00-20:30). The camp there is run by a large family, they had bread and probably other food as well. We had to register our names and then the elder showed us the start of the Huella Andina trail behind her house.<br /> The Huella Andina trail was signed and easy to follow. The first half of it on the way to the road was super fast and then near the end it became more slow and slightly grown over, but never terrible. Only one river ford. <br /> The border road that this trail shoots you out on is closed for car traffic, it seemed. There is a barricade at the border checkpoint and no one stationed there. After the checkpoint the road becomes very much a &quot;road&quot; and seems to see a lot of vehicle traffic. We arrived at the hotsprings almost too early as there were a few groups. The hotsprings were once taken care of, now abandoned. There is this incredibly annoying wooden walkway that takes you to them (~800m) and then if you continue on it you get to the camping. The walkway is falling apart in places and there is a small suspension bridge that I hope does not collapse on somebody. We had dinner and got water by this suspension bridge and went back to the hotsprings when everyone was gone. The main one is bath water temperature (it is the largest and with a wooden patio like feature). There is another one maybe 30m before that is more dirty but warmer. The other ones that exist are way too hot, I think they are 60-70 degrees. <br /> Instead of walking back we followed the broken walkway to the Termas camping and slept there. Didn't realize untill the morning it was payed camping, so we payed 2mil each.<br /> <br /> Day 4: Termas- Achen Niyeu area -camp near pass <br /> The road was not so bad, we got a hitch for the last 5km. Lots of cars going up to the hot springs but it was a bit too early for downward traffic. Laguna Verde is very popular and we thought they would charge us a day rate so we tried to cross the lagoon where it was narrow - that was a fail, too deep. They didn't charge us anyways so it was a waste of time but they did need us to register. Apart from trying to avoid Laguna Verde, it actually was a nice place in the end. The owners are a young and easy to get along with couple, their shop had lots of treats like pizza, bread, muffins and other basics. The rest of the day was slow for us as we were trying to plan an alternative ridge traverse but then the weather started to move in so we just hid our bags and went up Achen Niyeu quickly. The way down was probably the closest I will get to skiing this year. The plateau around Achen Niyeu was an incredibly beautiful volcanic landscape, easy to sit and admire for some time. Due to weather and Tomáš 's leg acting up we made an early camp in the trees on the other side of the pass. There is a tarped shelter set up where we camped, either for emergencies or for someone else (-39.88473, -71.54229). <br /> <br /> Day 5 pass camp- bush camp<br /> We may have missed the rain but we definitely had to deal with the consequences the next morning. The trail is still in good shape down from the pass but since it is still bushy and muddy in spots we got drenched from wet grass and leaves. The refugio Rincón de los pinos would have been a nice place to camp and so would have Auquinco. We went to Auquinco thinking it would be abandoned, but we wanted to see the state of the trail that supposedly goes around the lake, we were hoping there was a chance one could cross Lago Lolog to get to the other trails on the opposite side. It does not look like this is possible without weeks/months worth of machete work. There was a man, a citizen park-ranger or something like that, who was called Juan and based at Auquinco for the summer. He had a funny character and was very welcoming. He offered coffee and a place above his fire to dry our things and also told us no one has used those trails around the lake for at least 10 years.[November 2024: Tomáš has since removed that noexistent trail from OSM, it went west along the northern shore of Lago Lolog.] We enjoyed the pretty surroundings and then headed to the end of the trail near &quot;bush camp&quot; (40.0211644S, 71.3612525W) for our final night. The bush camp is just a few spots in the lake shore, no services, since it is free, but it is far nicer than the paid camping (7.5mil). <br /> Next day we hitched back to San Martin easily.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-29-12 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / option 1 and 4 / Jens '''<br /> <br /> Hitchhiked from Curarrehue to the trailhead of Option 1.<br /> <br /> I didn't pay any entrance fees. <br /> <br /> Lots of water until Villarrica volcano. Around the volcano good camping but little water. Water was clean. <br /> <br /> Hitchhiked from the ski resort to Pucon. Lots of people in the resort for daywalks.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Mar-01 to 2023-Mar-05 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / OH-01 &amp; 02 + Quetrupillan summit + Villarica traverse / Martial.'''<br /> <br /> Puesco - Pucón<br /> Villarica traverse is indeed an interesting alternative for GPT16. The views on Volcanos are gorgeous and trail in good conditions for the all trip. My personal camping recomandations are Laguna azul, volcan Quetrupillan waterfall (on osm : -39.51160, -71.75365) and estero aihue (39.47713° S, 71.88582° W) or Zanjón pino Huacho for clean water access and sleep under the stars ✨ Although siphon water from the bucket in the zanjon was hard but should be better after recent rains.. Water from the various glaciar rivers is way cleaner in the morning to be drunk. An interesting combo for people in need for a treat would be stopping in Termas Geometricas wich looks to be one of the best attraction of the region.. (20mil or so)<br /> I luckily was granted with nice weather for Quetrupillan climb wich for me is really worth-it. Hopefully you get a lucky ride for the long descent from the centro de ski to Pucón. Take plenty of water if you start nobo !<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Feb-22 to 2023-Feb-26 / 4 days / Hiking / OH-01 +03 Villarrica traverse (West-bound?) / Natalie &amp; Tomáš '''<br /> <br /> We did not end up following the GPT but instead ended up doing the Villarrica Traverse (so options 01 and 03 of GPT and then some more). It was our last trip before flights back home so ending directly in Pucón made the most sense, just sad that our last hike wasn't actually on the GPT...<br /> <br /> Thoughts: Really beautiful, surprisingly diverse and not as many people as expected. The busiest place was at Laguna Azul and the glacier lookout. We are both very happy to have walked it and since it was our last hike, it was a pleasure to be on trails that allowed one to reflect rather than think about the next step. Highlights were the ease of the trails, vistas, Araucaria sillouettes, a return to volcanic landscapes, the crater of Quetrupillan and the forest canopy. <br /> <br /> Access: Bus from Curarrehue to Puesco leaves at 5pm, just once a day. It leaves from here;-39.36321, -71.58433 and is white and green. Probably easier to hitch as it only goes to Puesco (aka CONAF). It leaves Puesco to Curarrehue at 730am supposedly.<br /> <br /> Description: The traverse is well documented and therefore I will only explain two different side trips. Note that if coming from Puesco the last section between Chinnay camping and the ski hill is scarce of water because most water available is recommended not to drink due to high levels of ash in the melting glacier. The two good sources are; estero aihue; 39.47713° S, 71.88582° W and Zanjón pino Huacho, which is actually just a tap over a bucket; 39.43604° S, 71.99502° W. There is also an app you can use to follow the traverse; https://villarricatraverse.cl/<br /> <br /> Camping at Laguna Azul is crowded (in the minds of a GPT hiker) so one can camp on a different beach or up high in the trees on the south side of the lake. Wild camping is supposedly illegal but does not seem to apply for the section of the traverse between Chinnay and the ski resort, there are many bivy spots. <br /> <br /> Side trips:<br /> First side trip, Volcán Quetrupillan:<br /> If one is doing the traverse and wants to summit Quetrupillan easily and quickly I recommend following the osm trail on the NW side of the summit, there is a good trail, however we both did something different. Tomáš was successful at making a traverse of the summit and I was not. From lake Azul we followed the GPT option03 until the base of the col where one goes straight up to the crater. I continued on the GPT trail and turned back ~2m from the true summit due to the terrible rock quality but at least the way to the crater was easy (if you are there know that the red dirt is soft and not that steep). Tomáš on the other hand went one ridge further south and was able to easily follow it up to the summit, traverse south on the summit and come down on the osm trail. He notes there were only two bits of simple scrambling but was still easy despite having his bag. After my failed attempt on the summit I just went straight down the West side of the mountain to hit the normal Villarrica traverse and met back up with Tomáš [November 2024: Tomáš'es version is now in OSM and also in our suggestions to the Track files].<br /> <br /> Second side trip, glacier Pichillancahue to above &quot;glacier mirrado&quot; and back to normal trail (the route is on OSM):<br /> When coming from Chinnay there is a very obvious trailhead for Glaciar Pichillancahue. Tomáš used this to make a small but high traverse to somewhere near Estero Aihue and therefore avoiding the last bit of road walking and elevation loss. I was lazy and hungry and opted to have lunch at the camping Pichillancahue instead which was a terrible decision because the water there was barely drinkable (ash and dirt) and Tomáš supposedly had nice clean water up top [November 2024: it is in OSM,though you do no want to follow it all the way going west; you want to stay higher and traverse a bit, it is included in our suggestions to track files].<br /> <br /> If it wasn't for bad weather I think this traverse could be done easily in 3 days, even two if you are efficient. We took 4 because we had one morning of rain and were in no need of rushing and did the sidetrips. However it would have been nice to have one more free day to rent gear and try to climb Villarrica, but the information on whether or not the summit is open all the way to the top was very confusing. Locals told us it was closed but you could go up most of the way if you had gear but then again there was a mountain guide who said we could go, so it will be a mystery. We both would love to come back to this area with simple glacier gear and climb Villarrica and Lanin and also go back to Sollipulli to traverse its glacier. For now it will have to wait :).<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Feb-02 t 2023-Feb-05 / 4 days / Hiking / NOBO / Quetrupillan + OH-01 / Yannic &amp; Mirjam '''<br /> <br /> Very beautiful and easy stage. We hitchhiked from Panguipulli to Liquine and then via option 16-B to the camp at Laguna Azul. Very pleasant path in the forest with a slow ascent.<br /> We stayed at the lagoon for 2 days and made a day trip to the volcano. The trail was not always easy because of the strong wind and the occasional snowfields. East of option 16-03 there is another way marked on the map, a little more to the east could be good, because then you avoid the two big snowfields that you see at the top.<br /> <br /> From Laguna Azul we continued via Laguna Blanca on the Villarica Traverse (Option 16-01) to Laguna Las Avutardas. The road is well maintained and the landscape after the second pass is fascinatingly different from the previous one. Very nice camping spot at the lagoon.<br /> From the primary road we caught a car to Curarrehue and from there a bus to Pucon.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-29 to 2023-Jan-31 / 3 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Maks &amp; Gabi '''<br /> <br /> Started in Catripulli and hichhiked to 16km of RR. We found it as a good solution to skip road walking as it is not so attractive. Remember to take enough water with you because on ascent to Laguna Blanca there is only one silty river. This part is not so hard unless the temperature is high and you are walking like us in the midday. Probably the ascent road is going to be worst cos they are destroying the trail to build a road ( most probably - it doesn't look nice and it's quite annoying ) <br /> There is quite a new gate with old sign on 18,5km ( it looks like entrance to some private propertie with seperate plots), it was open so we just walked through and we didn't meet anyone to ask. <br /> <br /> Plateau is really amazing, worth seeing and there are a lots of tiny streams near Laguna Blanca with clean water.<br /> At Laguna Azul there are a lot of tourists sleeping there.<br /> Descent was plesent until the road started.<br /> The entire trail is well visible. <br /> Down there there is community of mapuche, they are really nice and talkative. There is a chance that when going NOBO or sleeping on their land you will have to ask about permission to go through but it shouldn't be a problem. <br /> We hitchhiked with one of them last 3 km of RR.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-27 to 2023-Jan-29 / 3 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Quetrupillan / Will '''<br /> <br /> I also came in through Catripulli. I caught two quick rides but was still left with three hours of hot uphill road walking. If you aren't worried about connecting footsteps I bet you could find a better start/end point. The other hikers out there (on the Villarrica traverse) were mostly ending at Puesco, I heard rumors of a bus there. Sounds like a much better route if the bus exists. This is marked as option 1.<br /> <br /> Coming out of the woods the alpine section was beautiful but short. I spent two nights at Laguna Azul, taking a side trip up Quetrupillan. There were a lot of fun snowfields to navigate. My new shoes were grippy enough to get me through easily even though I didn't bring my trekking poles. Most of the water was chalky.<br /> <br /> The final scramble up to the summit (after reaching the snow filled crater) was treacherous. Might not be worth it. I went up around the right because it looked like a more gradual climb but I had a few big solid looking boulders come loose and tumble down. The route straight up seems better.<br /> <br /> Laguna Azul was bustling, both nights I was camped with a few Europeans doing the Villarrica traverse. Met a crazy dutch couple biking it. I even heard that there were some people visiting by helicopter, before I showed up.<br /> <br /> At the end I walked down to Liquiñe, lots of food places along the road. I camped at the Termas de Punulaf (decent, 15000 pesos) before continuing onto section 17H (highly recommended!).<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-23 to 2023-Jan-24 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Anna &amp; Christopher'''<br /> <br /> Catripulli - Reyehueico<br /> Short and easy section!<br /> <br /> From Pucón we took a bus at 19:30 to Catripulli (Buses Currarehue, last one leaves at 21:00). From there we hitchhiked to km 18 of the RR. We camped next to Estero Huililco (silty water as the others mentioned).<br /> <br /> The next accessible water source is the ford of Estero Huililco at km 23. The walking until the plateau is easy (dirt roads and good paths), no navigation issues at all.<br /> Around Laguna Blanca there was still some clear water of the snowmelt. Here walking got a bit tougher due to the sand, but the plateau really is beautiful. After Laguna Blanca there is a good, visible path again until Laguna Azul. We camped at the Laguna and had the first rainy/stormy night.<br /> <br /> Because of the bad weather we didn't climb the volcano the next day and went down directly. It's a good path the whole way. Around 4 km before Reyehueico we got a ride directly to Panguipulli :)<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-03 to 2023-Jan-05 / 3 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Véronica '''<br /> <br /> Route: Catripulli - Laguna Blanca - Laguna Azul - summit of Volcán Quetrupillan - Reyehueico <br /> <br /> I found this section beautiful, and quite easy, since most of the time you are on 4x4 tracks or well-maintained CONAF trails. No navigation issues whatsoever. <br /> <br /> Pucón is a bustling hiking town, great place to get new gear/shoes and resupply. I stayed a few days at Chili Kiwi Hostel there, highly recommend! Buses from Pucón to Catripulli and Curarrehue are very frequent, I did not have to wait. <br /> <br /> I started in Catripulli because the road walk is shorter from there. I was very lucky and ended up getting a ride (without even trying) up to the end of the gravel road beyond Rinconada, where a wooden gate marks the start of a lovely forest trail. As others have mentioned, Río Huililco is quite silty, and although the trail follows this river a while, I didn't collect any water there. The first night I camped at the treeline before the final climb to Laguna Blanca (before the start of the CC section). I found some good water in the ravine east of the trail, but it required some bushwhacking down a steep hill covered in vegetation.<br /> <br /> The plateau up by Laguna Blanca is beautiful, there are multiple creeks feeding the lake — some of them are silty, but others are clear, just pure snowmelt. The cross-country section had a nice path running through most of it, so navigation was very easy. Between Laguna Blanca and Laguna Azul, there are still some snow patches, but they are easy to walk across or around. <br /> <br /> I dropped most of my gear off at Laguna Azul to climb the volcano. I started around 11 a.m. and got back at 4 p.m., this included an almost hour-long break at the top to take in the spectacular views of Volcán Villarrica and Volcán Lanín. There's still a fair bit of snow on Quetrupillan, and instead of following the GPS I went up my own way to the rim, avoiding most of the snowfields. The crater is filled with snow, it's awesome! Coming back down, I half ran, half slid down a giant snow field, which was a lot of fun. That night I went for a swim and camped at Laguna Azul, a beautiful spot. For the first time on the GPT, there were other people (local tourists) camped with me there! <br /> <br /> The rest of the trail down to Reyehueico is easy, downhill through a mature forest. Once you get to Trafún Chico, the trail becomes a gravel road. I was able to hitch the last couple kilometers to the main road, and get a ride to Panguipulli to resupply and head down to GPT19 after. <br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Jan-01 / 5 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR + summit of Quetrupillan / Molly og Melissa '''<br /> <br /> 5 days - including a very short day due to bad weather<br /> We were passed by a car on the gravel road shortly after Reyehueico. They told us that the place marked as camp on the GPS was closed, but we could camp on their land a little before on the place marked bridge. They wanted 5000 pesos per person, and there are no facilities, so we found it a little expensive but didn't want to discuss in the rain. They also sold us freshly baked bread which were huge and the best we have had so far, as well as sopaipillas. The gravel road here was pretty, but a lot of aggressive dogs who could easily crawl under their fences to follow us. We only had to climb one gate which seemed to be more to keep in cows than to keep out any hikers. At the waypoint gate there was nothing. <br /> We camped right before the waypoint water before Laguna Azul.<br /> At Laguna Azul there are two camp waypoints, the first is a little spot on the river bank, the second is the &quot;real&quot; camp with lots of spots in a little forest right next to the lake. It's nice, but there have been left a lot of garbage.<br /> <br /> From there, you follow the Villarica traverse trail for some kilometres through very beautiful landscapes. When you reach the valley where Lago Blanco is (it really is white), you leave the trail for some fairly easy cross-country around the lake. On the far side, the whole valley was covered in water and we had to walk barefoot, but it was after three very rainy days.<br /> Finding the path at treeline was a little difficult, but we just made sure to be right on the trail on the GPS and found it. Then followed a short trip through beautiful aucaria forest, followed by a gravel road. Here, we saw several &quot;no entrar&quot; signs meant for people going towards the national park, but there was no one around. We even asked for water while still in the no entrar-zone as we didn't know, and weren't told off. It was difficult to find a campsite, but at La Rinconada there was a house saying &quot;Es bienvenido aquí&quot;, maybe you could ask there.<br /> We accidentally walked to catripulli instead of currarehue as we missed the turn off and realized too late. <br /> <br /> Water:<br /> Until Laguna Azul, no problem. At Lago Blanco we didn't find any streams that weren't chalky, though we thought that some streams running down the mountain on the far right side might look better. We didn't investigate, though, as we thought we had enough. However, Estero Huilinco was the same, so we ended up asking at a house if we could get some water.<br /> <br /> Summit:<br /> We basecamped at Laguna Azul and followed the nicely marked trail up. Be aware that the summit route diverges after about a kilometre, with no trail to be seen. We followed the GPS for a while but decided to walk to the crater rim somewhere else, as the summit seemed more difficult and the height difference isn't that big anyway. The volcano itself looked a lot like Volcan Puyehue, but the views were different of course, and the crater had a lot more snow. It was great to spend an extra day above the treeline.<br /> <br /> * '''2021-Dec-05 to 2021-Dec-07 / 3 days / Hiking / NOBO / Villarrica Traverse / Alex Abramov '''<br /> <br /> We made Villarrica Traverse here. This traverse is an excellent variant to go in (out) to (from) GPT.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2020/21==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Feb / Hiking / NOBO / RR / Matthieu'''<br /> <br /> From Liquiñe to Catripulli<br /> Following the RR, I personnally never had to cross any barriers of barbed wire or closed portals. It is all an official CONAF trail. <br /> I used Lago Azul as a base camp to do the ascent of the summit. Awesome place. <br /> A little cheer to Ty, America and Sanita with who we had (I assume) the biggest GPT hikers camp of the year !<br /> <br /> -The ascent: <br /> Better use your head than your GPS, avoiding the snow to go up. The path I took was finally closed to the OH 002, going between the snow fields, but I never crossed any trail road. <br /> The very end is quite steepy and the rocks easy to break, and you have to climb a little bit to arrive to the final cairn. Better do it with good weather conditions and without your big bag ! I wasnt confident with going down the same way, so at the cairn I just took directly west down the rocks and actually found a downhill of good sand, really easy to do, fast and safe. No climbing down this way. I joined my previous tracks after, near the OH 002. <br /> <br /> -Water supply:<br /> As Ty say, No water between the end of Lago Blanco and a little bit before the Estero Huililco. The track is easy and fast thow in the forest, and I didnt take more water supply going down.<br /> <br /> I didnt do the final forest part just before Currarehue, hitchhiking to Catripulli.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Feb-27 / 4.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / Catripulli Start &amp; Optional end to Conaripe / Ty &amp; America '''<br /> <br /> We started at Catripulli because it was a bit shorter road walk compared to Curarrehue. Be aware of the big waterless start. You do have (mostly) friendly people on the road who are more than welcome to help with water. After Comunidad Rinconada (maps.me) don’t expect any water (besides the extremely chalky river water) all the way up to Laguna Blanco. Small Water falls on the right side of the lake have great clear water. We camped at Laguna Blanco by said falls a bit off the track file to find shelter from the wind. Then camped at Laguna azul the next day to summit the following morning. Beautiful place. Actual summit is sketchy, so we hiked to the rim and were perfectly content with that. I don’t recommend taking the optional OH-TL-V@16-02-#002 over the pass. It looked sketchy/snowy. The optional a bit further was perfectly fine. On the way down to conripe on OH-TL-V@16-02-#003 there is a good place to camp by water with plenty of wood ~1.5 km after the marked water source. We had luck hitching a ride from the termas at the bottom right to Conripe.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Feb-7 / 3 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Martina &amp; Ivo '''<br /> <br /> 3 days for this amazing section. Trail in good condition, no navigation difficulties. At 39°23'11&quot;S 71°37'48&quot;W, where it says &quot;se vende leña eucalyptus&quot;, we didn't climb the huge locked gate to our right but just continued the minor road. We passed two unlocked gates and got back to the regular route after 1km. Shortly afterwards we arrived at a high fence of seven strands of barbed wire, where we turned left into the forest, following an almost invisible path, and after 500m finally found a gate and got back to the regular route after 1km.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Feb-06 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Frank'''<br /> <br /> Came from GPT15, resupplied @ 2 supermarkets in Curarrehue. Going up from Curarrehue they are logging in the forest but track still clear. Went over the fence with 7 strands of barb wire. Later there is a wooden gate saying 'No Entry Residents Only' went over it onto track, no one around. When you cross the Estero Huilico fill up with water. You can wade it but if you go down on the left about 20 metres there is a footbridge hidden in the forest. Later you are near the river but it is in a gorge with dense vegetation so it's not accessible. Made a dry camp high up in the forest before the lakes. Hardly any snow left on the route. <br /> <br /> Near the end of the route there is no place to camp at 'Camp 119' but continue a little down the road &amp; there is a tiny field just before 'Bridge 51' where you can camp. Just before it the road goes round in a loop, on the lower part of the loop are two houses next to each other. Ask there if it's OK to camp by the bridge. Just after the bridge I continued straight to the main road (marked bus, shop) to resupply. However, it's not necessary to do that, if you continue on the RR you will find shops in Liquine.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Nov-13 / 7 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR from Liquiñe to where the trail joins the S-947 / Sophie &amp; Hendrik '''<br /> <br /> We were 7 days on the trail, of which 2 were just camping out bad weather (23 walking hours) . First day we started late and went to what the first camp on the map. Next we went to the camp without water from the track files (We found some stream there. After filtering amd treading it with chloride we were able to drink it.) We stayed there one day, waiting for better weather. Next day we went to the Fort at Laguna Azul. However, we did not cross it until two days later, as we first waited for better weather conditions. Then we crossed the volcano and camped below the treeline on the other side. Last day we hiked to S-947 and hitchhiked to Pucón for some Food and a real bed.<br /> <br /> What we liked: Sudden changes of landscapes, beautiful Araucaria forrest, remoteness (didn't meet people for 5 days), breathtaking views and scenes on the volcano, the snow was beautiful (obviously depends on the season), the many plushy chilean tarantulas on the north side.<br /> <br /> What we did not like so much: The gravel roads on both ends of the section.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-22 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Tom &amp; Maddie'''<br /> <br /> No issues, trail in good condition and cross country section is not hard to navigate. We took a bus out to Panguipulli at 08:00 on a weekday. We decided to skip 17 and 18. We then bussed to Los Lagos and then Futron and then to Rininahue. We then got a hitch back onto the regular route of 19 37km in. Less than 8hrs off the trail to skip 17/18.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-31 / 2 days / Hiking / NOBO / OH-02 Start from Termas el Rincon (Conaripe) to Currarehue / Jean &amp; Virginie'''<br /> <br /> To start the option track (16-02) after el Rincon termas, we have to pass a gate closed but it was possible to pass on the left. We didnt see anyone inside.<br /> After few kilometers on the minor road in good condition, we pass a small house where the guy explained us the track (turn on thé right at the arrow marked Laguna to get on the trail - track a little bit different from the gpt route but that join it further). After we went up on Quetrupillan volcano with amazing view. Trail in good condition and easy to navigate. This option join the regular route at the laguna Azul, nice site to camp. After the cross country section was not difficult to follow and the end until Currarehue was alternation of (a bit) overgrown trails and minor roads (+ some barbed wire).<br /> Bus to Pucon every 20 min from Currarehue.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2018/19==<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Nov-18 / Sophie &amp; Hendrik'''<br /> <br /> 90% - 95% of the area from 1500m upwards are completely covered in snow. Think about snow shoes and be careful as there are melting streams covered and hidden by snow.<br /> Also, unlike us, keep in mind that snow reflects the sun and can cause burns from below on your nose and chin.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2017/18==<br /> <br /> * '''Kara Davis'''<br /> <br /> Follow the main road, 199-CH, south out of Curarrehue until the gravel road turn off, S-981. After several kilometers, the road transitions to single track through a eucalyptus forest. Be careful to not follow one of the several other tracks that wind through the forest. The trail exits onto a gravel road, S-947, that follows Estero Huilico. Turn off onto a 4WD track, but be aware there are several other 4WD track spurs. The trail narrows into an obvious single track as you enter Parque Nacional Villarrica. Be prepared for the possibility of snow during this section at higher elevations. At treeline the trail ends and the cross-country traverse begins. <br /> This cross-country traverse follows the volcanic landscape at the base of Volcán Quetrupillán. During high snow years, Laguna Blanca may be frozen and snow covered. Be aware that snowpack may make parts of the GPS route difficult, and keep safety in mind when choosing a route. Instead of following the recommended route which ascends through a chute, snowpack forced us to climb up to a pass further to the left and then rejoin the route. Depending on the time of year, Laguna Azul may also be frozen, but water is available at the stream crossing at the southern end. After beginning the descent into the forest, try and find a well maintained trail. The trail joins a dirt road, T-447, which continues until the paved highway, 201-CH, to Carringue.<br /> Town: Carriringue. <br /> Carriringue is a tiny town with a small market which offers snacks but is difficult to resupply out of. There are also several signs advertising Cabañas.<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> *Pucón:<br /> About 30 minutes bus ride off trail. A hiking tourism town that has everything a hiker might need<br /> <br /> *Catripulli:<br /> A little down the road from Currarehue. Has two small shops which probably sell pastas and other basic stuff<br /> <br /> *Currarehue:<br /> You can rent a cabin for 50 000 pesos (ask at supermercado Katty) (February 2025 - Peggy)<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> Quentin : Currarehue is kind of a big city, where you'll find easily places to resupply (there's at least 4 supermarkets and 10 minimarkets), foodplaces and accomodation (cabanas, hospedaje and hostel (at the end of the city)). Didn't checked in all supermarkets, but there's a good chance to find Gaz in this city I reckon, if not in supermarkets, probably in ferretería ?<br /> <br /> You can buy bread and sopaipillas at the house right before the &quot;bridge&quot; waypoint just before Reyehueico.<br /> <br /> A house in La Rinconada sells eggs<br /> <br /> Some Aucaria trees<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> <br /> 2022-Jan:<br /> Busses go from Panguipulli to Reyehueico on weekdays, and from Valdivia to Panguipulli (two hours bus ride) every day. Hitching was quite easy for us even though it was raining.<br /> <br /> The bus from Currarehue through Catripulli to Pucón leaves approximately every 15 minutes on weekdays, and every 30 minutes on weekends - goes in both directions - about 30 minutes<br /> <br /> (2020-Feb)<br /> <br /> Bus Pucón - Curarrehue <br /> <br /> Mo-Sa 11:00<br /> <br /> Su 12:15<br /> <br /> Operator Igi Llaima, Terminal, Palguín 550<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT16 - Volcán Quetrupillan]]<br /> <br /> =Images=<br /> <br /> [[File:GPT_10_Volcán_Quetrupillan_109172879.jpg|thumb|center|1100px|[[Volcán Lanín]] from GPT16]]<br /> [[File:Quetrupillan 01.jpg|thumb|center|1100px|[[Volcán Quetrupillán]] from GPT16]]<br /> [[Archivo:Greater Patagonian Trail (1).jpg|thumb|center|1100px|Greater Patagonian Trail, section 16]]<br /> [[File:GPT_10_Volcán_Quetrupillan_119226459.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_10_Volcán_Quetrupillan_119226460.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_10_Volcán_Quetrupillan_119226461.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_10_Volcán_Quetrupillan_119226462.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_10_Volcán_Quetrupillan_119226596.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_10_Volcán_Quetrupillan_109173354.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_10_Volcán_Quetrupillan_109172977.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_10_Volcán_Quetrupillan_109173084.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_10_Volcán_Quetrupillan_119226451.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT46_(Seno_Ultima_Esperanza)&diff=120758 2025-03-15T14:19:33Z

<p>MiaimZelt: /* Season 2024/25 */</p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;packrafting&quot;, as above):<br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD, WHAT IS ENCLOSED IN &lt;&gt; MAKES IT BLUE):<br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/nowiki&gt;.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Overview=<br /> <br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> *'''05-03-25 to 08-03-25 / 3 days (2 full days and 2 half days) / SOBO / OH 01 + new route (Fjällräven classic) / MiaimZelt'''<br /> <br /> Summary: explored a new option, not yet part of the GPT-files. Followed the route of the Fjällräven classic 2024, the GPX can be downloaded (for free with Account) at Wikiloc. You can find the link in my post in the Facebook group.<br /> Found a well marked trail in great conditions that leads through very scenic landscapes. Also a very lonely one. Campspots are easy to find.<br /> <br /> Day 1: Took a Uber to Cueva del Milodon. From there it's easy to hitch to Villa Serrano. Lot's of tourist cars drive on this road. Started hiking at 3pm on OH 01. Had enough time to do a detour to William's lookout <br /> -51.276378, -72.964356. The markings with the blue sticks started soon after Laguna Escondida. Was worth the detour, you also can continue to the RH-trail. Near Laguna Escondida it's possible to find a sheltered spot for camping in the forest. I decided to camp here -51.254316, -72.963027 with awesome views at TdP NP. <br /> <br /> Day 2: The trail was marked with blue sticks the whole day. Also found some original markings from the Fjällräven classic event. A lot more lakes in this area than on the maps for example here -51.242426, -72.940097 and here -51.240196, -72.932255. Sometimes the trail is wide and looks like a 4x4 track, but it's clearly used by horses and has vegetation on it. After crossing the road it becomes a singletrail again. Very scenic along Toro lake, the trail is in superb conditions. Few water sources for example here -51.250219, -72.871242. Bridge here: <br /> -51.270129, -72.854358. Directly after the bridge i saw a private property sign in the direction i was coming from, but it made no sense, there was nothing but nature. Nice waterfall -51.269681, -72.852919, don't miss it. Soon you reach a road that leads to the Patagonia Camp Hotel, the trails seem to belong to them, but they also seem to be public. There are signs indicating trails. After crossing the area of the Hotel on the MR i came along a ruin (Puesto Dudas), here begins the next superb trail, again with the familiar blue sticks. Great views at Lago Porteño and Toro Lake. Toro Lake Access: -51.299071, -72.808406 and -51.294378, -72.7913. <br /> Camped here -51.294148, -72.785916 and saw an incredible sunset. <br /> <br /> Day 3: After the bridge between Lago Maravilla and Toro Lake the new option begins, it's neither on OSM nor in the GPT Files. Just follow the blue sticks, they lead the best way. Came across some fences, that i could cross with a wooden ladder. The path crosses the road and ascends steeply afterwards. Than it's flat, before it goes up again. After crossing a creek (walking on stones) and climbing over a ladder, the trail and the blue sticks disappeared. I have no idea why, walked CC (very easy) until i reached a 4x4 track, that can be seen on OSM. Followed it until it approached a house and a fence. Was unsure whether i should cross the private property or not and decided to walk around CC a bit below. Rejoined the trail a few minutes later and found another ladder. Also the blue sticks reappeared. Camped with some trees here: -51.442719, -72.633219. Some random dogs came by and disappeared quickly, but they were alone. Saw them again next day with cattle. <br /> <br /> Day 4: Again blue sticks and fences with ladders. Crossed a area with a simple house and lot's of dogs here: <br /> -51.450727, -72.595176. The blue sticks clearly lead this way, at the end of the property there is another ladder. On the other side the steep climb to Cerro Mocho starts. Here -51.469667, -72.558923 water and Camping options below the summit with nice shelter from the elements. The summit is still decorated with the swedish red cross. Downhill we follow a wide track, until we hit a nice singletrail (not on OSM) that leads through the forest. The blue sticks lead you to a horse meadow at Estancia Dos Lagunas, but i was uncertain how to get access to the road. Tried the OSM trail first, but it doesn't exist and there is a fence that can't be opened. Went back to the horse meadow and simply went through it. Both sides have gates that can be opened and cloesed easily. There were people nearby, but they ignored me. At the road it was easy to hitch to Puerto Natales. Arrived at 2 pm.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''09-12-24 to 12-12-24 / 3.5 day's / NOBO / RR / Robin &amp; Manon'''<br /> <br /> Great easy and scenic section, met noone, feels great to arrive at Torres del Paine by foot !<br /> <br /> We hitch-hiked to cueva del Milodon, lots of cars going this way. From there it's a 3km gravel road to the crossing with the minor road that goes to Estancia Perales.The crossing is not well placed on the track files and is at S 51° 33.454', W 072° 40.111'. there is a sign &quot;Estancia Perales - 20km&quot;. We passed several estancias on the way, always asking our way to Estancia Perales and noone seemed to care. We asked the gauchos and slept by the river next to the estancia. <br /> <br /> RR is relatively easy to follow with the blue sticks. 25km of forest walking with some fallen trees seems long. Then once you're out of the forest it is very easy and scenic on the valley and down to Rio Serrano. <br /> <br /> We camped above the treeline down to the Chacabuco glacier on a wind exposed but beautiful camp site. Then we camped on a incredible balcony on Paine range and campo de hielo at S 51° 17.886', W 072° 59.753'. no water and 200m of bush bashing but worth it.<br /> <br /> No easy resupply at Rio Serrano. However all campings on Torres del Paine provide basic (junk food) resupply that can get you on the O and W trek. We relied only on that.<br /> <br /> * '''02-11-2024 to 06-11-2024 / 4,5 days / NOBO / RR / Sophie and Gaspar'''<br /> <br /> Our journey began on November 2nd, departing from Puerto Natales. The first two days were spent reaching Estancia Peralta via a road that started paved but quickly transitioned to gravel, posing no significant challenges. The only noteworthy incidents were a few “Private Road” signs and a landowner initially reluctant to let us pass, claiming it was private property. However, after explaining our destination, Estancia Peralta, he allowed us through without further issues. <br /> <br /> From Estancia Peralta onward, the conditions became more challenging. The bridge had been washed out by floods, requiring us to ford the river on foot. The trail then began, marked sporadically with blue posts originally placed for the UltraFiords race, which hasn’t been held in about three years. As a result, many markers are now difficult to follow due to lack of maintenance. <br /> <br /> The path led us through a forest full of fallen trees and dense undergrowth, demanding both GPS navigation and physical endurance to navigate while constantly climbing over obstacles. Exiting the forest, we faced around 20 cm of snow at the summit. To minimize avalanche risk, we stayed in the center of the valley, as the slopes were still heavily snow-laden. <br /> <br /> The descent rewarded us with breathtaking, postcard-worthy views of Torres del Paine National Park. From there, the journey continued smoothly until we reached the Río Serrano, marking the end of this section.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''30-11-2024 to 02-12-2024 / 3 days / SOBO / RR / Celio, Amalia and Isabelle'''<br /> <br /> We did what it's now the regular route on the newest gpt track files from 2024 ( the one not crossing paso byron and the cerro Chacabuco glaciar).<br /> There is still some snowfield on top of the section, but not much. We had some frech snow from the previous day (around 10/20cm). The traverse is easy to follow with all the blue stick from the old fjord trail. The long forest section after the mountain pass is very muddy and wet! Also crossing a lot of fallen trees, it became quite unfunny until you get out and finnally see the beautiful fjord!<br /> <br /> To get there :<br /> We try to do it NOBO but in puerto natales we couldn't find someone to bring us there. We ask at the office of turismo 21 de mayo and they propose us a transfert for 180k pesos. And apparently there workers bus is full when going there. So finally we decided going SOBO.<br /> To leave in estancia perales there is a catamaran running every day during the high season and leaving around 15h30, ask directly the captain of the boat when you get there and it's 20k pesos for puerto natales and it takes 1 hour.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> <br /> * '''march-3-2024 to march-5-2024 / 2.5 days (with hitchhike) / SOBO / Oh3 - RR / Matthieu'''<br /> <br /> What an amazing section. The diversity of terrain is what you're looking for here. Lakes hidden in the woods, rocky pass with blue lagoons, glaciar, broken forest, swamps, pastures, big lakes... and the fauna that comes with it ! <br /> I didn't see any human from rio serrano to estancia perales... what a relief after the parc ! <br /> <br /> I connected trek O of torres del Paine with GPT46, hitchhiked and hiked a bit from the campamiento central sur to rio serrano by the road in half a day. I had schedule obligation but otherwise OH2 on GPT45 to rio serrano would have been an amazing hike. <br /> I hitchhiked back to natales from the private road a little bit after Ea Perales, for the same schedule reason, but the minor road was really nice I would gladly have stayed on it a day more. It was an estancia worker minibus around 17h20 (so probably leave at 17h at the estancia), I expect there is one every day for them to get back home. It turns left to join the road before the cuevas de milodon. <br /> <br /> Trecking difficulties : <br /> As previously said, the terrain after the pass is of hard progression between swamps and clambering of big tree trunks. I would say about 25kms of it, and you find the good trail 6.5 kms from the estancia perales. It is all marked with blue sticks to the end, that is actually game changing, much less GPS demanding. <br /> Between Rio serrano and the pass, the trail is clear and easy. <br /> At this time of year, the river crossings were easy and I didnt have to cross any snowfield (on Oh3).<br /> <br /> Camps : <br /> Big arrieros flat spot at the big lake just before the pass. River going off the lake 50m after, and a little trail to go bath in the lake. All protected by the trees, amazing. - multiple flat areas after in the valley going down after the pass, along the river. <br /> <br /> Water : everywhere on the way, no need to carry in the bag. <br /> <br /> Resupply problems : ¡WARNING! Rio serrano is a VERY UNCERTAIN resupply city. There are only hotels with restaurants, and no minimarkets (for probable commercial reasons...). I was very lucky to see a paper in the wall of the bus stop with the phone number of a local house unofficially selling simple minimarket things (fidellos, puree, cafe, galletas, cigarettes... but sometimes already opened or almost finished !). It saved my trek so I was very glad, but this plan is really unsure, I understood that there wasn't much left to sell. <br /> If you connect SOBO with the parc, you can buy what you need (simple minimarket things) in the campings before going on GPT46 (warning again : camping central sur only have expensive prepared sport meals, better buy in the other campings). <br /> <br /> Notes to jan : I did a few GPS waypoints for campsites and water spot. <br /> <br /> * '''Frank / 7-9 Jan 2024 / 3 days / Option 3 then RR SOBO'''<br /> <br /> Walked in 2 half days &amp; 2 full days:<br /> <br /> 1. I went by Uber to Estancia Puerto Consuelo (the end of the public road) &amp; walked back easily to Puerto Natales in 4 hours. <br /> 2. I came from Torres del Paine &amp; took a small trail marked on OSM which leads from trail Option 1 to Option 3 without going into Villa Rio Serrano. Good horse trail initially. After 3KM it's marked with blue sticks. Just above treeline the route divides into Option 3 &amp; Option 3A. 3A soon leads to a pass @ 850 metres. Just after the pass there was a big snowfield on steep ground bordered by cliffs. It was not safe to traverse so I went above it &amp; soon joined Option 3 which led to a pass @ 900M. I marked the passes for 2024 track file update. The blue sticks reappeared @ Pass 900M. I slid down 2 snowfields a bit to the right of the blue stick route which goes down more steeply. The slides were OK using walking pole to brake. After about 1.5 hours you near treeline again. Here the blue stick route crosses a river &amp; starts to ascend again. It's best to leave the blue sticks here &amp; continue on RR CC &amp; initially unmarked. Then you have less ascent &amp; only need to cross the river once. Went down between two small snowfields on RR, it's muddy then @ the river blue sticks reappear &amp; you ford easily (knee deep) with a rope to help. A few minutes after the ford is a camp made by the ultra trail organizers &amp; I camped there.<br /> <br /> 3. I continued past a sign that says No Pasar &amp; then the trail is marked with blue sticks all the way. Going becomes slower with lots of fallen trees. At a junction an alternative route with blue sticks leads out left to Ea. Perales. It fords the river which was running fast &amp; deep. I didn't ford but stayed on the RR which remains rough until 6.5KM before Ea. Perales, then goes out easily on good trails &amp; in meadows. Just as the trail improved I saw a puma. From Ea. Perales you are on a private estancia road &amp; it's a 5 hour walk to the start of the public road @ Ea. Puerto Consuelo. I camped in open forest a bit back from the road.<br /> <br /> 4. I continued easily along the road to Ea. Puerto Consuelo in 3.5 hours. Very little traffic on the public road, I walked out 7KM then hitched to Natales.<br /> <br /> * '''From 2023-11-28 to 2023-11-30 / 3 days / Hiking / NOBO / Option3 cordon cerro Chacabuco / Quentin Clavel'''<br /> <br /> Another amazing section, but quite challenging as well. The conditions to pass cordon cerro Chacabuco were pretty rude, wind, snow and glacial temperature. Patagonia at its best ! <br /> <br /> Started from Puerto Natales, following the road then the gravel road, then enter in nice tracks. You enter place where there's some hotels with views on fjords. I've seen only workers there, said hello to them and continue the way. <br /> <br /> Pass threw shelters with people. Asked for the autorisations and they nicely allowes me to pass. <br /> I camped along the beautiful fiord and the morning was epic with views, rainbows ... <br /> <br /> Arrived at the Estencia Perales then begin the good part, your GPS will be your best friend on some parts. <br /> <br /> That's a long walk to Rio Serrano by cerro Chacabuco. <br /> Fortunately the trail has been marked few years ago for ultra fiord. Easy to follow the blue sticks, even if on some parts the nature took control on the trail.<br /> <br /> Passing from deep forest to wetland. The race is not passing here since few years. They even left the refueling station with whole barrels of instant noodles, cake, gas, machetes and so on. If you're really in need, you can take some, bit the expiration date is from 2019.<br /> <br /> Cerro Chacabuco was wild ! Big amount of snow and unpredictable weather (should I mention it again ? We're in Patagonia). <br /> <br /> Then go down to Rio Serrano ! Love this itinerary, pretty wild, and some hidden gem like waterfalls that you heard easily !<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> <br /> * '''9 to 12 April 2023 / Ishay / Route from Rio serrano to connect to GPT 46 RR sobo / 4 days'''<br /> <br /> Overall - Beautiful and remote section with great scenery and colors. unused trails, snow, cold, wetness, mud and fallen trees slowed me down and made it a little harder. was worth the effort though. I got lucky and had good weather. would have been miserable otherwise.<br /> <br /> I saw no one but cows until i reached Estancia Perales.<br /> <br /> Following the post of Anna and Christopher (which i also met in el chalten!) and in order to avoid crossing Glacier Chacabuco on the RR i decided to take the OSM path that is climbing directly from Rio serrano and then reconnect with the RR on the way down.<br /> <br /> The trail is marked with blue sticks (see pictures) throughout the whole way. I think that all of the trails in this area are built for the 'Ultra Fiord' - an annual, and apparently quite popular trail running race that takes place in the beginning of February.<br /> <br /> from the beginning and on the pass the sticks are well placed and quite easy to follow. It seems like they put them up recently. on the way down it gets a little less clear. where i saw a lot of broken and out of place ones.<br /> <br /> above the treeline all is covered with snow now. below the treeline it is super wet and muddy with some overgrown parts and a lot of fallen trees which makes progress slow and at times frustrating.I imagine it will be much more convenient during &quot;high season&quot;.<br /> <br /> From Puerto Natales i hitched a ride to the junction that leads to Rio Serrano. I then walked the 2 km on the road to the place. From my impression It's just hotels and cabins there so i wouldn't count on it if you need to resupply.<br /> <br /> followed the osm track to the woods and started walking. Really nice and easy walk. In the beginning there are some junctions leading to different trails. I got confused so just pay attention to the GPS. Then you start climbing.<br /> <br /> The Torres del Paine range opens up to your back as you climb. with the afternoon autumn colors it is super pretty.<br /> <br /> soon it started snowing so i found a little spot in the trees and crawled into my sleeping bag.<br /> <br /> woke up with bright sky and climbed towards the pass. all of this strech was covered in snow, so the blue sticks were really helpful in following the trail. in a clear day the pass has really nice views. quite windy tho. walking freely in an untouched snow in such an open terrain was super fun!! a lot of postholing but nothing dangerous really. just tiring. <br /> <br /> When getting towards the downhill to the valley the trail is merging with the RR.<br /> <br /> to go down the sticks are leading you to the right which looked like they went up and down again going over another small laguna and then to the woods.<br /> <br /> The RR seemed shorter but i didn't find any signage.. better off follow the sticks. I spent as much time figuring out the best and safest way to go down then i would've spend following the longer signed route. <br /> <br /> Back to the woods on the RR.. the trail roughly follows the river all the way down. from here on the trail is little more harder to follow. many cow tracks that seem like the trail but lead you nowhere. the annoying part was the mud and ponds on the trail that leave you constantly wet without any opportunity to dry because of the low temperatures.<br /> <br /> Rather then that the forest is nice and change its face as you walk. every now and then you go out of the woods and get a nice look to the surrounding mountains to keep your morals high. saw some stations of trail crews along the way. many freaked out cows as well (;<br /> <br /> 10 km before estancia perales there is a junction. two trails following the river from both sides. The RR is staying on the west side of the river but it might be worth checking out the other one that also take a turn and go over Paso Victor Álvarez and down directly to ruta Y-290 which gives some interesting hiking options.<br /> <br /> Arrived at Estancia Perales around 13:00. really nice people there, spoke with them a little and they invited me to eat a delicious soup and bread with the workers in the backroom. awesome stuff.<br /> <br /> They were preparing the tables for a group that is coming back from a boat tour of glaciers balmaceda and serrano and stop for lunch in the estancia on the way back to town. You can hop on the boat for 20k clp. 45 minutes. no other transporte to town from there as far as I'm concerned. since it was a beautiful day i opted for walking on the dirt road. was nice walking along the lake. cars didn't pass me. The day after i arrived to ruta Y-290 and hitched back to Puerto Natales.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''Comment Jan Dudeck November 2023''': With the glacier changed it might be better to take GPT46 Option 3 (Cordon Cerro Chacabuco) that avoids the glacier crossing and goes directly to the Settlement Rio Serrano.<br /> <br /> * '''Comment Jan Dudeck December 2023''': For the Track Files 2024 if have re-routed the Regular Route along Option 3 and Option 3 becomes the demanding glacier traverse.<br /> <br /> * '''SoBo/January 2023 /Tobias Schorcht and Caterina Bormioli / 7 Days /Hiking '''<br /> <br /> One of the most challenging Trails for me on the GPT so far (Crossing Glaciar Chacabuco is dangerous by now). Probably have to change the main route. The trail from Río Serrano to Puerto Toro is good visible, because they use the trail for horseback riding. Some parts of were very muddy even though we went in dry conditions. The estancia puerto toro has been abounded since 2 years. They use to have a ultra trail race to estancia perales. Last time when the race took place was 4 years ago.<br /> <br /> All the trails around are mostly marked with blue sticks. It seems that the cows are chewing on them. Crossed glacier Chacabuco in perfect conditions. BUT: It is very difficult by now. The Glaciar shrinked so much much, that the original access is the ice can not be used by now (very steep morain). Took us 1.5hours to find an alternative, which was not safe as as well. I spotted a alternative and discuss it with Jan. The glaciar was still partly covered with snow (20/01/23). Most of the glacier columns were good visible. I recommend crampons and a rope. From how the glaciar has been changed, I guess it has been much easier to cross some years ago. Arrived at Estancia Perales after 5 days and had the best Coca Cola of our life. Took the Catamaran back to Puerto Natales (20 000 CPS, 3p.m. every day in high season). I returned 2 days later by bus (10 000 CLP, “Tourismo 21 de Mayo”, every day 12a.m.) and completed by by gravel road walking. Packrafting might be possible (SoBo). There are many camping spots among the coast. Wind is getting stronger towards Natales and appears usually from the north.<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> Beginning and end of the section (Rio Serrano and Puerto ?tales) between them, nothing, just nourish yourself with the beauty of mother nature !<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> =Images=</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT46_(Seno_Ultima_Esperanza)&diff=120757 2025-03-15T14:15:01Z

<p>MiaimZelt: </p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;packrafting&quot;, as above):<br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD, WHAT IS ENCLOSED IN &lt;&gt; MAKES IT BLUE):<br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/nowiki&gt;.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Overview=<br /> <br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> *'''05-03-25 to 08-03-25 / 3 days (2 full days and 2 half days) / SOBO / OH 01 + new route (Fjällräven classic) / MiaimZelt'''<br /> <br /> Summary: explored a new option, not yet part of the GPT-files. Followed the route of the Fjällräven classic 2024, the GPX can be downloaded (for free with Account) at Wikiloc.<br /> Found a well marked trail in great conditions that leads through very scenic landscapes. Also a very lonely one. Campspots are easy to find.<br /> <br /> Day 1: Took a Uber to Cueva del Milodon. From there it's easy to hitch to Villa Serrano. Lot's of tourist cars drive on this road. Started hiking at 3pm on OH 01. Had enough time to do a detour to William's lookout <br /> -51.276378, -72.964356. The markings with the blue sticks started soon after Laguna Escondida. Was worth the detour, you also can continue to the RH-trail. Near Laguna Escondida it's possible to find a sheltered spot for camping in the forest. I decided to camp here -51.254316, -72.963027 with awesome views at TdP NP. <br /> <br /> Day 2: The trail was marked with blue sticks the whole day. Also found some original markings from the Fjällräven classic event. A lot more lakes in this area than on the maps for example here -51.242426, -72.940097 and here -51.240196, -72.932255. Sometimes the trail is wide and looks like a 4x4 track, but it's clearly used by horses and has vegetation on it. After crossing the road it becomes a singletrail again. Very scenic along Toro lake, the trail is in superb conditions. Few water sources for example here -51.250219, -72.871242. Bridge here: <br /> -51.270129, -72.854358. Directly after the bridge i saw a private property sign in the direction i was coming from, but it made no sense, there was nothing but nature. Nice waterfall -51.269681, -72.852919, don't miss it. Soon you reach a road that leads to the Patagonia Camp Hotel, the trails seem to belong to them, but they also seem to be public. There are signs indicating trails. After crossing the area of the Hotel on the MR i came along a ruin (Puesto Dudas), here begins the next superb trail, again with the familiar blue sticks. Great views at Lago Porteño and Toro Lake. Toro Lake Access: -51.299071, -72.808406 and -51.294378, -72.7913. <br /> Camped here -51.294148, -72.785916 and saw an incredible sunset. <br /> <br /> Day 3: After the bridge between Lago Maravilla and Toro Lake the new option begins, it's neither on OSM nor in the GPT Files. Just follow the blue sticks, they lead the best way. Came across some fences, that i could cross with a wooden ladder. The path crosses the road and ascends steeply afterwards. Than it's flat, before it goes up again. After crossing a creek (walking on stones) and climbing over a ladder, the trail and the blue sticks disappeared. I have no idea why, walked CC (very easy) until i reached a 4x4 track, that can be seen on OSM. Followed it until it approached a house and a fence. Was unsure whether i should cross the private property or not and decided to walk around CC a bit below. Rejoined the trail a few minutes later and found another ladder. Also the blue sticks reappeared. Camped with some trees here: -51.442719, -72.633219. Some random dogs came by and disappeared quickly, but they were alone. Saw them again next day with cattle. <br /> <br /> Day 4: Again blue sticks and fences with ladders. Crossed a area with a simple house and lot's of dogs here: <br /> -51.450727, -72.595176. The blue sticks clearly lead this way, at the end of the property there is another ladder. On the other side the steep climb to Cerro Mocho starts. Here -51.469667, -72.558923 water and Camping options below the summit with nice shelter from the elements. The summit is still decorated with the swedish red cross. Downhill we follow a wide track, until we hit a nice singletrail (not on OSM) that leads through the forest. The blue sticks lead you to a horse meadow at Estancia Dos Lagunas, but i was uncertain how to get access to the road. Tried the OSM trail first, but it doesn't exist and there is a fence that can't be opened. Went back to the horse meadow and simply went through it. Both sides have gates that can be opened and cloesed easily. There were people nearby, but they ignored me. At the road it was easy to hitch to Puerto Natales. Arrived at 2 pm.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''09-12-24 to 12-12-24 / 3.5 day's / NOBO / RR / Robin &amp; Manon'''<br /> <br /> Great easy and scenic section, met noone, feels great to arrive at Torres del Paine by foot !<br /> <br /> We hitch-hiked to cueva del Milodon, lots of cars going this way. From there it's a 3km gravel road to the crossing with the minor road that goes to Estancia Perales.The crossing is not well placed on the track files and is at S 51° 33.454', W 072° 40.111'. there is a sign &quot;Estancia Perales - 20km&quot;. We passed several estancias on the way, always asking our way to Estancia Perales and noone seemed to care. We asked the gauchos and slept by the river next to the estancia. <br /> <br /> RR is relatively easy to follow with the blue sticks. 25km of forest walking with some fallen trees seems long. Then once you're out of the forest it is very easy and scenic on the valley and down to Rio Serrano. <br /> <br /> We camped above the treeline down to the Chacabuco glacier on a wind exposed but beautiful camp site. Then we camped on a incredible balcony on Paine range and campo de hielo at S 51° 17.886', W 072° 59.753'. no water and 200m of bush bashing but worth it.<br /> <br /> No easy resupply at Rio Serrano. However all campings on Torres del Paine provide basic (junk food) resupply that can get you on the O and W trek. We relied only on that.<br /> <br /> * '''02-11-2024 to 06-11-2024 / 4,5 days / NOBO / RR / Sophie and Gaspar'''<br /> <br /> Our journey began on November 2nd, departing from Puerto Natales. The first two days were spent reaching Estancia Peralta via a road that started paved but quickly transitioned to gravel, posing no significant challenges. The only noteworthy incidents were a few “Private Road” signs and a landowner initially reluctant to let us pass, claiming it was private property. However, after explaining our destination, Estancia Peralta, he allowed us through without further issues. <br /> <br /> From Estancia Peralta onward, the conditions became more challenging. The bridge had been washed out by floods, requiring us to ford the river on foot. The trail then began, marked sporadically with blue posts originally placed for the UltraFiords race, which hasn’t been held in about three years. As a result, many markers are now difficult to follow due to lack of maintenance. <br /> <br /> The path led us through a forest full of fallen trees and dense undergrowth, demanding both GPS navigation and physical endurance to navigate while constantly climbing over obstacles. Exiting the forest, we faced around 20 cm of snow at the summit. To minimize avalanche risk, we stayed in the center of the valley, as the slopes were still heavily snow-laden. <br /> <br /> The descent rewarded us with breathtaking, postcard-worthy views of Torres del Paine National Park. From there, the journey continued smoothly until we reached the Río Serrano, marking the end of this section.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''30-11-2024 to 02-12-2024 / 3 days / SOBO / RR / Celio, Amalia and Isabelle'''<br /> <br /> We did what it's now the regular route on the newest gpt track files from 2024 ( the one not crossing paso byron and the cerro Chacabuco glaciar).<br /> There is still some snowfield on top of the section, but not much. We had some frech snow from the previous day (around 10/20cm). The traverse is easy to follow with all the blue stick from the old fjord trail. The long forest section after the mountain pass is very muddy and wet! Also crossing a lot of fallen trees, it became quite unfunny until you get out and finnally see the beautiful fjord!<br /> <br /> To get there :<br /> We try to do it NOBO but in puerto natales we couldn't find someone to bring us there. We ask at the office of turismo 21 de mayo and they propose us a transfert for 180k pesos. And apparently there workers bus is full when going there. So finally we decided going SOBO.<br /> To leave in estancia perales there is a catamaran running every day during the high season and leaving around 15h30, ask directly the captain of the boat when you get there and it's 20k pesos for puerto natales and it takes 1 hour.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> <br /> * '''march-3-2024 to march-5-2024 / 2.5 days (with hitchhike) / SOBO / Oh3 - RR / Matthieu'''<br /> <br /> What an amazing section. The diversity of terrain is what you're looking for here. Lakes hidden in the woods, rocky pass with blue lagoons, glaciar, broken forest, swamps, pastures, big lakes... and the fauna that comes with it ! <br /> I didn't see any human from rio serrano to estancia perales... what a relief after the parc ! <br /> <br /> I connected trek O of torres del Paine with GPT46, hitchhiked and hiked a bit from the campamiento central sur to rio serrano by the road in half a day. I had schedule obligation but otherwise OH2 on GPT45 to rio serrano would have been an amazing hike. <br /> I hitchhiked back to natales from the private road a little bit after Ea Perales, for the same schedule reason, but the minor road was really nice I would gladly have stayed on it a day more. It was an estancia worker minibus around 17h20 (so probably leave at 17h at the estancia), I expect there is one every day for them to get back home. It turns left to join the road before the cuevas de milodon. <br /> <br /> Trecking difficulties : <br /> As previously said, the terrain after the pass is of hard progression between swamps and clambering of big tree trunks. I would say about 25kms of it, and you find the good trail 6.5 kms from the estancia perales. It is all marked with blue sticks to the end, that is actually game changing, much less GPS demanding. <br /> Between Rio serrano and the pass, the trail is clear and easy. <br /> At this time of year, the river crossings were easy and I didnt have to cross any snowfield (on Oh3).<br /> <br /> Camps : <br /> Big arrieros flat spot at the big lake just before the pass. River going off the lake 50m after, and a little trail to go bath in the lake. All protected by the trees, amazing. - multiple flat areas after in the valley going down after the pass, along the river. <br /> <br /> Water : everywhere on the way, no need to carry in the bag. <br /> <br /> Resupply problems : ¡WARNING! Rio serrano is a VERY UNCERTAIN resupply city. There are only hotels with restaurants, and no minimarkets (for probable commercial reasons...). I was very lucky to see a paper in the wall of the bus stop with the phone number of a local house unofficially selling simple minimarket things (fidellos, puree, cafe, galletas, cigarettes... but sometimes already opened or almost finished !). It saved my trek so I was very glad, but this plan is really unsure, I understood that there wasn't much left to sell. <br /> If you connect SOBO with the parc, you can buy what you need (simple minimarket things) in the campings before going on GPT46 (warning again : camping central sur only have expensive prepared sport meals, better buy in the other campings). <br /> <br /> Notes to jan : I did a few GPS waypoints for campsites and water spot. <br /> <br /> * '''Frank / 7-9 Jan 2024 / 3 days / Option 3 then RR SOBO'''<br /> <br /> Walked in 2 half days &amp; 2 full days:<br /> <br /> 1. I went by Uber to Estancia Puerto Consuelo (the end of the public road) &amp; walked back easily to Puerto Natales in 4 hours. <br /> 2. I came from Torres del Paine &amp; took a small trail marked on OSM which leads from trail Option 1 to Option 3 without going into Villa Rio Serrano. Good horse trail initially. After 3KM it's marked with blue sticks. Just above treeline the route divides into Option 3 &amp; Option 3A. 3A soon leads to a pass @ 850 metres. Just after the pass there was a big snowfield on steep ground bordered by cliffs. It was not safe to traverse so I went above it &amp; soon joined Option 3 which led to a pass @ 900M. I marked the passes for 2024 track file update. The blue sticks reappeared @ Pass 900M. I slid down 2 snowfields a bit to the right of the blue stick route which goes down more steeply. The slides were OK using walking pole to brake. After about 1.5 hours you near treeline again. Here the blue stick route crosses a river &amp; starts to ascend again. It's best to leave the blue sticks here &amp; continue on RR CC &amp; initially unmarked. Then you have less ascent &amp; only need to cross the river once. Went down between two small snowfields on RR, it's muddy then @ the river blue sticks reappear &amp; you ford easily (knee deep) with a rope to help. A few minutes after the ford is a camp made by the ultra trail organizers &amp; I camped there.<br /> <br /> 3. I continued past a sign that says No Pasar &amp; then the trail is marked with blue sticks all the way. Going becomes slower with lots of fallen trees. At a junction an alternative route with blue sticks leads out left to Ea. Perales. It fords the river which was running fast &amp; deep. I didn't ford but stayed on the RR which remains rough until 6.5KM before Ea. Perales, then goes out easily on good trails &amp; in meadows. Just as the trail improved I saw a puma. From Ea. Perales you are on a private estancia road &amp; it's a 5 hour walk to the start of the public road @ Ea. Puerto Consuelo. I camped in open forest a bit back from the road.<br /> <br /> 4. I continued easily along the road to Ea. Puerto Consuelo in 3.5 hours. Very little traffic on the public road, I walked out 7KM then hitched to Natales.<br /> <br /> * '''From 2023-11-28 to 2023-11-30 / 3 days / Hiking / NOBO / Option3 cordon cerro Chacabuco / Quentin Clavel'''<br /> <br /> Another amazing section, but quite challenging as well. The conditions to pass cordon cerro Chacabuco were pretty rude, wind, snow and glacial temperature. Patagonia at its best ! <br /> <br /> Started from Puerto Natales, following the road then the gravel road, then enter in nice tracks. You enter place where there's some hotels with views on fjords. I've seen only workers there, said hello to them and continue the way. <br /> <br /> Pass threw shelters with people. Asked for the autorisations and they nicely allowes me to pass. <br /> I camped along the beautiful fiord and the morning was epic with views, rainbows ... <br /> <br /> Arrived at the Estencia Perales then begin the good part, your GPS will be your best friend on some parts. <br /> <br /> That's a long walk to Rio Serrano by cerro Chacabuco. <br /> Fortunately the trail has been marked few years ago for ultra fiord. Easy to follow the blue sticks, even if on some parts the nature took control on the trail.<br /> <br /> Passing from deep forest to wetland. The race is not passing here since few years. They even left the refueling station with whole barrels of instant noodles, cake, gas, machetes and so on. If you're really in need, you can take some, bit the expiration date is from 2019.<br /> <br /> Cerro Chacabuco was wild ! Big amount of snow and unpredictable weather (should I mention it again ? We're in Patagonia). <br /> <br /> Then go down to Rio Serrano ! Love this itinerary, pretty wild, and some hidden gem like waterfalls that you heard easily !<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> <br /> * '''9 to 12 April 2023 / Ishay / Route from Rio serrano to connect to GPT 46 RR sobo / 4 days'''<br /> <br /> Overall - Beautiful and remote section with great scenery and colors. unused trails, snow, cold, wetness, mud and fallen trees slowed me down and made it a little harder. was worth the effort though. I got lucky and had good weather. would have been miserable otherwise.<br /> <br /> I saw no one but cows until i reached Estancia Perales.<br /> <br /> Following the post of Anna and Christopher (which i also met in el chalten!) and in order to avoid crossing Glacier Chacabuco on the RR i decided to take the OSM path that is climbing directly from Rio serrano and then reconnect with the RR on the way down.<br /> <br /> The trail is marked with blue sticks (see pictures) throughout the whole way. I think that all of the trails in this area are built for the 'Ultra Fiord' - an annual, and apparently quite popular trail running race that takes place in the beginning of February.<br /> <br /> from the beginning and on the pass the sticks are well placed and quite easy to follow. It seems like they put them up recently. on the way down it gets a little less clear. where i saw a lot of broken and out of place ones.<br /> <br /> above the treeline all is covered with snow now. below the treeline it is super wet and muddy with some overgrown parts and a lot of fallen trees which makes progress slow and at times frustrating.I imagine it will be much more convenient during &quot;high season&quot;.<br /> <br /> From Puerto Natales i hitched a ride to the junction that leads to Rio Serrano. I then walked the 2 km on the road to the place. From my impression It's just hotels and cabins there so i wouldn't count on it if you need to resupply.<br /> <br /> followed the osm track to the woods and started walking. Really nice and easy walk. In the beginning there are some junctions leading to different trails. I got confused so just pay attention to the GPS. Then you start climbing.<br /> <br /> The Torres del Paine range opens up to your back as you climb. with the afternoon autumn colors it is super pretty.<br /> <br /> soon it started snowing so i found a little spot in the trees and crawled into my sleeping bag.<br /> <br /> woke up with bright sky and climbed towards the pass. all of this strech was covered in snow, so the blue sticks were really helpful in following the trail. in a clear day the pass has really nice views. quite windy tho. walking freely in an untouched snow in such an open terrain was super fun!! a lot of postholing but nothing dangerous really. just tiring. <br /> <br /> When getting towards the downhill to the valley the trail is merging with the RR.<br /> <br /> to go down the sticks are leading you to the right which looked like they went up and down again going over another small laguna and then to the woods.<br /> <br /> The RR seemed shorter but i didn't find any signage.. better off follow the sticks. I spent as much time figuring out the best and safest way to go down then i would've spend following the longer signed route. <br /> <br /> Back to the woods on the RR.. the trail roughly follows the river all the way down. from here on the trail is little more harder to follow. many cow tracks that seem like the trail but lead you nowhere. the annoying part was the mud and ponds on the trail that leave you constantly wet without any opportunity to dry because of the low temperatures.<br /> <br /> Rather then that the forest is nice and change its face as you walk. every now and then you go out of the woods and get a nice look to the surrounding mountains to keep your morals high. saw some stations of trail crews along the way. many freaked out cows as well (;<br /> <br /> 10 km before estancia perales there is a junction. two trails following the river from both sides. The RR is staying on the west side of the river but it might be worth checking out the other one that also take a turn and go over Paso Victor Álvarez and down directly to ruta Y-290 which gives some interesting hiking options.<br /> <br /> Arrived at Estancia Perales around 13:00. really nice people there, spoke with them a little and they invited me to eat a delicious soup and bread with the workers in the backroom. awesome stuff.<br /> <br /> They were preparing the tables for a group that is coming back from a boat tour of glaciers balmaceda and serrano and stop for lunch in the estancia on the way back to town. You can hop on the boat for 20k clp. 45 minutes. no other transporte to town from there as far as I'm concerned. since it was a beautiful day i opted for walking on the dirt road. was nice walking along the lake. cars didn't pass me. The day after i arrived to ruta Y-290 and hitched back to Puerto Natales.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''Comment Jan Dudeck November 2023''': With the glacier changed it might be better to take GPT46 Option 3 (Cordon Cerro Chacabuco) that avoids the glacier crossing and goes directly to the Settlement Rio Serrano.<br /> <br /> * '''Comment Jan Dudeck December 2023''': For the Track Files 2024 if have re-routed the Regular Route along Option 3 and Option 3 becomes the demanding glacier traverse.<br /> <br /> * '''SoBo/January 2023 /Tobias Schorcht and Caterina Bormioli / 7 Days /Hiking '''<br /> <br /> One of the most challenging Trails for me on the GPT so far (Crossing Glaciar Chacabuco is dangerous by now). Probably have to change the main route. The trail from Río Serrano to Puerto Toro is good visible, because they use the trail for horseback riding. Some parts of were very muddy even though we went in dry conditions. The estancia puerto toro has been abounded since 2 years. They use to have a ultra trail race to estancia perales. Last time when the race took place was 4 years ago.<br /> <br /> All the trails around are mostly marked with blue sticks. It seems that the cows are chewing on them. Crossed glacier Chacabuco in perfect conditions. BUT: It is very difficult by now. The Glaciar shrinked so much much, that the original access is the ice can not be used by now (very steep morain). Took us 1.5hours to find an alternative, which was not safe as as well. I spotted a alternative and discuss it with Jan. The glaciar was still partly covered with snow (20/01/23). Most of the glacier columns were good visible. I recommend crampons and a rope. From how the glaciar has been changed, I guess it has been much easier to cross some years ago. Arrived at Estancia Perales after 5 days and had the best Coca Cola of our life. Took the Catamaran back to Puerto Natales (20 000 CPS, 3p.m. every day in high season). I returned 2 days later by bus (10 000 CLP, “Tourismo 21 de Mayo”, every day 12a.m.) and completed by by gravel road walking. Packrafting might be possible (SoBo). There are many camping spots among the coast. Wind is getting stronger towards Natales and appears usually from the north.<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> Beginning and end of the section (Rio Serrano and Puerto ?tales) between them, nothing, just nourish yourself with the beauty of mother nature !<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> =Images=</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT46_(Seno_Ultima_Esperanza)&diff=120756 2025-03-15T14:14:38Z

<p>MiaimZelt: /* Season 2024/25 */</p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;packrafting&quot;, as above):<br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD, WHAT IS ENCLOSED IN &lt;&gt; MAKES IT BLUE):<br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/nowiki&gt;.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Overview=<br /> <br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> 05-03-25 to 08-03-25 / 3 days (2 full days and 2 half days) / SOBO / OH 01 + new route (Fjällräven classic) / MiaimZelt<br /> <br /> Summary: explored a new option, not yet part of the GPT-files. Followed the route of the Fjällräven classic 2024, the GPX can be downloaded (for free with Account) at Wikiloc.<br /> Found a well marked trail in great conditions that leads through very scenic landscapes. Also a very lonely one. Campspots are easy to find.<br /> <br /> Day 1: Took a Uber to Cueva del Milodon. From there it's easy to hitch to Villa Serrano. Lot's of tourist cars drive on this road. Started hiking at 3pm on OH 01. Had enough time to do a detour to William's lookout <br /> -51.276378, -72.964356. The markings with the blue sticks started soon after Laguna Escondida. Was worth the detour, you also can continue to the RH-trail. Near Laguna Escondida it's possible to find a sheltered spot for camping in the forest. I decided to camp here -51.254316, -72.963027 with awesome views at TdP NP. <br /> <br /> Day 2: The trail was marked with blue sticks the whole day. Also found some original markings from the Fjällräven classic event. A lot more lakes in this area than on the maps for example here -51.242426, -72.940097 and here -51.240196, -72.932255. Sometimes the trail is wide and looks like a 4x4 track, but it's clearly used by horses and has vegetation on it. After crossing the road it becomes a singletrail again. Very scenic along Toro lake, the trail is in superb conditions. Few water sources for example here -51.250219, -72.871242. Bridge here: <br /> -51.270129, -72.854358. Directly after the bridge i saw a private property sign in the direction i was coming from, but it made no sense, there was nothing but nature. Nice waterfall -51.269681, -72.852919, don't miss it. Soon you reach a road that leads to the Patagonia Camp Hotel, the trails seem to belong to them, but they also seem to be public. There are signs indicating trails. After crossing the area of the Hotel on the MR i came along a ruin (Puesto Dudas), here begins the next superb trail, again with the familiar blue sticks. Great views at Lago Porteño and Toro Lake. Toro Lake Access: -51.299071, -72.808406 and -51.294378, -72.7913. <br /> Camped here -51.294148, -72.785916 and saw an incredible sunset. <br /> <br /> Day 3: After the bridge between Lago Maravilla and Toro Lake the new option begins, it's neither on OSM nor in the GPT Files. Just follow the blue sticks, they lead the best way. Came across some fences, that i could cross with a wooden ladder. The path crosses the road and ascends steeply afterwards. Than it's flat, before it goes up again. After crossing a creek (walking on stones) and climbing over a ladder, the trail and the blue sticks disappeared. I have no idea why, walked CC (very easy) until i reached a 4x4 track, that can be seen on OSM. Followed it until it approached a house and a fence. Was unsure whether i should cross the private property or not and decided to walk around CC a bit below. Rejoined the trail a few minutes later and found another ladder. Also the blue sticks reappeared. Camped with some trees here: -51.442719, -72.633219. Some random dogs came by and disappeared quickly, but they were alone. Saw them again next day with cattle. <br /> <br /> Day 4: Again blue sticks and fences with ladders. Crossed a area with a simple house and lot's of dogs here: <br /> -51.450727, -72.595176. The blue sticks clearly lead this way, at the end of the property there is another ladder. On the other side the steep climb to Cerro Mocho starts. Here -51.469667, -72.558923 water and Camping options below the summit with nice shelter from the elements. The summit is still decorated with the swedish red cross. Downhill we follow a wide track, until we hit a nice singletrail (not on OSM) that leads through the forest. The blue sticks lead you to a horse meadow at Estancia Dos Lagunas, but i was uncertain how to get access to the road. Tried the OSM trail first, but it doesn't exist and there is a fence that can't be opened. Went back to the horse meadow and simply went through it. Both sides have gates that can be opened and cloesed easily. There were people nearby, but they ignored me. At the road it was easy to hitch to Puerto Natales. Arrived at 2 pm.<br /> <br /> Test edit 2025-03-15<br /> <br /> * '''09-12-24 to 12-12-24 / 3.5 day's / NOBO / RR / Robin &amp; Manon'''<br /> <br /> Great easy and scenic section, met noone, feels great to arrive at Torres del Paine by foot !<br /> <br /> We hitch-hiked to cueva del Milodon, lots of cars going this way. From there it's a 3km gravel road to the crossing with the minor road that goes to Estancia Perales.The crossing is not well placed on the track files and is at S 51° 33.454', W 072° 40.111'. there is a sign &quot;Estancia Perales - 20km&quot;. We passed several estancias on the way, always asking our way to Estancia Perales and noone seemed to care. We asked the gauchos and slept by the river next to the estancia. <br /> <br /> RR is relatively easy to follow with the blue sticks. 25km of forest walking with some fallen trees seems long. Then once you're out of the forest it is very easy and scenic on the valley and down to Rio Serrano. <br /> <br /> We camped above the treeline down to the Chacabuco glacier on a wind exposed but beautiful camp site. Then we camped on a incredible balcony on Paine range and campo de hielo at S 51° 17.886', W 072° 59.753'. no water and 200m of bush bashing but worth it.<br /> <br /> No easy resupply at Rio Serrano. However all campings on Torres del Paine provide basic (junk food) resupply that can get you on the O and W trek. We relied only on that.<br /> <br /> * '''02-11-2024 to 06-11-2024 / 4,5 days / NOBO / RR / Sophie and Gaspar'''<br /> <br /> Our journey began on November 2nd, departing from Puerto Natales. The first two days were spent reaching Estancia Peralta via a road that started paved but quickly transitioned to gravel, posing no significant challenges. The only noteworthy incidents were a few “Private Road” signs and a landowner initially reluctant to let us pass, claiming it was private property. However, after explaining our destination, Estancia Peralta, he allowed us through without further issues. <br /> <br /> From Estancia Peralta onward, the conditions became more challenging. The bridge had been washed out by floods, requiring us to ford the river on foot. The trail then began, marked sporadically with blue posts originally placed for the UltraFiords race, which hasn’t been held in about three years. As a result, many markers are now difficult to follow due to lack of maintenance. <br /> <br /> The path led us through a forest full of fallen trees and dense undergrowth, demanding both GPS navigation and physical endurance to navigate while constantly climbing over obstacles. Exiting the forest, we faced around 20 cm of snow at the summit. To minimize avalanche risk, we stayed in the center of the valley, as the slopes were still heavily snow-laden. <br /> <br /> The descent rewarded us with breathtaking, postcard-worthy views of Torres del Paine National Park. From there, the journey continued smoothly until we reached the Río Serrano, marking the end of this section.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''30-11-2024 to 02-12-2024 / 3 days / SOBO / RR / Celio, Amalia and Isabelle'''<br /> <br /> We did what it's now the regular route on the newest gpt track files from 2024 ( the one not crossing paso byron and the cerro Chacabuco glaciar).<br /> There is still some snowfield on top of the section, but not much. We had some frech snow from the previous day (around 10/20cm). The traverse is easy to follow with all the blue stick from the old fjord trail. The long forest section after the mountain pass is very muddy and wet! Also crossing a lot of fallen trees, it became quite unfunny until you get out and finnally see the beautiful fjord!<br /> <br /> To get there :<br /> We try to do it NOBO but in puerto natales we couldn't find someone to bring us there. We ask at the office of turismo 21 de mayo and they propose us a transfert for 180k pesos. And apparently there workers bus is full when going there. So finally we decided going SOBO.<br /> To leave in estancia perales there is a catamaran running every day during the high season and leaving around 15h30, ask directly the captain of the boat when you get there and it's 20k pesos for puerto natales and it takes 1 hour.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> <br /> * '''march-3-2024 to march-5-2024 / 2.5 days (with hitchhike) / SOBO / Oh3 - RR / Matthieu'''<br /> <br /> What an amazing section. The diversity of terrain is what you're looking for here. Lakes hidden in the woods, rocky pass with blue lagoons, glaciar, broken forest, swamps, pastures, big lakes... and the fauna that comes with it ! <br /> I didn't see any human from rio serrano to estancia perales... what a relief after the parc ! <br /> <br /> I connected trek O of torres del Paine with GPT46, hitchhiked and hiked a bit from the campamiento central sur to rio serrano by the road in half a day. I had schedule obligation but otherwise OH2 on GPT45 to rio serrano would have been an amazing hike. <br /> I hitchhiked back to natales from the private road a little bit after Ea Perales, for the same schedule reason, but the minor road was really nice I would gladly have stayed on it a day more. It was an estancia worker minibus around 17h20 (so probably leave at 17h at the estancia), I expect there is one every day for them to get back home. It turns left to join the road before the cuevas de milodon. <br /> <br /> Trecking difficulties : <br /> As previously said, the terrain after the pass is of hard progression between swamps and clambering of big tree trunks. I would say about 25kms of it, and you find the good trail 6.5 kms from the estancia perales. It is all marked with blue sticks to the end, that is actually game changing, much less GPS demanding. <br /> Between Rio serrano and the pass, the trail is clear and easy. <br /> At this time of year, the river crossings were easy and I didnt have to cross any snowfield (on Oh3).<br /> <br /> Camps : <br /> Big arrieros flat spot at the big lake just before the pass. River going off the lake 50m after, and a little trail to go bath in the lake. All protected by the trees, amazing. - multiple flat areas after in the valley going down after the pass, along the river. <br /> <br /> Water : everywhere on the way, no need to carry in the bag. <br /> <br /> Resupply problems : ¡WARNING! Rio serrano is a VERY UNCERTAIN resupply city. There are only hotels with restaurants, and no minimarkets (for probable commercial reasons...). I was very lucky to see a paper in the wall of the bus stop with the phone number of a local house unofficially selling simple minimarket things (fidellos, puree, cafe, galletas, cigarettes... but sometimes already opened or almost finished !). It saved my trek so I was very glad, but this plan is really unsure, I understood that there wasn't much left to sell. <br /> If you connect SOBO with the parc, you can buy what you need (simple minimarket things) in the campings before going on GPT46 (warning again : camping central sur only have expensive prepared sport meals, better buy in the other campings). <br /> <br /> Notes to jan : I did a few GPS waypoints for campsites and water spot. <br /> <br /> * '''Frank / 7-9 Jan 2024 / 3 days / Option 3 then RR SOBO'''<br /> <br /> Walked in 2 half days &amp; 2 full days:<br /> <br /> 1. I went by Uber to Estancia Puerto Consuelo (the end of the public road) &amp; walked back easily to Puerto Natales in 4 hours. <br /> 2. I came from Torres del Paine &amp; took a small trail marked on OSM which leads from trail Option 1 to Option 3 without going into Villa Rio Serrano. Good horse trail initially. After 3KM it's marked with blue sticks. Just above treeline the route divides into Option 3 &amp; Option 3A. 3A soon leads to a pass @ 850 metres. Just after the pass there was a big snowfield on steep ground bordered by cliffs. It was not safe to traverse so I went above it &amp; soon joined Option 3 which led to a pass @ 900M. I marked the passes for 2024 track file update. The blue sticks reappeared @ Pass 900M. I slid down 2 snowfields a bit to the right of the blue stick route which goes down more steeply. The slides were OK using walking pole to brake. After about 1.5 hours you near treeline again. Here the blue stick route crosses a river &amp; starts to ascend again. It's best to leave the blue sticks here &amp; continue on RR CC &amp; initially unmarked. Then you have less ascent &amp; only need to cross the river once. Went down between two small snowfields on RR, it's muddy then @ the river blue sticks reappear &amp; you ford easily (knee deep) with a rope to help. A few minutes after the ford is a camp made by the ultra trail organizers &amp; I camped there.<br /> <br /> 3. I continued past a sign that says No Pasar &amp; then the trail is marked with blue sticks all the way. Going becomes slower with lots of fallen trees. At a junction an alternative route with blue sticks leads out left to Ea. Perales. It fords the river which was running fast &amp; deep. I didn't ford but stayed on the RR which remains rough until 6.5KM before Ea. Perales, then goes out easily on good trails &amp; in meadows. Just as the trail improved I saw a puma. From Ea. Perales you are on a private estancia road &amp; it's a 5 hour walk to the start of the public road @ Ea. Puerto Consuelo. I camped in open forest a bit back from the road.<br /> <br /> 4. I continued easily along the road to Ea. Puerto Consuelo in 3.5 hours. Very little traffic on the public road, I walked out 7KM then hitched to Natales.<br /> <br /> * '''From 2023-11-28 to 2023-11-30 / 3 days / Hiking / NOBO / Option3 cordon cerro Chacabuco / Quentin Clavel'''<br /> <br /> Another amazing section, but quite challenging as well. The conditions to pass cordon cerro Chacabuco were pretty rude, wind, snow and glacial temperature. Patagonia at its best ! <br /> <br /> Started from Puerto Natales, following the road then the gravel road, then enter in nice tracks. You enter place where there's some hotels with views on fjords. I've seen only workers there, said hello to them and continue the way. <br /> <br /> Pass threw shelters with people. Asked for the autorisations and they nicely allowes me to pass. <br /> I camped along the beautiful fiord and the morning was epic with views, rainbows ... <br /> <br /> Arrived at the Estencia Perales then begin the good part, your GPS will be your best friend on some parts. <br /> <br /> That's a long walk to Rio Serrano by cerro Chacabuco. <br /> Fortunately the trail has been marked few years ago for ultra fiord. Easy to follow the blue sticks, even if on some parts the nature took control on the trail.<br /> <br /> Passing from deep forest to wetland. The race is not passing here since few years. They even left the refueling station with whole barrels of instant noodles, cake, gas, machetes and so on. If you're really in need, you can take some, bit the expiration date is from 2019.<br /> <br /> Cerro Chacabuco was wild ! Big amount of snow and unpredictable weather (should I mention it again ? We're in Patagonia). <br /> <br /> Then go down to Rio Serrano ! Love this itinerary, pretty wild, and some hidden gem like waterfalls that you heard easily !<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> <br /> * '''9 to 12 April 2023 / Ishay / Route from Rio serrano to connect to GPT 46 RR sobo / 4 days'''<br /> <br /> Overall - Beautiful and remote section with great scenery and colors. unused trails, snow, cold, wetness, mud and fallen trees slowed me down and made it a little harder. was worth the effort though. I got lucky and had good weather. would have been miserable otherwise.<br /> <br /> I saw no one but cows until i reached Estancia Perales.<br /> <br /> Following the post of Anna and Christopher (which i also met in el chalten!) and in order to avoid crossing Glacier Chacabuco on the RR i decided to take the OSM path that is climbing directly from Rio serrano and then reconnect with the RR on the way down.<br /> <br /> The trail is marked with blue sticks (see pictures) throughout the whole way. I think that all of the trails in this area are built for the 'Ultra Fiord' - an annual, and apparently quite popular trail running race that takes place in the beginning of February.<br /> <br /> from the beginning and on the pass the sticks are well placed and quite easy to follow. It seems like they put them up recently. on the way down it gets a little less clear. where i saw a lot of broken and out of place ones.<br /> <br /> above the treeline all is covered with snow now. below the treeline it is super wet and muddy with some overgrown parts and a lot of fallen trees which makes progress slow and at times frustrating.I imagine it will be much more convenient during &quot;high season&quot;.<br /> <br /> From Puerto Natales i hitched a ride to the junction that leads to Rio Serrano. I then walked the 2 km on the road to the place. From my impression It's just hotels and cabins there so i wouldn't count on it if you need to resupply.<br /> <br /> followed the osm track to the woods and started walking. Really nice and easy walk. In the beginning there are some junctions leading to different trails. I got confused so just pay attention to the GPS. Then you start climbing.<br /> <br /> The Torres del Paine range opens up to your back as you climb. with the afternoon autumn colors it is super pretty.<br /> <br /> soon it started snowing so i found a little spot in the trees and crawled into my sleeping bag.<br /> <br /> woke up with bright sky and climbed towards the pass. all of this strech was covered in snow, so the blue sticks were really helpful in following the trail. in a clear day the pass has really nice views. quite windy tho. walking freely in an untouched snow in such an open terrain was super fun!! a lot of postholing but nothing dangerous really. just tiring. <br /> <br /> When getting towards the downhill to the valley the trail is merging with the RR.<br /> <br /> to go down the sticks are leading you to the right which looked like they went up and down again going over another small laguna and then to the woods.<br /> <br /> The RR seemed shorter but i didn't find any signage.. better off follow the sticks. I spent as much time figuring out the best and safest way to go down then i would've spend following the longer signed route. <br /> <br /> Back to the woods on the RR.. the trail roughly follows the river all the way down. from here on the trail is little more harder to follow. many cow tracks that seem like the trail but lead you nowhere. the annoying part was the mud and ponds on the trail that leave you constantly wet without any opportunity to dry because of the low temperatures.<br /> <br /> Rather then that the forest is nice and change its face as you walk. every now and then you go out of the woods and get a nice look to the surrounding mountains to keep your morals high. saw some stations of trail crews along the way. many freaked out cows as well (;<br /> <br /> 10 km before estancia perales there is a junction. two trails following the river from both sides. The RR is staying on the west side of the river but it might be worth checking out the other one that also take a turn and go over Paso Victor Álvarez and down directly to ruta Y-290 which gives some interesting hiking options.<br /> <br /> Arrived at Estancia Perales around 13:00. really nice people there, spoke with them a little and they invited me to eat a delicious soup and bread with the workers in the backroom. awesome stuff.<br /> <br /> They were preparing the tables for a group that is coming back from a boat tour of glaciers balmaceda and serrano and stop for lunch in the estancia on the way back to town. You can hop on the boat for 20k clp. 45 minutes. no other transporte to town from there as far as I'm concerned. since it was a beautiful day i opted for walking on the dirt road. was nice walking along the lake. cars didn't pass me. The day after i arrived to ruta Y-290 and hitched back to Puerto Natales.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''Comment Jan Dudeck November 2023''': With the glacier changed it might be better to take GPT46 Option 3 (Cordon Cerro Chacabuco) that avoids the glacier crossing and goes directly to the Settlement Rio Serrano.<br /> <br /> * '''Comment Jan Dudeck December 2023''': For the Track Files 2024 if have re-routed the Regular Route along Option 3 and Option 3 becomes the demanding glacier traverse.<br /> <br /> * '''SoBo/January 2023 /Tobias Schorcht and Caterina Bormioli / 7 Days /Hiking '''<br /> <br /> One of the most challenging Trails for me on the GPT so far (Crossing Glaciar Chacabuco is dangerous by now). Probably have to change the main route. The trail from Río Serrano to Puerto Toro is good visible, because they use the trail for horseback riding. Some parts of were very muddy even though we went in dry conditions. The estancia puerto toro has been abounded since 2 years. They use to have a ultra trail race to estancia perales. Last time when the race took place was 4 years ago.<br /> <br /> All the trails around are mostly marked with blue sticks. It seems that the cows are chewing on them. Crossed glacier Chacabuco in perfect conditions. BUT: It is very difficult by now. The Glaciar shrinked so much much, that the original access is the ice can not be used by now (very steep morain). Took us 1.5hours to find an alternative, which was not safe as as well. I spotted a alternative and discuss it with Jan. The glaciar was still partly covered with snow (20/01/23). Most of the glacier columns were good visible. I recommend crampons and a rope. From how the glaciar has been changed, I guess it has been much easier to cross some years ago. Arrived at Estancia Perales after 5 days and had the best Coca Cola of our life. Took the Catamaran back to Puerto Natales (20 000 CPS, 3p.m. every day in high season). I returned 2 days later by bus (10 000 CLP, “Tourismo 21 de Mayo”, every day 12a.m.) and completed by by gravel road walking. Packrafting might be possible (SoBo). There are many camping spots among the coast. Wind is getting stronger towards Natales and appears usually from the north.<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> Beginning and end of the section (Rio Serrano and Puerto ?tales) between them, nothing, just nourish yourself with the beauty of mother nature !<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> =Images=</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT67_(Dientes_de_Navarino)&diff=120498 2025-02-27T00:42:52Z

<p>MiaimZelt: </p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;packrafting&quot;, as above):<br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD, WHAT IS ENCLOSED IN &lt;&gt; MAKES IT BLUE):<br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/nowiki&gt;.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Overview=<br /> <br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> *'''22 -feb to 25-feb 2025 / 2.5 days / OH 01 + RR + Monte Bettinelli / MiaimZelt'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: Was sick for many days and didn't feel really well when starting, therefore decided to skip Lago Windhond. Very easy hiking Cerro to Bandera. The slope below Cumbre Bander is very steep and the trail is very small and exposed - no problem with good weather, but would not recommend this in snowy conditions. Short, but very steep descent to Laguna Salto. Saw only one good spot here, further up there are more possibilites, but exposed. Paso Australia and Paso de los Dientes were both easy and nice. Did a detour to Monte Bettinelli and pitched my tent here with dry ground and some protection by forest: -55.026471, -67.65712 before ascending the mountain. Incredible views! Watched cute beavers in the pond next to my campspot. <br /> <br /> Day 2: Waked up with sleet in the morning. Hiked back to the main trail to continue the Dientes Circuit. Fortunately the rain stopped soon and i could enjoy the beauty of nature. Nice hiking to Paso Ventarron and Laguna Martillo. -54.992911, -67.781427 This was the only campspot with good protection from the wind i saw. You often find flat ground but mostly it's very wet. The first half of the ascent to Paso Virginia was tricky due to the very very muddy trail. Started snowing here. The second half was much easier, but i couldn't see anything due to bad weather. <br /> The descent was easier than expected: extremely steep with very loose ground, you slide down a bit with every step, like walking on sand. Camped at the end of Laguna de los Guanacos behind low beech bushes. Snowed the whole evening and some minutes after pitching my tent strong winds started. Got stronger during the night and couldn't sleep due to the noise of the snowstorm, but the tent was fine. <br /> Navigation was easy so far.<br /> <br /> Day 3: Trail was often not visible with the snow, also less signs and cairns than the other days. A few meters below the lake i found a campspot (at least for 3-4 tents: -54.951364, -67.76058) with very good shelter in the forest. I would recommend these instead of the spots next to the lake, but i didn't know this option last evening. <br /> Descent from the lake to the road was more difficult than from Paso Virginia because it was muddy like hell. Maybe it was because of the bad weather. -54.94473, -67.732571 Here the trail splits up to left and right. Took the left trail suggested from the GPT-files. First part was nice and easy, later is was awful: a maze of mud and no trail nor signs. I guess the trail to the right is maybe better. Was relieved when i reached the road and got a hitch soon.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> <br /> * '''April 16 2024 / 2.5 days / Sendero Windhond and Option 1 Dientes Paso Australia / Tanja'''<br /> <br /> Took advantage of a 3 days good weather window. Trail is officially closed since April 1 (until October). When you register at the Carabinieros (recommended), you have to sign a paper that you do it at your own risk and pay potential rescue cost yourself.<br /> <br /> Followed OSM after the destroyed refugio as suggested by Frank below. Saw some cute beavers swimming. Lovely autumn colors all around. Had a late start and did not make it all the way to Refugio Charles. Also daylight only from roughly 8am to 7pm these days. Found a dry and flat area within a small forest approx 1km south from the OSM river crossing. <br /> <br /> Next day, instead of going to the refugio, I went up directly to Monte Bettinelli as was a sunny day that promised good views from up there. Crossed a dam over a beaver lake and the river at a shallow spot slightly further north from where OSM suggests. Not even knee deep but ice cold without shoes, ouch! <br /> <br /> Beautiful views from Laguna Bettinelli and the Monte towards Bahia Windhound and the islands north of Cabo de Hornos. Snow from the previous week had almost entirely melted (saw that already from plane). Easy walk of passes Dientres and Australia but a different game if snow or rain (talked to a couple in the hostel that got snowed in over night the previous week, knee deep snow, stayed in their tent for a day).<br /> <br /> Campsites on eastern side at Laguna del Salto were all pretty humid, found a small dry spot further up just below the trees. <br /> <br /> Took high route back to town, nice views over the Beagle channel and Ushuaia from Cerro la Bandera. Saw no one else.<br /> <br /> * '''31-march to 4-april 2024 / 5 days / Option 2 puerto Torro- Lake Navarino - Bahia Windhond - Lake Windhond (east shore) - sendero Windhond / Matthieu'''<br /> <br /> Started in Puerto Toro after taking the ferry at Puerto williams ( once a month on Sunday). Initial plan was to come back by Montes Miseria and Caleta Eugenia in 3 days (passing a night on the east shore of lake Navarino first so not on the GPT track). For hard snowy and windy conditions I had to reroute to stay at low altitude and decided to change the hole plan. <br /> This section is a little bit monotonic with a lot of turbia but the views on the differents parts are amazing. Tried to go back by the Cerro Betinelli and the initial part of the dientes but the pass Betinelli was blocked by snow, had to go back to the swampy sendero Windhond. Note that there is a path going from the MR of the forest south of Puerto williams, crossing the river Ukika and arriving directly into PW without taking the big detour by the road (on OSM).<br /> <br /> Note on climate : More and more snow days at end MArch and April, and temperature at night are lowering, so better have some backup plans. Walking with a bit of snow in the turbia is really difficult because it hides the waterpoints and holes. The first part of my first day was really physically demanding, with very slow progression, at around 300m, reason of my reroute to go lower far from snow. With more snow and proper winter material going in the montes miseria could be a good adventure though.<br /> <br /> Terrain : Mostly hard and green Turbia until Windhond Bay, easy progression. After crossing the river before the bay it becomes swampy with cowpoop, progression more difficult. What I recommend is to go to the bay staying at east shore of the river (green turbia) and crossing it directly on the beach (sand, not mud, so easy crossing). This way you avoid high river crossing and the cow swamps. After leaving the bay for the eats shore of lake Windhond, mostly Red turbia, softer. The east shore of lake windhond is really easy to walk, mostly sand or rocks, I had to walk on the lakes for a few meters sometimes but there is no deepness (ankle level). or the sendero Windhond, the part betweem the separation of the trails (one going up to Betinelli, the other staying low in the sendero Windhond) and the ancient refuge Beauchef (destroyed) is really hard, progression slow and tricky with trees and swamp. AFter the refuge there is a good old trail, between forest and turbia, until puerto williams.<br /> <br /> Rivercrossing : I crossed The river before Bahia Windhond on the GPT track that I joined after Lake Navarino, between 2 tiny beaches, Hip level with very few current. I do not recommend to pass this way though (see before), prefering crossing directly at the bay. NO other notable rivers.<br /> <br /> * '''09-March to 15-March-2024 / 7 short days (late morning starts) / Sendero Lago Windhund + Big dientes trail + last camp at lake Sirra next to cascada de oro south of Laguna Maku / Matthieu'''<br /> Amazing section with diversity of landscapes and incredible views (you can see the cape horn from Monte Betinelli). Possibility of fishing at lago windhond (ask locals for secrets good places ) , some stuff in the refugio to cook the fishes. We added Laguna Sirra for the last night, by the OSM track that goes to Laguna Maku. Then the trail is marked by pink stripes on the way. We tried to go to Laguna Turquesa the next day, but we were taken in a little snow storm almost at the end, so we got back before getting lost.<br /> <br /> Difficulties : Good old Patagonia. Lots of fallen trunks on the way to Windhond, turbia, so very slow progression on some parts. On the sendero de Windhond, better follow the GPT track than the OSM one, much more logic, better the flat turbia than the fallen trees. In the mountain parts with good conditions no difficulties except the descent to lago Guanaco, the very first and short part staying up is really steepy, better do it with good conditions. Going down is then much easier than expected, lots of sand its like skiing.<br /> <br /> Water supply : rivers everywhere. Lots of birds and beavers though, and brown color, so I prefered using a filter in the low parts. <br /> <br /> Camps : 1.In the forest next to Lake Alinghi (north east shore) where you can also fish 2. Some tent places around the windhond refuge 3. After monte betinelli in the tress next to a river. Then you have a lot of tent spaces along the lakes. Know that the wind can be extremely strong, better keep your tent safe hidden in the trees that break it for a perfect view in the morning. 5. After laguna Guanaco. Go to the right side of the very exposed campsite, in the bushes and you will find incredible and protected spots with better views on the Beagle. 6. Laguna Sirra at its south shore, didn´t find a really good spot but there were beavers swimming that was really a nice evening. I think that there are good spots but I lost the stripes to find it.<br /> <br /> Weather conditions : very lucky, no snow and casi no rain. Neither big wind. Know that some passes on the way can be extremely dangerous after snow and cold air from the south, the rocks can be icy and the trail hidden. <br /> <br /> River crossings: no special danger. Better cross after the big beaver dams, flow and depth really reduced.<br /> <br /> Accomodation : Camping Il padrino in Puerto Williams, the best camping I’ve ever been to, meet the incredible Cecilia who runs the thing with her extreme energy. Nice evenings in perspective there. 15 000 pesos per night, but you can sleep in the house on the couches or the floor if you want with a comfy fire. She has a refuge to with dormitorios, little bit more expensive.<br /> Hitchhiking to come back from the dientes can be very uncertain, and above all in late march season. We had chance after 1 hour on the road. Didn´t have this chance on my way back from GPT 66 (see the post). <br /> To have a good idea of the campsites and fishing places on the way, a recent map has been made of the zone by a group named Kanasaka (see internet site to), can buy it in a view shops of puerto Williams and in the camping. <br /> <br /> * '''Frank 16-18 January 2024 / 3 long days / Windhond Circuit'''<br /> <br /> 1. I walked from Puerto Williams to Refugio Charles near Lago Windhond in one long day (11 hours) via ex Refugio Beaucheff.<br /> Leaving Puerto Williams don't follow the track file but go up Calle Prat to the end then into the forest on a trail, turning left.<br /> Go along the river until you cross it on an old bridge &amp; return to track file route, saves 2K. Trail is OK to the pass, then deteriorates. Don't follow the track file route where it fords the river, stay on the near side following the Windhond trail which is marked on OSM. There is no trail on the far side of the river until much later.<br /> <br /> Refugio Beaucheff is completely ruined. There is a marked route crossing the river a bit after the refuge but I've been told it's rough. I stayed on the OSM route which is now CC in open terrain &amp; forded the river where the OSM route crosses it. Then you soon rejoin the RR &amp; cross a bog (easy walking, you wind around the swampy bits) to get to Refugio Charles. Two small trees fell on the hut but it's still intact &amp; in good condition, sleeps 6. It has mattresses &amp; a woodstove, useful as my feet were soaking wet.<br /> <br /> 2. I walked around the east side of Lago Windhond in 3.5 hours. Easy walking mostly along the beach. 50 metres after track EXP-RP-CC-A I walked to a bone shaped lake &amp; continued along its south side. Go to the river a bit more downstream than EXP-RP-CC-A. The river runs chest deep out of the lake but a bit further I found a ford that was knee deep (should be available on 2024 track file) Continued in open terrain. The last 500M down to Windhond Bay was rough in dense forest with small cliffs near the bay.<br /> Returned to Charles Hut on the same route (10 hours round trip)<br /> <br /> 3. I went back across the bog then crossed the river on a logjam. Steeply up through forest to treeline, then CC following cairns. There were two big snowfields on Monte Bettinelli but the RR went around both of them. Easy going but early in the season snow can make the Bettinelli traverse difficult or impassible. Great views of Lago Windhond &amp; the Cape Horn archipelago from Bettinelli. I joined the Dientes circuit &amp; went out over pasos Dientes &amp; Australia to Laguna Salto. Snow on paso Australia but easy to cross. I've been told the low route out via Laguna Robalo is poor (beaver country with lots of fallen trees) so I continued on the high route back to Puerto Williams in one long day (12 hours walking)<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> * '''Iris, Alexis / Dec 17-21 2022 / 4.5 days'''<br /> We started our trip on the GPT by the famous Dientes de Navarino, option Lago Windhond. <br /> The first part until the Refugio Bauchef is well marked but after the trail has disappeared and the marks should not be trusted. We have been told it has not been serviced and the fallen trees make everything quite difficult. We left the track to walk in the valley which was much easier but decided to not go to the lake. <br /> The next part of the tour is much more frequented and it is much easier to find the trail. However, in difficult weather as some parts are dangerous, even with clean weather. <br /> Nonetheless, the hikers are gratified with stunning views and landscapes!<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> 2024 info: You can get camping gas in Puerto Williams at Comercial Antarctica &amp; a bike rental shop, both near the fire station. Small supermarket &amp; 2 shops nearby.<br /> Camping El Padrino is a good place to meet hikers. 15,000 pesos for camping. Hikers often leave partly used gas canisters there.<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> <br /> News from november 2024 : the connection between Ushuaia and puerto williams is open again. There is now two compagnies operating. The one operating before covid, onashaga expedition doing Ushuaia to puerto navarino by boat, then a bus is taking you to puerto williams. Price is 130$ one way.<br /> <br /> DAP fly Punta Arenas-Puerto Williams <br /> In January 2024 there was still no scheduled boat connecting Williams &amp; Ushuaia.<br /> There is a ferry from Punta Arenas to Puerto Williams.<br /> About once a week there is a boat from Williams to Puerto Toro.<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> =Images=</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT40_(Glaciar_Viedma)&diff=120145 2025-02-10T23:14:30Z

<p>MiaimZelt: </p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Overview=<br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> *'''2025-Feb-06 to 2025-Feb-09 / 3.5 days Hiking / counterclockwise/ RR / MiaimZelt'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: I had planned to go without a Harness to cross Rio Tunel on foot. But the day before i met a german, who told he talked to someone who hiked the Huemul and according to that Crossing Nr. 1 wasn't doable without harness. Two other people told, the rangers said Nr. 1 goes up to the hips and is too difficult. I couldn't get first hand informations and the Infocenter was already closed. Spontaneously i rented a harness (10k/day is the normal price) and started at 11am. The weather forcast was mixed: two days of sun and two days of rain/snow. That's why i chosed to do it in 4 instead of 3 days. <br /> <br /> The first day was very easy, i only struggled with the heavy backpack (+1kg harness). Camped roughly 1.5km before Camping Toro, because i'm afraid of mice. It was easy to find a sheltered spot in the forest on that very windy day. <br /> <br /> Day 2: Soon i reached Laguna Túnel o Toro and the first Zipline. I was upset with myself because i fell for the fearmongering! 100m upstream the river looked easily fordable - i guess max. knee deep. Where it reaches the lake it even looked easier with low current. Up to the hips - what a lie! Don't understand why people were not able to ford the river. Either they don't know how to cross a river or they meant another one... The crossing with the zipline wasn't easy because i had to pull myself slightly uphill. Struggled to unhook myself and my backpack and fortunately got help from two brits. I think when you're alone and don't have strong arms, it's easier to cross the river on foot. <br /> <br /> I chosed to walk above the glacier not on it. The ranger said it's possible, but it didn't look save with the crevasses. The ascent was strenous, but easy. The views of the southern patagonian icefield was incredible! No wind at Paso del Viento. The descent was also easy, there it started snowing. Reached Camp Paso del Viento at 1:30pm and pitched my tent. Snowed even more, the world around me went white. It didn't stop until 11pm.<br /> <br /> Day 3: 15cm of snow, but the sky was blue. Was relieved when i found out the trail is still visible. Even had footprints in front of me. Enjoyed hiking in the snow and got amazing views. Way up to Paso Huemul was a bit steep, but overall easy. The descent was indeed very difficult. The upper part was ok: steep through forest with solid soil, the middle part had some helpful ropes installed, the worst part came below: extremely steep with loose soil and nothing to hold on. No ropes here. The rest was easy. Passed Bahia Tempános and Bahia Hornos. Stayed on this OSM Camp: -49.475284, -72.943223. Perfect protection from West (very windy afternoon), flat space for at least 4 tents, a primitive bench and a nice view at the lake. <br /> <br /> Day 4: Nice and easy trails the whole day. Followed the official Trek. Fortunately it didn't rain. Small 1p campsite with good protection here: -49.431947, -72.887512. 2nd Zipline also was not really easy, needed to pull myself after the first half and struggled to open one carabiner. I think the ziplining is better done in a group. The river didn't look fordable near the zipline, but where it branches in 3 parts it looked good to ford. You can see this area from the trail above. So i think it's not necessary to bring a harness. Reached El Chaltén at 2pm.<br /> In my opinion there are cases where it's good to have it: when you want to keep your feet dry; when you like the idea of ziplining; maybe in early season when it rained a lot and for people who have no experience with rivercrossings. <br /> <br /> * '''24-12-2024 to 26-12-2024/ 3 days / RR counterclockwise / wiiim'''<br /> <br /> Camped by Laguna Torre &amp; carried on with GPT40 early morning. It’s an undeniably beautiful loop but I couldn’t help feel a little old &amp; grumpy at times between the trail poop, Bluetooth speakers and groups heading straight up a clearly open crevassed glacier (without gear). I passed both river crossings on foot, the first one upstream from the cable where it splits in two, about knee height. The second crossing has more water but arguably you have a lot more options to choose from, I crossed about 100m downstream where it’s at its widest before branching out into channels.<br /> <br /> * '''13-11-2024 to 16-11-2024/ 3.5 days / NOBO / RR / Sophie and Gaspar'''l<br /> <br /> We continued our adventure with the Cerro Huemul or Viedma Glacier Circuit, hiking clockwise (the usual route is counterclockwise). The trail is well-marked throughout, presenting no navigation difficulties. There are two crossings of the Río Túnel, which can be done via zipline if you have a harness. We chose to ford the river on foot both times. However, at its farthest point, crossing at the same spot as the zipline can be risky. During the snowmelt season, it may be impossible to cross without equipment for the zipline, so renting the necessary gear is highly recommended.<br /> <br /> Another minor challenge is the ascent or descent (depending on your direction) of Cerro Huemul. It can be quite slippery in wet conditions, but fixed ropes are installed to ensure safety. You can camp comfortably near the Paso del Viento shelter, but watch out for mice! Paso del Viento itself does not present major technical difficulties, aside from the strong winds, as the name suggests. <br /> <br /> The circuit offers spectacular views of the Viedma Glacier, the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, and the upper and lower Túnel Glaciers—truly unforgettable scenery!<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-28 to 2024-Mar-2 / 4 days / Hiking / Counter Clockwise / RR / Andrew'''<br /> <br /> Beautiful trail. Not too much to add from what others have mentioned, the route is well marked. Views of the southern patagonia icefield are absolutely stunning. We decided to push a bit further and camp at Bahia Hornos, but I would have stayed at Bahia de Los tempanos if I did it again.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-24 to 2024-Feb-26 / 2.5d / Hiking / Counter Clock / RR and new terrain / Tom'''<br /> <br /> Perfect conditions! No clouds, no wind<br /> Day 1: <br /> Crossed rio tunnel almost dry behind the laguna (trail on OSM). Hiked on Glaciar Tunel inferior. It's not that safe as others stated. Following others footstep an think it's safe says a lot of your alpine experience. Walk on the glaciar only if you know what you are doing (I'm a mountain guide and knew enough strong hikers that ended as dead bodies).<br /> Be aware of the land slide between the glaciar inferior and the biwak. I told the park auhtorities to close that trail and use the GPT version. It's a matter of time and the trail slides away!<br /> No wind on paso viento and a stunning view to the icefield. Not a cloud on a azur sky. I pitched my tent at the small laguna behind laguna Ferrari but before laguna los Esquies.<br /> <br /> Day 2: Installed a rope on the Huemul downhill and stayed at Bahia Hornos.<br /> <br /> Day 3: I started before sunrise and was by intention first at the tyrolienne. Bully on the other side, so I just hooked my steel carabiner and pulled myself along the cable. <br /> <br /> I liked the hike, but hated the littering, I mean &quot;shittering&quot; around the official camps.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Apr-08 to 2024-Apr-10 / 3 days / Hiking / counterclockwise / RR / Joscha'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: RR [0.0-21.2]<br /> <br /> Good trail. Only the last 2 km was hiking on loose scree and took some time. Camp Rio Tunnel at km 21.2 has only spots for about three tents. The wind protection isn't as good as at camp Toro (16.6). The river at km 18.9 was a easy ford (knee high) about 50-100 meter up stream of the zip-line.<br /> <br /> Day 2: RR [21.2-45.1]<br /> <br /> Paso de viento (km 24.0) was very icy on top and on the way down. I managed without spikes, but they would have been helpfull. The pass at km 38.5 was snow free. The trail down after the pass is very steep. Would be very hard if snowy or muddy. Camped at -49.475284, -72.943223.<br /> <br /> Day 3: RR [45.1-64.9]<br /> <br /> The RR branches off the official Huemul Track at km 46.7. The RR runs a little higher and therefore offers maybe a bit better views. But the official Huemul Track would be the faster option. Rio Tunel was easily fordable (knee high) just under the zipline at km 54.0.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Mar-24 to 2024-Mar-26 / 3 days / Hiking / anticlockwise / RR / Juliet and Martin'''<br /> <br /> Day 1 el chalten - Rio Tunel camp<br /> <br /> The park rangers were closed for strike action. We weren't able to register online either (bad internet connection). We left around 9am. Several people and a group on the first part, but we lost them on our way around the glacier. Magnificent walk between forests, viewpoints and lakes. We arrived for lunch at laguna o toro. Possible bivouac spot with emergency shelter if needed. It's a beautiful spot, but we didn't feel like pitching our tent there. So we decided to head for the Rio Tunel campside. Passing the zipline, in fact the river is probably passable on foot a little above. We recommend that you look at tutorials on how to use the equipment, which we hadn't done, and the rental company gave us bad advice. Fortunately, there was an experienced hiker who helped us. <br /> The passage along and on the glacier is complicated. We lost the trail and took a long time to make headway. There are lots of slippery spots (ice), so you have to be careful. Once we'd found our way back, we were able to reach the camp. It's well sheltered from the weather with a few spots (in fact only 3). The place is very windy, so I'd recommend getting there early if it's busy to get a sheltered spot. Magnificent view of the glacier. <br /> There are mice, and we saw several in the evening, but we weren't bothered during the night. Difficult to find a place to hang the food so we kept it with us in the tent enclosed and in the middle of the two of us and not at the ends. That's how it was. <br /> Several water spots along the way all day (several rivers).<br /> <br /> Day 2 Rio Tunel camp - Bahia de los tempanosb camp (-49,47994,-7298601)<br /> <br /> Passage of the paso del viento, which was indeed very windy, but passable. The path is still passable as used. Easy to follow. Magnificent panoramic view of the glacier at the top. You can see that some people have already pitched their tents at the pass, but I wouldn't recommend it because of the strong wind. Beautiful descent to the refuge. Very good, in good condition. Lots of possibilities for pitching tents around the stone walls. Very nice place to sleep. We continued on. Passage over Col Huelmul easier than the previous one. Very windy too, but the wind was in our favor and helped us make our way up. The descent is very complicated indeed, and quite dangerous. Take your time, especially if it's been raining. It takes time. Fortunately, there are ropes to hold on to. We reach the camp just before dark. It's very crowded, but we find a place to pitch our tent. The view of the lake, icebergs and glacier is magnificent. However, we were bothered by mice all night. We had hung our food from the trees, but despite this, they came up to the tent (between the 2 canvas sheets) time and time again. AVOID! It's crowded, there's garbage, mice, a rotting cow carcass...<br /> <br /> Day 3 Camp Bahia de los tempanos (-49,47994,-7298601) - el chalten <br /> <br /> Last day of hiking. Very beautiful in the hills, views over the lake. We loved it. Cross country in the hills, very nice to do even if we had to pass a few muddy spots and lost the trail a few times. Once back on the official trail, no more worries. The zipline was easier than on the first day. We didn't have to wait very long, surely 2 people ahead of us. End of the day with an easy trail to el chalten. The last few kilometers are on the road, not very pleasant and uninteresting, but it's not very long. <br /> <br /> This section is definitely beautiful and diverse. Mice are a real problem on this section. They seem to be present at all the bivouac spots. They're not shy and don't hesitate to come along even if you scare them. If we had to do it all over again, we'd use rat repellents, because hanging up the food doesn't seem to be enough. <br /> <br /> * '''24-Mar-05 to 2024-Mar-07 / 48 hours / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Tomáš'''<br /> <br /> I did not like El Chaltén and the weather seemed better than later in the week so I immediatelly followed to GPT40. Starting at 17:00, I stopped 3 km from the first official camping Torro, which is normally 16 km far, in three hours of walking. I registered online and did not talk to any parkguards - not sure if they would not try to turn me back this late if they saw me. Fearing mice and being asocial, I did not want to reach the camp. The trail is very clear and easy. At least in this section, there are many places to camp - many trees provide shelter from wind. It was not that windy anyway, just on the final descent to the valley. Met lots of people coming back from Pliegue Tumbado mirador and nobody after the junction.<br /> <br /> The next morning surprised me (the only reliable forecast seems to be for heavy rain or cloudless day, anything in between seems to be a hit or miss) by blue sky, so I got awesome views going up the pass. There was a queue at the zipline so I forded 50 m upstream - it was barely below my knees. Met ten people altogether that day. Walked on glacier, as the official PDF recomends. It is not slippery with the rocks. It is fun, there are footsteps to follow going on and off the glacier. I assume it is safe. There is also a trail going in parallel on the rocks (all circuit is trail BTW, not partly CC like GPX suggests). Indeed only between the glaciers there is a few tentspots as indicated by OSM (unofficial? - but nobody probably cares). By the time I got to the first pass, clouds obscured Fitz Roy and the mountains across the icefield, which was still breathtaking. The pass had both quite windy spots and windless spots and some flats, so in good weather might be ok for camping, but hard to say. Traversing to the second pass, you actually mostly go through a valley partly (?) formed by ancient morraines, so most of the time, the icefield is hidden. I think there are places for pitching a tent, though not really between water at 35 and the second pass - anyway, the place around refugio is the most shletered. There used to be a campsite right after the second pass, but the PDF says you should not use it. Going further down is indeed very steep. There are now handy ropes attached to trees at places. The trail is badly eroded and slippery, would be indeed annoying when muddy. Darkness fell on me there and I still did not bother with a headlamp, but this is indeed the most demanding part of the whole trail. It is demanding also for GPT standards (the rest of the circuit is easy). Once you get down, it is flat and you can camp in many places, which I did.<br /> <br /> The next day there were about 15 people, three of which went clockwise, so it is done even if the Park does not like it (it normally seem to have no presence on the trail itself). This time I waited the queue for the zipline to actually try using it. I think the river was fordable there. It was definitely fordable 200-300 metres downstream (there is a diversion), where it widens and branches in the delta. The rest of the trail was uneventful.<br /> <br /> It is indeed a nice end to the GPT. I did not expect to finish the Main route (minus 23-31) this year, so yay! The El Viento shop (49.3229571S, 72.8940188W) is on the other side of the town (2 km) to the Park office and charged me for three days even though I finished the circuit in 48 hours - it was 5-6 USD per day. In retrospect, I would not bother with the harness. I met a guy who went without because he could not rent one - I was given the last one they had available and it was too big for me by far. Should the second river prove unfordable, people would probably borrow you theirs, it seems one set is usually carried per group and passed over using the thin rope - at least on the second crossing, the thin rope is there permanently so I am not sure what would the thin rope be for anyway.<br /> <br /> I still hated El Chalten (too many tourists, really bad 4g internet [apparently everybody in town shares one connection, unless I was wrongly informed] - if you stay overnight, usually in such situations it starts working well some time after midnight when everybody sleeps -, really pricy produce and very mediocre meal in one of the restaurants; Villa O'Higgins has a much nicer feel), so I hopped on a bus (3h) to El Calafate at 18h for about 22 USD. It goes also in the morning and around noon. There is also a 130 USD 28h (I think) bus to Bariloche at 14:00 and at 21:00. From El Calafate, there are connections to Ushuaia (this one not sure), Puerto Natales and Punta Arenas (at 3 AM and change in the middle about 40 USD, a bit cheaper if you have cash) and Buenos Aires. I don't have my ticket back yet and flying directly from El Calafate would be very expensive, prices from Punta Arenas were the cheapest. Bye!<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-16 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Charlie Gardner'''<br /> <br /> What an outstanding hike. This is definitely such an incredible way to either begin/end the main route of the GPT. We did it in the classic 4 days which was fairly chill. <br /> <br /> Day 1 - <br /> Pretty straightforward day. Hike starts with a nice climb that takes you eventually into the surrounding forests. Great views of Lago Viedma from the top and a nice lunch spot. We started very late in the day and the sun was BEATING, could recommend and earlier start to avoid this. Don’t forget to check in with rangers before leaving! Quick form you have to fill out. Hang your food at Toro campsite, we saw a few mice running around. <br /> <br /> Day 2 - <br /> Winds were crazy in the valley when we woke up. Many hikers were considering bailing on the hike due to worries of what Paso del viento would hold but the they calmed down around 930-10 and most pushed on. There’s an alternative route across the rivers that funnel into Laguna Tunel o Toro that we thought we’d check out as a few kairns led that way but they were far too strong to cross when we went that way. Ended up having a route find a bit and scramble up an alternative route after this lake, definitely recommend staying as close to route as possible here. Trail opens up again after you make it over. Tyrolean was short, didn’t look like anyone tried to ford the river here but it was definitely doable. Get to tyrolean early if you want to avoid waiting. The glacier route required a bit of route finding as well at points but isn’t anything crazy. Boulders and rocks can be loose at times though. Maybe we got lucky but paso del viento was quiet when we got to the top. Outstanding views! Short walk to camp after the descent from Viento. 8 of us slept in the shelter at paso del viento Camp as winds picked up considerably overnight. Was definitely glad for the protection but there were definitely mice scurrying around. <br /> <br /> Day 3 - <br /> Definitely recommend an earlyish start this day. The climb up to paso Huemul is not as hard as paso del viento but the decent afterwards is just ridiculous. If you have bad knees, it’s more of a controlled fall on some sections. Gravel is extremely loose and it is VERY steep. Thankfully, there are a fair amount of the roots and trees to grab hold up but this was definitely an annoying decent especially at the end of the Day 3. Many tried Bahia de Los témpanos camp but we decided to push on to Bahia de Hornos. An hour later, everyone else showed up at this camp as they said the other one did not have sufficient shelter from wind and was fairly dusty. Hornos ended up being lovely after winds calmed down and sound got lower. Would probably filter water here if possible, lots of cows nearby and water is fairly foggy. <br /> <br /> Day 4 - <br /> Final day was straightforward but definitely longer than expected. Would definitely recommend leaving early to be first at the tyrolean again. Be careful with the safety rope, ours broke halfway while pulling bags across and we had to send a person across without the pulley. <br /> <br /> Enjoy, this hike rocks!<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb- 05 to 2024-Feb-08/ 4 days/hiking/SOBO/40/RR/Paulina'''<br /> <br /> Absolutely beautiful section! Very various<br /> <br /> Day 1 I left very late ( 4 pm) because the wind was extremely strong earlier, but it is an easy day, about 9 I was at the camping Lago Toro. The way was most of the time well marked, after the rain the meadows can be very wet I think. Once you are in the valley of Lago Toro, there are some easy river crossing. The campground is well protected from the wind, the water is nearby. To grab a better spot for tent, don't come too late, when I was there, the camping was almost full.<br /> <br /> Day 2 For me it was the most beautiful day, in a good weather , the views on the glaciers are amasing. So yes, it's really worth to wait fot a good weather for this day ( and the next one too). This day you will need also to consult sometimes the trails on GPS. At the end of the lake, there are some cairns, don't follow them, just follow the trail on gps which goes up. A lot of people missed up there and instead to follow na easy and safe trail, they climbed unecessary some rocks. The tiroliene didn't seems.difficult, The only think is that when we were there, the thin rope was not attached to the tyroliene and it was not easy to pull the tiroliene at the beginning. So, take a thin rope to attach the tirolien because the one which was there was all missed up. It's ok if you have one hardness for a group, it's easy to send it back. As all the people from the camping left around the same hour, to avaoil the linę to the tiroliene, we just crossed the river a bit farther, the level was not too high. Later, a nice path will take you to the glacier and you will not see anymore the trail ( only cairns sometimes). If you follow GPS trail, it should be ok. At the glacier, just walk on the eadge of the glacier at first, and later on rocks which are close from the glacier. There is also an upper trail, some people followed this one but were complaining that it was hard ( a lot of ...stones.). One you are at the end of the glacier, go up, there are several trails, but all of them are ok. The views from the pass area are just amasing, so yes, wsit for the good weather because it would be a pity not to see all these glaciers. The trail to the rodugio is easy to follow, mostly descent. At the camping there are about 5 spots with stonewall protection. It's a windy area, so it's better to grab a good spot. Also, there is place for about 8 person in the rodugio.<br /> <br /> Day 3 Another beautiful day. Well marked all the time, most of the time easy way. The ascent to the pass is short and rather pleasent. Very, very windy at the end of the ascend ( even if it was not a windy day), so I can't imagine how windy it is with a worse weather. About ,30 min from the pass, a steep ascend starts. When it's wet, can be difficult. So also, better to have good, dry day for this descent. I would recommand to camp at Bahia Tempanos, well wind protected and beautiful views on icebergs, and a Perfect spot for sunrise.<br /> <br /> Day 4 Rather easy day. The landscape changes a lot comparing to previous days, but it's still very beautiful, especially views on Lago de Vuelta. The tiroliene is very easy.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-15 / 3 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Tom Pieper'''<br /> <br /> Not much to add. As the others mentioned a must do! When I started, there were indeed not that many people as weather forecast was not that good for the 'classic' 4 day itinerary. I was fine doing it in 3 days. The bivouack after Glaciar Rio Tunel Inferior only has space for 3 tents. You find additional protected spots 5 minutes beyond at the lake. If you fear glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) there are also some elevated spots there.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-06 to 2024-Jan-08 / 2.5 days / Hiking / anticlockwise / RR / Stiina &amp; Kris'''<br /> <br /> We started around noon on day 1 and hiked to the bivouack after Glaciar Rio Tunel Inferior at km (km 21.2). We walked acrosse the glacier to avoid the moraine, no crampons needed. The bivouack was extremely windy at night but still a bit protected, lots of big rocks to help with staking the tent down. There are also a few rock walls built.<br /> <br /> On day 2 we hiked over Paso Viento (which was very windy indeed; we also had rain, hail and snow) and down the other side. Once we got lower down we got out of the cloud and the weather was very pleasant. We didn't have much of the view over the glacier to the North but saw the end that descended towards Lago Viedma. The Paso Huemul was also extremely windy but at least it was sunny. The descent through the forest after the pass is really steep, with loose gravel/sand and lots of tree roots - be extremely careful here! The official campsites at the bay and peninsula were full so we continued until km45.2 where there is a nice windprotected campsite shown on OSM. Ford at 44.2 is completely dried out, but at 45.5 the stream is flowing.<br /> <br /> On day 3 we hiked back into El Chalten by lunch, it was a very windy day. When we reached the tyrolean at km54 (which is waymarked as a bridge for some reason?) there were about 15 people in the line so we decided to ford the river about 30m upstream. We went 3 people in a line formation, the first person had water up to the waist, the last just below hips. At km62, where you need to climb below a fence just before joining the road, pay attention to the small holes in the sandy banks: those are armadillo burrows, you might see one if lucky!<br /> <br /> * '''From 2023-12-26 to 2023-12-28 //3 days // Hiking // NOBO // Anticlockwise // Quentin Clavel'''<br /> <br /> Even if there's lot of people (around 15/20 departure per days at this time of the season), this section is in my opinion absolutely amazing ! The view on the icefield is outstanding ! I mostly followed the track, except on day two, where I continue to explore the surrounding of the Laguna de Los Esquies. Happy to be totally alone there, in front of this outstanding view. Hypnotic ! (It's almost the same that you can see at paso del viento, but closer to the icefield, and more chance to be by yourself here.<br /> <br /> You have to rent harnais in El Chaltén and pass threw two zip lines. That was very fun !<br /> <br /> I had a looooot of wind at paso del viento and paso del huemul. Reminds me tierra del fuego ! Could be very surprising as it's unpredictable squalls and so powerful ! <br /> <br /> The downhill after paso del huemul Is not funny as it's very slippery. Just have to take the time to be even more careful. <br /> <br /> Views along the whole trek are absolutely stunning ! A must do ! <br /> <br /> * '''2023-11-21 to 2023-11-26 / 5 days / RR / SOBO / anticlockwise / Anh'''<br /> <br /> GPT40 is no longer remote, there are 20 hikers on the trail every day.<br /> The trail is not marked, but not difficult to follow. No real river crossing necessary, there was always aid available. Snowfields are easy to cross.<br /> <br /> Day 1: a little muddy, but easy to walk.<br /> <br /> Day 2: Tyrolean Traverse is no fun as you have to pull yourself uphill. Alternative is an easy river crossing (knee deep, 10:00 AM good weather). 1km after that you can walk between RR or on the glacier (see presentation link at the end of this page). On the glacier trail you come back directly on the mountain of the same height. After the Paso del Viento (700m uphill in 6km, windy &amp; cold) I leave GPT40 and walk to Campamento Laguna de Los Esquies to get a bit closer to the glacier. The path is difficult to find as there are many snowfields (without footprints) in between. But I am alone at the glacier lake.<br /> <br /> Day 3: Mostly with CC back to GPT40 to Paso del Viento Camp<br /> <br /> Day 4: Shortly after windy Passo Huemul is time consuming downhill (500Hm in 1km). The trail is very slippery (in sunny weather) &amp; there is hardly any grip for the next step, take time for this part.<br /> <br /> Day 5: very easy trail &amp; Tyrolean Traverse is really fun (downhill zipline). Alternative river crossing is not easy (strong, 12:00 AM good weather).<br /> <br /> * '''2023-12-01 to 2023-12-04 / 4 days / Hiking / RR counterclockwise/ Fangwen &amp; Tobi'''<br /> <br /> Amazing section. We did the recommended 4 day itinerary (together with about 20 other hikers). A few points to add to the existing comments here: first, there was a lot of really wet grasslands, especially on day 1 (at least when we did it, early December). Accept your fate and live with wet feet (and bring extra socks if you can). Second, the four day itinerary makes use of the best-sheltered campsites. Other campsites may offer less protection. Note that even if the Park Rangers say conditions are good, you might encounter very strong winds in many areas. Third, if you want to extend the (somewhat short) days a bit, you can hike to the viewpoint Loma del Pliegue on day 1, on the ridge just above the campsite on day 2 (nice to watch the sunset), and to the aptly named mirador del cóndor next to Huemul pass on day 3. On day 3, it's best not to arrive too late to the very scenic Bahia de los Témpanos camp, since space is limited. Lastly, the descent from the huemul pass on day 3 is indeed a bit tricky, especially if you were to go in wet conditions.<br /> <br /> One warning regarding water at the campsites: despite the park information claiming that the water is potable, we would recommend taking some care to get clean drinking water. On day 1, there is an excellent little stream 400m past the campsite. On day 2, take water from a little side stream ~600m before the campsite. The lack of the toilet means that the water from the river flowing into the lake is likely not safe to consume. Similarly on day 3, it is highly recommended to fill up plenty of water at the little waterfall at the end of the steep downhill section before going into camp. The lack of a toilet means that the water there is also unsafe to drink. Furthermore, next to the campsite is a carcass of a recently deceased cow. If the first three days gave you the impression that there is plenty of clean drinking water available during the day, be aware that this is not true of day 4. There is only one good looking stream, roughly at km52, and all the water will require treatment (we saw another three cow carcasses nearby the trail on day 4). Don't worry too much about this, if you plan ahead and think a bit about where to get the water, then it's no issue at all. Enjoy this excellent adventure!<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Apr-08 to 2023-Apr-11 / 4 days / RR / SOBO / Arthur, Rémi, Noé &amp; Louis'''<br /> <br /> Such a wonderful section ! One of our favorite ! Incredible views on the glaciers, with autumn's colors it was amazing !<br /> <br /> It is recommended by the guardaparques to have good weather on day 2 and 3 (for the passes), no cloud and no wind for us : perfect.<br /> <br /> We rented 1 harness for the 2 zip lines (day 2 and 4). 1 harness per group is sufficient but you have to rent a thin rope too in case the one in the pulley is broken. It is really worth it because the feeling is so good ! (We rented at Viento Oeste, north of San Martin street, the cheapest according to a friend).<br /> <br /> The thin rope is very helpful to suspend all your bags and things in camps. You have to do it because mice are at every camp and the will destroy your bag, your tent or whatever has food inside. This is the only annoying point of this section.<br /> <br /> About the trail : easy to follow, except when you have to walk on the glacier on day 2, it can be a bit challenging. Take care, do not go if there is fresh snow all over the glacier.<br /> <br /> The way down the paso Huemul on day 3 is very steep too.<br /> <br /> Do not forget to register online with the guardaparques (and to check out when you return !).<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Mar-30 to 2023-Apr-01 / 3 days / El Chaltén counter clockwise / Anna &amp; Christopher'''<br /> <br /> We did the Huemul Circuit in 3 days. We started around 9 a.m. planning to camp at the Biwak Túnel the first night. The weather turned out to be so nice that we decided to continue and do the Paso del Viento the first day.<br /> <br /> The trail until the first Tyrolean traverse was really good even though it was partially covered in snow. We crossed the river easily by foot.<br /> After that the trail up to the pass gets more demanding and slower. Once you reach the Glaciar Túnel Inferior navigation gets more difficult. There are different paths and we firstly followed one going up and down on the gravel. It's probably easier to take the path on the glacier from the beginning on. We reached the pass at sunset and had an absolutely amazing view.<br /> <br /> We decided to camp at the end of Laguna Ferrari (to avoid the mice problem at the main campsites). The path to the lake was demanding, because the slope was covered with lot of snow and it was dark. At the campsite there are lots of well protected spots for tents.<br /> <br /> The next day we slept pretty long to recover from the previous big day and with better weather than anticipated we walked until km 39.3.<br /> There are two really good camping spots, one at the edge of the trees and one inside the small forest. No mice there.<br /> <br /> The steep trail down wasn't super easy and must be hard during rain. The second river crossing at km 54 was much more demanding. We crossed it further east of the Tyrolean, where the river divides in multiple branches. There the water went below Annas hips (1,63m). We walked to the viewpoint at km 62.4. Lots of people watched the sunset there with a great view of Fitz Roy and it was easy to get a ride for the last 2 km to El Chaltén.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Mar-10 to 2023-Mar-13 / 4 days / RR / SOBO / El Chaltén anticlockwise / Ondrej '''<br /> <br /> I had the luxury of being able to wait for a good weather window and it really payed out. My hike was easy with magnificent views when climbing up to Paso del Viento. I even had a tranquil lunch at the top. The glacier walk and the snowy peaks are stunning.<br /> <br /> However, I believe gpt40 can turn into hell in windy weather or if camping outside the wind-sheltered camps. I met several people in El Chaltén who had to turn back because the wind didn’t let them climb up to the pass. One couple also had their tent teared apart in the middle of the night at Bahía de Hornos. If you can, avoid camping there for the last night. Instead, camp at Bahía de Tempános which offers far better wind protection.<br /> <br /> I enjoyed the recommended 4 day length. Each day section took me around 5-6 hours of walking. I believe that especially Day 1 and 2 could be combined into one (El Chaltén - Refugio del Viento) if the weather is favourable.<br /> <br /> Mice seem to be present at all of the official camps - best is to hang your food, cooking utensils and hygienne stuff on a tree away from your tent and avoid eating in your tent. I did that and had no problems with the animals, while some of my companions got holes bitten into their tents and other stuff. <br /> <br /> I rented harness and carabiniers for the tyrollean traverse at Viento Oeste. The traverse was fun to use and I was happy that I didn’t need to ford the cold rivers. Recommended!<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Mar-06 to 2023-Mar-07 / 2 days / Laguna Toro out and back / Will'''<br /> <br /> This is a tough one, I didn't make it. I waited out a few rainy days in town until the park office told me we had a good two day window. <br /> <br /> I spent the first night at Laguna Toro. Be careful of mice there. Quite a bit of rain and snow, but still too warm for the snow to stay on the ground. The next day we (25 or so tourists) set out to attempt the pass. <br /> <br /> I crossed the river on foot right by the zip line, the water was below my knees at noon. Painfully cold though. I climbed up until I got a view of the first glacier at which point the wind was too strong for me to trust my footing. I went back to the first camp planning to wait and try again the next day.<br /> <br /> Just after setting up the wind tore down a big green tree branch, which crushed and ripped my tent. Thankfully I wasn't inside. Walked back to El Chaltén in defeat.<br /> <br /> I guess that's the end of my GPT hike. It's been amazing, other than the miserable weather down here in the south!<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Feb-21 to 2023-Feb-24 / 4 days / GPT40 RR counter clockwise / Véronica &amp; Zach'''<br /> <br /> Route: Centro de Visitantes - Laguna Toro - Paso del Viento - Paso Huemul - Bahía de los Témpanos - Centro de Visitantes <br /> <br /> We hiked the Huemul Circuit in 4 days as recommended by the Park officials. You could do it in less, but it is so beautiful and it was nice not to rush and to take it all in. The park staff also informed us of the expected weather conditions. You only really need favourable weather on the 2d and 3d day, going over the two passes. It was extremely windy when we went, knocking me off my feet at times. <br /> <br /> I enjoyed having my microspikes for the crossing of Glaciar Túnel, allowing me to explore a bit further up on the ice, but they are not necessary. From the top of Paso Del Viento, the view of the Southern Patagonian Icefield is awe-inspiring, but there are no good sheltered spots at or near the top to pause and admire the view for very long before the descent. <br /> <br /> The Paso del Viento Camp (second night) is the most exposed of the camps, the tent sites are semi-protected by low rock walls, and some are better than others. The trail is easy to follow and is well-marked. <br /> <br /> We rented harnesses and cord for the Tyrolean traverses from the gear shop Viento Oeste, at 1,400 pesos per person per day. The cord was 250 extra pesos per day. It was fairly straightforward to figure out how the cable crossings worked. The first crossing of Río Túnel on day 2 seemed fordable, but not the second one on day 4. That Tyrolean traverse also did not have a rope to pull the pulley back, so we were glad to have one. <br /> <br /> This is the link to register for the trek online: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfP8lEz5ry97gEK6fzx2mlu1NAhPwBx8cRlnSZOH8mx8iUMHA/viewform<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Unknown / Helen and Craig'''<br /> <br /> Big forest fire around the 3rd bay near iceberg bay. Circuit was closed for a bit. Unsure on how well it's recovering. Have a chat with the rangers before leaving.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-08 / Alexis, Iris'''<br /> <br /> Same as below, follow the trail when it differs from the trace. <br /> Beware that on Day 2, the Paso del Viento can be very windy and you should check the weather forecast before leaving.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-04 to 2023-Jan-07 / 4 days / Helen and Craig (plus 8 trail friends!) Gabby, James, Hannah, Jess, Julia, Jacob, Caro and Ali.'''<br /> <br /> Trail was very easy to find.<br /> <br /> Wind guru was for us completely unreliable. Very strong winds to the point of blowing us off path for minutes at a time whilst predictions were minimal forecast. Heed advice from rangers.<br /> <br /> First river crossing was impassable. Worth bringing harnesses for zipline (worth it for the fun)<br /> The far far end of el chalten there's a shop called vende oste where we found good rates of hiring harnesses.<br /> <br /> If it's windy on the 3rd day pitch up in the iceberg bay bivi site rather than the second site. We stopped earlier than the rest of the gang due to being a bit tired. We had very peaceful night in strong winds where friends at the next site a hellish night. Iceberg bay was also my number one campsite of all GPT40-30! Watching icebergs flip to the sunset after a long dusty day of slipping sliding and being gusted off the path by winds on the mornings pass. This place is a true refuge for the soul.<br /> <br /> Ferry not running so not many options to hitchhike back to chalten for last part of last day. The liberal use of gaiters on trainers also recommend. Lots of spiky grass seeds and burrs on last days<br /> <br /> Very much worth the wait for a weather window. Incredibly diverse veiws. The glacier walk was a one of kind! Veiws of the ice field kinder the feeling of being about a small at a ant.<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-15 / 3 days / RR anticlockwise / Frank'''<br /> <br /> Watch video of the hike @ national park office. Bring a harness &amp; learn how to do a Tyrolean traverse before you go (the NP video is useful for this) Where the trail differs from the track file it's easier to follow the trail which is generally good &amp; clear. You are required to register online for the trek (link given by Veronica &amp; Zach) &amp; sign out at the national park office when you are finished.<br /> <br /> The river above Laguna Toro was waist deep &amp; v fast, it nearly knocked me over. Not recommended to cross in the afternoon. In the early morning it may be only knee deep. Bring the harness anyway &amp; learn how to use it, you may need it. On the glacier stay near the edge, people tend to go too far out. At the far side you should see footprints &amp; cairns leading to the moraine. Camped @ small high camp just after exiting the moraine (Vivac Tunel) There are a few stone corrals there. Lined the tent with rocks - pegs alone will pop. Good &amp; sheltered camping @ Laguna Toro &amp; after Paso del Viento @ Refuge but I went from Vivac Tunel over Pasos Viento &amp; Huemul in 1 long day. Only a little snow @ Paso del Viento &amp; easy to cross. Very windy on Paso Huemul in the afternoon. Steep &amp; loose descent, slow going but I saw 2 huemul. Amazing views of the Icecap between the two passes. Campsite @ Iceberg Bay one of the best on GPT. You can watch the bergs that calve off the icefield breaking up. At lower Rio Tunel we forded 300M downstream from the cable where the river is braided into channels. OK to cross @ noon, knee deep &amp; fast but you need to pick a good spot. Definitely not fordable @ the cable where it runs deep in a single channel. Challenging hike but incredible views of the Icecap.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Feb-02 / 2 days / Tom and Maddie'''<br /> <br /> 2 days anticlockwise. Trail is easy to follow. Talk to the rangers and they can let you know about any issues. Would be tough in bad weather but in clear weather there are no issues. For the glacier walk we were told to enter the glacier just after the beginning and to exit just after the end. I suspect due to the increased popularity a new route has been made in sections so follow the trail markers which divert from the GPX route. <br /> <br /> We hired harnesses in El Chalten for the river crossings. We crossed the first on foot in the morning and had no issues. The second one we crossed using the equipment for the novelty but the river looked fine to cross further down. However I can see the river being hard to cross in high levels of rain. <br /> <br /> This was a very beautiful section and very different to the northern sections.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-12 / 4 days / Oreste Marquis'''<br /> <br /> Did the trek counterclockwise wich is the only way to do it rangers say. You need to register to do this trek and guardaparques vive great advises. I crossed the rivers by foot and they were pretty hard, I recommand using the zipline. Awesome views with good weather, but the wind is really annoying! The campgrounds rangers told me to camp weren’t the ones on the trackfiles, but are pretty close to them so they are not hard to find. Great experience !!<br /> <br /> Verify the wind forecast! The hills are so steep, strong wind could be dangerous! There’s no snow anymore and you will not need crampons.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec / 3 days / Matthieu '''<br /> <br /> We did it in December with good weather, in 3 days ( instead of the 4 recommended, 2 first days in one big day). Awesome trekk and views. It is better to register first at the guardaparques office. <br /> <br /> Trekk easy to follow excepted on the walk on the glaciar before the paso del viento (a little one, not the Viedma). During this walk, I would not advise to try to walk by the wall of mud and rocks at the left of the glaciar, it is a steepy way and everything slips, we tried it and went on the ice after. The little walk on the ice just near didn´t feel unsafe to me, with the little rocks it doesn't really slip.<br /> <br /> Good camping sites, well protected from the weather conditions. <br /> <br /> The last downhill after the paso de Huemul is the most dangerous part, very steepy but with trees to hang for help. I would advise to do this part with good weather conditions, with mud it could be dangerous. <br /> <br /> For the rivercrossings (2 real ones) there is one way walking and one way with tyrolean on a zip Line. We did it with with the tyrolean, and it was extremly funny. Rental of material possible in El chalten. Of course you have to know how to insure yourself good, so inform yourself before going, it is not hard to understand though, but extremely dangerous if not done well. None of us had experience with it before. <br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-18 / Arnaud et Adriane'''<br /> <br /> After we have taken the information at the national parc office, we only had 2 days of correct weather. So we decided not to walk the entire section but to go only to the paso del viento to get the view on the campo de hielo (glaciar viedma), following the advises of the guardaparques.<br /> <br /> I think it is the highlight of the section but not sure since I have never walked it entirely.<br /> <br /> On the first day we also took the time to walk to the summit of the cerro loma del pliegue tumbado (1500m of height). It offers an amazing view on the fitz roy and on the cerro torre, the 2 rockstars of El Chalten.<br /> <br /> On the second day we went to el Paso del Viento. The view there on the campo de hielo is absolutely fascinating. The hike is very tough but is absolutely worth the effort. You walk on a glaciar during 2kms but no equipment or particular skill is needed. It was very very very windy (and happily it was a quiet day I do not imagine on other day).<br /> <br /> Day 1 : El Chalten-cerro loma del pliegue tumbado-laguna torro : 27km with big elevation gain (around 1700m)<br /> Day 2 : laguna toro - paso del viento - laguna toro : 18km.<br /> Day 3 : back to El Chalten : 17km.<br /> <br /> I definitely recomand to follow the guardaparques advises and pay a huge attention to the weather. On this section with a bad weather and a strong wind I think it is dangerous to try to walk it entirely. And if it is cloudy, you will miss amazing views.<br /> <br /> The riverford after the laguna toro was easy on the way to the paso del viento (on the morning) but very dangerous on the way back (on the afternoon with all the gletchers melting I think). The worst we've done yet.<br /> If you intend to get back after the paso del viento I advise to get equipment to be able to use the zip line that has been settled by the guardaparques. It us much more secured than crossing the river on the afternoon.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Nov-6 / Lea Geibel, Kevin Moe /7'''<br /> <br /> Equipment for Zip Line to cross rivers is not required anymore since this season.<br /> <br /> Most of the season the rivers are possible to cross on foot<br /> <br /> Paso Viedma had a decent amount of snow on it (Snow Line at 1000m), the ascent is straightforward but the descent on the side facing the ice field can be really iced over and difficult without crampons (ask at Visitor Center of the NP for current conditions)<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Nov-4 / 4 days / regular hiking route / counter-clockwise / Lea Geibel, Kevin Moe '''<br /> <br /> Beautiful hike in good weather! Great views of the ice sheet and mountains from Paso Del Viento. Highly recommend waiting for clear weather so you don't miss the scenery! We went up right after a big storm. The trail was a bit muddy up to the Laguna Torro, and the lee of the pass had a decent amount of snow. The windward side was pretty icy and more difficult than the snow. The next day we took a detour and cut cross country to walk on the Campo De Hielo Sur. Our route took a bit of steep scrambling to get down to it and back up around Paso De Huemul, and there were lots of open crevasses on the ice, so it would be good to have some experience and navigation skills if you want to do the same. Dropping down Paso Huemul on the trail was steep and a knee killer, and from Lago Viedma we had a hard time staying on the right trail amidst all the cow path, but aside from a few spiky bushes it's easy to cut cross country. Unnecessary to use the zip lines this year to cross the rivers. You have to camp only in the designated campsites.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2018/19==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2017/18==<br /> * '''Route description by Kara Davis after Season 2017/18'''<br /> <br /> Notes to consider before beginning: GPT40 is more popularly known as the Huemul Circuit, a 57-kilometer trek in El Parque Nacional Los Glaciares. Before embarking, the national park guard requires that every hiker obtain a permit, bring required safety gear, and watch a slideshow about the circuit. The safety gear consists of a harness, 2 carabiners (one steel and one aluminum), slings, and 35 m of rope. Most of this gear can be rented at any outfitter in town, but due to liability reasons, the outfitters won’t rent rope. We went to the local ferretería to purchase this. All of this gear is used for two river crossings on zip lines. <br /> <br /> We were told that the rangers required hikers to bring their safety gear to the station before a permit would be issued. I would recommend that anyone who wants to do this circuit go to the rangers station the day before to watch the video and get any other necessary information about weather, conditions, etc. Since rentals can get expensive, renting the same day you leave and then going to the rangers station to show them your safety gear and get a permit seems to be the best course of action. The guard station is located on the south side of the Río Fitz Roy just across the bridge. <br /> <br /> Most people hike the circuit clockwise (as the slideshow recommends). The trail begins just behind the rangers station and ascends up gentle grassy hills. It is fairly flat and well maintained. After passing Laguna Túnel o Tore, the trail deviates from the GPS route and loops to the first crossing of the Río Túnel on a zip line. During low water, it is possible to cross this river on foot by following the GPS track. After crossing the river, the trail climbs steeply to just above Glaciar Río Túnel Inferior. Along the south side of the glacier, the trail becomes hard to follow as it disappears in loose moraine. Walking on the edge of the glacier may be easier than trying to pick your way across the steep slope but be careful doing this. <br /> <br /> After passing the glacier, follow maintained switchbacks up the side of the mountain towards Paso del Viento, the high point of the circuit. For the next 20 km, expect amazing views of Glacier Viedma. I cannot speak to the quality of the trail descending from the pass because of the blanketing snowpack that was present during our trek, but the sections where the snow did melt looked maintained. There is a small refugio, Refugio Paso del Viento located at a pond about 3.5 km from Paso Viento. <br /> <br /> After passing the refugio, the trail contours and then climbs to Paso Huemul. Make sure to look back and enjoy the last view of Glacier Viedma. The descent is very steep and at one point there is even a rope to downclimb. There are also plenty of woody bushes (manzanita?) to cling to as you lower yourself down the trail. After completing the descent, the trail is straightforward and easygoing. There is camping on the beach at the peninsula, Camping Bahía de Hornos. There is one more river crossing with a zip line at the lower Río Túnel, and from there it is easy walking to the end!<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> 2023: There is a bus every evening at 8PM from El Chalten to Los Antiguos, arriving at about 7AM. The bus continues to Esquel, El Bolson &amp; Bariloche. From Los Antiguos you can go by local taxi or hitch to the border &amp; Chile Chico (there is no longer a bus across the border) There is also a bus once a day from Los Antiguos to El Chalten.<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> *2023 / Anh<br /> It’s possible to hike alone, you just have to make registration online before and after:<br /> [[Registration|https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfP8lEz5ry97gEK6fzx2mlu1NAhPwBx8cRlnSZOH8mx8iUMHA/viewform]]<br /> <br /> *2023 / Arthur, Rémi, Noé &amp; Louis<br /> Do not forget to register online with the guardaparques (and to check out when you return !).<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT40 - Glaciar Viedma]]<br /> <br /> *2023 / Anh<br /> InReach from ranger: pls ask the ranger the current phone number and email for inReach.<br /> <br /> You don’t have to watch video in ranger station anymore, they have new presentation:<br /> [[Presentation |https://drive.google.com/file/u/0/d/1U_Wp46EDCLM_yFlSgXdfyxZYnMFHTLlN/view?pli=1]]<br /> <br /> =Images=</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT38_(Glaciar_Chico)&diff=120092 2025-02-09T23:01:08Z

<p>MiaimZelt: /* Season 2024/25 */</p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;packrafting&quot;, as above):<br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD, WHAT IS ENCLOSED IN &lt;&gt; MAKES IT BLUE):<br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/nowiki&gt;.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Overview=<br /> <br /> == Notes ==<br /> '''Note: the section was significantly redone around October 2024, so references to trails codes before that time are probably wrong.'''<br /> [Tomáš]: Previously, the route initially followed the MR that goes to the Argentinian border before taking what is now RH-TL-V {38} [20.2/57.1+15.2] and RH-TL-V {38} [21.8/27.2+9.3], before crossing into Argentina over the pass near Refugio Diablo and then the option now called 39-01 that follows down along Rio Diablo to the Argentinian border control. See Anh's story below on how he was searched for when he took this alternative. However, later Tomáš alone and Juliette and Martin together managed to follow the original regular route without major issues. It seems it is still ok if you stamp your passport one day at the Chilian border control and the next day at the Argentinian ones, but more datapoints are needed. [Roman]: This must be checked if this is possible see comments: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/14tQ2XaaqZ/<br /> <br /> Don Ricardo at Candelario Mancilla (WhatsApp +56 9 9126 7007) is very friendly and can help with logistics. Don Lucho at Ventisquero Chico can be a bit more difficult to interact with, and he currently appears to charge CLP 20.000 per person for the ferry back and forth the river (quadrupeling the price in one season). <br /> <br /> Written by Tobi in Dec 2024, please keep edit this and keep it up to date.<br /> <br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> *'''2025-Jan-31 to 2025-Feb-03 / 4 days Hiking / SOBO/ RH + RP to Viewpoint {38} [35.5/874] + OH 08l/ MiaimZelt'''<br /> <br /> Summary: my favorite section so far, can really recommend to do GPT 38, although it's a detour. All trails did not present major difficulties. Especially the Peninsula La Carmela was awesome - i highly recommend to visit!<br /> <br /> Day 1: Bypassed the Carabinieros on the OH 08l directly from the Campground. Didn't want to waste time in the queue. The OH was nice to hike, good trail until you reach a swamp. There the good trail continues on the other side, but hikers need to go around on small animal trails. The trail up to the pass is easy to follow and in good condition. Sometimes the ground is wet, but not too bad. Ford {38} [6.8/556] was below knee and easy. Ford {38} [12.0/967] was half calf, Ford {38} [12.5/1005] can be crossed dry on rocks. The way down is easy until it leaves the forest. The last part down is partly overgrown and the gps is necessary. Directly continued with the trail to Mirador Marconi, but pitched my tent after 1h in the forest. <br /> <br /> Day 2: Several streams provide water and many options to pitch a tent in sheltered locations. Was rainy when i reached Mirador Marconi. Continued a bit on 04A, to reach the best viewpoint. Very impressive view at Glacier Chico! The trail from my camp 'til there was mostly easy to follow, but the part with many streams was not always straight forward. <br /> Before you reach Ford {38} [40.1/994] (dry crossing on rocks), the GPT leads you through a marshy area. I prefered to bypass most of the wetland in the open forest or on dry ground next to it. <br /> <br /> On my way back i met Anna and Josef, other GPT hikers. They have met Don Lucho at the puesto and had arranged a transfer to the Peninsula for the next day at 8am. We spend the night together 200m from Settler {38} [27.0/261] (Estancia Ventisquiero Chico, abandoned ?) - not abandoned, it belongs to Don Lucho and his son! <br /> <br /> Day 3: Easy hike to Ferry, Port {38} [25.0/259] (Desague Lago Chico). Son David brought us to the other side with a rowing boat. It's 20.000 CLP per person there and back. The trail to Viewpoint {38} [35.5/874] is easy, but a GPS is recommended because several animal trails are present. The view at Glacier O'Higgins is even better than Mirador Marconi, truely special scenery. I very much recommend to visit the Peninsula. It's definately worth the effort and the money. The investment in the settler's is a very good one! Hard to understand, why only few tourists visit this spot. <br /> Unfortunately weather was not good: rain showers and strong winds. Was glad to get back to camp, to warm up in the sleeping bag. Camped at the same spot like Day 2. <br /> <br /> Day 4: Backtracked on the same route like on day 1. Together with fresh snow on the mountain tops, the views were even more beautiful. Camped at Candelario Mansilla at Ricardo's place, which i highly recommend. 10.000CLP/person with hot shower and good WiFi.<br /> <br /> Next day i took Ricardo's Taxi to the argentinian border. It's 10k/person with at least 3 people. 30k solo. From there it was 1h easy walk to the argentinian Carabinieros. <br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2025-Jan-18 to 2025-Jan-21 / 4 / &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / SOBO (clockwise)/ RR + RP + RH + Variant H + Option 01 + GPT-37H-08I/ Roman'''<br /> <br /> <br /> Route: Arrived at 08:00 at Candelario Mancilla with the ferry. Took the RR to X {38-01} [0.0/593] from there followed RP to GPT38-H end. There took Variant H to reach the shore of Lago Chico. Packrafted to Port, Lake {38} [49.1/391] (Glaciar Chico) via RP. From there followed Option 01 until the end at Settler {38} [23.5/261] (Estancia Ventisquiero Chico, abandoned ?). Packrafted Rio Chico. Hiked the same way back via RP and RR with GPT-37H-08I to Settler {38-A} [0.5/310]. Took the car to Border, Pass {38-01} [8.2/687] and hiked RR to Border Control AR {38} [48.0/514]. [Map of the route: https://imgur.com/a/Kjnkw4p]<br /> <br /> <br /> Weather: Sunny little wind on day 1. Sunny and close to no wind on day 2. Day 3 rain until noon after that cloudy. Day 4 cloudy little wind.<br /> <br /> Details: I arrived at 07:45 with the ferry from Lago o Higgins and started hiking right away without collecting a stamp as the Border crossing must have happen at the same say (see comments: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/17fh9huMTn/ / i also edited the note of the article). I met at the end people who informed the Gendarmerie about they're trip - they took fotos and some information. I haven't done it. Hiking up the road is easy. The trial starts at X {38-01} [0.0/593] and is clearly visible and easy to hike still checking the GPS from time to time is worthwhile. The Ford {38} [6.8/556] was calf high and easy. Ford {38} [12.0/967] and Ford {38} [12.5/1005] could be crossed via stones. The last steep part (last 1 km) to Settler {38} [23.5/261] (Estancia Ventisquiero Chico, abandoned ?) is a bit overgrown and there a multiple animal trails so check the GPS. The Enstancia apparently belongs to Don and locked with heavy lockpad and can not be accessed. I continued to this point -48.982173, -72.988839 and camped there with water close by. There are multiple water/camp along the Route. All points marked with water have sufficient water flow during the time of hiking and I only included ones where I think they carry water for most time of the season. All of the additional markers can be downloaded at the end of the summary. <br /> <br /> The next day i stared at 07:30 AM and hiked up to GPT38-H end and took Variant H to reach the shore of the Lago Chico. The CC part is steep and goes trough a forest and across some vegetation. The trail is woth following. Going this way up is very demanding i imagine. Camp {38} [54.0/277] wasn't very clear for me but cou can definitely camp at the &quot;beach&quot; with protection from all sides except north. I started packrafting at 09:00 AM there was little wind (10 km/h from W) forecasted. At the end it was ~10km/h from S i guess it was mountain wind (cold air coming down from the mountains/glaciers). The packrafting was beautiful without any major difficulties. I stopped at Port, Lake {38} [49.1/391] (Glaciar Chico) around 11:00 AM and started hiking at 11:30 AM. The way to the Refuge {38} [47.1/397] (Refugio Militar Valle Piramide) goes trough the valleys of the glacier rivers which is a bit exhausting to hike as everything is soft. As soon as you hike out of it along a dried out river bed it becomes easier. The Refuge {38} [47.1/397] (Refugio Militar Valle Piramide) looks like a awesome place to stay and it was open and also had apparently electricity but I haven't tested it [see: https://imgur.com/a/PfqELJp and https://imgur.com/a/KFEcK5M]. After that it's easy CC up to GPT38-02 end. There the seep part starts. To provide some detail's. It's definitely steep with some parts going up to 50% but it absolutely doable. At the beginning there is ankle high vegetation which becomes lower and lower. As there is always stable vegetation and no rocks etc. you have good traction and there is no risk of falling/slipping (can't judge it if it's wet). It's important to mention that during the ascend there is no cover and you are completely exposed to wind/rain etc. You can walk the hill up in a fairly straight line until the rooks start. There you go left into a wide Couloir which takes you to compared &quot;flat&quot; valley which brings you to the pass where you find water again and you could pitch a tent. Picture of mountain and the path i took [see: https://imgur.com/a/xM1TpuT and https://imgur.com/a/WtkOH5h]. The way down from the Pass {38} [40.5/1225] to the trail start here -48.953238, -73.12036 ia family easy. From there on its a absolutely beautiful trail and you just blaze with fantastic views down to Ferry, Port {38} [25.1/259] (Desague Lago Chico). I met Don and I asked him if he offers a boat ride to Candelario Mancilla as i didn't want to hike in the rain but he only offerd the transfer across Rio Chico as described earlier before 07:00 AM or after 07:00 PM which i declined as i have used my packraft. Camped at Settler {38} [23.5/261] (Estancia Ventisquiero Chico, abandoned ?) Which was a beautiful place but i also have seen some mice. <br /> <br /> The next day i waited until 14:00 in the tent until the rain stopped. After that i backtracked the same way back to Settler {38-A} [0.5/310] with the Option GPT-37H-08I as this saved some KMs. Staying at Don Ricardo's place was a blast! Had a awsome dinner for 10.<br /> 000 CLP and hot chocolate for 3.000 CLP. Camping was 10.000 CLP and a friend was even allowed to stay in the hous for campers during the night to dry his stuff. <br /> <br /> The next day started with a awsome breakfast with the homemade bread for 8.000 CLP was fantastic! As I already hiked the street by this point in time two times I used Ricardo's shuttle to Border, Pass {38-01} [8.2/687] for 10.000 CLP on this day i collected the exit stamp in Chile (the salvoconducto i already requested at the 17.01.2025 for this date of crossing 21.01.2025. After that hiked to the end of the section at Border Control AR {38} [48.0/514].<br /> <br /> Overall: I really enjoyed the section and especially the remote parts of insula La Carmen and the packrafting close to the glacier. I would absolutely reccomend the section. If possible I would plan to camp at Settler {38} [23.5/261] (Estancia Ventisquiero Chico, abandoned ?), Refuge {38} [47.1/397] (Refugio Militar Valle Piramide) and somewhere around Viewpoint {38} [35.6/874] and taking 38 RH around the island [RH-TL-V {38} [0.0/1.3+25.7]] but according to the latest information this is overgrown. This is why i backtracked.<br /> <br /> Files (GPX and KMZ /// Additional Markers):<br /> https://1drv.ms/f/s!AqzLweJ3NZW5tJMdljpdL1kgWoU9KQ<br /> <br /> All tracks are also on Strava and general contact for questions: https://linktr.ee/RundW<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2024-dic-18 to 2024/ 5 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR + New opt + opt 1 + EXP 04A/ Celio '''<br /> <br /> We did the península la Carmela and Glaciar chico traverse going NoBo starting south of desierto lake at the toro valley and we ended in north shore of desierto lake. Then we did RR to candelorio mancilla and crossed to Bahia Pescado and did the west traverse of península la florida.<br /> <br /> This option involves bordercrossing, but for us it permitted to not go to the chilean border then back to la península. Since I did this hike couple years ago I wanted to discover another valley to arrived a the Glaciar chico, the Toro valley.<br /> <br /> We started here 49°06.687′ S 72°54.982′ W and followed a decent trail going up the valley left of the river. It's alternate between a trail and some easy CC until a ford on a tree (49°03.954′ S 72°57.700′ W), 200m further there is a bridge on the other river on the right, we crossed it and went to the casa Toro (49°03.961′ S 72°57.468′ W), hoping it was a hut, but unfortunately it's a closed &quot;luxury&quot; one. So we camped close to it.<br /> Next day we crossed again the bridge and find a decent trail going up the old, now forested, moraine, to arrive on open CC. You get good view of the lake and glaciar. From there it's easy CC until the actual climb of the pass. From 49°02.188′ S 73°00.044′ W to 49°02.306′ S 73°00.280′ W it's steep CC on loose rocks or snowfield, after this you get to the pass cañadon de los toros (49°02.347′ S 73°00.809′ W). The way down start with a moraine not very nice and then we arrived to the Glaciar lakes and the GPT38 EXP 04A. We forded the river just below the lakes and joined the GPT38 opt 4 at the refuge {38-04} [4.3/690] (Refugio Pantoja) (door is broken and exposed to the wind). Then we went down to the Glaciar chico and crossed it were there is nearly no crevasses (Glaciar experience recommended...). We joined and slept at the Refuge {38} [47.0/397] (Refugio Militar Valle Piramide), it's feel like your are on the moon there!<br /> Next days we followed the GPT38 opt1, it's CC until Pass {38} [40.4/1225], then you follow a trail all the way. Lucho is still there at the estancia la Carmela with is son, but we had to wait the end of the day since they were working on the other side of the península. They made us crossed for 10000$ each (same as 10 years ago, no inflation!). We went back to the north shore of desierto lake by the diablo valley and went by the refuge (sleeping there is possible).<br /> Puesto {38} [35.0/530] (abandoned, Mosquito) is a ruin and there is only flat spot for a tent and cows to warms you during the night!<br /> At the desierto lake we got a food box sent from el chalten for the next 6 days for the GPT37H west traverse of península la florida.<br /> <br /> *21-11-2024 to 25-11-2024 / 4 days / NOBO / RR / Sophie and Gaspar<br /> <br /> After skirting Lago del Desierto with stunning views of Glacier Huemul, we crossed the border, passing an Argentine checkpoint at the lake's end and a Chilean checkpoint at Candelario Mancilla. There’s no other legal option but to go directly from one checkpoint to the other! In Candelario Mancilla, we were warmly hosted at the only available campsite by Don Ricardo and Doña María Luisa (you can purchase some basic provisions if needed, like tortillas, eggs, etc.). <br /> <br /> We decided to circle the peninsula to reach La Carmela, located at Ventisquero Chico, where Don Lucho and his son David live. To do so, you must first check back in with the Carabineros and inform them of your planned itinerary. They’ll take your photo, ask about your gear and food supply to ensure you’re well-equipped (apparently, rescues are not uncommon). We were the first this season to take the trail around the peninsula, and it’s virtually impossible without a GPS, as the path is often overgrown with bush and misleading animal tracks. It took us 11.5 hours to cover just 35 km—but the views of the lake and the peninsula Florida across it are spectacular! <br /> <br /> At Ventisquero Chico, to cross, you need to arrive before 7:00 a.m. or after 7:00 p.m. to be ferried across in their boat ($20/person). <br /> <br /> Once at La Carmela, the route becomes easier—4 hours to reach the viewpoint of O’Higgins Glacier and another 4 to return, following relatively straightforward paths. On our way back to Candelario Mancilla, we took the trail over the pass, which posed no major difficulties apart from a 50-meter section of bush at the start of the ascent.<br /> <br /> For the transfer from Candelario Mancilla to Villa O’Higgins, the best option is to speak with Don Ricardo or Doña María Luisa, who coordinate with the two companies that transport passengers. The service is not regular and depends heavily on weather conditions (especially wind) on the lake.<br /> <br /> '''Note: the section was significantly redone around October 2024, so references to trails codes before that time are probably wrong.'''<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> * '''2024-Mar-30 to 2024-Apr-02 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + OH 1 + 2 + 3 / Joscha '''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 1: RR [0.0-23.5] + OH37P-16 [14.0-15.6]<br /> <br /> After km 6.5 there is plenty of water. You have to do a few, easy fords before the Pass. At km 12.6 I stayed in the northern side of the Rio Bullicioso and rejoyned the RR st km 13.9. Therefore I avoided 2 Fords. The RR around the Pass was covered in a thin layer of snow. -48.902884, -72.929411 offers a nice view on Lago O'Higgins. I hiked on OH37P-16 to the strait of Lago O'Higgins and tried to get the attention of Don Lucho on the other side. But it didn't work. Its possible to camp on the shore there a little north of the trail, but without wind protection. Therefore I went back to the Settler at 23.5 and camped there. You have to hang your food, there are lots of mice here.<br /> <br /> Day 2: RR [23.5-33.4] + OH38-03 [0.0-4.3]<br /> <br /> I left my Tent at km 23.5 and hiked to the Glacier Chico Viewpoint and back. Plenty of water along this trail. I liked the views of glacier Chico on the first kilometer of OH38-03 more than those at the viewpoint. But the view of Lago Chico was pretty dope from the viewpoint. Trail was relatively easy to follow.<br /> <br /> Day 3: OH37P-16 [14.0-15.6] + OH38-2 [25.7-3.1]<br /> <br /> I hiked on OH37P-16 to the strait of Lago O'Higgins and tried to get the attention of Don Lucho on the other side. But it didn't work. Therefore I went back on OH38-02. I did not follow precisely the gpx track, because there are lots of trails. It worked out quite well. I only once came to close to the cliff coast and had to scramble up a little bit. I rejoyned the gpx track at around km 9.5. At 9.5 there is a flat meadow north of the trail for camping. I camped next to the abondend settler building at km 3.1. There was lots of water all allong the trail. <br /> <br /> Day 4: OH38-2 [3.1-0.0] + RR [0.0-6.5] + OH38-01<br /> <br /> I forgot to get the Certificado de Salvoconducto to leave Chile in advance. The border police let me use their wifi to apply for it. I had to wait about 90 minutes until I got the Certificado and than the exit stamp. There is plenty of water on the OH38-01. I camped right next to the argentinian border controll station. It is a really nice spot.<br /> <br /> * '''2024 Ma 18 to 19/ 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Juliette and Martin '''<br /> <br /> Day 1 : Candelario Mancilla (Poste frontière) - -48.91420, -72.96117 (Estancia ventsisquiro Chico, abandonned : NOT ABANDONNED<br /> <br /> The ferry between villa O higgings and Candelario Mancilla (Chilean border crossing) costs 55,000 pesos per person and runs Monday/Thursday/Saturday from villa O higgings from 7am (subject to bad weather).<br /> <br /> Arrival at Chilean border crossing at 11:30 am. We ask if it's possible to stop halfway and pitch the tent before the Argentinian border post. Apparently there's no problem if we camp after the border with Argentina, but the Chilean police advise us to arrive at the Argentinian border today anyway. We choose to do the RR, since apparently the police won't come and get us if we don't reach the border that evening. <br /> <br /> There's snow quite early on at the first pass. Our feet are wet for the whole section. Before the pass, navigation is not too difficult, even if the path is full of water. After the pass, and before arriving at the puesto (which is not abandoned by the way), the paths no longer seem to be in use and the vegetation completely obscures the path. We arrive late at the camp. The puesto is by no means abandoned, but there's no possibility of sheltering in it, as it's locked with a padlock and belongs to someone. <br /> <br /> WARNING: We pitch our tent in the rain next to the abandoned puesto. Bad idea. Mice attack at night. Apparently they love oats. A bag of oats (zip-lock bag) inside the tent is nibbled (and the wall of the tent too). The only solution seems to be to hang them up. <br /> <br /> Day 2: -48.91420, -72.96117 (Estancia ventsisquiro Chico, abandoned: NOT ABANDONED - gendarmaria national argentina <br /> <br /> A long day. Sometimes we can see the glaciar Chico, but there are clouds in the sky. The route is difficult to follow during the day and there's a lot of snow at the pass (at least 20 cm on the ground (plus water underneath sometimes). We didn’t have time to dry ourlselves during the night, so thé section appeard us as really cold. The refuge at Lake El Diablo is a real lifesaver under the snow. It allowed us to eat sheltered from the wind. We could sleep in it, but we weren't sure whether we'd be able to build a fire inside. We decide to finish the section during the day to get the stamp to enter Argentina later that day. The Argentinian border post closes at 8pm. Fortunately, we arrive a few minutes early. No worries with our exit stamp, which was dated yesterday, and we don't give it a second thought. Don't expect anything from the gendarmerie post: after spending two days in the rain, snow and wet feet, we thought we could ask them to let us sleep somewhere dry. They categorically refused, and we couldn't even pitch our tent under a garage or any of the small shelters they owned. We're a little frustrated with their inhospitality, while it’s raining for deux days and their seem to have enough places inside. But it's clear that's not why they're here, so we can't really blame them. <br /> <br /> We recommend doing the trek in three days instead, as the path is difficult to follow, sometimes overgrown and in the water most of the time. Stop at the el diablo refuge to cut the second day into two. No need to worry about border stamps, apparently. <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Mar-05 to Mar-07 / 3 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Hiking to Mirador al Glaciar O`Higgins (RP km23.5 to 35.6) + Opt02 / Matthias'''<br /> <br /> The route: (Villa O`Higgins -) Candelario Mancilla – RR to Peninsula/Estancia Ventisquiero Chico - Mirador al Glaciar O`Higgins - back to Ventisquiero Chico – Opt02 to Candelario Mancilla<br /> <br /> I enjoyed the remote detour to the viewpoint of Glaciar O'Higgins and the icefield a lot! You have to be lucky to reach Don Luis for the short boat transfer from the peninsula (see below).<br /> <br /> Day1 - RR<br /> <br /> Arrived with the ferry around 9:00 am at Candelario Mancilla. At the border officials I had to fill in an “expedition” formular for my hiking specifying my route. They clearly pointed out I have to return before leaving to Argentina. I wanted to leave a bag there with stuff I didn`t need and asked them to radio to Don Luis for the boat transfer the next morning, but they denied both of my wishes. Hiking on the road on RR I was passed by Don Tito who is/was doing the taxi for the other tourists of the boat to the border. I could leave the bag with him :-), so continuing with lighter backpack.<br /> Like written here before, the trail leading to the pensinsula (formed by the old terminal moraine) is marked partially and easy to follow until it reaches previously (&gt;10 a) burned area when going downhill, then it is not clear and there is also partially bushbashing.<br /> Camped for two nights behind the estancia among cherry and apple trees with ripe fruits! First night very windy and it was difficult to built up the tent, though at first sight the place seemed a bit wind-protected.<br /> <br /> Day 2 - daytrip to the viewpoint of Glaciar O`Higgins<br /> <br /> Stunning views, VERY windy. The path is named 38RP as well as 37RP-option16! At the end of the península you have to cross the lake/river. It is too deep to ford, so one needs the help of Don Luis (he introduced himself with that name and also the border official used Luis and not the nickname Lucho). The farmer lives on the other side but from inside his house he has no view to the river. I was lucky this morning was not very windy anymore, so his dogs were alarmed by my shoutings and also lucky that Don Luis was still at home and not off with his horse. <br /> The path up to the next pass is again easy to find and sometimes marked. After that I partially followed the GPT track, partially other trails.<br /> <br /> Day 3 – option 02 back to Candelario Mancilla:<br /> <br /> I never used my GPS that constantly before on the GPT like on this trail. There is some bushbashing, overall the trail is okay. But there are very many other animal trails of same or better quality as an option… From Caleta Esmeralda onwards the trail is clear and easy. Stayed at the house of Don Tito (next to the campsite which is run by his brother Ricardo).<br /> <br /> Side plot:<br /> The first morning my gas cooker (MSR windburner) stopped working (and it still does not work). Probably because the jet is blocked. Changed to gas cooker with this GPT trip, before I was using gasoline cooker for years… They come with a filament to clean, for the gas cooker I could not find such a fine wire until now.<br /> <br /> * '''24-Mar-02 to 2024-Mar-03 / 26 hours / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Tomáš'''<br /> <br /> I arrived at port at around 9:40. I set off immediately to border control and so was the first, which ensured a speedy processing. However, I was given a stamp with date of the previous day, which I did not check. The carabiniero did not ask nor told me anything and I reciprocated.<br /> <br /> I wanted to do the RR, figuring I would probably be able to do it in roughly 24 hours. Jan said we have 48 hours and I did not read Anh's report until midway, so I thought it would be fine. It was a very cold and superwindy morning walking up into snowy mountains, very pretty. There is a trail shortcut in the first zigzag of the MR. No further shortcuts found, one trail that looked promising turned into BB mid-way. After an hour, I turned off from the road. There used to be a bridge over Rio Obstaculo, but now it is an easy if freezing ford. The trail is initially marked with metal plates, but that soon stops. It feels like it used to be official but has since beem abandoned? However, the trail is mostly easy to follow. Once above the treeline, the wind was vicious. The valley was also quite marshy (after the rain?), I could not keep my shoes dry. Valley is faster going than the coastal traverse.<br /> <br /> Going down to the lake to the landbridge I kept loosing the trail and ended up CCing the last 200 vertical meters to the left of the trail. From the landbridge, the trail is marked with big red circles and is probably occasionaly used by tourists brought by ferry. The moutains were unfortunately semi-clouded but the views were still splendid. No worthy sidetrip for me then though. I reached Refugio Diabolo at 34.4 at 2130 and it was occupied (the only people on the trail apart from the road) and asleep, so I slept nearby in a tent. In the morning they told me I should have gone in.<br /> <br /> I started going down at 7:30 the next day (being a night owl, that is quite early for me). The first three km, I kept losing the trail, but it then improved. It is actually marked exactly like Huella Andina! I arrived at border control around eleven. Nobody seemed to be looking for me. The carabiniero noticed I had a date in my passport from two days ago. I tried explaining that it was a mistake of the Chilian side (I think - the date was wrong by one day), but I was almost ordered to walk back for a new stamp. In the end I softened him, showing him a picture from the port from the previous day. It was tense ten minutes. Seems to me the checking of people who crossed happens at least after noon? The regular route is perfectly doable by most people in 36 hours I think, so you might be fine as long as you arrive (at most in late afternoon) with no more than yesterday's stamp. It needs more datapoints I think. I would have preferred to be slower though.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-24 to 2024-Feb-25 / 2 days / hiking / SOBO / option 1 / Andrew'''<br /> <br /> In the morning I said goodbye to Nicole and Miseal, and took the ferry from Bahia Pescado to Candelario Mancela. Stamped out on the Chilean side, then started hiking. Dirt road until the border, then a nice trail through the woods to the Argentinian customs at the north end of Lago Desierto. Camped (free) at the north end of Lago Desierto, then hiked to the south end. Caught a bus to El Chalten at the south of the lake, at the time it was 13.000 pesos and you can pay with card at the kiosk near the south campground. It also seemed easy to hitchhike.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-23 to 2024-Feb-23 / 1 day / Hiking / SOBO / option 1 / Yannick &amp; Nolwenn'''<br /> <br /> - Trail condition : gravel road and nice trail easy to follow in the forest<br /> - Water : easy to find<br /> - Camping spot : a camping in Candelario Mancela, a free camping just in front of the lake at the Argentinian border, a camping on the other side of the lake <br /> - Weather : sunny<br /> - Resupply : we left a bag of food in Villa O'Higgins at the ferry company and so had our ressuply back in Candelaria Mancela / at the end of the section in El chalten there is a little little 'shop' on the other side of the lake with crackers, cookies and some instant dishes, you can pay by card<br /> - Overall : easy section, some nice views on the Fitzroy<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb- 01 to 2024-Feb-02 / 2 days/hiking/ SOBO/38-01/Paulina'''<br /> <br /> I wanted to do section 38, it seems complicated due to boarder crossing rules, but I don't think it's impossible, I did not do it more because very bad weather forecast for 2 next days. <br /> Anyway, I met some people who tried to go from Lago Desierto to Paso Diabolo but they had to abondon their plan because of the very high level of the river to cross. <br /> <br /> Day 1 <br /> <br /> A very easy walk mostly on a gravel road. Very nice campground ( free) at Lago Desierto<br /> <br /> Day 2 <br /> Nice walk along Lago Desierto. No difficulties, nice path all the time. Once I reached the other siide of the Lago I hitch-hiked directly to El Chaiten ( very easy on this road)<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-6 / 7 day / Hiking + Packrafting / SOBO / RR + Option 2 + Option 1/ Tom Pieper'''<br /> <br /> Not much to add to the previous posts. Stunning route. A packraft is indeed really useful here as Don Lucho was not around when I crossed the river at his farm the first time. I waited two days for wind to calm down at perfectly wind protected camp {38} [32.1/744] (which I found superior to the other nearby campspot) but strong gale did not allowed me to pass beyond Viewpoint {38} [35.6/874]. Absolut impossible in that conditions. So I returned on the 3 day. I asked Don Lucho if he can notify carabinieros via radio that I will be delayed, which worked. I toked option 2 to return to Candelario Manzillo. Track is not the best from time to time. Stay close to GPT route as off trail might take much more longer. Good camp spots at the two abandoned settlers places and a really beautiful one at a turquoise river at S 48° 50.470’ W 072° 51.272’. There is no water after Port {38-02} [7.1/270] (Bahia Esmeralda) including second abandoned settler place. You might consider climbing down to the lake here to get water. Got my exit stamp at candelario manzillo and toked expensive transit (30,000$) by car to the border (option 1)<br /> <br /> * '''From 2024-01-01 to 2023-01-03 // 3 days // Hiking // NOBO // RR + OPT1 + OPT2 // Quentin Clavel'''<br /> <br /> Same story as previous contributions here, the customs officers (who were very nice by the way) said it was impossible to do the RR as I will be in illegal situation. <br /> If it would be only the illegality stuff, it wouldn't have been a problem, but the thing is that rhet communicate with the Chilean side, and if you're not on the other side after one day they engage research, what I absolutely want to avoid, that people have to commit material, technical or human resources simply for or because of me. <br /> <br /> It means if you want to explore glaciar chico or around : <br /> Going NOBO : you first have to go straight from ARG border to CH border, stamp your passport and then go explore the area.<br /> Going SOBO : explaining your expedition to the border but don't stamp your passport. Do your exploration, then come back to the CH border, stamp your passport and then go straight to ARG border.<br /> <br /> So from ARG border, I've been straight to the Chilean side. Then I said them that I wanted to explore the area near glaciar Chico. The carabineros agreed, but before letting me go, I had to fill a form to describe my expedition, my emergencies contacts, the number of days I planned to go, numbers of days of food I had, and took me in picture. I was surprised about the picture but he said to me that it was just in case of disappearance to be able to publish a wanted notice. Perfect aha ! <br /> <br /> Anyway, I backtracked until the junction tu &quot;La península&quot; then engage myself on this nice track. Had to cross 3 easy rivers, and have been scratched numerous times by the bush which took over at the end of the trail, which was not easy to follow by the way.<br /> <br /> The views on Lago O'Higgins were absolutely outstanding ! Glaciar Chico was a bit faraway, but still nice to see as well!<br /> <br /> I arrived to la peninsula and walked till the estencia la Carmelia, Trying to have the attention of the settler, at the estencia la Carmelia. But seems like that he was not there. So I had to backtrack and not go on the GPT37P option 16 to glaciar O'Higgins. Pretty disappointed about that, would have been amazing to have a packraft at this time.... Anyway. <br /> <br /> I backtrack the peninsula, then took the option 2 (Lago Costa). That was a very good decision, the views are stunning (again more at the end, when you arrive near the border). But track is not easy to find at all. We must congratulate the wild animals who created an incredible labyrinth of trails up there ! <br /> <br /> The bridge announced as destroyed is the one 400m from the border, above Rio Obstaculo. I looked at its condition 3 days before when I was at the border, to find out if it was feasible. and it was, that's why I decided to take this route. And didn't regretted it. <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-02 / 1 day / Hiking / SOBO / RR+option 1 / Stiina &amp; Kris'''<br /> <br /> We arrived early morning at Candelario Manzilla, had no issues at the border control (we had our Salvaconducto). We did ask - just in case - if we could do the loop hike but the officer said the only way to hike the RR is to not exit Chile, hike out towards the west and then backtrack to the Chilean border control. The 21 km hike to the Argentinian border was easy, except for all the touristas with the bicycles😂. When it started chucking rain down we decided to camp there. Rained hard all night but no wind. There is a toilet for turistas and behind it a covered shelter with tables and benches, which was nice during rain.<br /> <br /> * '''GPT38 / Option 4 (Campo Hielo Sur: Glaciar Chico to Circo de los Altares and back) / 6 days Hiking on Glaciers with Mountain Guide / 2023-Dec-29 to 2024-Jan-03 / Meylin, Masha, Misha, Jan'''<br /> <br /> We planned this guided tour onto the Southern Patagonian Icefield several months in advance. We arranged this tour with the mountain guide Leo Muñoz (leoskatan@hotmail.com, WhatsApp +56 9 6904 9561) who knows the Northern and the Southern Patagonian Icefield very well and who lives with his family next to Glacier O’Higgins on the shore of Lago O’Higgins about 70 boat kilometers from Villa O’Higgins.<br /> <br /> We agreed in November 2023 to make an attempt somewhen in the first half of January of 2024 as soon as the weather forecast promises a decent weather window. On December 25 Leo suggested to start on December 29 as wind and precipitation forecast predicted 6 decent days.<br /> <br /> Day 1: We met in the afternoon at Lago Chico (where Lago Chico drains into Lago O’Higgins), continued by boat on Lago Chico to an island that is partially covered by Glacier Chico, pulled the boat up into a safe location and started right on Glacier Chico. We reached in the evening the first refuge (Refugio Pantoja). Starting right on the glacier avoided an otherwise demanding river crossing.<br /> <br /> Day 2: In a long day we reached the third refuge (Refugio Garcia Soto). We walked mostly on Glacier Chico but in areas where this glacier is steep and with deep cracks we left the glacier and walked in rocky terrain. In this terrain is also the second refuge (Refugio Piedra Roja) where we stopped for lunch.<br /> <br /> Day 3: In a demanding day we walked over the icefield to Circo los Altares. The wet snow covered all cracks of the icefield but made walking tiresome. For safety reasons we walked the entire distance roped together (2 groups of 3 persons linked together). We camped one night at Circo los Altares and enjoyed a good view of Cerro Torres in the evening and morning.<br /> <br /> Day 4: In a similar tiresome day we returned to Refugio Garcia Soto. We arrived around 2 pm in afternoon what permitted a good rest. This refuge offers ample space and is a good place to wait a day or two if the weather makes this necessary.<br /> <br /> Day 5: We returned to the first refuge (Refugio Pantoja). If necessary we might have returned to the boat on the sane day but the good weather forecast for the next day made such an effort unnecessary.<br /> <br /> Day 6: On a short morning we returned on glacier Chico to the boat, packed our gear into the boat and travelled by boat to our guides home (Rio Condor). On the way we stopped briefly at a settlers home (La Carmela) to purchase a lamb for a Patagonian asado al palo.<br /> <br /> Conclusions:<br /> <br /> 1. Leaving the exact start date open was perfect as it permitted our guide to choose a descent weather window.<br /> <br /> 2. In case of a shorter weather window a shorter route could have been chosen (in example to Refuigo Garcia Soto only.<br /> <br /> 3. This was our first experience walking on glaciers but this was perfectly feasible with our experienced guide.<br /> <br /> 4. Boat safety regulations on Lago O’Higgins required our mountain guide to do the boat trip with a second person that has motor boat license. Therefore a second guide accompanied us. This added safety but also cost.<br /> <br /> 5. Returning with the mountain guide to his home at Rio Condor before continuing by packraft is an experience on its own and lift the entire trip to a higher level.<br /> <br /> 6. We send some of the required equipment in advance to our mountain guide but he would have been able to equip up to 6 persons with his gear.<br /> <br /> * '''Copied from Jan's Facebook post December 2023: &quot;GPT38: Border Crossing: Candelario Mancilla (CL) - Lago El Desierto (AR)'''<br /> <br /> We now learned that both border controls speak to each other and exchange how many persons crossed the border and are meant to arrive on the other side. If a person does not arrive within 2 days a search is initiated. Therefore it is not any more possible to hike the longer more scenic route between collecting the exit and entry stamps of both countries. <br /> <br /> Therefore all hikers must take the direct route (see image red line) and visit the more scenic parts around Lago Chico and Peninsula La Carmela either before exiting Chile or after collecting the Chilean entry stamp.<br /> <br /> Alternatively you might openly explain your plans and try to get an official approval but this seams quite unlikely.&quot;<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-20 to 2023-Dec-20 / 1 day/ NOBO / Lago del desierto - Candelario Mancilla/ Option 1/ Alex &amp; Christophe'''<br /> <br /> Since you have to collect your exit and entry stamp on the same day, we took the fastest way between the two border controls. Once we finished with the formalities on the chilean side, one boat for Villa O'Higgins was waiting for us. I think we got lucky.<br /> <br /> If you want to go to glaciar chico, you have to go to Candelario Mancilla and then, go and back to the glacier, all on the chilean side. Passo del diablo is a forbidden pass to cross the border between Argentina and Chile.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-12-10 to 13 Fangwen and Tobi / 4 days / NOBO / Hiking from Candelario Mansilla to Don Lucho peninsula and back'''<br /> <br /> This was an enjoyable hike with good views! When we came from Argentina, it rained a lot, and was very muddy. We stayed at the campsite at Candelario Mansilla for one night and went Westbound on the regular route, crossing the river shortly after the beginning of the trail at km7. After the substantial rainfall, it was almost waist deep, but crossable with caution. The pass towards the abandoned settler home at km23.5 was quite muddy again, and in the last bit of the descent, the trail was overgrown and required attention to not lose. We camped outside the hut. The next day we went on part of Option 37P-16 as a day trip. We headed to the river (outflow of Lago Chico) and waited for the settler Don Lucho to notice us and to ferry us to the other side using his boat. This worked finally, after waiting for almost 3h. We did a nice trip up to the pass and followed one of the many horse trails to some mountain lakes and viewpoints. We let Don Lucho ferry us back to camp and headed back the next day. After two days of dry weather, the previously problematic river was now easily passable, with water at knee level.<br /> <br /> Logistics: We combined sections 38 and 37 on our NOBO trip. We carried a lot of food with us from Argentina: enough for 38, 37 and to be able to spend a few days in Candelario Mansilla in case the ferry is delayed due to bad weather. We decided against road walking with heavy packs, and arranged for Ricardo (WhatsApp +56 9 9126 7007), who runs the campground at Candelario Mansilla, to pick us up from the border by car. Ricardo is a very nice guy, and we stayed in his hostel after registering at the border checkpoint. The hostel was 15.000 CLP per person, the pickup from the border 20.000 for two people and the drop-off at the junction (X {38-01} at km0) 10.000 for two people. In high season he might not have time or charge more. Don Lucho asked for 10.000 for the return trip for the two of us.<br /> I believe that Ricardo puts you in the first-come-first-served queue for the ferry from Candelario Mansilla when you first arrive there -- but I'm not even sure if there is even an official queue (in our case, the ferry was not full, so it didn't matter). When Ricardo drove us to the junction, he also made us register our hiking plans with border guards. The guards wanted to see that we are sufficiently prepared. We showed them our GPS and inReach, but they were most wow-ed by the locus maps app with the GPT track files and kept asking where they could get such a detailed map of the area ;-).<br /> For the logistics regarding section 37, see our trip report on [[GPT37H|that wiki page]].<br /> <br /> * '''2023 Ahn, Warning between exit &amp; entry:'''<br /> You have to reach the other border control within one day, since recently both border controls compare the data every day.<br /> If you do not arrive within one day, they (both border controls) will really go looking for you.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-12-04 Anh / 3 days / NOBO / RR + OH-TL-V + RP-TL-V'''<br /> Day 1: After the exit stamp from the Argentinian border control in Lago del Desierto, I turned left to RR to Lago Diablo. The path is sometimes hard to find and with my heavy backpack I couldn‘t hike fast. I had to cross the stream twice without shoes. But it was no problem (knee-deep, good weather). After Lago Diablo I turned left via OH-TL-V to Glacier Chico. I did not find the camp {38-03} [1.8/878].<br /> <br /> Day 2: Back to RH-TL-V towards the connecting channel to Glaciar O'Higgins. The trail was a little easier to find, but not better to walk because hardly anyone had walked it in recent years.<br /> Settler {38} [23.5/261] in the intersection is no longer inhabited, but the owner has a sign in front of the house. He allows free camping on his property and possibly even overnight stays in the house (with kitchen).<br /> But I go on to Settler {38} [25.3/268] to cross the connecting channel by boat.<br /> <br /> It was already 5:00PM and I just wanted to set up my tent &amp; enjoy the evening quietly. At that moment, a motorboat with 3 men with backpacks arrived. They were not tourists, but border guards (carabineros). They were not pleasant at first. I understood from their Spanish that they were looking for me and that I was not allowed to be here. For the first time on this trip, I was lucky that I couldn't speak any Spanish and they couldn't speak any English. Otherwise they would be angry!<br /> <br /> I was able to explain with place names that I was not a criminal but a hiker. They had a long discussion in the house and in the end they said that I didn't have to come to the border station right now, but that they would come with me to Glaciar O'Higgins immediately!<br /> After a long day from Glaciar Chico, I didn't want to hike 7km up with 600Hm, but I had no other choice. So we started at 6:00 PM, the settler owner went ahead and the 3 young border guards climbed the mountain with full energy ahead, me behind. It was good that I don't usually run at my limit and still had a day's reserve at that moment. The 3 carabineros asked me from time to time how I was doing and whether I needed help -&gt; very nice.<br /> <br /> After 4km, the settler owner explained that it would soon be dark and he had to go back. He showed the Carabineros the way back on the (somewhat outdated) paper map. The Carabineros have the best modern equipment (GoreTex, expedition tent...) but no GPS navigation device and don't know the way. With my GPS navigation device, we became a team and had a lot of fun all the way to camp.<br /> The atmosphere around the campfire was much more relaxed. It turned out that they had taken a lot of food with them to look for me, but had left it behind in the settler. So of course I had cooked for them, it was really delicious and after a hike it was even better than usual. The 3 Carabineros said they had never eaten so well. We enjoyed the sunset at Glaciar O'Higgins together and laughed into the night.<br /> <br /> Day 3: At 7:00 AM, just like the military, we continued on RP-TL-V towards the pass. It was great fun with my 3 new friends and the views with the best weather were simply magnificent. However, 2km before the pass, my Carabineros wanted to go back because they now consider the hike to be strenuous and with respect. It's a pity but they are in charge despite their new friendship! I'm still very happy that they found me, it was an unforgettable experience! We were able to help each other, they are 3 cool and very very helpful Carabinos.<br /> RP-TL-V is easy for GPT hikers, much easier than the other two sections.<br /> <br /> Back to the settler they had called the patrol boat by radio and we went to Candelario Mancilla with the very modern and super stable HiTech boat. I got my entry stamps and was even invited to dinner at the border control station. After that I ended up in Villa O'Higgins.<br /> It was a bit of a shame to break off GPT38 like that, but I will never forget the best moments and the 3 new Carabineros friends. I'm starting to love GPT now!!!<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Apr-19 to 2023-Apr-21 / 3 days / RR / SOBO / Martin &amp; Helena'''<br /> <br /> Beautiful section! The detour to Glaciar Chico is definitely worth it, and so is the viewpoint.<br /> <br /> On the first day, starting around 8 AM, we passed the border control without any problem, and followed the trail in quite good pace to the pass. It was very windy there in our case, but there are places to hide. The trail is pretty clear all the time. This changes during the descent down to the peninsula, where you need to look carefully at the navigation as the path divides into different directions. Marked camp on the peninsula looked like a good place to stay, but we decided to do some more and continued for about 4 km. We camped in the forest, where we were able to find a few spots almost without wind, but in more extreme conditions it might be harder to find a 100% safe place.<br /> <br /> On the next day we continued and left our backpacks in the forest to go check the viewpoint. It took us a little over 3 hrs + some time for the photos etc. The trail is very easy to follow and except of the beginning and end its not even that windy. If the weather is not the best or you don’t have time, we would recommend to do at least first few hundred meters of the optional trail to get better view of the glacier and floating icebergs. Back on the RR we made a little less than half of the way to the border control and again camped in the forest. <br /> <br /> The last day was all about forest walking. First views of the Fitz Roy on the way to the border control. There, the officer noticed the old stamp and asked where we stayed, but was probably just curious and had no problem with our honest answer about doing the detour and camping in the forest.<br /> <br /> Contact: @martin_hanzelka @helenneka<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Mar-20 to 2023-Mar-22 / SOBO / RR + option 4 / Villa O'Higgins - Lago del Desierto / Anna &amp; Christopher'''<br /> <br /> Amazing section, one of our favourites so far!<br /> <br /> In march and april the ferry that crosses Lago O'Higgins only leaves twice a week, which is mondays and thursdays at 8 a.m. (company Las Ruedas, reservation possible via whatsapp +56 966278836).<br /> <br /> We started with seven days worth of food, because we planned to go to El Chaltén without a resupply (GPT 38+39 with all options).<br /> The weather was great on our first day and after we got through the border control we started walking around 11:15 a.m.<br /> The trail is in a pretty good condition. Your feet will get wet though. With the nice weather and the good trail we camped at km 21 in the forest close to the stream.<br /> <br /> Then the trail becomes gradually a bit worse and we had to do some BB and CC along the lake. At the junction with option 4 we left our packs and went to the mirador. We had good weather and the view from up there is amazing. We highly recommend doing it, if the weather is good. Then we went back down again and camped in the forest at the junction. There is a stream close by to fetch water.<br /> <br /> The trail becomes super good again once you reach the settler at Lago del Desierto. The border control was fast and the staff was really friendly. We continued along the lake. At some point it started to rain, so we camped next to a stream at approx. km 4.6. At km 4.3 there would have been a more rain and wind protected camp.<br /> <br /> The next day we had a great view of Fitz Roy in the morning sun. We arrived at the other side around 10 a.m. There is no bus leaving around this hour, opposite of what the gendarm at the border told us. All the buses/cars leave in the afternoon around 4 p.m.<br /> We made a break at the restaurant and enjoyed a warming mate tea before we continued to section 39.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Mar-16 to 2023-Mar-20 / 4 days / SOBO / RR + option 5 / Louis &amp; Rémi'''<br /> <br /> We started at Candelario Mansilla and we wanted to go in front of the Glaciar O'Higgins following the lake with option 5 and then option 2. Option 5 is really worth it, views all along the lake are incredible, I highly recommend it. We slept near the Settler @km 17.8, nobody was there.<br /> <br /> The next day we tried to cross this water canal between Lago O'Higgins and Lago Chico, but it is unfordable, you have to yell for the settler who lives on the other side. We did, we saw him, but he didnt come... So we slept next to the settler @km 23.5 on RR and we tried the 3rd day too but still nobody to help us to cross. Well, I think this settler isnt reliable if you wanna do option 2 without a packraft.<br /> <br /> So we continued our way to Argentina, sleeping @km 31.4 (the puesto is more than abandonned, it is destroyed but it is flat and there is no wind).<br /> <br /> This portion provide a nice view of the Glaciar Chico.<br /> <br /> Next we went directly to the Argentinian border and we didn't have any problem to get the stamp on our passports. We slept there, it is free, there is nobody and the view of the Fitz Roy above the Lago del Desierto is definitely worth it !<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Mar-04 to 2023-Mar-07 / 3.5 days / SOBO / RR + Option 4 / Candelario Mansilla - Lago Desierto / Ondrej'''<br /> <br /> I wasn’t lucky with the weather so this section turned out into rainy, muddy and snowy feat for me. It felt remote and adventurous. If I could choose I would do at least the second day in a good weather to enjoy the views. <br /> <br /> On the first day, I got dropped of by the boat at Candelario Marcilla around 10am. Getting the stamp from Chilean carabineros took longer than expected, around one hour. A number of hikers accumulated there and the carabineros said that we have wait for them to upload our names to the system(?). Then they just asked for my occupation and gave me the exit stamp. I then hiked the stretch on the main road, forded Rio Obstaculo right after (the deepest ford on the section I would say, it was easy even after a day of rain) and then over the pass. At the pass you will come into a long flat valley which in my case started turning into a big muddy/swampy plain. It also started snowing. The falling wet snow and the soaky trails pushed the hike to the boundaries of my comfort limits (but still manageable). I camped at the Settler waypoint (km23.5). According to a person running a hostel in villa o higgins, the Settler’s place has been abandonded for a while now (presumably someone other bought the land) and both locals and international hikers are now using the garden of the settler’s house to camp. The area around the house features thick tall trees that provide a good shelter from wind and rain, some open sheds with a good roof (but all looked uncomfortable for sleeping) and a dry toilet. The house itself is locked with a padlock and cannot be used by visitors. I stayed in a tree covered area next to the house for two nights as the next day was raining all day. Foxes, various birds and wild cows kept me a company. <br /> <br /> From the settler, it is a relatively easy trail up to the crossroad at km33.4. The trail is ocassionaly overgrown and muddy but nothing dramatic. Nice views over the lake Chico and the glacier. I was impressed by a floating iceberg that made its way slowly across the lake. I had my lunch at the crossroad (km33.4) and decided to leave my backpack there and hike/jog to the glaciar viewpoint (Option 4). It took me about 2:10 hours there and back to the crossroad. I jogged parts of it. The weather got bad during the loop (clouds and rain/snow) so I unfortnunately saw nothing but a bit more of the Glaciar Chico once reaching the viewpoint. All distant peaks were obscured in clouds. My recommendation is to do the Option 4 only if the visibility is good, otherwise the detour might be not worth it. Once finished with the loop, I hiked over the Argentinian border and slept inside Refugio Diablo at km34.4. It is in good shape overall. Just the fireplace might not run well (i have not tried) as the chimney is broken. The refugio has two elevated platforms for sleeping (easily fits 4-8 people), a table and stools, and a dry toilet nearby. If staying there, I recommend to take water from a stream flowing into the lake Diablo before reaching the refugio. There is no quick water access from the building - one must go down to one of the lakes.<br /> <br /> From Refugio Diablo it took me about 5 hours to reach the argentinian police checkpoint at Lago Desierto. The part is relatively straightforward, again a bit swampy in my case. At he Argentinian police checkpoint I was actually asked why I had a three day old stamp. I wanted to avoid problems, so I said that I took a slow pace and did not walk on some days because it was raining constantly (which was true). I said that I built my tent, read a book and trying to wait out the rain. This (in a hindsight really poor) excuse was fortunately enough for the officer. He nodded and gave me the stamp. Maybe the policeman was simply curious and even if I told him where I came from he would be eventually fine with that. I didn’t want to take my chances though.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-10 / 2 days / Helen and Craig'''<br /> <br /> &gt;Lago Desertio ferry cost about 50 dollars (we didn't take it)<br /> <br /> &gt;O'Higgins ferry cost 60 dollars and they give you a lift to V O'Higgins at the other end<br /> <br /> &gt;We took the lake side trail. Beautifull veiws over Fitzroy range. Campsite at the border crossing is exposed but harbours some of the best campside veiws. 2nd best camp of GPT for us (but would be unpleasant in high winds)<br /> <br /> Border crossing was very easy with no proplems or searches either side. Had to take shorter route due to higher winds coming in and the O'Higgins ferry not due to run for the next week after. Shorter variation was very easy trail markings. Easy to walk in 4-5 hours<br /> Was sad to miss the extended route.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Feb-13 to 2023-Feb-17 / 5 days / RR / SOBO / also Option 2 to Glaciar O'Higgins / Véronica &amp; Zach '''<br /> <br /> Route: Candelario Mancilla - Río Bullicioso - Lago Chico - Mirador Glaciar O'Higgins - Glaciar Chico - Lago Diablo - AR Border Control <br /> <br /> This may have been my favourite section of the GPT yet this year. After 4 days waiting in Villa Ohiggins for a calm ferry day, we waited at the Chilean carabineros post because the computer systems were down and it was lunchtime so everyone seemed to be on break. They asked everyone only occupations and marital status, nothing about our planned route. We were able to start walking only around 3 p.m. although we arrived at Candelario Mancilla around 1 p.m. <br /> <br /> The trail that veers off the minor road was clearly marked and easy to follow. Tons of crowberries/murtillas up in the alpine. We camped before the pass at km 14.5 when the trail was still going through sheltered forests. Up on the pass the next day, it was very cold and exposed and windy, with some snow on the ground. The trees start appearing again much later, when you can see Lago O'Higgins again. The trail switchbacks down to the settler's house at km 23.5 (Estancia Ventisquero Chico) were overgrown and confusing, branching into many paths. <br /> <br /> We wanted to take Option 2 in order to see Glaciar O'Higgins. This detour took us an extra day and a half. We crossed the narrow channel at km 25.1 in Zach's packraft quite easily, even though the wind was gusty from the south. There were virtually no waves and the water was flat. We met the settler Luis at km 25.3 (Estancia La Carmela), who was friendly and indicated the trail toward Glaciar O'Higgins. Both waypointed campsites on the west side of the peninsula are great and sheltered from the fierce west wind in the forest. The views of the lake and mountains and glaciers on this section of trail are beyond words beautiful. <br /> <br /> The way up the pass at km 40.5 is straightforward despite the lack of trail. The descent into the next valley is steep and somewhat tiring, but not dangerous, down a mountainside covered with murtilla plants. We stopped at the orange refugio (km 47.3) late in the afternoon. It is in great condition. The only thing deteriorated is the missing battery from the solar system. Feels like an airplane fusilage with some loud resonance when the wind is strong. Perfect place to shelter from the wind. <br /> <br /> We stayed mostly in the left side of the river as we traveled cross-country to the put-in at Lago Chico. The packrafting back to the east shore of the lake was wavy and windy, the wind coming strong off Glaciar Chico (southerly), requiring a hearty ferry crossing in front of the hanging ice.  From the put-in, the island (which appears on sattelite but not maps) looks like a peninsula, but if you paddle into what looks like a cove, you'll see the gap. We went around south of the island, then rode the wind northward to the takeout in a small cove. <br /> <br /> The refuge {38} [52.9+0.3/297] was clipped closed with two padlocks as chain links. Someone left clothes hanging and a plastic chest full of food which mice seem to have enjoyed. The floor was literally covered in mouse poop. Seemed hanta-ed. 👻 The climb back up to the regular hiking route was long but pleasant, and mostly cross-country across rock slabs and brushy fields. <br /> <br /> Back on the regular route, Refugio Diablo on the Argentine side of the border has a wooden table and platforms that could sleep four. When we got to the Argentine border control with a three-day-old Chilean exit stamp, the friendly border agent gave us our entry stamp without question. When asked about the wind on Lago Del Desierto, he walked Zach to the Gendarmeria boat captain who gave useful advice. <br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan / SOBO / Yannic &amp; Mirjam'''<br /> <br /> The exit on the Chilean side worked without any problems and the officials did not ask about our route.<br /> <br /> No one was at home at the Estancia Ventisquiero Chico settler. We spent the night a little further away by the stream.<br /> <br /> The hike along Lago Chico was nice and easy. We made a detour via option 4. It is worth going almost to the end to the viewpoint at 1104 m a.s.l. The view of the glacier and the ice field was unique and one of the best viewpoints on the whole GPT.<br /> <br /> The next day we went to the Argentine border authorities. The officials were relaxed and since we wanted to spend the night there anyway, we agreed to do the stamp the next day.<br /> <br /> The exit stamp, which was 4 days old in the meantime, was no problem at all...<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-09 / half a day / SOBO / Frank'''<br /> <br /> The first 12KM of the direct route from Candelario Mansilla is on a road. There is a guy with a jeep who meets the ferry &amp; may offer to take luggage or even passengers along the road. At the pass a trail continues down to the Argentine border post. <br /> <br /> I continued around Laguna del Desierto the same day.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Jan / NOBO / Alexis y Iris'''<br /> <br /> Took 4 days between the two stamps without issues. The Chilean carabineros just asked our route and we said we hiked through Refugio Diablo. <br /> <br /> To ressuply in Candilla Mancilla, it is possible to ask Maria Louisa at the camping. There are more items than you could imagine but it's a bit expensive. <br /> <br /> Of note, it is possible to arrange a transfer directly to Bahia Pescado on the same boat that goes to Villa O'Higgins to hike the GPT37H, just ask the captain directly. <br /> <br /> The fare for a complete transfer is 60k CLP or 70 USD. We don't know the price for a drop off in Bahia Pescado.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2020/21==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-12 / SOBO / Arnaud et Adriane'''<br /> <br /> According to the team of our hotel in Villa O'Higgins, we officially have 24h to cross the 2 borders.<br /> <br /> So we prefered not to take risks with customs of Chile and Argentina and walked directly from Mancilla (chilean border) to punta Norte (argentinien border). There is 21km to walk and it is very easy.<br /> <br /> After the argentinian border, we walked to the mirador on the glaciar chico. It is the last 15kms of the real section 38. The view on the glaciar is amazing there and really worth the effort. After just walked back to the argentinian border. The walk is easy with some elevation but easy. We took a path that was marked but differed a little with the gps track (maybe sometimes 300m away) and had only one easy riverford.<br /> <br /> Don't say to the argentinian customs that you were there because the mirador is officially in chile (200m after the border but without any puesto) just say that you walked to the refugio del Diablo which is on the path and 200m before the border. This refugio is very basic in metal and can help in case of rain but is not cosy at all.<br /> <br /> It is a total of 51kms and without any risk with the 2 borders but you maybe miss some other highlights of the real section 38.<br /> <br /> We did it in 1 day and a half.<br /> <br /> Comment Jan Dudeck: In recent years we and other hikers had no issues staying several days between the Chilean and Argentine border post. Some years ago the situation was different but both sides seams more relaxed now as long as you arrive on the other side with an exit stamp.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Nov-10 / 1 day / Regular hiking route / NOBO / Lea Geibel, Kevin Moe '''<br /> <br /> We chose to do this hike in one long day, but were told we could camp near the Argentinian passport control, or in the sort of no-mans-land up the trail further between borders. Make sure you know what day the ferry is leaving before hiking or you could end up waiting in Candelaria a couple days! There aren't any stores in Candelaria, though we heard the lady at the campground might sell you some eggs or some other supplies.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Nov-10 / Jan Dudeck '''<br /> <br /> The regular hiking and packrafting route passes the Chilean border control post in Candelario Mansilla and the Argentine border control post at the northern end of Lago el Desierto. These posts are 26 km apart (shortest distance) and if you do not walk into these two border controls posts yourself you will not get the required exit and entry stamp and become an “illegal immigrant” in the neighboring country. Don’t expect anything at the border itself or to get stopped by the police in the corresponding places.<br /> <br /> Be aware that the GPT route takes a significant detour between these border controls and crosses the actual border at an non-officil location at the Refugio el Diabolo. If you ask the border police for permission to cross the border in this location than your request will probably be denied so better don’t ask and just tell that you are on the way to the Chile/Argentina without specifying the exact route (when asking for your exit stamp).<br /> <br /> We have taken this non-official route twice in January 2017 and January 2019 without any issue.<br /> <br /> Worst case scenario is that you arrive with a several days old exit stamp on the other side and the border control police becomes upset and ask you to walk back on the shortest route (Option 1) to get a fresh stamp but I have not heard this happening in recent years.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2018/19==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2017/18==<br /> <br /> *'''Route description by Kara Davis after Season 2017/18'''<br /> <br /> Notes to consider before beginning: At Calendario Mancilla, there is a Carabineros border control outpost. They asked that we fill out an expedition hiking form since the GPT follows a little used route. After discussing the route, the Carabineros informed us that entering Argentina at Lago Diablo, which is the current GPS route, is illegal. There is an alternate route, as described below, which remains in Chile that we decided to take instead. <br /> <br /> From the Chilean border control, follow the gravel road for a short distance and turn onto a trail marked by white sign with green lettering that says “Rio Obsticulos” as shown by the current GPS track (hikers may want to consider following the alternate listed at the end of this section description to and from Glacier O’Higgins because that trail is of much higher quality, more scenic, and more pleasant than the one that follows the bank of Lago O’Higgins/San Martin). <br /> <br /> After crossing the wooden bridge, hike along an ill-defined track that winds up and down the shoreline of Lago O’Higgins/San Martin to the land bridge north of Lago Chico. There is one residence as well as the occasional small camp spot along this route. <br /> <br /> There is another residence located on the east side of the land bridge, and hikers may pass through a wire gate on north side of the corral. A faint trail heads west and terminates at the bank of the narrow channel that connects Lago O’Higgins/San Martin and Lago Chico. A packraft is required to cross this channel. <br /> <br /> There is another residence on the west side of the channel. When the large ferry out of Villa O’Higgins is functional, it drops people off near this residence so they may hike the Sendero a Candelario Mancilla which is marked with orange and white blazes. This trail is well-formed and climbs the hill south of the residence. After exiting the treeline, be aware that there is limited camping for many kilometers. From this point, the route is very exposed and there is no cover until the route re-crosses Lago Chico. <br /> <br /> Glacier O’Higgins is beautiful; it is composed of glistening blue ice that terminates into the lake. Sadly, as the University of Valdevía has documented, the glacier is receding at an alarming rate and is in danger. As you enjoy the views, the trail continues to wind up and down above the lake but eventually disappears. Navigation is easy due to a lack of vegetation, but camping is poor due to exposure and the steep terrain. <br /> <br /> An orange refugio is located 2 km from Lago Chico on the glacial moraine. It is equipped with solar panels and is a good place to ride out a storm. The route continues down rocks and sand to the lake edge. The lake paddle is very pleasant, and depending on the season, it may involve weaving through icebergs to get to open water. Be careful not to get too close to the icebergs! Many of them are unstable and falling ice is common. <br /> <br /> Alternate:<br /> The GPS route indicates a northbound float on Lago Chico for approximately 4 km until take-out, but high winds forced us off of the lake early. We exited at the southern end of Lago Chico and from there faced a very difficult, brushy, and steep climb up to a trail at about elevation 750 m. Weather permitting, it may be easier to packraft all the way back to the land bridge between Lago Chico and Lago O’Higgins/San Martin. The trail on east side of the lake is well-formed, however, and there is one established campsite near a run down shack at the Lago Diablo turn off. <br /> <br /> In order to avoid the illegal Lago Diablo crossing into Argentina, just after passing a large wooden sign that says “Sendero de Chile,” turn off to the east on a well-formed track and climb up through the forest. The track is well-formed, easy to follow, and passes by several good places to camp. There are some orange and white blazes which are hard to spot because they mark the track in the opposite direction. There is a brief cross-country section over the pass through open tundra, but the trail reappears as the route renters the trees. There are a couple river crossing, and the trail ends at the gravel road. Follow the road north back to the Carabineros outpost to inform them you made it back safely and to obtain an exit stamp.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2016/17==<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> <br /> *2023 / Anna &amp; Christopher<br /> In march and april the ferry that crosses Lago O'Higgins only leaves twice a week, which is mondays and thursdays at 8 a.m. (company Las Ruedas, reservation possible via whatsapp +56 966278836).<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> * 2023 December / Anh<br /> <br /> Warning between exit &amp; entry:<br /> You have to reach the other border control within one day, since recently both border controls compare the data every day.<br /> If you do not arrive within one day, they (both border controls) will actually go looking for you.<br /> <br /> *Permit for Gpt38<br /> For glaciers Chico and O'Higgins you can apply for an &quot;Expedition Paper&quot; at the Chilean border control. However, this does not allow you to cross the border to Argentina.<br /> At the argentinian border control, you can ask for the route Lago del Desierto - Lago Diablo (with return / no border crossing).<br /> Conclusion: there is currently no standard procedure for GPT38 with border crossing. The two border controls check by radio whether all persons arrive on the other side within one day (and start search operations if necessary)!<br /> <br /> *2023 / Ondrej <br /> At he Argentinian police checkpoint I was actually asked why I had a three day old stamp. I wanted to avoid problems, so I said that I took a slow pace and did not walk on some days because it was raining constantly (which was true). I said that I built my tent, read a book and trying to wait out the rain. This (in a hindsight really poor) excuse was fortunately enough for the officer. He nodded and gave me the stamp. <br /> <br /> *2019 / Jan Dudeck<br /> Be aware that the GPT route takes a significant detour between these border controls and crosses the actual border at an non-officil location at the Refugio el Diabolo. If you ask the border police for permission to cross the border in this location than your request will probably be denied so better don’t ask and just tell that you are on the way to the Chile/Argentina without specifying the exact route (when asking for your exit stamp).<br /> We have taken this non-official route twice in January 2017 and January 2019 without any issue.<br /> Worst case scenario is that you arrive with a several days old exit stamp on the other side and the border control police becomes upset and ask you to walk back on the shortest route (Option 1) to get a fresh stamp but I have not heard this happening in recent years.<br /> <br /> *Comment Jan Dudeck: In recent years we and other hikers had no issues staying several days between the Chilean and Argentine border post. Some years ago the situation was different but both sides seams more relaxed now as long as you arrive on the other side with an exit stamp.<br /> <br /> *2019 / Arnaud et Adriane<br /> <br /> According to the team of our hotel in Villa O'Higgins, we officially have 24h to cross the border.(...) Don't say to the argentinian customs that you were there because the mirador is officially in chile (200m after the border but without any puesto) just say that you walked to the refugio del Diablo which is on the path and 200m before the border.<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT38 - Glaciar Chico]]<br /> <br /> =Images=</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT39_(Monte_Fitzroy)&diff=120091 2025-02-09T23:00:09Z

<p>MiaimZelt: </p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;packrafting&quot;, as above):<br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD, WHAT IS ENCLOSED IN &lt;&gt; MAKES IT BLUE):<br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/nowiki&gt;.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Overview=<br /> <br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> *'''2025-Feb-04 to 2025-Feb-05 / 1.5 days Hiking / SOBO/ RR/ MiaimZelt'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: The trail along Lago del Desierto is nice and easy, sometimes a bit wet. When i reached the gravel road it took more than 1h to get a hitch. A friendly couple from Buenos Aires took me. Wanted to continue with the RR, but a sign said &quot;access only for guests of Hotel El Pilar&quot;. Was confused and continued some meters on the road and tried to bypass on a gravelroad. But it ended nowhere. Was frustrated and had to backtrack. Found a possibility to bypass Hotel El Pilar on this 4x4 track: -49.235541, -72.932263. It continues to the trail. From there it was easy hiking and at 8pm i pitched my tent hidden in the forest. <br /> <br /> Day 2: The official campsites like Poincenot now charge 15.000 ARS (~15US$). In my opinion it's pricey for what you get: a flat spot in the forest and access to a vault toilet without toilet paper. <br /> <br /> Went up to Laguna Sucia. Really beautiful, but the trail was suprinsingly technical with a short &amp; very steep ascent and a stretch on big boulders. <br /> <br /> It was very easy hiking until El Chaltén. Met tons of people. Missed Laguna Torre, want to do it later with Arno.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2025-Jan-22 to 2025-Jan-23 / 2 / &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / SOBO / RP + RR + Variant: C + B + new Option/ Roman'''<br /> <br /> Route: Started the section directly from GPT38. Started packrafting at Lake, Ferry {39} [0.1/507] (Lago del Desierto) to the other side of the ferry. Hitchhiked from there to El Chaiten. Went on a short one day hike to Viewpoint {39-B} [2.6/1158] (Laguna de los Tres) via a new Option (Laguna Sucia).<br /> <br /> Weather: Day one was cloudy with little wind. Day two was clear and sunny until noon after that cloudy.<br /> <br /> Details: Started Packrafting at ~14:00 PM. There was a guard who wanted me to put in a helmet (which doesn't make sense for a lake crossing. I had full Packrafting gear (drysuit, life jacket, leash, etc.). Luckily a friend had a helmet i could use. After the guard verified that the weather was good i was allows to go. As pointed out earlier this isn't a official rule it depends on the guard. After starting i experienced the &quot;topical&quot; condiciones on the lake. Basically no wind at the shores (north/south shore) and strongish winds in the middle 20-30 km/h N. All of this can be read in the comments here: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1D38JiiEhq/ . After 2.25 hours and a average speed of 4.2 km/h. I After i reached the south shore i walked for 5km before I got a lift directly to El Chaiten. It's a busy, touristy and expensive place and I didn't not really enjoyed it.<br /> <br /> I went on a fast morning hike the next day to Viewpoint {39-B} [2.6/1158] (Laguna de los Tres). There are 3 entry point where you have to buy a ticket for the national park. They also sometimes check if you have a ticket when you are exiting. The entrance fee can be avoided by 1) enter early in the morning 2) walk around the entry point. The same goes for the way out. You can download the 3 checkpoints at the end. I started in El Chaiten at 03:15 AM and followed variant C from the city center to GPT39-C start and followed the RR north up to GPT39-B end until this point: X {39-B} [0.6/736]. From there I went to Laguna Sucia - i didn't registered/notified anyone for taking this trail even though there was a sign. After that i scrambled my way up to Viewpoint {39-B} [2.6/1158] (Laguna de los Tres) and backtracked the same way via Variant B back to El Chaiten. The route can be downloaded at the end.<br /> <br /> Overall: Packrafting Laguna del Desierto was really nice. After that i got way to touristy and crowded for me. I would reccomend continuing as fast as possible and not spending time at El Chaiten or the National Park. The hike to Viewpoint {39-B} [2.6/1158] (Laguna de los Tres) was nice - as I was the only person at Laguna Sucia and I have only met a few people that early in the morning and I was already back around 09:30 AM.<br /> <br /> Files (GPX and KMZ /// Track &amp;Additional Markers):<br /> - Checkpoints of the national park &amp; New option: https://1drv.ms/f/s!AqzLweJ3NZW5tJYWBnZnqqOJStEPxQ<br /> <br /> Source: https://xn--sealcalafate-bhb.com/contenido/12931/el-lunes-comienza-el-cobro-de-acceso-a-turistas-en-la-zona-de-el-chalten<br /> <br /> All tracks are also on Strava and general contact for questions: https://linktr.ee/RundW<br /> <br /> * '''Dec 22-23 / OH 39-02 + RR SOBO / wiiiim'''<br /> <br /> GPT39 was busy as expected, I hitched a ride from Lago Desierto &amp; entered the park in the afternoon from Rio Electrico on the OH, it has a park toll booth at the start about 200m in, it was closed that rainy afternoon. I camped in some very windy weather at -49.26410, -72.95542 there are several nice well protected rock bivvies, Laguna piedras blancas is a short/nice side trip, I wanted to avoid Poincenot which seems to get absolutely hammered, I was told they will start charging camp fees here very soon? I couldn’t verify this. <br /> Laguna Sucia was a highlight for me, if you’re short on time I would personally pick this over Laguna de los tres<br /> For what it’s worth the new park entry fee system is pretty poorly implemented, it’s currently a sport among back packers to avoid park control booths by starting the trails before 7am. Laguna Torre is still free, so technically you can enter from -49.33148, -72.89532 at any time and hike the RR NOBO without check points, they dont seem to validate inside or at park exits.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> * '''2024-Apr-03 to 2024-Apr-05 / 2.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + OH 1 + B + OSM Trail to Laguna Sucia / Joscha '''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 1: RR [0.0-31.8] + OH39-01 + OH39-B [0.6-0.2]<br /> <br /> I arrived at the southern end of lago de desierto at noon. I hiked for about 2 hours on the primary road until I got a hitch to the start of OH39-01. Its probably easier to get a hitch in the afternoon. At Laguna Piedras Blancas is a sign that the area around the Laguna is dangerous and it's forbidden to go to the Laguna. The sidetrail to the Laguna is a rock scramble. Because of wind and rain I did not went to the Laguna. But its possible to see the glacier without scrambling up to the Laguna (its also possible to see the glacier from the RR) and the rest of the trail is in good condition as well. I camped at the campsite Poincenot [39.4+0.2].<br /> <br /> Day 2: OH39-B [0.2-2.6] + OSM Trail to Laguna Sucia + RR [39.4-49.4]<br /> <br /> I went up to the Laguna de los Tres for sunrise with about 50 other hikers. The trail is officially closed for the season, but nobody cares. It was a little icy, but doable without spikes. I returned to the campsite Poincenot and went to the Laguna Sucia on the OSM trail. This trail is also officially closed, because it is suposed to be to dangerous. The last few hundred meters to the Laguna is a rock scramble, but in good conditions pretty easy. During the rock scramble you can go on both sides of the river. I liked the southern side a little more, even though the OSM trail is on the northern side. I can really recommend Laguna Sucia. Only few people and in my opinion more impressive than Laguna de los Tres. After that I returned to the RR and went to Laguna Torre. I camped at the Campsite D' Agostini at km 49.4.<br /> <br /> Day 3: RR [49.4-59.4]<br /> <br /> Easy walk to El Chalten.<br /> <br /> * '''2024 Ma 20 to 22 / 3 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Juliette and Martin '''<br /> <br /> Day 1 : Argentinian gendarmeria - Punta Sur <br /> <br /> A small day with only a walk along the lago Desierto. Approximatly 5 hours of walk. Nice points of view on the fitz Roy. We sleeped at the « Hosteria y restaurante Punta sur »… It’s 48 000 argentinian pesos for a two people room with a breakfast included (and it’s allowed us to dry our stuff). There is a camping on the side with a small refuge inside in case of rain for 14 000 pesos per people.<br /> <br /> Day 2 : Punta Sur - Camp Poincenot <br /> <br /> We hitchhiked to skip the road to hike less (because of a foot pain). The detour to the Laguna Piedras Blancas worth it, but the ascenption to the lake on huge rock took us à long time, despite the low distance. Camping poincenot was crowded, but we didn’t heard of any mice. <br /> <br /> Day 3 : camp Poincenot - El Chalten <br /> <br /> Wake up early to contemplate to sun rise from the Lago los Tres. The ascenption from the camp is an hour long, easy beaucause overrun and the trail is maitained. A lot of people do the same (almost 20 or 30 I would say). It’s really beautiful, espacially if you have a good weather. Walking on the most famous trail around the fitz roy is really différent from the GPT. The trailed arouned Cerro Torre is really easy and overrun. <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Mar-08 to 2024-Mar-09/ 1.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Opt 01 + Var B+D / Matthias'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: Argentine Border Control – near Rio Electrico:<br /> <br /> Started at the Argentine Border Control at 14:00. (I stayed the night before in Candelario Mancilla, GPT38). It took me 3:45h of straight walking to reach the road on the southern end of the lake. Got a ride from there at 18:15 to the bridge over Rio Electrico. On OSM there was a camping indicated there, which does not exist. Due to the beginning darkness, I camped near the path of Option01 2km from the bridge – very windy night.<br /> <br /> Day 2: near Rio Electrico - Laguna Piedras Blancas - Laguna de Los Tres - Laguna Torre - El Chalten<br /> <br /> A very (too) long day due to a bad weather forecast for the following days. Option 1 is very nice though officially closed because in one season there had ocurred 18 accidents and one person dying. (Information of park ranger Miguel at whose house I stayed in ElChalten). Was lucky to see Fitz Roy from Laguna Piedras Blancas!<br /> It is very interesting to see how the tourists concentrate to certain hot spots all over the world. On the path to Laguna de Los Tres I “met” probably more people (hundreds) than on my whole 60 day GPT hike before!<br /> <br /> * '''24-Mar-03 to 2024-Mar-05 / 48 hours / Hiking / SOBO / RR, option 1, new option from Laguna Sucio to Laguna Torre / Tomáš'''<br /> <br /> I started at 1300 from the carabinieros. The trail to road took me 3 hours (with one 5 minute stop), it is not that horrible with ups and downs but it has its share, with the small ones at the end more unexpected. I wanted to catch a bus that supposedly leaves at 4 as previously noted. I met only one couple hiking one km from the road. How surprised was I by the full carpark (30 cars). The bus apparently leaves at five. I hitched a car instead after 15 minutes. The road seemed busy, maybe it was the Sunday afternoon but one car passed every 3-5 minutes (and there were cars going north too). Got off at start of option 1 - there is enormous parking lot there with maybe 50 cars.<br /> <br /> I took the option 1 which is supposed to be peopleless. It is, once you reach the X at 2.4. Or earlier, if you take the OSM trail after 1 km signposted to camping Poincenot. Follow that for 500 m and then turn right on a barely used trail. Shortcut the detour by CCing (roughly here:49.2387039S, 72.9553397W) to the left through open forest after cca 400 m on this trail. Once again on the GPT, you will come across a fence - I guess that is why this trail is not much used, it is probably not official. Viewpoint at 6.2 is really worth it - for me it was also the first time I saw Fitz Roy, as it was in the clouds previously. I camped at the turnoff to the viewpoint here: 49.2640959S, 72.9554167W. There is a place for tent but I used a cave-like space under a boulder 15 m upstream - it was big enough to allow me to use the inner part of my tent against the few mosquitoes around. Too small for two though. Not sure what the legal situation is, I heard when caught camping without a permit in the park, they take your gear and you must pay a fine in town. This trail is however rarely used (only signed by cairns), so probably they would not check here [also, sleeping under the lagoon might be dangerous as it could technically collapse at anytime).<br /> <br /> The next day I did not take variant B to Lago de los Tres. By the way the OSM trail there to Cerro Madsen in reality does not seem to go over glacier but in between them, the glaciars are shrinking (it is marked as SAC 4 which seems about right, looks easily walkable/lightly scramblable), you could also probably cut it from the Lago to Laguna Sucia going through this seemingly waterless valley/gulley: 49.2825930S, 72.9843467W. How do I know these? I went from Laguna Sucia (not on GPT yet, but it is on OSM partly) to Laguna Torre. This is a demanding but very fun and extremely beautiful scramble (at most SAC 5 but I did not exactly always aim for the easiest route), hopefully it will make it to the GPX files for the next season. For now, pictures and GPX link [https://www.facebook.com/groups/222224388283455/posts/1761957234310155/ here]. It goes like this: follow the OSM trail that goes from camping Poincenot to Laguna Sucia and then to Swiss Bivy/la Cueva. Once there, follow the trail a bit more (150 m) to get on top of the cliffy-like part of the slope, where it will be a bit flatter. Scramble horizontally to SE and then to E. The glacier is smaller than on the map - I got to its very end and crossed one of the small gullies near it. Then you traverse for some time on a less steep terrain, until you are roughly under a nameless lake. From there, go up. I took a ridge, which was fun, but easier would be to go up a slope. I got to about 1550 on the ridge that is above the lake from NW. Going down to the lake is a bit less slopy from there. There would be other ways, either going higher over this ridge, or even lower. One could also probably go straight up from the lake, or even with a bit bushbashing approach the lake from NE.<br /> <br /> At the lake, I met a Swiss couple who slept there. They built a very nice tent space there. This was a coincidence, this does not seem like popular traverse (though I saw a paraglider launch from Loma de las Pizzaras, which had a trail to it on OSM; that is what the Swiss took saying the trail stops 500 m before the peak; from there they went down to a valley south of the peak and over a pass). I went through the pass cca 200 m from Loma de las Pizzaras (which had usable if a bit spotty 4G Claro internet), down a valley and then over a miniscule pass to SW to a lake that is not even on OSM [2024: I since added it to OSM] yet here: 49.3051327S, 72.9861450W - a good camping spot, so I stayed (it was a very sunny calm and reasonably warm day/night), but the place seems more sheltered than the other lake where I met the Swiss. Did not bother to build a windwall, sorry. I met 12 people all day, 7 out of which were climbers lolling about their tents, they camped both just before Laguna Sucio and at the Swiss bivy. Not sure if this is tolerated or you need a permit (or possibly climbing gear). Took me about 4 hours from Swiss bivy to Loma de las Pizzaras. Incredible views, ice kept falling from the glaciers, once even to the lake. Usually the ice is down by the time you hear the rumbling, but I was close enough to watch two falls. Also saw Condors again after a long time. A perfect day and I am out of superlatives describing it; I guess this is what makes some people crazy about Patagonia. Fitz Roy is actually the only place I knew about before coming to Chile after googling &quot;long distance hike in South America&quot; 16 months earlier.<br /> <br /> The next day I went over a small pass to the west of the lake and then down, roughly aiming for end of variant D. Around 1050 m I crossed a stream (take water from it, there won't be much more) and kept it to my left, graduallly distancing myself from it to maybe 50-100m. There is a way between the greenery that does not involve BBing. Then you reach the forrest, which is open and you end up on the trail.<br /> <br /> From there to El Chalten, it is a highway (200 people met?), very easy and pretty (autumn is coming), but annoying with people. I do not like El Chalten, going on to GPT40 before the weather turns horrible.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-24 to 2024-Feb-28 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / option 1 + Laguna Pollone + variant b + variant d / Yannick &amp; Nolwenn'''<br /> <br /> - Trail condition : easy path to follow<br /> - Water : easy to find<br /> - Camping spot : poincenot is a nice campsite, camping piedra del fraile doesn't accept card so you need cash<br /> - Weather : sunny and cloudy<br /> - Resupply : from villa O'Higgins<br /> - Overall : amazing section, the views are amazing, really worth it to do the Fitz Roy for the sunrise and leave the tent and bags at the Poincenot campsite<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-13 / 4 day / Hiking / NOBO / RR / Charlie Gardner'''<br /> <br /> Not much to add, super straightforward hiking area. Only addition I’d recommend is hiking through Poincenot camp (or staying there) and taking western route that connects with the trail to Lago Piedra Blancas. This section was empty and georgeous. The short hike up the boulder field to the lake is absolutely worth. Piedra del Fraile is an awesome little campsite and Refugio as well. We didn’t go any further North by hiking on this route. <br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-13 / 1 day / Packrafting / SOBO / RR + Option 2A / Tom Pieper'''<br /> <br /> Not much to add. The free camping at gendarmeria argentina was indeed my most favourite 'official' camping spot of the entire GPT. Amazing view on Mt Fitz Roy in the evening! Talk to the gendarmeria. They might help organize boat transfer with a local farmer even outside the official hours. Tooked the motorboat in the morning, as wind was too strong to cross by packraft. Packrafting Rio de las vueltas was fun. Swift blue river which might a perfect packrafting river for beginners as there are no major obstacles. After every bend new stunning views on Mt Fitz Roy. Bring fishing equipment - a lot of trouts in there. I did not went for the lower part, but easily catched a ride via option 2A.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-03 / 1 day / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Stiina &amp; Kris'''<br /> <br /> We camped by the border control. It was raining all night and still in the morning but we decided to do the hike along Laguna Desierto. Surprisingly it wasn't as muddy and slippery as we expected but of course the streams were pretty big and everything got absolutely soaked during the rain. We reached the other end of the lake in less than three hours and there were lots of cars and tourists there. No phone signal. We started hiking along the road and after 5km got a ride to El Chalten.<br /> <br /> The ferry doesn't go on Wednesdays, on Thursday it went at 11am from the side of the border control. Not sure of the price.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-16 to 2023-Dec-19 / 3.5 days / NOBO / El Chaltén - Lago del desierto / RR/ Alex &amp; Christophe'''<br /> <br /> It was a well marked section with amazing views. You nearly don't need your gps during the entire section and can enjoy the beautiful landscape. It felt like an easy first section for us. <br /> <br /> The trail to Laguna torre was full of people but once we turned out of it, it was really ok.<br /> <br /> The road walking between puente del río electrico and lago del desierto wasn't the most interesting but everything is better with a nice view!<br /> <br /> *2023 Anh OH-TL-V + RH-TL-V (Lago del Desierto)<br /> OH-TL-V is easy for Gpt hikers. The trails are easy to find. Just for the left trail of Laguna Torre you have to rent Harness to cross river via Tyrolean traverse.<br /> <br /> RH-TL-V along Lago del Desierto is easy to hike, official you should plan 6 hours. I just needed 4.5 hours (slow-normal speed) with heavy backpack (10 days food). Alternatively you can pay 55 USD (one way) for the ferry.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Mar-19 to 2023-Mar-20 / 2 days / NOBO / El Chalten to Paso Fronterizo del Lago del desierto / Jess&amp;Paco'''<br /> <br /> Easy and wonderfull section especially the trail from lago Torre to Poincenot Camp passing by Lagos Madre e Hija. <br /> <br /> Be carefull after leaving the national park camping El pilar and Laguna Condor are quite expensive. Laguna Condor even refused a group of 5 mochileros without reservation we met the day after. Also the camping Ricanor seems definively closed and the land is to sale. Pitching your tent in the nearby forest is possible but not really authorised. It can be tolerated. But like in the National park and the majority of campsite indicated on the GPT tracks absolutly no fires is allowed.<br /> <br /> You can by snacks at the camping on the southern shore of Lago del desierto but it is not a good resuply spot.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Mar-23 to 2023-Mar-26 / 4 days / SOBO / Lago del Desierto - El Chaltén / RR + option 1 + variant B / Anna &amp; Christopher'''<br /> <br /> What a contrast arriving from the last section without meeting anybody. At the southern end of Lago del Desierto there are lots of tourists. We continued from there around 3 p.m., when people slowly started to come back from their day trips. Our timing proved to be pretty good, because we got a ride after walking for a couple of minutes. There is also a bus to El Chaltén leaving atound 4 p.m. for 3.500 pesos.<br /> <br /> The car dropped us at the bridge at km 31.8 where option 1 starts. That night we camped somewhere between the rocks next to the trail around km 8. Camping at Piedra del Fraile is 3.000 pesos.<br /> <br /> The next day we knew it would rain in the afternoon so we got up early at sunrise, left our backpacks behind and went up to km 12.3 to get a nice view of the glacier. When the rain started, we fled to the hut at Piedra del Fraile to wait until it passes. <br /> <br /> If one is short in time, we would recommend to skip this glacier, because the other options of GPT 39 are definitely more spectacular.<br /> <br /> We loved the detour to Laguna Piedra blanca. <br /> <br /> Due to the horror stories of mice at the official campgrounds, we decided to stay away and camped approx. 1km away from the campsite <br /> &quot;Poincenot&quot; that night.<br /> <br /> The next day we got up early to see the sunrise at Lago de los Tres, which was beautiful, even though there were way more people than expected for sunrise ;) <br /> <br /> Up there we saw one possible camping spot surrounded by a stone wall. With strong wind it's probably not the best shelter though.<br /> <br /> The stretch to Laguna Torre is amazing. When we arrived there we could enjoy the spectacular view with sunny, windless weather for a while, before it suddenly got extremly windy and everyone looked for a shelter behind some rocks. We decided to return to the woods, camped there and wanted to continue with the options around Laguna Torre the next day. <br /> <br /> When we went up to Laguna Torre the wind still was extremely strong and unfortunately all mountains were covered by clouds, so we quickly continued to El Chaltén.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Mar-7 to 2023-Mar-14 / 2.5 days / SOBO / RR + Option 1 / Lago Desierto - El Chaltén / Ondrej '''<br /> <br /> This section offers lot of impressive views of snowy peaks, turquoise rivers and glaciers - if one has the luck of a good weather. If you are going SOBO and want to do the weather-sensitive GPT40 afterwards, one way to reduce potential waiting days is to pause GPT39 once you get across Lago Desierto and hitchhike to El Chalten. This allows you to consult rangers in El Chalten about a good weather window for The Huemul Circuit (GPT40). You can complete the remainder of GPT39 while waiting for the weather window or after you have finished GPT40. I was on a relatively tight schedule and this strategy has worked well for me.<br /> <br /> Starting from the Argentinian checkpoint at Lago Desierto around midday, I did the lake stretch in the afternoon (took me around 5 hours) and camped at the official campsite at the other side of the lake. The rates were 3,000 Argentinian pesos per person. They have hot water but the pressure is really really bad. They also have a new common room (more like a big refugio) where you can cook and recharge devices (if you have the argentian plug, which I didn’t). The campsite also sels some biscuits, chips etc. There was also a big restaurant bulding, however, it closed at 6pm so I didn’t have a chance to check it out. <br /> <br /> On the second day I walked the road to the point where the trail branches off the road (km38.0). The road was quite scenic but in a hindsight the trail after km38.0 felt much more beautiful. Once you get closer to the trailhead you can observe the monumental Fitz Roy peak, weather permiting. In my case the forecast predicted rain all day. However, at noon the sky suddenly opened and after five gray days granted me beautiful views. This made me to change my strategy and hitch to El Chaltén from the crossroad (km38) hoping that I will be able to use this good weather window for the Huemul circuit (GPT40). This has indeed worked out. <br /> <br /> I hitched back to the crossroad (km38.0) few days later and continued with Option 1 (Laguna Piedras Blancas - L. De Los Tres - L. Torre - El Chaltén) with light backpack in a single day as I was short on time. I would prefer to spend at least two days on this portiom, exploring the lagunas further away. Very scenic and mantained trails in general. Easy to jog some parts for those who enjoy trail running.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Feb-17 to 2023-Feb-20 / 4 days / RR / SOBO / also all the optional routes to the various lagunas on the way to El Chaltén / Véronica &amp; Zach '''<br /> <br /> Route: Lago Del Desierto - Río Las Vueltas - resupply in El Chaltén - Lagos Eléctrico y Marconi - Lago Piedras Blancas - Lago de los Tres - Lago Torre <br /> <br /> If packrafting Lago Desierto, consult the Gendarmaria for advice about current wind conditions. We can't speak about the trail or paddling along most of Lago del Desierto, thanks to a special encounter with a trail magician with a motorboat. We camped that night in a sheltered cove with a fantastic view of Monte Fitz Roy. The next morning, I walked ~3km to the south side of the lake while Zach packrafted down with a tailwind. We learned the ferry crosses the lake from south to north on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 10 a.m., and returns from north to south those same days at 11 a.m. <br /> <br /> We walked a scenic dirt road to the put-in for Río de las Vueltas. From there, Zach packrafted and I walked the road. There were no signs along the river prohibiting paddling, but we heard you need a permit to go all the way into El Chaltén. <br /> <br /> We resupplied in El Chaltén that evening, then the next morning hitched back up to Bridge, X {39} [31.7/449], where Option 1 starts. For the next three days, we walked beautiful, well-maintained trails to the lagunas and viewpoints in the vicinity of Monte Fitz Roy. Most of them are out-and-back, and you can easily stash your backpack and walk unencumbered to the glaciers and lakes. Note: Option 39-E requires a harness to cross on a Tyrolean cable, or a burly ford.<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-29 to 2023-Jan-01 / Helen and Craig /'''<br /> <br /> &gt;Well marked trails. Very busy on sunny days, Incredibly dusty camp sites in high winds (but nicely sheltered)<br /> <br /> &gt;Really sad amount of rubbish around the trail. Maybe because of this reason mice are a real proplem around the camp sites. *Secure food* (we have taken to sleeping with all food in the main compartment of our tent and don't trust drysacks and backpacks alone to protect). We picked up the bits we could carry but sad to see. Worst littering we have seen anywhere in Patagonia. Wished I had a bigger trash bag to pick up.<br /> <br /> &gt;We walked a very leisurely 3 night loop with side trails in high winds whilst waiting for a weather window for GPT40. Then hitchhiked up to rejoin the trail at Lago Desertio.<br /> <br /> &gt;To avoid the crowds, the popular miadors we walked to at odd times of day, sunset for the 'sunrise' veiw. Very much Worth it.<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-09 to 2022-Dec-11 / 2 half days &amp; 1 full day walking / SOBO / Frank'''<br /> <br /> I came from Candelario Mansilla &amp; continued on the trail round Laguna del Desierto the same day. It was slow going around the lake with lots of up &amp; down over bluffs. At the end of the lake I crossed over a bridge (inflow stream for the lake) Just after the bridge there is a restaurant, (closed in the evening), campsite &amp; hut. I stayed in the hut (no beds but in good condition, slept on the wooden floor) From the campsite a trail goes up to Laguna Huemul, about 1 hour up. A worthwhile detour with good views of Glaciar Huemul. Next day I continued on the road then on the trail towards Laguna de los Tres. The high campsite was very busy &amp; noisy so I continued down to Laguna Capri &amp; camped there, better but still noisy. Lots of people on the trail also, a big change to the previous sections. From Laguna Capri I continued easily down to El Chalten. 2 half days &amp; 1 full day walking.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-18 / NOBO / Oreste'''<br /> <br /> The campground Ricanor near to Laguna Azul was close for maintenance when I passed there.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-16 / NOBO / Oreste Marquis'''<br /> <br /> Two first day were on the regular route. Could not see the Fotz Roy from close because of the cloud but still enjoyable route. I hitchike at the end of the second day and did not walk on the road to Lago del desierto because the camping Ricanor nesr to Laguna Azul was close for maintenance so I camp at the one close to the Lago.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec / 2 days / NOBO / Matthieu'''<br /> <br /> Trail easy to follow for the parts in the wood before the road. Long road to The Lago Desierto, and a possibility to take a boat on the Lago to join the post of Gendarmeria. The walk by the lake is beautiful though, worth it.<br /> <br /> No special difficulties. <br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-14 / Arnaud et Adriane /xfg'''<br /> <br /> It was a very rainy, windy and cold day so we walked to the road 12km (along the lago del desierto) and after 6 km on the road, we finished hitchhiking directly to El Chalten. Everything was covered with clouds so we sadly saw nothing.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Nov-9 / 2 days / Regular hiking route / NOBO / Lea Geibel, Kevin Moe'''<br /> <br /> The highlight of this section for us was visiting all the lagunas in the national park! We cheated and hitch hiked along the road when we hit it after El Pilar. It was not difficult to get a car in the morning when tourists are heading out to Lago Desierto; it might be harder to find one northbound in the evening would be my guess. It's necessary to pay to camp at Desierto, 800 Argentinian Pesos each, and it is not allowed to camp along the road.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2018/19==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2017/18==<br /> <br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''Route description by Kara Davis after Season 2017/18 / fgh:'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> Section GPT39 begins on the northern bank of Lago del Desierto. According to the Gendarmería, the Argentine Border Control, the wind patterns on the lake are unpredictable and shift frequently. There is also no good access to the trail on the east side if bailing becomes a necessity, so have caution when deciding whether to packraft or not.<br /> <br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''20Comment by Jan Dudeck: Lago del Desierto is an innocent looking beast. While very calm at the put in heavy wind at the middle of the lake can make a traverse demanding and dangerous.'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> <br /> There is a well-established trail that runs along the east side of the lake. However, it isn’t flat, and the 11 or so kilometers takes longer than expected. There is an option to take a ferry across the lake which is popular with Carretera Austral bicyclers. More information regarding times and prices can be found at the Argentine border control station on the north side of Lago del Desierto.<br /> <br /> Hungry hikers are rewarded when they reach the south end of the lake. A burger stand with some snack options is located here along with an established campground with showers, flush toilets, and a communal kitchen.<br /> <br /> Walk along RP23, a gravel road, for several kilometers until reaching the put-in for the packrafting section of Río de las Vueltas, which is a sloped rocky beach. The serpentine river section before Lago Condor is fairly swift with no rapids, only some wooden snags. After Lago Condor, the river widens and forms many braided channels.<br /> <br /> Alternate: Instead of exiting Río de las Vueltas onto RP23 as shown by the GPS track, we floated the river al the way to El Chaltén and took out just after the bridge crossing east of the town.<br /> <br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''Comment by Jan Dudeck:'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> To my knowledge packrafting the Rio de las Vueltas all the way to El Chalten requires a permit by the park rangers. Without this permit park rangers might get very nasty and may even confiscate your packraft. So better leave the river before this river enters the national park. Packraft track OP-RI-1@39-02-# only if you have a permit.<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> *El Chaltén is a medium sized town with several hostels, restaurants, and decent resupply options. There were also a few outdoor gear outfitters which offered rentals for the famous Huemul Circuit (GPT40).<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> *2023 / Jess&amp;Paco<br /> You can by snacks at the camping on the southern shore of Lago del desierto but it is not a good resuply spot.<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> 2023: There is a bus every evening at 8PM from El Chalten to Los Antiguos, arriving at about 7AM. The bus continues to Esquel, El Bolson &amp; Bariloche. From Los Antiguos you can go by local taxi or hitch to the border &amp; Chile Chico (there is no longer a bus across the border) There is also a bus once a day from Los Antiguos to El Chalten.<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT39 - Monte Fitz Roy]]<br /> <br /> =Images=</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT39_(Monte_Fitzroy)&diff=120090 2025-02-09T22:59:54Z

<p>MiaimZelt: /* Season 2024/25 */</p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;packrafting&quot;, as above):<br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD, WHAT IS ENCLOSED IN &lt;&gt; MAKES IT BLUE):<br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/nowiki&gt;.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Overview=<br /> <br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> *''2025-Feb-04 to 2025-Feb-05 / 1.5 days Hiking / SOBO/ RR/ MiaimZelt'' <br /> <br /> Day 1: The trail along Lago del Desierto is nice and easy, sometimes a bit wet. When i reached the gravel road it took more than 1h to get a hitch. A friendly couple from Buenos Aires took me. Wanted to continue with the RR, but a sign said &quot;access only for guests of Hotel El Pilar&quot;. Was confused and continued some meters on the road and tried to bypass on a gravelroad. But it ended nowhere. Was frustrated and had to backtrack. Found a possibility to bypass Hotel El Pilar on this 4x4 track: -49.235541, -72.932263. It continues to the trail. From there it was easy hiking and at 8pm i pitched my tent hidden in the forest. <br /> <br /> Day 2: The official campsites like Poincenot now charge 15.000 ARS (~15US$). In my opinion it's pricey for what you get: a flat spot in the forest and access to a vault toilet without toilet paper. <br /> <br /> Went up to Laguna Sucia. Really beautiful, but the trail was suprinsingly technical with a short &amp; very steep ascent and a stretch on big boulders. <br /> <br /> It was very easy hiking until El Chaltén. Met tons of people. Missed Laguna Torre, want to do it later with Arno.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2025-Jan-22 to 2025-Jan-23 / 2 / &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / SOBO / RP + RR + Variant: C + B + new Option/ Roman'''<br /> <br /> Route: Started the section directly from GPT38. Started packrafting at Lake, Ferry {39} [0.1/507] (Lago del Desierto) to the other side of the ferry. Hitchhiked from there to El Chaiten. Went on a short one day hike to Viewpoint {39-B} [2.6/1158] (Laguna de los Tres) via a new Option (Laguna Sucia).<br /> <br /> Weather: Day one was cloudy with little wind. Day two was clear and sunny until noon after that cloudy.<br /> <br /> Details: Started Packrafting at ~14:00 PM. There was a guard who wanted me to put in a helmet (which doesn't make sense for a lake crossing. I had full Packrafting gear (drysuit, life jacket, leash, etc.). Luckily a friend had a helmet i could use. After the guard verified that the weather was good i was allows to go. As pointed out earlier this isn't a official rule it depends on the guard. After starting i experienced the &quot;topical&quot; condiciones on the lake. Basically no wind at the shores (north/south shore) and strongish winds in the middle 20-30 km/h N. All of this can be read in the comments here: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1D38JiiEhq/ . After 2.25 hours and a average speed of 4.2 km/h. I After i reached the south shore i walked for 5km before I got a lift directly to El Chaiten. It's a busy, touristy and expensive place and I didn't not really enjoyed it.<br /> <br /> I went on a fast morning hike the next day to Viewpoint {39-B} [2.6/1158] (Laguna de los Tres). There are 3 entry point where you have to buy a ticket for the national park. They also sometimes check if you have a ticket when you are exiting. The entrance fee can be avoided by 1) enter early in the morning 2) walk around the entry point. The same goes for the way out. You can download the 3 checkpoints at the end. I started in El Chaiten at 03:15 AM and followed variant C from the city center to GPT39-C start and followed the RR north up to GPT39-B end until this point: X {39-B} [0.6/736]. From there I went to Laguna Sucia - i didn't registered/notified anyone for taking this trail even though there was a sign. After that i scrambled my way up to Viewpoint {39-B} [2.6/1158] (Laguna de los Tres) and backtracked the same way via Variant B back to El Chaiten. The route can be downloaded at the end.<br /> <br /> Overall: Packrafting Laguna del Desierto was really nice. After that i got way to touristy and crowded for me. I would reccomend continuing as fast as possible and not spending time at El Chaiten or the National Park. The hike to Viewpoint {39-B} [2.6/1158] (Laguna de los Tres) was nice - as I was the only person at Laguna Sucia and I have only met a few people that early in the morning and I was already back around 09:30 AM.<br /> <br /> Files (GPX and KMZ /// Track &amp;Additional Markers):<br /> - Checkpoints of the national park &amp; New option: https://1drv.ms/f/s!AqzLweJ3NZW5tJYWBnZnqqOJStEPxQ<br /> <br /> Source: https://xn--sealcalafate-bhb.com/contenido/12931/el-lunes-comienza-el-cobro-de-acceso-a-turistas-en-la-zona-de-el-chalten<br /> <br /> All tracks are also on Strava and general contact for questions: https://linktr.ee/RundW<br /> <br /> * '''Dec 22-23 / OH 39-02 + RR SOBO / wiiiim'''<br /> <br /> GPT39 was busy as expected, I hitched a ride from Lago Desierto &amp; entered the park in the afternoon from Rio Electrico on the OH, it has a park toll booth at the start about 200m in, it was closed that rainy afternoon. I camped in some very windy weather at -49.26410, -72.95542 there are several nice well protected rock bivvies, Laguna piedras blancas is a short/nice side trip, I wanted to avoid Poincenot which seems to get absolutely hammered, I was told they will start charging camp fees here very soon? I couldn’t verify this. <br /> Laguna Sucia was a highlight for me, if you’re short on time I would personally pick this over Laguna de los tres<br /> For what it’s worth the new park entry fee system is pretty poorly implemented, it’s currently a sport among back packers to avoid park control booths by starting the trails before 7am. Laguna Torre is still free, so technically you can enter from -49.33148, -72.89532 at any time and hike the RR NOBO without check points, they dont seem to validate inside or at park exits.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> * '''2024-Apr-03 to 2024-Apr-05 / 2.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + OH 1 + B + OSM Trail to Laguna Sucia / Joscha '''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 1: RR [0.0-31.8] + OH39-01 + OH39-B [0.6-0.2]<br /> <br /> I arrived at the southern end of lago de desierto at noon. I hiked for about 2 hours on the primary road until I got a hitch to the start of OH39-01. Its probably easier to get a hitch in the afternoon. At Laguna Piedras Blancas is a sign that the area around the Laguna is dangerous and it's forbidden to go to the Laguna. The sidetrail to the Laguna is a rock scramble. Because of wind and rain I did not went to the Laguna. But its possible to see the glacier without scrambling up to the Laguna (its also possible to see the glacier from the RR) and the rest of the trail is in good condition as well. I camped at the campsite Poincenot [39.4+0.2].<br /> <br /> Day 2: OH39-B [0.2-2.6] + OSM Trail to Laguna Sucia + RR [39.4-49.4]<br /> <br /> I went up to the Laguna de los Tres for sunrise with about 50 other hikers. The trail is officially closed for the season, but nobody cares. It was a little icy, but doable without spikes. I returned to the campsite Poincenot and went to the Laguna Sucia on the OSM trail. This trail is also officially closed, because it is suposed to be to dangerous. The last few hundred meters to the Laguna is a rock scramble, but in good conditions pretty easy. During the rock scramble you can go on both sides of the river. I liked the southern side a little more, even though the OSM trail is on the northern side. I can really recommend Laguna Sucia. Only few people and in my opinion more impressive than Laguna de los Tres. After that I returned to the RR and went to Laguna Torre. I camped at the Campsite D' Agostini at km 49.4.<br /> <br /> Day 3: RR [49.4-59.4]<br /> <br /> Easy walk to El Chalten.<br /> <br /> * '''2024 Ma 20 to 22 / 3 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Juliette and Martin '''<br /> <br /> Day 1 : Argentinian gendarmeria - Punta Sur <br /> <br /> A small day with only a walk along the lago Desierto. Approximatly 5 hours of walk. Nice points of view on the fitz Roy. We sleeped at the « Hosteria y restaurante Punta sur »… It’s 48 000 argentinian pesos for a two people room with a breakfast included (and it’s allowed us to dry our stuff). There is a camping on the side with a small refuge inside in case of rain for 14 000 pesos per people.<br /> <br /> Day 2 : Punta Sur - Camp Poincenot <br /> <br /> We hitchhiked to skip the road to hike less (because of a foot pain). The detour to the Laguna Piedras Blancas worth it, but the ascenption to the lake on huge rock took us à long time, despite the low distance. Camping poincenot was crowded, but we didn’t heard of any mice. <br /> <br /> Day 3 : camp Poincenot - El Chalten <br /> <br /> Wake up early to contemplate to sun rise from the Lago los Tres. The ascenption from the camp is an hour long, easy beaucause overrun and the trail is maitained. A lot of people do the same (almost 20 or 30 I would say). It’s really beautiful, espacially if you have a good weather. Walking on the most famous trail around the fitz roy is really différent from the GPT. The trailed arouned Cerro Torre is really easy and overrun. <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Mar-08 to 2024-Mar-09/ 1.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Opt 01 + Var B+D / Matthias'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: Argentine Border Control – near Rio Electrico:<br /> <br /> Started at the Argentine Border Control at 14:00. (I stayed the night before in Candelario Mancilla, GPT38). It took me 3:45h of straight walking to reach the road on the southern end of the lake. Got a ride from there at 18:15 to the bridge over Rio Electrico. On OSM there was a camping indicated there, which does not exist. Due to the beginning darkness, I camped near the path of Option01 2km from the bridge – very windy night.<br /> <br /> Day 2: near Rio Electrico - Laguna Piedras Blancas - Laguna de Los Tres - Laguna Torre - El Chalten<br /> <br /> A very (too) long day due to a bad weather forecast for the following days. Option 1 is very nice though officially closed because in one season there had ocurred 18 accidents and one person dying. (Information of park ranger Miguel at whose house I stayed in ElChalten). Was lucky to see Fitz Roy from Laguna Piedras Blancas!<br /> It is very interesting to see how the tourists concentrate to certain hot spots all over the world. On the path to Laguna de Los Tres I “met” probably more people (hundreds) than on my whole 60 day GPT hike before!<br /> <br /> * '''24-Mar-03 to 2024-Mar-05 / 48 hours / Hiking / SOBO / RR, option 1, new option from Laguna Sucio to Laguna Torre / Tomáš'''<br /> <br /> I started at 1300 from the carabinieros. The trail to road took me 3 hours (with one 5 minute stop), it is not that horrible with ups and downs but it has its share, with the small ones at the end more unexpected. I wanted to catch a bus that supposedly leaves at 4 as previously noted. I met only one couple hiking one km from the road. How surprised was I by the full carpark (30 cars). The bus apparently leaves at five. I hitched a car instead after 15 minutes. The road seemed busy, maybe it was the Sunday afternoon but one car passed every 3-5 minutes (and there were cars going north too). Got off at start of option 1 - there is enormous parking lot there with maybe 50 cars.<br /> <br /> I took the option 1 which is supposed to be peopleless. It is, once you reach the X at 2.4. Or earlier, if you take the OSM trail after 1 km signposted to camping Poincenot. Follow that for 500 m and then turn right on a barely used trail. Shortcut the detour by CCing (roughly here:49.2387039S, 72.9553397W) to the left through open forest after cca 400 m on this trail. Once again on the GPT, you will come across a fence - I guess that is why this trail is not much used, it is probably not official. Viewpoint at 6.2 is really worth it - for me it was also the first time I saw Fitz Roy, as it was in the clouds previously. I camped at the turnoff to the viewpoint here: 49.2640959S, 72.9554167W. There is a place for tent but I used a cave-like space under a boulder 15 m upstream - it was big enough to allow me to use the inner part of my tent against the few mosquitoes around. Too small for two though. Not sure what the legal situation is, I heard when caught camping without a permit in the park, they take your gear and you must pay a fine in town. This trail is however rarely used (only signed by cairns), so probably they would not check here [also, sleeping under the lagoon might be dangerous as it could technically collapse at anytime).<br /> <br /> The next day I did not take variant B to Lago de los Tres. By the way the OSM trail there to Cerro Madsen in reality does not seem to go over glacier but in between them, the glaciars are shrinking (it is marked as SAC 4 which seems about right, looks easily walkable/lightly scramblable), you could also probably cut it from the Lago to Laguna Sucia going through this seemingly waterless valley/gulley: 49.2825930S, 72.9843467W. How do I know these? I went from Laguna Sucia (not on GPT yet, but it is on OSM partly) to Laguna Torre. This is a demanding but very fun and extremely beautiful scramble (at most SAC 5 but I did not exactly always aim for the easiest route), hopefully it will make it to the GPX files for the next season. For now, pictures and GPX link [https://www.facebook.com/groups/222224388283455/posts/1761957234310155/ here]. It goes like this: follow the OSM trail that goes from camping Poincenot to Laguna Sucia and then to Swiss Bivy/la Cueva. Once there, follow the trail a bit more (150 m) to get on top of the cliffy-like part of the slope, where it will be a bit flatter. Scramble horizontally to SE and then to E. The glacier is smaller than on the map - I got to its very end and crossed one of the small gullies near it. Then you traverse for some time on a less steep terrain, until you are roughly under a nameless lake. From there, go up. I took a ridge, which was fun, but easier would be to go up a slope. I got to about 1550 on the ridge that is above the lake from NW. Going down to the lake is a bit less slopy from there. There would be other ways, either going higher over this ridge, or even lower. One could also probably go straight up from the lake, or even with a bit bushbashing approach the lake from NE.<br /> <br /> At the lake, I met a Swiss couple who slept there. They built a very nice tent space there. This was a coincidence, this does not seem like popular traverse (though I saw a paraglider launch from Loma de las Pizzaras, which had a trail to it on OSM; that is what the Swiss took saying the trail stops 500 m before the peak; from there they went down to a valley south of the peak and over a pass). I went through the pass cca 200 m from Loma de las Pizzaras (which had usable if a bit spotty 4G Claro internet), down a valley and then over a miniscule pass to SW to a lake that is not even on OSM [2024: I since added it to OSM] yet here: 49.3051327S, 72.9861450W - a good camping spot, so I stayed (it was a very sunny calm and reasonably warm day/night), but the place seems more sheltered than the other lake where I met the Swiss. Did not bother to build a windwall, sorry. I met 12 people all day, 7 out of which were climbers lolling about their tents, they camped both just before Laguna Sucio and at the Swiss bivy. Not sure if this is tolerated or you need a permit (or possibly climbing gear). Took me about 4 hours from Swiss bivy to Loma de las Pizzaras. Incredible views, ice kept falling from the glaciers, once even to the lake. Usually the ice is down by the time you hear the rumbling, but I was close enough to watch two falls. Also saw Condors again after a long time. A perfect day and I am out of superlatives describing it; I guess this is what makes some people crazy about Patagonia. Fitz Roy is actually the only place I knew about before coming to Chile after googling &quot;long distance hike in South America&quot; 16 months earlier.<br /> <br /> The next day I went over a small pass to the west of the lake and then down, roughly aiming for end of variant D. Around 1050 m I crossed a stream (take water from it, there won't be much more) and kept it to my left, graduallly distancing myself from it to maybe 50-100m. There is a way between the greenery that does not involve BBing. Then you reach the forrest, which is open and you end up on the trail.<br /> <br /> From there to El Chalten, it is a highway (200 people met?), very easy and pretty (autumn is coming), but annoying with people. I do not like El Chalten, going on to GPT40 before the weather turns horrible.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-24 to 2024-Feb-28 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / option 1 + Laguna Pollone + variant b + variant d / Yannick &amp; Nolwenn'''<br /> <br /> - Trail condition : easy path to follow<br /> - Water : easy to find<br /> - Camping spot : poincenot is a nice campsite, camping piedra del fraile doesn't accept card so you need cash<br /> - Weather : sunny and cloudy<br /> - Resupply : from villa O'Higgins<br /> - Overall : amazing section, the views are amazing, really worth it to do the Fitz Roy for the sunrise and leave the tent and bags at the Poincenot campsite<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-13 / 4 day / Hiking / NOBO / RR / Charlie Gardner'''<br /> <br /> Not much to add, super straightforward hiking area. Only addition I’d recommend is hiking through Poincenot camp (or staying there) and taking western route that connects with the trail to Lago Piedra Blancas. This section was empty and georgeous. The short hike up the boulder field to the lake is absolutely worth. Piedra del Fraile is an awesome little campsite and Refugio as well. We didn’t go any further North by hiking on this route. <br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-13 / 1 day / Packrafting / SOBO / RR + Option 2A / Tom Pieper'''<br /> <br /> Not much to add. The free camping at gendarmeria argentina was indeed my most favourite 'official' camping spot of the entire GPT. Amazing view on Mt Fitz Roy in the evening! Talk to the gendarmeria. They might help organize boat transfer with a local farmer even outside the official hours. Tooked the motorboat in the morning, as wind was too strong to cross by packraft. Packrafting Rio de las vueltas was fun. Swift blue river which might a perfect packrafting river for beginners as there are no major obstacles. After every bend new stunning views on Mt Fitz Roy. Bring fishing equipment - a lot of trouts in there. I did not went for the lower part, but easily catched a ride via option 2A.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-03 / 1 day / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Stiina &amp; Kris'''<br /> <br /> We camped by the border control. It was raining all night and still in the morning but we decided to do the hike along Laguna Desierto. Surprisingly it wasn't as muddy and slippery as we expected but of course the streams were pretty big and everything got absolutely soaked during the rain. We reached the other end of the lake in less than three hours and there were lots of cars and tourists there. No phone signal. We started hiking along the road and after 5km got a ride to El Chalten.<br /> <br /> The ferry doesn't go on Wednesdays, on Thursday it went at 11am from the side of the border control. Not sure of the price.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-16 to 2023-Dec-19 / 3.5 days / NOBO / El Chaltén - Lago del desierto / RR/ Alex &amp; Christophe'''<br /> <br /> It was a well marked section with amazing views. You nearly don't need your gps during the entire section and can enjoy the beautiful landscape. It felt like an easy first section for us. <br /> <br /> The trail to Laguna torre was full of people but once we turned out of it, it was really ok.<br /> <br /> The road walking between puente del río electrico and lago del desierto wasn't the most interesting but everything is better with a nice view!<br /> <br /> *2023 Anh OH-TL-V + RH-TL-V (Lago del Desierto)<br /> OH-TL-V is easy for Gpt hikers. The trails are easy to find. Just for the left trail of Laguna Torre you have to rent Harness to cross river via Tyrolean traverse.<br /> <br /> RH-TL-V along Lago del Desierto is easy to hike, official you should plan 6 hours. I just needed 4.5 hours (slow-normal speed) with heavy backpack (10 days food). Alternatively you can pay 55 USD (one way) for the ferry.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Mar-19 to 2023-Mar-20 / 2 days / NOBO / El Chalten to Paso Fronterizo del Lago del desierto / Jess&amp;Paco'''<br /> <br /> Easy and wonderfull section especially the trail from lago Torre to Poincenot Camp passing by Lagos Madre e Hija. <br /> <br /> Be carefull after leaving the national park camping El pilar and Laguna Condor are quite expensive. Laguna Condor even refused a group of 5 mochileros without reservation we met the day after. Also the camping Ricanor seems definively closed and the land is to sale. Pitching your tent in the nearby forest is possible but not really authorised. It can be tolerated. But like in the National park and the majority of campsite indicated on the GPT tracks absolutly no fires is allowed.<br /> <br /> You can by snacks at the camping on the southern shore of Lago del desierto but it is not a good resuply spot.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Mar-23 to 2023-Mar-26 / 4 days / SOBO / Lago del Desierto - El Chaltén / RR + option 1 + variant B / Anna &amp; Christopher'''<br /> <br /> What a contrast arriving from the last section without meeting anybody. At the southern end of Lago del Desierto there are lots of tourists. We continued from there around 3 p.m., when people slowly started to come back from their day trips. Our timing proved to be pretty good, because we got a ride after walking for a couple of minutes. There is also a bus to El Chaltén leaving atound 4 p.m. for 3.500 pesos.<br /> <br /> The car dropped us at the bridge at km 31.8 where option 1 starts. That night we camped somewhere between the rocks next to the trail around km 8. Camping at Piedra del Fraile is 3.000 pesos.<br /> <br /> The next day we knew it would rain in the afternoon so we got up early at sunrise, left our backpacks behind and went up to km 12.3 to get a nice view of the glacier. When the rain started, we fled to the hut at Piedra del Fraile to wait until it passes. <br /> <br /> If one is short in time, we would recommend to skip this glacier, because the other options of GPT 39 are definitely more spectacular.<br /> <br /> We loved the detour to Laguna Piedra blanca. <br /> <br /> Due to the horror stories of mice at the official campgrounds, we decided to stay away and camped approx. 1km away from the campsite <br /> &quot;Poincenot&quot; that night.<br /> <br /> The next day we got up early to see the sunrise at Lago de los Tres, which was beautiful, even though there were way more people than expected for sunrise ;) <br /> <br /> Up there we saw one possible camping spot surrounded by a stone wall. With strong wind it's probably not the best shelter though.<br /> <br /> The stretch to Laguna Torre is amazing. When we arrived there we could enjoy the spectacular view with sunny, windless weather for a while, before it suddenly got extremly windy and everyone looked for a shelter behind some rocks. We decided to return to the woods, camped there and wanted to continue with the options around Laguna Torre the next day. <br /> <br /> When we went up to Laguna Torre the wind still was extremely strong and unfortunately all mountains were covered by clouds, so we quickly continued to El Chaltén.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Mar-7 to 2023-Mar-14 / 2.5 days / SOBO / RR + Option 1 / Lago Desierto - El Chaltén / Ondrej '''<br /> <br /> This section offers lot of impressive views of snowy peaks, turquoise rivers and glaciers - if one has the luck of a good weather. If you are going SOBO and want to do the weather-sensitive GPT40 afterwards, one way to reduce potential waiting days is to pause GPT39 once you get across Lago Desierto and hitchhike to El Chalten. This allows you to consult rangers in El Chalten about a good weather window for The Huemul Circuit (GPT40). You can complete the remainder of GPT39 while waiting for the weather window or after you have finished GPT40. I was on a relatively tight schedule and this strategy has worked well for me.<br /> <br /> Starting from the Argentinian checkpoint at Lago Desierto around midday, I did the lake stretch in the afternoon (took me around 5 hours) and camped at the official campsite at the other side of the lake. The rates were 3,000 Argentinian pesos per person. They have hot water but the pressure is really really bad. They also have a new common room (more like a big refugio) where you can cook and recharge devices (if you have the argentian plug, which I didn’t). The campsite also sels some biscuits, chips etc. There was also a big restaurant bulding, however, it closed at 6pm so I didn’t have a chance to check it out. <br /> <br /> On the second day I walked the road to the point where the trail branches off the road (km38.0). The road was quite scenic but in a hindsight the trail after km38.0 felt much more beautiful. Once you get closer to the trailhead you can observe the monumental Fitz Roy peak, weather permiting. In my case the forecast predicted rain all day. However, at noon the sky suddenly opened and after five gray days granted me beautiful views. This made me to change my strategy and hitch to El Chaltén from the crossroad (km38) hoping that I will be able to use this good weather window for the Huemul circuit (GPT40). This has indeed worked out. <br /> <br /> I hitched back to the crossroad (km38.0) few days later and continued with Option 1 (Laguna Piedras Blancas - L. De Los Tres - L. Torre - El Chaltén) with light backpack in a single day as I was short on time. I would prefer to spend at least two days on this portiom, exploring the lagunas further away. Very scenic and mantained trails in general. Easy to jog some parts for those who enjoy trail running.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Feb-17 to 2023-Feb-20 / 4 days / RR / SOBO / also all the optional routes to the various lagunas on the way to El Chaltén / Véronica &amp; Zach '''<br /> <br /> Route: Lago Del Desierto - Río Las Vueltas - resupply in El Chaltén - Lagos Eléctrico y Marconi - Lago Piedras Blancas - Lago de los Tres - Lago Torre <br /> <br /> If packrafting Lago Desierto, consult the Gendarmaria for advice about current wind conditions. We can't speak about the trail or paddling along most of Lago del Desierto, thanks to a special encounter with a trail magician with a motorboat. We camped that night in a sheltered cove with a fantastic view of Monte Fitz Roy. The next morning, I walked ~3km to the south side of the lake while Zach packrafted down with a tailwind. We learned the ferry crosses the lake from south to north on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 10 a.m., and returns from north to south those same days at 11 a.m. <br /> <br /> We walked a scenic dirt road to the put-in for Río de las Vueltas. From there, Zach packrafted and I walked the road. There were no signs along the river prohibiting paddling, but we heard you need a permit to go all the way into El Chaltén. <br /> <br /> We resupplied in El Chaltén that evening, then the next morning hitched back up to Bridge, X {39} [31.7/449], where Option 1 starts. For the next three days, we walked beautiful, well-maintained trails to the lagunas and viewpoints in the vicinity of Monte Fitz Roy. Most of them are out-and-back, and you can easily stash your backpack and walk unencumbered to the glaciers and lakes. Note: Option 39-E requires a harness to cross on a Tyrolean cable, or a burly ford.<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-29 to 2023-Jan-01 / Helen and Craig /'''<br /> <br /> &gt;Well marked trails. Very busy on sunny days, Incredibly dusty camp sites in high winds (but nicely sheltered)<br /> <br /> &gt;Really sad amount of rubbish around the trail. Maybe because of this reason mice are a real proplem around the camp sites. *Secure food* (we have taken to sleeping with all food in the main compartment of our tent and don't trust drysacks and backpacks alone to protect). We picked up the bits we could carry but sad to see. Worst littering we have seen anywhere in Patagonia. Wished I had a bigger trash bag to pick up.<br /> <br /> &gt;We walked a very leisurely 3 night loop with side trails in high winds whilst waiting for a weather window for GPT40. Then hitchhiked up to rejoin the trail at Lago Desertio.<br /> <br /> &gt;To avoid the crowds, the popular miadors we walked to at odd times of day, sunset for the 'sunrise' veiw. Very much Worth it.<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-09 to 2022-Dec-11 / 2 half days &amp; 1 full day walking / SOBO / Frank'''<br /> <br /> I came from Candelario Mansilla &amp; continued on the trail round Laguna del Desierto the same day. It was slow going around the lake with lots of up &amp; down over bluffs. At the end of the lake I crossed over a bridge (inflow stream for the lake) Just after the bridge there is a restaurant, (closed in the evening), campsite &amp; hut. I stayed in the hut (no beds but in good condition, slept on the wooden floor) From the campsite a trail goes up to Laguna Huemul, about 1 hour up. A worthwhile detour with good views of Glaciar Huemul. Next day I continued on the road then on the trail towards Laguna de los Tres. The high campsite was very busy &amp; noisy so I continued down to Laguna Capri &amp; camped there, better but still noisy. Lots of people on the trail also, a big change to the previous sections. From Laguna Capri I continued easily down to El Chalten. 2 half days &amp; 1 full day walking.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-18 / NOBO / Oreste'''<br /> <br /> The campground Ricanor near to Laguna Azul was close for maintenance when I passed there.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-16 / NOBO / Oreste Marquis'''<br /> <br /> Two first day were on the regular route. Could not see the Fotz Roy from close because of the cloud but still enjoyable route. I hitchike at the end of the second day and did not walk on the road to Lago del desierto because the camping Ricanor nesr to Laguna Azul was close for maintenance so I camp at the one close to the Lago.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec / 2 days / NOBO / Matthieu'''<br /> <br /> Trail easy to follow for the parts in the wood before the road. Long road to The Lago Desierto, and a possibility to take a boat on the Lago to join the post of Gendarmeria. The walk by the lake is beautiful though, worth it.<br /> <br /> No special difficulties. <br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-14 / Arnaud et Adriane /xfg'''<br /> <br /> It was a very rainy, windy and cold day so we walked to the road 12km (along the lago del desierto) and after 6 km on the road, we finished hitchhiking directly to El Chalten. Everything was covered with clouds so we sadly saw nothing.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Nov-9 / 2 days / Regular hiking route / NOBO / Lea Geibel, Kevin Moe'''<br /> <br /> The highlight of this section for us was visiting all the lagunas in the national park! We cheated and hitch hiked along the road when we hit it after El Pilar. It was not difficult to get a car in the morning when tourists are heading out to Lago Desierto; it might be harder to find one northbound in the evening would be my guess. It's necessary to pay to camp at Desierto, 800 Argentinian Pesos each, and it is not allowed to camp along the road.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2018/19==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2017/18==<br /> <br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''Route description by Kara Davis after Season 2017/18 / fgh:'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> Section GPT39 begins on the northern bank of Lago del Desierto. According to the Gendarmería, the Argentine Border Control, the wind patterns on the lake are unpredictable and shift frequently. There is also no good access to the trail on the east side if bailing becomes a necessity, so have caution when deciding whether to packraft or not.<br /> <br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''20Comment by Jan Dudeck: Lago del Desierto is an innocent looking beast. While very calm at the put in heavy wind at the middle of the lake can make a traverse demanding and dangerous.'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> <br /> There is a well-established trail that runs along the east side of the lake. However, it isn’t flat, and the 11 or so kilometers takes longer than expected. There is an option to take a ferry across the lake which is popular with Carretera Austral bicyclers. More information regarding times and prices can be found at the Argentine border control station on the north side of Lago del Desierto.<br /> <br /> Hungry hikers are rewarded when they reach the south end of the lake. A burger stand with some snack options is located here along with an established campground with showers, flush toilets, and a communal kitchen.<br /> <br /> Walk along RP23, a gravel road, for several kilometers until reaching the put-in for the packrafting section of Río de las Vueltas, which is a sloped rocky beach. The serpentine river section before Lago Condor is fairly swift with no rapids, only some wooden snags. After Lago Condor, the river widens and forms many braided channels.<br /> <br /> Alternate: Instead of exiting Río de las Vueltas onto RP23 as shown by the GPS track, we floated the river al the way to El Chaltén and took out just after the bridge crossing east of the town.<br /> <br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''Comment by Jan Dudeck:'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> To my knowledge packrafting the Rio de las Vueltas all the way to El Chalten requires a permit by the park rangers. Without this permit park rangers might get very nasty and may even confiscate your packraft. So better leave the river before this river enters the national park. Packraft track OP-RI-1@39-02-# only if you have a permit.<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> *El Chaltén is a medium sized town with several hostels, restaurants, and decent resupply options. There were also a few outdoor gear outfitters which offered rentals for the famous Huemul Circuit (GPT40).<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> *2023 / Jess&amp;Paco<br /> You can by snacks at the camping on the southern shore of Lago del desierto but it is not a good resuply spot.<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> 2023: There is a bus every evening at 8PM from El Chalten to Los Antiguos, arriving at about 7AM. The bus continues to Esquel, El Bolson &amp; Bariloche. From Los Antiguos you can go by local taxi or hitch to the border &amp; Chile Chico (there is no longer a bus across the border) There is also a bus once a day from Los Antiguos to El Chalten.<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT39 - Monte Fitz Roy]]<br /> <br /> =Images=</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT39_(Monte_Fitzroy)&diff=120089 2025-02-09T22:59:46Z

<p>MiaimZelt: /* Season 2024/25 */</p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;packrafting&quot;, as above):<br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD, WHAT IS ENCLOSED IN &lt;&gt; MAKES IT BLUE):<br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/nowiki&gt;.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Overview=<br /> <br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> *'''2025-Feb-04 to 2025-Feb-05 / 1.5 days Hiking / SOBO/ RR/ MiaimZelt'' <br /> <br /> Day 1: The trail along Lago del Desierto is nice and easy, sometimes a bit wet. When i reached the gravel road it took more than 1h to get a hitch. A friendly couple from Buenos Aires took me. Wanted to continue with the RR, but a sign said &quot;access only for guests of Hotel El Pilar&quot;. Was confused and continued some meters on the road and tried to bypass on a gravelroad. But it ended nowhere. Was frustrated and had to backtrack. Found a possibility to bypass Hotel El Pilar on this 4x4 track: -49.235541, -72.932263. It continues to the trail. From there it was easy hiking and at 8pm i pitched my tent hidden in the forest. <br /> <br /> Day 2: The official campsites like Poincenot now charge 15.000 ARS (~15US$). In my opinion it's pricey for what you get: a flat spot in the forest and access to a vault toilet without toilet paper. <br /> <br /> Went up to Laguna Sucia. Really beautiful, but the trail was suprinsingly technical with a short &amp; very steep ascent and a stretch on big boulders. <br /> <br /> It was very easy hiking until El Chaltén. Met tons of people. Missed Laguna Torre, want to do it later with Arno.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2025-Jan-22 to 2025-Jan-23 / 2 / &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / SOBO / RP + RR + Variant: C + B + new Option/ Roman'''<br /> <br /> Route: Started the section directly from GPT38. Started packrafting at Lake, Ferry {39} [0.1/507] (Lago del Desierto) to the other side of the ferry. Hitchhiked from there to El Chaiten. Went on a short one day hike to Viewpoint {39-B} [2.6/1158] (Laguna de los Tres) via a new Option (Laguna Sucia).<br /> <br /> Weather: Day one was cloudy with little wind. Day two was clear and sunny until noon after that cloudy.<br /> <br /> Details: Started Packrafting at ~14:00 PM. There was a guard who wanted me to put in a helmet (which doesn't make sense for a lake crossing. I had full Packrafting gear (drysuit, life jacket, leash, etc.). Luckily a friend had a helmet i could use. After the guard verified that the weather was good i was allows to go. As pointed out earlier this isn't a official rule it depends on the guard. After starting i experienced the &quot;topical&quot; condiciones on the lake. Basically no wind at the shores (north/south shore) and strongish winds in the middle 20-30 km/h N. All of this can be read in the comments here: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1D38JiiEhq/ . After 2.25 hours and a average speed of 4.2 km/h. I After i reached the south shore i walked for 5km before I got a lift directly to El Chaiten. It's a busy, touristy and expensive place and I didn't not really enjoyed it.<br /> <br /> I went on a fast morning hike the next day to Viewpoint {39-B} [2.6/1158] (Laguna de los Tres). There are 3 entry point where you have to buy a ticket for the national park. They also sometimes check if you have a ticket when you are exiting. The entrance fee can be avoided by 1) enter early in the morning 2) walk around the entry point. The same goes for the way out. You can download the 3 checkpoints at the end. I started in El Chaiten at 03:15 AM and followed variant C from the city center to GPT39-C start and followed the RR north up to GPT39-B end until this point: X {39-B} [0.6/736]. From there I went to Laguna Sucia - i didn't registered/notified anyone for taking this trail even though there was a sign. After that i scrambled my way up to Viewpoint {39-B} [2.6/1158] (Laguna de los Tres) and backtracked the same way via Variant B back to El Chaiten. The route can be downloaded at the end.<br /> <br /> Overall: Packrafting Laguna del Desierto was really nice. After that i got way to touristy and crowded for me. I would reccomend continuing as fast as possible and not spending time at El Chaiten or the National Park. The hike to Viewpoint {39-B} [2.6/1158] (Laguna de los Tres) was nice - as I was the only person at Laguna Sucia and I have only met a few people that early in the morning and I was already back around 09:30 AM.<br /> <br /> Files (GPX and KMZ /// Track &amp;Additional Markers):<br /> - Checkpoints of the national park &amp; New option: https://1drv.ms/f/s!AqzLweJ3NZW5tJYWBnZnqqOJStEPxQ<br /> <br /> Source: https://xn--sealcalafate-bhb.com/contenido/12931/el-lunes-comienza-el-cobro-de-acceso-a-turistas-en-la-zona-de-el-chalten<br /> <br /> All tracks are also on Strava and general contact for questions: https://linktr.ee/RundW<br /> <br /> * '''Dec 22-23 / OH 39-02 + RR SOBO / wiiiim'''<br /> <br /> GPT39 was busy as expected, I hitched a ride from Lago Desierto &amp; entered the park in the afternoon from Rio Electrico on the OH, it has a park toll booth at the start about 200m in, it was closed that rainy afternoon. I camped in some very windy weather at -49.26410, -72.95542 there are several nice well protected rock bivvies, Laguna piedras blancas is a short/nice side trip, I wanted to avoid Poincenot which seems to get absolutely hammered, I was told they will start charging camp fees here very soon? I couldn’t verify this. <br /> Laguna Sucia was a highlight for me, if you’re short on time I would personally pick this over Laguna de los tres<br /> For what it’s worth the new park entry fee system is pretty poorly implemented, it’s currently a sport among back packers to avoid park control booths by starting the trails before 7am. Laguna Torre is still free, so technically you can enter from -49.33148, -72.89532 at any time and hike the RR NOBO without check points, they dont seem to validate inside or at park exits.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> * '''2024-Apr-03 to 2024-Apr-05 / 2.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + OH 1 + B + OSM Trail to Laguna Sucia / Joscha '''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 1: RR [0.0-31.8] + OH39-01 + OH39-B [0.6-0.2]<br /> <br /> I arrived at the southern end of lago de desierto at noon. I hiked for about 2 hours on the primary road until I got a hitch to the start of OH39-01. Its probably easier to get a hitch in the afternoon. At Laguna Piedras Blancas is a sign that the area around the Laguna is dangerous and it's forbidden to go to the Laguna. The sidetrail to the Laguna is a rock scramble. Because of wind and rain I did not went to the Laguna. But its possible to see the glacier without scrambling up to the Laguna (its also possible to see the glacier from the RR) and the rest of the trail is in good condition as well. I camped at the campsite Poincenot [39.4+0.2].<br /> <br /> Day 2: OH39-B [0.2-2.6] + OSM Trail to Laguna Sucia + RR [39.4-49.4]<br /> <br /> I went up to the Laguna de los Tres for sunrise with about 50 other hikers. The trail is officially closed for the season, but nobody cares. It was a little icy, but doable without spikes. I returned to the campsite Poincenot and went to the Laguna Sucia on the OSM trail. This trail is also officially closed, because it is suposed to be to dangerous. The last few hundred meters to the Laguna is a rock scramble, but in good conditions pretty easy. During the rock scramble you can go on both sides of the river. I liked the southern side a little more, even though the OSM trail is on the northern side. I can really recommend Laguna Sucia. Only few people and in my opinion more impressive than Laguna de los Tres. After that I returned to the RR and went to Laguna Torre. I camped at the Campsite D' Agostini at km 49.4.<br /> <br /> Day 3: RR [49.4-59.4]<br /> <br /> Easy walk to El Chalten.<br /> <br /> * '''2024 Ma 20 to 22 / 3 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Juliette and Martin '''<br /> <br /> Day 1 : Argentinian gendarmeria - Punta Sur <br /> <br /> A small day with only a walk along the lago Desierto. Approximatly 5 hours of walk. Nice points of view on the fitz Roy. We sleeped at the « Hosteria y restaurante Punta sur »… It’s 48 000 argentinian pesos for a two people room with a breakfast included (and it’s allowed us to dry our stuff). There is a camping on the side with a small refuge inside in case of rain for 14 000 pesos per people.<br /> <br /> Day 2 : Punta Sur - Camp Poincenot <br /> <br /> We hitchhiked to skip the road to hike less (because of a foot pain). The detour to the Laguna Piedras Blancas worth it, but the ascenption to the lake on huge rock took us à long time, despite the low distance. Camping poincenot was crowded, but we didn’t heard of any mice. <br /> <br /> Day 3 : camp Poincenot - El Chalten <br /> <br /> Wake up early to contemplate to sun rise from the Lago los Tres. The ascenption from the camp is an hour long, easy beaucause overrun and the trail is maitained. A lot of people do the same (almost 20 or 30 I would say). It’s really beautiful, espacially if you have a good weather. Walking on the most famous trail around the fitz roy is really différent from the GPT. The trailed arouned Cerro Torre is really easy and overrun. <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Mar-08 to 2024-Mar-09/ 1.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Opt 01 + Var B+D / Matthias'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: Argentine Border Control – near Rio Electrico:<br /> <br /> Started at the Argentine Border Control at 14:00. (I stayed the night before in Candelario Mancilla, GPT38). It took me 3:45h of straight walking to reach the road on the southern end of the lake. Got a ride from there at 18:15 to the bridge over Rio Electrico. On OSM there was a camping indicated there, which does not exist. Due to the beginning darkness, I camped near the path of Option01 2km from the bridge – very windy night.<br /> <br /> Day 2: near Rio Electrico - Laguna Piedras Blancas - Laguna de Los Tres - Laguna Torre - El Chalten<br /> <br /> A very (too) long day due to a bad weather forecast for the following days. Option 1 is very nice though officially closed because in one season there had ocurred 18 accidents and one person dying. (Information of park ranger Miguel at whose house I stayed in ElChalten). Was lucky to see Fitz Roy from Laguna Piedras Blancas!<br /> It is very interesting to see how the tourists concentrate to certain hot spots all over the world. On the path to Laguna de Los Tres I “met” probably more people (hundreds) than on my whole 60 day GPT hike before!<br /> <br /> * '''24-Mar-03 to 2024-Mar-05 / 48 hours / Hiking / SOBO / RR, option 1, new option from Laguna Sucio to Laguna Torre / Tomáš'''<br /> <br /> I started at 1300 from the carabinieros. The trail to road took me 3 hours (with one 5 minute stop), it is not that horrible with ups and downs but it has its share, with the small ones at the end more unexpected. I wanted to catch a bus that supposedly leaves at 4 as previously noted. I met only one couple hiking one km from the road. How surprised was I by the full carpark (30 cars). The bus apparently leaves at five. I hitched a car instead after 15 minutes. The road seemed busy, maybe it was the Sunday afternoon but one car passed every 3-5 minutes (and there were cars going north too). Got off at start of option 1 - there is enormous parking lot there with maybe 50 cars.<br /> <br /> I took the option 1 which is supposed to be peopleless. It is, once you reach the X at 2.4. Or earlier, if you take the OSM trail after 1 km signposted to camping Poincenot. Follow that for 500 m and then turn right on a barely used trail. Shortcut the detour by CCing (roughly here:49.2387039S, 72.9553397W) to the left through open forest after cca 400 m on this trail. Once again on the GPT, you will come across a fence - I guess that is why this trail is not much used, it is probably not official. Viewpoint at 6.2 is really worth it - for me it was also the first time I saw Fitz Roy, as it was in the clouds previously. I camped at the turnoff to the viewpoint here: 49.2640959S, 72.9554167W. There is a place for tent but I used a cave-like space under a boulder 15 m upstream - it was big enough to allow me to use the inner part of my tent against the few mosquitoes around. Too small for two though. Not sure what the legal situation is, I heard when caught camping without a permit in the park, they take your gear and you must pay a fine in town. This trail is however rarely used (only signed by cairns), so probably they would not check here [also, sleeping under the lagoon might be dangerous as it could technically collapse at anytime).<br /> <br /> The next day I did not take variant B to Lago de los Tres. By the way the OSM trail there to Cerro Madsen in reality does not seem to go over glacier but in between them, the glaciars are shrinking (it is marked as SAC 4 which seems about right, looks easily walkable/lightly scramblable), you could also probably cut it from the Lago to Laguna Sucia going through this seemingly waterless valley/gulley: 49.2825930S, 72.9843467W. How do I know these? I went from Laguna Sucia (not on GPT yet, but it is on OSM partly) to Laguna Torre. This is a demanding but very fun and extremely beautiful scramble (at most SAC 5 but I did not exactly always aim for the easiest route), hopefully it will make it to the GPX files for the next season. For now, pictures and GPX link [https://www.facebook.com/groups/222224388283455/posts/1761957234310155/ here]. It goes like this: follow the OSM trail that goes from camping Poincenot to Laguna Sucia and then to Swiss Bivy/la Cueva. Once there, follow the trail a bit more (150 m) to get on top of the cliffy-like part of the slope, where it will be a bit flatter. Scramble horizontally to SE and then to E. The glacier is smaller than on the map - I got to its very end and crossed one of the small gullies near it. Then you traverse for some time on a less steep terrain, until you are roughly under a nameless lake. From there, go up. I took a ridge, which was fun, but easier would be to go up a slope. I got to about 1550 on the ridge that is above the lake from NW. Going down to the lake is a bit less slopy from there. There would be other ways, either going higher over this ridge, or even lower. One could also probably go straight up from the lake, or even with a bit bushbashing approach the lake from NE.<br /> <br /> At the lake, I met a Swiss couple who slept there. They built a very nice tent space there. This was a coincidence, this does not seem like popular traverse (though I saw a paraglider launch from Loma de las Pizzaras, which had a trail to it on OSM; that is what the Swiss took saying the trail stops 500 m before the peak; from there they went down to a valley south of the peak and over a pass). I went through the pass cca 200 m from Loma de las Pizzaras (which had usable if a bit spotty 4G Claro internet), down a valley and then over a miniscule pass to SW to a lake that is not even on OSM [2024: I since added it to OSM] yet here: 49.3051327S, 72.9861450W - a good camping spot, so I stayed (it was a very sunny calm and reasonably warm day/night), but the place seems more sheltered than the other lake where I met the Swiss. Did not bother to build a windwall, sorry. I met 12 people all day, 7 out of which were climbers lolling about their tents, they camped both just before Laguna Sucio and at the Swiss bivy. Not sure if this is tolerated or you need a permit (or possibly climbing gear). Took me about 4 hours from Swiss bivy to Loma de las Pizzaras. Incredible views, ice kept falling from the glaciers, once even to the lake. Usually the ice is down by the time you hear the rumbling, but I was close enough to watch two falls. Also saw Condors again after a long time. A perfect day and I am out of superlatives describing it; I guess this is what makes some people crazy about Patagonia. Fitz Roy is actually the only place I knew about before coming to Chile after googling &quot;long distance hike in South America&quot; 16 months earlier.<br /> <br /> The next day I went over a small pass to the west of the lake and then down, roughly aiming for end of variant D. Around 1050 m I crossed a stream (take water from it, there won't be much more) and kept it to my left, graduallly distancing myself from it to maybe 50-100m. There is a way between the greenery that does not involve BBing. Then you reach the forrest, which is open and you end up on the trail.<br /> <br /> From there to El Chalten, it is a highway (200 people met?), very easy and pretty (autumn is coming), but annoying with people. I do not like El Chalten, going on to GPT40 before the weather turns horrible.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-24 to 2024-Feb-28 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / option 1 + Laguna Pollone + variant b + variant d / Yannick &amp; Nolwenn'''<br /> <br /> - Trail condition : easy path to follow<br /> - Water : easy to find<br /> - Camping spot : poincenot is a nice campsite, camping piedra del fraile doesn't accept card so you need cash<br /> - Weather : sunny and cloudy<br /> - Resupply : from villa O'Higgins<br /> - Overall : amazing section, the views are amazing, really worth it to do the Fitz Roy for the sunrise and leave the tent and bags at the Poincenot campsite<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-13 / 4 day / Hiking / NOBO / RR / Charlie Gardner'''<br /> <br /> Not much to add, super straightforward hiking area. Only addition I’d recommend is hiking through Poincenot camp (or staying there) and taking western route that connects with the trail to Lago Piedra Blancas. This section was empty and georgeous. The short hike up the boulder field to the lake is absolutely worth. Piedra del Fraile is an awesome little campsite and Refugio as well. We didn’t go any further North by hiking on this route. <br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-13 / 1 day / Packrafting / SOBO / RR + Option 2A / Tom Pieper'''<br /> <br /> Not much to add. The free camping at gendarmeria argentina was indeed my most favourite 'official' camping spot of the entire GPT. Amazing view on Mt Fitz Roy in the evening! Talk to the gendarmeria. They might help organize boat transfer with a local farmer even outside the official hours. Tooked the motorboat in the morning, as wind was too strong to cross by packraft. Packrafting Rio de las vueltas was fun. Swift blue river which might a perfect packrafting river for beginners as there are no major obstacles. After every bend new stunning views on Mt Fitz Roy. Bring fishing equipment - a lot of trouts in there. I did not went for the lower part, but easily catched a ride via option 2A.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-03 / 1 day / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Stiina &amp; Kris'''<br /> <br /> We camped by the border control. It was raining all night and still in the morning but we decided to do the hike along Laguna Desierto. Surprisingly it wasn't as muddy and slippery as we expected but of course the streams were pretty big and everything got absolutely soaked during the rain. We reached the other end of the lake in less than three hours and there were lots of cars and tourists there. No phone signal. We started hiking along the road and after 5km got a ride to El Chalten.<br /> <br /> The ferry doesn't go on Wednesdays, on Thursday it went at 11am from the side of the border control. Not sure of the price.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-16 to 2023-Dec-19 / 3.5 days / NOBO / El Chaltén - Lago del desierto / RR/ Alex &amp; Christophe'''<br /> <br /> It was a well marked section with amazing views. You nearly don't need your gps during the entire section and can enjoy the beautiful landscape. It felt like an easy first section for us. <br /> <br /> The trail to Laguna torre was full of people but once we turned out of it, it was really ok.<br /> <br /> The road walking between puente del río electrico and lago del desierto wasn't the most interesting but everything is better with a nice view!<br /> <br /> *2023 Anh OH-TL-V + RH-TL-V (Lago del Desierto)<br /> OH-TL-V is easy for Gpt hikers. The trails are easy to find. Just for the left trail of Laguna Torre you have to rent Harness to cross river via Tyrolean traverse.<br /> <br /> RH-TL-V along Lago del Desierto is easy to hike, official you should plan 6 hours. I just needed 4.5 hours (slow-normal speed) with heavy backpack (10 days food). Alternatively you can pay 55 USD (one way) for the ferry.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Mar-19 to 2023-Mar-20 / 2 days / NOBO / El Chalten to Paso Fronterizo del Lago del desierto / Jess&amp;Paco'''<br /> <br /> Easy and wonderfull section especially the trail from lago Torre to Poincenot Camp passing by Lagos Madre e Hija. <br /> <br /> Be carefull after leaving the national park camping El pilar and Laguna Condor are quite expensive. Laguna Condor even refused a group of 5 mochileros without reservation we met the day after. Also the camping Ricanor seems definively closed and the land is to sale. Pitching your tent in the nearby forest is possible but not really authorised. It can be tolerated. But like in the National park and the majority of campsite indicated on the GPT tracks absolutly no fires is allowed.<br /> <br /> You can by snacks at the camping on the southern shore of Lago del desierto but it is not a good resuply spot.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Mar-23 to 2023-Mar-26 / 4 days / SOBO / Lago del Desierto - El Chaltén / RR + option 1 + variant B / Anna &amp; Christopher'''<br /> <br /> What a contrast arriving from the last section without meeting anybody. At the southern end of Lago del Desierto there are lots of tourists. We continued from there around 3 p.m., when people slowly started to come back from their day trips. Our timing proved to be pretty good, because we got a ride after walking for a couple of minutes. There is also a bus to El Chaltén leaving atound 4 p.m. for 3.500 pesos.<br /> <br /> The car dropped us at the bridge at km 31.8 where option 1 starts. That night we camped somewhere between the rocks next to the trail around km 8. Camping at Piedra del Fraile is 3.000 pesos.<br /> <br /> The next day we knew it would rain in the afternoon so we got up early at sunrise, left our backpacks behind and went up to km 12.3 to get a nice view of the glacier. When the rain started, we fled to the hut at Piedra del Fraile to wait until it passes. <br /> <br /> If one is short in time, we would recommend to skip this glacier, because the other options of GPT 39 are definitely more spectacular.<br /> <br /> We loved the detour to Laguna Piedra blanca. <br /> <br /> Due to the horror stories of mice at the official campgrounds, we decided to stay away and camped approx. 1km away from the campsite <br /> &quot;Poincenot&quot; that night.<br /> <br /> The next day we got up early to see the sunrise at Lago de los Tres, which was beautiful, even though there were way more people than expected for sunrise ;) <br /> <br /> Up there we saw one possible camping spot surrounded by a stone wall. With strong wind it's probably not the best shelter though.<br /> <br /> The stretch to Laguna Torre is amazing. When we arrived there we could enjoy the spectacular view with sunny, windless weather for a while, before it suddenly got extremly windy and everyone looked for a shelter behind some rocks. We decided to return to the woods, camped there and wanted to continue with the options around Laguna Torre the next day. <br /> <br /> When we went up to Laguna Torre the wind still was extremely strong and unfortunately all mountains were covered by clouds, so we quickly continued to El Chaltén.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Mar-7 to 2023-Mar-14 / 2.5 days / SOBO / RR + Option 1 / Lago Desierto - El Chaltén / Ondrej '''<br /> <br /> This section offers lot of impressive views of snowy peaks, turquoise rivers and glaciers - if one has the luck of a good weather. If you are going SOBO and want to do the weather-sensitive GPT40 afterwards, one way to reduce potential waiting days is to pause GPT39 once you get across Lago Desierto and hitchhike to El Chalten. This allows you to consult rangers in El Chalten about a good weather window for The Huemul Circuit (GPT40). You can complete the remainder of GPT39 while waiting for the weather window or after you have finished GPT40. I was on a relatively tight schedule and this strategy has worked well for me.<br /> <br /> Starting from the Argentinian checkpoint at Lago Desierto around midday, I did the lake stretch in the afternoon (took me around 5 hours) and camped at the official campsite at the other side of the lake. The rates were 3,000 Argentinian pesos per person. They have hot water but the pressure is really really bad. They also have a new common room (more like a big refugio) where you can cook and recharge devices (if you have the argentian plug, which I didn’t). The campsite also sels some biscuits, chips etc. There was also a big restaurant bulding, however, it closed at 6pm so I didn’t have a chance to check it out. <br /> <br /> On the second day I walked the road to the point where the trail branches off the road (km38.0). The road was quite scenic but in a hindsight the trail after km38.0 felt much more beautiful. Once you get closer to the trailhead you can observe the monumental Fitz Roy peak, weather permiting. In my case the forecast predicted rain all day. However, at noon the sky suddenly opened and after five gray days granted me beautiful views. This made me to change my strategy and hitch to El Chaltén from the crossroad (km38) hoping that I will be able to use this good weather window for the Huemul circuit (GPT40). This has indeed worked out. <br /> <br /> I hitched back to the crossroad (km38.0) few days later and continued with Option 1 (Laguna Piedras Blancas - L. De Los Tres - L. Torre - El Chaltén) with light backpack in a single day as I was short on time. I would prefer to spend at least two days on this portiom, exploring the lagunas further away. Very scenic and mantained trails in general. Easy to jog some parts for those who enjoy trail running.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Feb-17 to 2023-Feb-20 / 4 days / RR / SOBO / also all the optional routes to the various lagunas on the way to El Chaltén / Véronica &amp; Zach '''<br /> <br /> Route: Lago Del Desierto - Río Las Vueltas - resupply in El Chaltén - Lagos Eléctrico y Marconi - Lago Piedras Blancas - Lago de los Tres - Lago Torre <br /> <br /> If packrafting Lago Desierto, consult the Gendarmaria for advice about current wind conditions. We can't speak about the trail or paddling along most of Lago del Desierto, thanks to a special encounter with a trail magician with a motorboat. We camped that night in a sheltered cove with a fantastic view of Monte Fitz Roy. The next morning, I walked ~3km to the south side of the lake while Zach packrafted down with a tailwind. We learned the ferry crosses the lake from south to north on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 10 a.m., and returns from north to south those same days at 11 a.m. <br /> <br /> We walked a scenic dirt road to the put-in for Río de las Vueltas. From there, Zach packrafted and I walked the road. There were no signs along the river prohibiting paddling, but we heard you need a permit to go all the way into El Chaltén. <br /> <br /> We resupplied in El Chaltén that evening, then the next morning hitched back up to Bridge, X {39} [31.7/449], where Option 1 starts. For the next three days, we walked beautiful, well-maintained trails to the lagunas and viewpoints in the vicinity of Monte Fitz Roy. Most of them are out-and-back, and you can easily stash your backpack and walk unencumbered to the glaciers and lakes. Note: Option 39-E requires a harness to cross on a Tyrolean cable, or a burly ford.<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-29 to 2023-Jan-01 / Helen and Craig /'''<br /> <br /> &gt;Well marked trails. Very busy on sunny days, Incredibly dusty camp sites in high winds (but nicely sheltered)<br /> <br /> &gt;Really sad amount of rubbish around the trail. Maybe because of this reason mice are a real proplem around the camp sites. *Secure food* (we have taken to sleeping with all food in the main compartment of our tent and don't trust drysacks and backpacks alone to protect). We picked up the bits we could carry but sad to see. Worst littering we have seen anywhere in Patagonia. Wished I had a bigger trash bag to pick up.<br /> <br /> &gt;We walked a very leisurely 3 night loop with side trails in high winds whilst waiting for a weather window for GPT40. Then hitchhiked up to rejoin the trail at Lago Desertio.<br /> <br /> &gt;To avoid the crowds, the popular miadors we walked to at odd times of day, sunset for the 'sunrise' veiw. Very much Worth it.<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-09 to 2022-Dec-11 / 2 half days &amp; 1 full day walking / SOBO / Frank'''<br /> <br /> I came from Candelario Mansilla &amp; continued on the trail round Laguna del Desierto the same day. It was slow going around the lake with lots of up &amp; down over bluffs. At the end of the lake I crossed over a bridge (inflow stream for the lake) Just after the bridge there is a restaurant, (closed in the evening), campsite &amp; hut. I stayed in the hut (no beds but in good condition, slept on the wooden floor) From the campsite a trail goes up to Laguna Huemul, about 1 hour up. A worthwhile detour with good views of Glaciar Huemul. Next day I continued on the road then on the trail towards Laguna de los Tres. The high campsite was very busy &amp; noisy so I continued down to Laguna Capri &amp; camped there, better but still noisy. Lots of people on the trail also, a big change to the previous sections. From Laguna Capri I continued easily down to El Chalten. 2 half days &amp; 1 full day walking.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-18 / NOBO / Oreste'''<br /> <br /> The campground Ricanor near to Laguna Azul was close for maintenance when I passed there.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-16 / NOBO / Oreste Marquis'''<br /> <br /> Two first day were on the regular route. Could not see the Fotz Roy from close because of the cloud but still enjoyable route. I hitchike at the end of the second day and did not walk on the road to Lago del desierto because the camping Ricanor nesr to Laguna Azul was close for maintenance so I camp at the one close to the Lago.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec / 2 days / NOBO / Matthieu'''<br /> <br /> Trail easy to follow for the parts in the wood before the road. Long road to The Lago Desierto, and a possibility to take a boat on the Lago to join the post of Gendarmeria. The walk by the lake is beautiful though, worth it.<br /> <br /> No special difficulties. <br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-14 / Arnaud et Adriane /xfg'''<br /> <br /> It was a very rainy, windy and cold day so we walked to the road 12km (along the lago del desierto) and after 6 km on the road, we finished hitchhiking directly to El Chalten. Everything was covered with clouds so we sadly saw nothing.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Nov-9 / 2 days / Regular hiking route / NOBO / Lea Geibel, Kevin Moe'''<br /> <br /> The highlight of this section for us was visiting all the lagunas in the national park! We cheated and hitch hiked along the road when we hit it after El Pilar. It was not difficult to get a car in the morning when tourists are heading out to Lago Desierto; it might be harder to find one northbound in the evening would be my guess. It's necessary to pay to camp at Desierto, 800 Argentinian Pesos each, and it is not allowed to camp along the road.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2018/19==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2017/18==<br /> <br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''Route description by Kara Davis after Season 2017/18 / fgh:'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> Section GPT39 begins on the northern bank of Lago del Desierto. According to the Gendarmería, the Argentine Border Control, the wind patterns on the lake are unpredictable and shift frequently. There is also no good access to the trail on the east side if bailing becomes a necessity, so have caution when deciding whether to packraft or not.<br /> <br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''20Comment by Jan Dudeck: Lago del Desierto is an innocent looking beast. While very calm at the put in heavy wind at the middle of the lake can make a traverse demanding and dangerous.'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> <br /> There is a well-established trail that runs along the east side of the lake. However, it isn’t flat, and the 11 or so kilometers takes longer than expected. There is an option to take a ferry across the lake which is popular with Carretera Austral bicyclers. More information regarding times and prices can be found at the Argentine border control station on the north side of Lago del Desierto.<br /> <br /> Hungry hikers are rewarded when they reach the south end of the lake. A burger stand with some snack options is located here along with an established campground with showers, flush toilets, and a communal kitchen.<br /> <br /> Walk along RP23, a gravel road, for several kilometers until reaching the put-in for the packrafting section of Río de las Vueltas, which is a sloped rocky beach. The serpentine river section before Lago Condor is fairly swift with no rapids, only some wooden snags. After Lago Condor, the river widens and forms many braided channels.<br /> <br /> Alternate: Instead of exiting Río de las Vueltas onto RP23 as shown by the GPS track, we floated the river al the way to El Chaltén and took out just after the bridge crossing east of the town.<br /> <br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''Comment by Jan Dudeck:'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> To my knowledge packrafting the Rio de las Vueltas all the way to El Chalten requires a permit by the park rangers. Without this permit park rangers might get very nasty and may even confiscate your packraft. So better leave the river before this river enters the national park. Packraft track OP-RI-1@39-02-# only if you have a permit.<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> *El Chaltén is a medium sized town with several hostels, restaurants, and decent resupply options. There were also a few outdoor gear outfitters which offered rentals for the famous Huemul Circuit (GPT40).<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> *2023 / Jess&amp;Paco<br /> You can by snacks at the camping on the southern shore of Lago del desierto but it is not a good resuply spot.<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> 2023: There is a bus every evening at 8PM from El Chalten to Los Antiguos, arriving at about 7AM. The bus continues to Esquel, El Bolson &amp; Bariloche. From Los Antiguos you can go by local taxi or hitch to the border &amp; Chile Chico (there is no longer a bus across the border) There is also a bus once a day from Los Antiguos to El Chalten.<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT39 - Monte Fitz Roy]]<br /> <br /> =Images=</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT40_(Glaciar_Viedma)&diff=120088 2025-02-09T22:57:48Z

<p>MiaimZelt: </p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Overview=<br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> *'''2025-Feb-06 to 2025-Feb-09 / 3.5 days Hiking / counterclockwise/ RR / MiaimZelt'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: I had planned to go without a Harness to cross Rio Tunel on foot. But the day before i met a german, who told he talked to someone who hiked the Huemul and according to that Crossing Nr. 1 wasn't doable without harness. Two other people told, the rangers said Nr. 1 goes up to the hips and is too difficult. I couldn't get first hand informations and the Infocenter was already closed. Spontaneously i rented a harness (10k/day is the normal price) and started at 11am. The weather forcast was mixed: two days of sun and two days of rain/snow. That's why i chosed to do it in 4 instead of 3 days. <br /> <br /> The first day was very easy, i only struggled with the heavy backpack (+1kg harness). Camped roughly 1.5km before Camping Toro, because i'm afraid of mice. It was easy to find a sheltered spot in the forest on that very windy day. <br /> <br /> Day 2: Soon i reached Laguna Túnel o Toro and the first Zipline. I was upset with myself because i fell for the fearmongering! 100m upstream the river looked easily fordable - i guess max. knee deep. Where it reaches the lake it even looked easier with low current. Up to the hips - what a lie! Don't understand why people were not able to ford the river. Either they don't know how to cross a river or they meant another one... The crossing with the zipline wasn't easy because i had to pull myself slightly uphill. Struggled to unhook myself and my backpack and fortunately got help from two brits. I think when you're alone and don't have strong arms, it's easier to cross the river on foot. <br /> <br /> I chosed to walk above the glacier not on it. The ranger said it's possible, but it didn't look save with the crevasses. The ascent was strenous, but easy. The views of the southern patagonian icefield was incredible! No wind at Paso del Viento. The descent was also easy, there it started snowing. Reached Camp Paso del Viento at 1:30pm and pitched my tent. Snowed even more, the world around me went white. It didn't stop until 11pm.<br /> <br /> Day 3: 15cm of snow, but the sky was blue. Was relieved when i found out the trail is still visible. Even had footprints in front of me. Enjoyed hiking in the snow and got amazing views. Way up to Paso Huemul was a bit steep, but overall easy. The descent was indeed very difficult. The upper part was ok: steep through forest with solid soil, the middle part had some helpful ropes installed, the worst part came below: extremely steep with loose soil and nothing to hold on. No ropes here. The rest was easy. Passed Bahia Tempános and Bahia Hornos. Stayed on this OSM Camp: -49.475284, -72.943223. Perfect protection from West (very windy afternoon), flat space for at least 4 tents, a primitive bench and a nice view at the lake. <br /> <br /> Day 4: Nice and easy trails the whole day. Followed the official Trek. Fortunately it stayed dry. 2nd Zipline also was not really easy, needed to pull myself after the first half and struggled to open one carabiner. I think the ziplining is better done in a group. The river didn't look fordable near the zipline, but where it branches in 3 parts it looked good to ford. You can see this area from the trail above. So i think it's not necessary to bring a harness. Reached El Chaltén at 2pm.<br /> In my opinion there are cases where it's good to have it: when you want to keep your feet dry; when you like the idea of ziplining; maybe in early season when it rained a lot and for people who have no experience with rivercrossings. <br /> <br /> * '''24-12-2024 to 26-12-2024/ 3 days / RR counterclockwise / wiiim'''<br /> <br /> Camped by Laguna Torre &amp; carried on with GPT40 early morning. It’s an undeniably beautiful loop but I couldn’t help feel a little old &amp; grumpy at times between the trail poop, Bluetooth speakers and groups heading straight up a clearly open crevassed glacier (without gear). I passed both river crossings on foot, the first one upstream from the cable where it splits in two, about knee height. The second crossing has more water but arguably you have a lot more options to choose from, I crossed about 100m downstream where it’s at its widest before branching out into channels.<br /> <br /> * '''13-11-2024 to 16-11-2024/ 3.5 days / NOBO / RR / Sophie and Gaspar'''l<br /> <br /> We continued our adventure with the Cerro Huemul or Viedma Glacier Circuit, hiking clockwise (the usual route is counterclockwise). The trail is well-marked throughout, presenting no navigation difficulties. There are two crossings of the Río Túnel, which can be done via zipline if you have a harness. We chose to ford the river on foot both times. However, at its farthest point, crossing at the same spot as the zipline can be risky. During the snowmelt season, it may be impossible to cross without equipment for the zipline, so renting the necessary gear is highly recommended.<br /> <br /> Another minor challenge is the ascent or descent (depending on your direction) of Cerro Huemul. It can be quite slippery in wet conditions, but fixed ropes are installed to ensure safety. You can camp comfortably near the Paso del Viento shelter, but watch out for mice! Paso del Viento itself does not present major technical difficulties, aside from the strong winds, as the name suggests. <br /> <br /> The circuit offers spectacular views of the Viedma Glacier, the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, and the upper and lower Túnel Glaciers—truly unforgettable scenery!<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-28 to 2024-Mar-2 / 4 days / Hiking / Counter Clockwise / RR / Andrew'''<br /> <br /> Beautiful trail. Not too much to add from what others have mentioned, the route is well marked. Views of the southern patagonia icefield are absolutely stunning. We decided to push a bit further and camp at Bahia Hornos, but I would have stayed at Bahia de Los tempanos if I did it again.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-24 to 2024-Feb-26 / 2.5d / Hiking / Counter Clock / RR and new terrain / Tom'''<br /> <br /> Perfect conditions! No clouds, no wind<br /> Day 1: <br /> Crossed rio tunnel almost dry behind the laguna (trail on OSM). Hiked on Glaciar Tunel inferior. It's not that safe as others stated. Following others footstep an think it's safe says a lot of your alpine experience. Walk on the glaciar only if you know what you are doing (I'm a mountain guide and knew enough strong hikers that ended as dead bodies).<br /> Be aware of the land slide between the glaciar inferior and the biwak. I told the park auhtorities to close that trail and use the GPT version. It's a matter of time and the trail slides away!<br /> No wind on paso viento and a stunning view to the icefield. Not a cloud on a azur sky. I pitched my tent at the small laguna behind laguna Ferrari but before laguna los Esquies.<br /> <br /> Day 2: Installed a rope on the Huemul downhill and stayed at Bahia Hornos.<br /> <br /> Day 3: I started before sunrise and was by intention first at the tyrolienne. Bully on the other side, so I just hooked my steel carabiner and pulled myself along the cable. <br /> <br /> I liked the hike, but hated the littering, I mean &quot;shittering&quot; around the official camps.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Apr-08 to 2024-Apr-10 / 3 days / Hiking / counterclockwise / RR / Joscha'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: RR [0.0-21.2]<br /> <br /> Good trail. Only the last 2 km was hiking on loose scree and took some time. Camp Rio Tunnel at km 21.2 has only spots for about three tents. The wind protection isn't as good as at camp Toro (16.6). The river at km 18.9 was a easy ford (knee high) about 50-100 meter up stream of the zip-line.<br /> <br /> Day 2: RR [21.2-45.1]<br /> <br /> Paso de viento (km 24.0) was very icy on top and on the way down. I managed without spikes, but they would have been helpfull. The pass at km 38.5 was snow free. The trail down after the pass is very steep. Would be very hard if snowy or muddy. Camped at -49.475284, -72.943223.<br /> <br /> Day 3: RR [45.1-64.9]<br /> <br /> The RR branches off the official Huemul Track at km 46.7. The RR runs a little higher and therefore offers maybe a bit better views. But the official Huemul Track would be the faster option. Rio Tunel was easily fordable (knee high) just under the zipline at km 54.0.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Mar-24 to 2024-Mar-26 / 3 days / Hiking / anticlockwise / RR / Juliet and Martin'''<br /> <br /> Day 1 el chalten - Rio Tunel camp<br /> <br /> The park rangers were closed for strike action. We weren't able to register online either (bad internet connection). We left around 9am. Several people and a group on the first part, but we lost them on our way around the glacier. Magnificent walk between forests, viewpoints and lakes. We arrived for lunch at laguna o toro. Possible bivouac spot with emergency shelter if needed. It's a beautiful spot, but we didn't feel like pitching our tent there. So we decided to head for the Rio Tunel campside. Passing the zipline, in fact the river is probably passable on foot a little above. We recommend that you look at tutorials on how to use the equipment, which we hadn't done, and the rental company gave us bad advice. Fortunately, there was an experienced hiker who helped us. <br /> The passage along and on the glacier is complicated. We lost the trail and took a long time to make headway. There are lots of slippery spots (ice), so you have to be careful. Once we'd found our way back, we were able to reach the camp. It's well sheltered from the weather with a few spots (in fact only 3). The place is very windy, so I'd recommend getting there early if it's busy to get a sheltered spot. Magnificent view of the glacier. <br /> There are mice, and we saw several in the evening, but we weren't bothered during the night. Difficult to find a place to hang the food so we kept it with us in the tent enclosed and in the middle of the two of us and not at the ends. That's how it was. <br /> Several water spots along the way all day (several rivers).<br /> <br /> Day 2 Rio Tunel camp - Bahia de los tempanosb camp (-49,47994,-7298601)<br /> <br /> Passage of the paso del viento, which was indeed very windy, but passable. The path is still passable as used. Easy to follow. Magnificent panoramic view of the glacier at the top. You can see that some people have already pitched their tents at the pass, but I wouldn't recommend it because of the strong wind. Beautiful descent to the refuge. Very good, in good condition. Lots of possibilities for pitching tents around the stone walls. Very nice place to sleep. We continued on. Passage over Col Huelmul easier than the previous one. Very windy too, but the wind was in our favor and helped us make our way up. The descent is very complicated indeed, and quite dangerous. Take your time, especially if it's been raining. It takes time. Fortunately, there are ropes to hold on to. We reach the camp just before dark. It's very crowded, but we find a place to pitch our tent. The view of the lake, icebergs and glacier is magnificent. However, we were bothered by mice all night. We had hung our food from the trees, but despite this, they came up to the tent (between the 2 canvas sheets) time and time again. AVOID! It's crowded, there's garbage, mice, a rotting cow carcass...<br /> <br /> Day 3 Camp Bahia de los tempanos (-49,47994,-7298601) - el chalten <br /> <br /> Last day of hiking. Very beautiful in the hills, views over the lake. We loved it. Cross country in the hills, very nice to do even if we had to pass a few muddy spots and lost the trail a few times. Once back on the official trail, no more worries. The zipline was easier than on the first day. We didn't have to wait very long, surely 2 people ahead of us. End of the day with an easy trail to el chalten. The last few kilometers are on the road, not very pleasant and uninteresting, but it's not very long. <br /> <br /> This section is definitely beautiful and diverse. Mice are a real problem on this section. They seem to be present at all the bivouac spots. They're not shy and don't hesitate to come along even if you scare them. If we had to do it all over again, we'd use rat repellents, because hanging up the food doesn't seem to be enough. <br /> <br /> * '''24-Mar-05 to 2024-Mar-07 / 48 hours / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Tomáš'''<br /> <br /> I did not like El Chaltén and the weather seemed better than later in the week so I immediatelly followed to GPT40. Starting at 17:00, I stopped 3 km from the first official camping Torro, which is normally 16 km far, in three hours of walking. I registered online and did not talk to any parkguards - not sure if they would not try to turn me back this late if they saw me. Fearing mice and being asocial, I did not want to reach the camp. The trail is very clear and easy. At least in this section, there are many places to camp - many trees provide shelter from wind. It was not that windy anyway, just on the final descent to the valley. Met lots of people coming back from Pliegue Tumbado mirador and nobody after the junction.<br /> <br /> The next morning surprised me (the only reliable forecast seems to be for heavy rain or cloudless day, anything in between seems to be a hit or miss) by blue sky, so I got awesome views going up the pass. There was a queue at the zipline so I forded 50 m upstream - it was barely below my knees. Met ten people altogether that day. Walked on glacier, as the official PDF recomends. It is not slippery with the rocks. It is fun, there are footsteps to follow going on and off the glacier. I assume it is safe. There is also a trail going in parallel on the rocks (all circuit is trail BTW, not partly CC like GPX suggests). Indeed only between the glaciers there is a few tentspots as indicated by OSM (unofficial? - but nobody probably cares). By the time I got to the first pass, clouds obscured Fitz Roy and the mountains across the icefield, which was still breathtaking. The pass had both quite windy spots and windless spots and some flats, so in good weather might be ok for camping, but hard to say. Traversing to the second pass, you actually mostly go through a valley partly (?) formed by ancient morraines, so most of the time, the icefield is hidden. I think there are places for pitching a tent, though not really between water at 35 and the second pass - anyway, the place around refugio is the most shletered. There used to be a campsite right after the second pass, but the PDF says you should not use it. Going further down is indeed very steep. There are now handy ropes attached to trees at places. The trail is badly eroded and slippery, would be indeed annoying when muddy. Darkness fell on me there and I still did not bother with a headlamp, but this is indeed the most demanding part of the whole trail. It is demanding also for GPT standards (the rest of the circuit is easy). Once you get down, it is flat and you can camp in many places, which I did.<br /> <br /> The next day there were about 15 people, three of which went clockwise, so it is done even if the Park does not like it (it normally seem to have no presence on the trail itself). This time I waited the queue for the zipline to actually try using it. I think the river was fordable there. It was definitely fordable 200-300 metres downstream (there is a diversion), where it widens and branches in the delta. The rest of the trail was uneventful.<br /> <br /> It is indeed a nice end to the GPT. I did not expect to finish the Main route (minus 23-31) this year, so yay! The El Viento shop (49.3229571S, 72.8940188W) is on the other side of the town (2 km) to the Park office and charged me for three days even though I finished the circuit in 48 hours - it was 5-6 USD per day. In retrospect, I would not bother with the harness. I met a guy who went without because he could not rent one - I was given the last one they had available and it was too big for me by far. Should the second river prove unfordable, people would probably borrow you theirs, it seems one set is usually carried per group and passed over using the thin rope - at least on the second crossing, the thin rope is there permanently so I am not sure what would the thin rope be for anyway.<br /> <br /> I still hated El Chalten (too many tourists, really bad 4g internet [apparently everybody in town shares one connection, unless I was wrongly informed] - if you stay overnight, usually in such situations it starts working well some time after midnight when everybody sleeps -, really pricy produce and very mediocre meal in one of the restaurants; Villa O'Higgins has a much nicer feel), so I hopped on a bus (3h) to El Calafate at 18h for about 22 USD. It goes also in the morning and around noon. There is also a 130 USD 28h (I think) bus to Bariloche at 14:00 and at 21:00. From El Calafate, there are connections to Ushuaia (this one not sure), Puerto Natales and Punta Arenas (at 3 AM and change in the middle about 40 USD, a bit cheaper if you have cash) and Buenos Aires. I don't have my ticket back yet and flying directly from El Calafate would be very expensive, prices from Punta Arenas were the cheapest. Bye!<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-16 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Charlie Gardner'''<br /> <br /> What an outstanding hike. This is definitely such an incredible way to either begin/end the main route of the GPT. We did it in the classic 4 days which was fairly chill. <br /> <br /> Day 1 - <br /> Pretty straightforward day. Hike starts with a nice climb that takes you eventually into the surrounding forests. Great views of Lago Viedma from the top and a nice lunch spot. We started very late in the day and the sun was BEATING, could recommend and earlier start to avoid this. Don’t forget to check in with rangers before leaving! Quick form you have to fill out. Hang your food at Toro campsite, we saw a few mice running around. <br /> <br /> Day 2 - <br /> Winds were crazy in the valley when we woke up. Many hikers were considering bailing on the hike due to worries of what Paso del viento would hold but the they calmed down around 930-10 and most pushed on. There’s an alternative route across the rivers that funnel into Laguna Tunel o Toro that we thought we’d check out as a few kairns led that way but they were far too strong to cross when we went that way. Ended up having a route find a bit and scramble up an alternative route after this lake, definitely recommend staying as close to route as possible here. Trail opens up again after you make it over. Tyrolean was short, didn’t look like anyone tried to ford the river here but it was definitely doable. Get to tyrolean early if you want to avoid waiting. The glacier route required a bit of route finding as well at points but isn’t anything crazy. Boulders and rocks can be loose at times though. Maybe we got lucky but paso del viento was quiet when we got to the top. Outstanding views! Short walk to camp after the descent from Viento. 8 of us slept in the shelter at paso del viento Camp as winds picked up considerably overnight. Was definitely glad for the protection but there were definitely mice scurrying around. <br /> <br /> Day 3 - <br /> Definitely recommend an earlyish start this day. The climb up to paso Huemul is not as hard as paso del viento but the decent afterwards is just ridiculous. If you have bad knees, it’s more of a controlled fall on some sections. Gravel is extremely loose and it is VERY steep. Thankfully, there are a fair amount of the roots and trees to grab hold up but this was definitely an annoying decent especially at the end of the Day 3. Many tried Bahia de Los témpanos camp but we decided to push on to Bahia de Hornos. An hour later, everyone else showed up at this camp as they said the other one did not have sufficient shelter from wind and was fairly dusty. Hornos ended up being lovely after winds calmed down and sound got lower. Would probably filter water here if possible, lots of cows nearby and water is fairly foggy. <br /> <br /> Day 4 - <br /> Final day was straightforward but definitely longer than expected. Would definitely recommend leaving early to be first at the tyrolean again. Be careful with the safety rope, ours broke halfway while pulling bags across and we had to send a person across without the pulley. <br /> <br /> Enjoy, this hike rocks!<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb- 05 to 2024-Feb-08/ 4 days/hiking/SOBO/40/RR/Paulina'''<br /> <br /> Absolutely beautiful section! Very various<br /> <br /> Day 1 I left very late ( 4 pm) because the wind was extremely strong earlier, but it is an easy day, about 9 I was at the camping Lago Toro. The way was most of the time well marked, after the rain the meadows can be very wet I think. Once you are in the valley of Lago Toro, there are some easy river crossing. The campground is well protected from the wind, the water is nearby. To grab a better spot for tent, don't come too late, when I was there, the camping was almost full.<br /> <br /> Day 2 For me it was the most beautiful day, in a good weather , the views on the glaciers are amasing. So yes, it's really worth to wait fot a good weather for this day ( and the next one too). This day you will need also to consult sometimes the trails on GPS. At the end of the lake, there are some cairns, don't follow them, just follow the trail on gps which goes up. A lot of people missed up there and instead to follow na easy and safe trail, they climbed unecessary some rocks. The tiroliene didn't seems.difficult, The only think is that when we were there, the thin rope was not attached to the tyroliene and it was not easy to pull the tiroliene at the beginning. So, take a thin rope to attach the tirolien because the one which was there was all missed up. It's ok if you have one hardness for a group, it's easy to send it back. As all the people from the camping left around the same hour, to avaoil the linę to the tiroliene, we just crossed the river a bit farther, the level was not too high. Later, a nice path will take you to the glacier and you will not see anymore the trail ( only cairns sometimes). If you follow GPS trail, it should be ok. At the glacier, just walk on the eadge of the glacier at first, and later on rocks which are close from the glacier. There is also an upper trail, some people followed this one but were complaining that it was hard ( a lot of ...stones.). One you are at the end of the glacier, go up, there are several trails, but all of them are ok. The views from the pass area are just amasing, so yes, wsit for the good weather because it would be a pity not to see all these glaciers. The trail to the rodugio is easy to follow, mostly descent. At the camping there are about 5 spots with stonewall protection. It's a windy area, so it's better to grab a good spot. Also, there is place for about 8 person in the rodugio.<br /> <br /> Day 3 Another beautiful day. Well marked all the time, most of the time easy way. The ascent to the pass is short and rather pleasent. Very, very windy at the end of the ascend ( even if it was not a windy day), so I can't imagine how windy it is with a worse weather. About ,30 min from the pass, a steep ascend starts. When it's wet, can be difficult. So also, better to have good, dry day for this descent. I would recommand to camp at Bahia Tempanos, well wind protected and beautiful views on icebergs, and a Perfect spot for sunrise.<br /> <br /> Day 4 Rather easy day. The landscape changes a lot comparing to previous days, but it's still very beautiful, especially views on Lago de Vuelta. The tiroliene is very easy.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-15 / 3 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Tom Pieper'''<br /> <br /> Not much to add. As the others mentioned a must do! When I started, there were indeed not that many people as weather forecast was not that good for the 'classic' 4 day itinerary. I was fine doing it in 3 days. The bivouack after Glaciar Rio Tunel Inferior only has space for 3 tents. You find additional protected spots 5 minutes beyond at the lake. If you fear glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) there are also some elevated spots there.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-06 to 2024-Jan-08 / 2.5 days / Hiking / anticlockwise / RR / Stiina &amp; Kris'''<br /> <br /> We started around noon on day 1 and hiked to the bivouack after Glaciar Rio Tunel Inferior at km (km 21.2). We walked acrosse the glacier to avoid the moraine, no crampons needed. The bivouack was extremely windy at night but still a bit protected, lots of big rocks to help with staking the tent down. There are also a few rock walls built.<br /> <br /> On day 2 we hiked over Paso Viento (which was very windy indeed; we also had rain, hail and snow) and down the other side. Once we got lower down we got out of the cloud and the weather was very pleasant. We didn't have much of the view over the glacier to the North but saw the end that descended towards Lago Viedma. The Paso Huemul was also extremely windy but at least it was sunny. The descent through the forest after the pass is really steep, with loose gravel/sand and lots of tree roots - be extremely careful here! The official campsites at the bay and peninsula were full so we continued until km45.2 where there is a nice windprotected campsite shown on OSM. Ford at 44.2 is completely dried out, but at 45.5 the stream is flowing.<br /> <br /> On day 3 we hiked back into El Chalten by lunch, it was a very windy day. When we reached the tyrolean at km54 (which is waymarked as a bridge for some reason?) there were about 15 people in the line so we decided to ford the river about 30m upstream. We went 3 people in a line formation, the first person had water up to the waist, the last just below hips. At km62, where you need to climb below a fence just before joining the road, pay attention to the small holes in the sandy banks: those are armadillo burrows, you might see one if lucky!<br /> <br /> * '''From 2023-12-26 to 2023-12-28 //3 days // Hiking // NOBO // Anticlockwise // Quentin Clavel'''<br /> <br /> Even if there's lot of people (around 15/20 departure per days at this time of the season), this section is in my opinion absolutely amazing ! The view on the icefield is outstanding ! I mostly followed the track, except on day two, where I continue to explore the surrounding of the Laguna de Los Esquies. Happy to be totally alone there, in front of this outstanding view. Hypnotic ! (It's almost the same that you can see at paso del viento, but closer to the icefield, and more chance to be by yourself here.<br /> <br /> You have to rent harnais in El Chaltén and pass threw two zip lines. That was very fun !<br /> <br /> I had a looooot of wind at paso del viento and paso del huemul. Reminds me tierra del fuego ! Could be very surprising as it's unpredictable squalls and so powerful ! <br /> <br /> The downhill after paso del huemul Is not funny as it's very slippery. Just have to take the time to be even more careful. <br /> <br /> Views along the whole trek are absolutely stunning ! A must do ! <br /> <br /> * '''2023-11-21 to 2023-11-26 / 5 days / RR / SOBO / anticlockwise / Anh'''<br /> <br /> GPT40 is no longer remote, there are 20 hikers on the trail every day.<br /> The trail is not marked, but not difficult to follow. No real river crossing necessary, there was always aid available. Snowfields are easy to cross.<br /> <br /> Day 1: a little muddy, but easy to walk.<br /> <br /> Day 2: Tyrolean Traverse is no fun as you have to pull yourself uphill. Alternative is an easy river crossing (knee deep, 10:00 AM good weather). 1km after that you can walk between RR or on the glacier (see presentation link at the end of this page). On the glacier trail you come back directly on the mountain of the same height. After the Paso del Viento (700m uphill in 6km, windy &amp; cold) I leave GPT40 and walk to Campamento Laguna de Los Esquies to get a bit closer to the glacier. The path is difficult to find as there are many snowfields (without footprints) in between. But I am alone at the glacier lake.<br /> <br /> Day 3: Mostly with CC back to GPT40 to Paso del Viento Camp<br /> <br /> Day 4: Shortly after windy Passo Huemul is time consuming downhill (500Hm in 1km). The trail is very slippery (in sunny weather) &amp; there is hardly any grip for the next step, take time for this part.<br /> <br /> Day 5: very easy trail &amp; Tyrolean Traverse is really fun (downhill zipline). Alternative river crossing is not easy (strong, 12:00 AM good weather).<br /> <br /> * '''2023-12-01 to 2023-12-04 / 4 days / Hiking / RR counterclockwise/ Fangwen &amp; Tobi'''<br /> <br /> Amazing section. We did the recommended 4 day itinerary (together with about 20 other hikers). A few points to add to the existing comments here: first, there was a lot of really wet grasslands, especially on day 1 (at least when we did it, early December). Accept your fate and live with wet feet (and bring extra socks if you can). Second, the four day itinerary makes use of the best-sheltered campsites. Other campsites may offer less protection. Note that even if the Park Rangers say conditions are good, you might encounter very strong winds in many areas. Third, if you want to extend the (somewhat short) days a bit, you can hike to the viewpoint Loma del Pliegue on day 1, on the ridge just above the campsite on day 2 (nice to watch the sunset), and to the aptly named mirador del cóndor next to Huemul pass on day 3. On day 3, it's best not to arrive too late to the very scenic Bahia de los Témpanos camp, since space is limited. Lastly, the descent from the huemul pass on day 3 is indeed a bit tricky, especially if you were to go in wet conditions.<br /> <br /> One warning regarding water at the campsites: despite the park information claiming that the water is potable, we would recommend taking some care to get clean drinking water. On day 1, there is an excellent little stream 400m past the campsite. On day 2, take water from a little side stream ~600m before the campsite. The lack of the toilet means that the water from the river flowing into the lake is likely not safe to consume. Similarly on day 3, it is highly recommended to fill up plenty of water at the little waterfall at the end of the steep downhill section before going into camp. The lack of a toilet means that the water there is also unsafe to drink. Furthermore, next to the campsite is a carcass of a recently deceased cow. If the first three days gave you the impression that there is plenty of clean drinking water available during the day, be aware that this is not true of day 4. There is only one good looking stream, roughly at km52, and all the water will require treatment (we saw another three cow carcasses nearby the trail on day 4). Don't worry too much about this, if you plan ahead and think a bit about where to get the water, then it's no issue at all. Enjoy this excellent adventure!<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Apr-08 to 2023-Apr-11 / 4 days / RR / SOBO / Arthur, Rémi, Noé &amp; Louis'''<br /> <br /> Such a wonderful section ! One of our favorite ! Incredible views on the glaciers, with autumn's colors it was amazing !<br /> <br /> It is recommended by the guardaparques to have good weather on day 2 and 3 (for the passes), no cloud and no wind for us : perfect.<br /> <br /> We rented 1 harness for the 2 zip lines (day 2 and 4). 1 harness per group is sufficient but you have to rent a thin rope too in case the one in the pulley is broken. It is really worth it because the feeling is so good ! (We rented at Viento Oeste, north of San Martin street, the cheapest according to a friend).<br /> <br /> The thin rope is very helpful to suspend all your bags and things in camps. You have to do it because mice are at every camp and the will destroy your bag, your tent or whatever has food inside. This is the only annoying point of this section.<br /> <br /> About the trail : easy to follow, except when you have to walk on the glacier on day 2, it can be a bit challenging. Take care, do not go if there is fresh snow all over the glacier.<br /> <br /> The way down the paso Huemul on day 3 is very steep too.<br /> <br /> Do not forget to register online with the guardaparques (and to check out when you return !).<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Mar-30 to 2023-Apr-01 / 3 days / El Chaltén counter clockwise / Anna &amp; Christopher'''<br /> <br /> We did the Huemul Circuit in 3 days. We started around 9 a.m. planning to camp at the Biwak Túnel the first night. The weather turned out to be so nice that we decided to continue and do the Paso del Viento the first day.<br /> <br /> The trail until the first Tyrolean traverse was really good even though it was partially covered in snow. We crossed the river easily by foot.<br /> After that the trail up to the pass gets more demanding and slower. Once you reach the Glaciar Túnel Inferior navigation gets more difficult. There are different paths and we firstly followed one going up and down on the gravel. It's probably easier to take the path on the glacier from the beginning on. We reached the pass at sunset and had an absolutely amazing view.<br /> <br /> We decided to camp at the end of Laguna Ferrari (to avoid the mice problem at the main campsites). The path to the lake was demanding, because the slope was covered with lot of snow and it was dark. At the campsite there are lots of well protected spots for tents.<br /> <br /> The next day we slept pretty long to recover from the previous big day and with better weather than anticipated we walked until km 39.3.<br /> There are two really good camping spots, one at the edge of the trees and one inside the small forest. No mice there.<br /> <br /> The steep trail down wasn't super easy and must be hard during rain. The second river crossing at km 54 was much more demanding. We crossed it further east of the Tyrolean, where the river divides in multiple branches. There the water went below Annas hips (1,63m). We walked to the viewpoint at km 62.4. Lots of people watched the sunset there with a great view of Fitz Roy and it was easy to get a ride for the last 2 km to El Chaltén.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Mar-10 to 2023-Mar-13 / 4 days / RR / SOBO / El Chaltén anticlockwise / Ondrej '''<br /> <br /> I had the luxury of being able to wait for a good weather window and it really payed out. My hike was easy with magnificent views when climbing up to Paso del Viento. I even had a tranquil lunch at the top. The glacier walk and the snowy peaks are stunning.<br /> <br /> However, I believe gpt40 can turn into hell in windy weather or if camping outside the wind-sheltered camps. I met several people in El Chaltén who had to turn back because the wind didn’t let them climb up to the pass. One couple also had their tent teared apart in the middle of the night at Bahía de Hornos. If you can, avoid camping there for the last night. Instead, camp at Bahía de Tempános which offers far better wind protection.<br /> <br /> I enjoyed the recommended 4 day length. Each day section took me around 5-6 hours of walking. I believe that especially Day 1 and 2 could be combined into one (El Chaltén - Refugio del Viento) if the weather is favourable.<br /> <br /> Mice seem to be present at all of the official camps - best is to hang your food, cooking utensils and hygienne stuff on a tree away from your tent and avoid eating in your tent. I did that and had no problems with the animals, while some of my companions got holes bitten into their tents and other stuff. <br /> <br /> I rented harness and carabiniers for the tyrollean traverse at Viento Oeste. The traverse was fun to use and I was happy that I didn’t need to ford the cold rivers. Recommended!<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Mar-06 to 2023-Mar-07 / 2 days / Laguna Toro out and back / Will'''<br /> <br /> This is a tough one, I didn't make it. I waited out a few rainy days in town until the park office told me we had a good two day window. <br /> <br /> I spent the first night at Laguna Toro. Be careful of mice there. Quite a bit of rain and snow, but still too warm for the snow to stay on the ground. The next day we (25 or so tourists) set out to attempt the pass. <br /> <br /> I crossed the river on foot right by the zip line, the water was below my knees at noon. Painfully cold though. I climbed up until I got a view of the first glacier at which point the wind was too strong for me to trust my footing. I went back to the first camp planning to wait and try again the next day.<br /> <br /> Just after setting up the wind tore down a big green tree branch, which crushed and ripped my tent. Thankfully I wasn't inside. Walked back to El Chaltén in defeat.<br /> <br /> I guess that's the end of my GPT hike. It's been amazing, other than the miserable weather down here in the south!<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Feb-21 to 2023-Feb-24 / 4 days / GPT40 RR counter clockwise / Véronica &amp; Zach'''<br /> <br /> Route: Centro de Visitantes - Laguna Toro - Paso del Viento - Paso Huemul - Bahía de los Témpanos - Centro de Visitantes <br /> <br /> We hiked the Huemul Circuit in 4 days as recommended by the Park officials. You could do it in less, but it is so beautiful and it was nice not to rush and to take it all in. The park staff also informed us of the expected weather conditions. You only really need favourable weather on the 2d and 3d day, going over the two passes. It was extremely windy when we went, knocking me off my feet at times. <br /> <br /> I enjoyed having my microspikes for the crossing of Glaciar Túnel, allowing me to explore a bit further up on the ice, but they are not necessary. From the top of Paso Del Viento, the view of the Southern Patagonian Icefield is awe-inspiring, but there are no good sheltered spots at or near the top to pause and admire the view for very long before the descent. <br /> <br /> The Paso del Viento Camp (second night) is the most exposed of the camps, the tent sites are semi-protected by low rock walls, and some are better than others. The trail is easy to follow and is well-marked. <br /> <br /> We rented harnesses and cord for the Tyrolean traverses from the gear shop Viento Oeste, at 1,400 pesos per person per day. The cord was 250 extra pesos per day. It was fairly straightforward to figure out how the cable crossings worked. The first crossing of Río Túnel on day 2 seemed fordable, but not the second one on day 4. That Tyrolean traverse also did not have a rope to pull the pulley back, so we were glad to have one. <br /> <br /> This is the link to register for the trek online: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfP8lEz5ry97gEK6fzx2mlu1NAhPwBx8cRlnSZOH8mx8iUMHA/viewform<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Unknown / Helen and Craig'''<br /> <br /> Big forest fire around the 3rd bay near iceberg bay. Circuit was closed for a bit. Unsure on how well it's recovering. Have a chat with the rangers before leaving.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-08 / Alexis, Iris'''<br /> <br /> Same as below, follow the trail when it differs from the trace. <br /> Beware that on Day 2, the Paso del Viento can be very windy and you should check the weather forecast before leaving.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-04 to 2023-Jan-07 / 4 days / Helen and Craig (plus 8 trail friends!) Gabby, James, Hannah, Jess, Julia, Jacob, Caro and Ali.'''<br /> <br /> Trail was very easy to find.<br /> <br /> Wind guru was for us completely unreliable. Very strong winds to the point of blowing us off path for minutes at a time whilst predictions were minimal forecast. Heed advice from rangers.<br /> <br /> First river crossing was impassable. Worth bringing harnesses for zipline (worth it for the fun)<br /> The far far end of el chalten there's a shop called vende oste where we found good rates of hiring harnesses.<br /> <br /> If it's windy on the 3rd day pitch up in the iceberg bay bivi site rather than the second site. We stopped earlier than the rest of the gang due to being a bit tired. We had very peaceful night in strong winds where friends at the next site a hellish night. Iceberg bay was also my number one campsite of all GPT40-30! Watching icebergs flip to the sunset after a long dusty day of slipping sliding and being gusted off the path by winds on the mornings pass. This place is a true refuge for the soul.<br /> <br /> Ferry not running so not many options to hitchhike back to chalten for last part of last day. The liberal use of gaiters on trainers also recommend. Lots of spiky grass seeds and burrs on last days<br /> <br /> Very much worth the wait for a weather window. Incredibly diverse veiws. The glacier walk was a one of kind! Veiws of the ice field kinder the feeling of being about a small at a ant.<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-15 / 3 days / RR anticlockwise / Frank'''<br /> <br /> Watch video of the hike @ national park office. Bring a harness &amp; learn how to do a Tyrolean traverse before you go (the NP video is useful for this) Where the trail differs from the track file it's easier to follow the trail which is generally good &amp; clear. You are required to register online for the trek (link given by Veronica &amp; Zach) &amp; sign out at the national park office when you are finished.<br /> <br /> The river above Laguna Toro was waist deep &amp; v fast, it nearly knocked me over. Not recommended to cross in the afternoon. In the early morning it may be only knee deep. Bring the harness anyway &amp; learn how to use it, you may need it. On the glacier stay near the edge, people tend to go too far out. At the far side you should see footprints &amp; cairns leading to the moraine. Camped @ small high camp just after exiting the moraine (Vivac Tunel) There are a few stone corrals there. Lined the tent with rocks - pegs alone will pop. Good &amp; sheltered camping @ Laguna Toro &amp; after Paso del Viento @ Refuge but I went from Vivac Tunel over Pasos Viento &amp; Huemul in 1 long day. Only a little snow @ Paso del Viento &amp; easy to cross. Very windy on Paso Huemul in the afternoon. Steep &amp; loose descent, slow going but I saw 2 huemul. Amazing views of the Icecap between the two passes. Campsite @ Iceberg Bay one of the best on GPT. You can watch the bergs that calve off the icefield breaking up. At lower Rio Tunel we forded 300M downstream from the cable where the river is braided into channels. OK to cross @ noon, knee deep &amp; fast but you need to pick a good spot. Definitely not fordable @ the cable where it runs deep in a single channel. Challenging hike but incredible views of the Icecap.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Feb-02 / 2 days / Tom and Maddie'''<br /> <br /> 2 days anticlockwise. Trail is easy to follow. Talk to the rangers and they can let you know about any issues. Would be tough in bad weather but in clear weather there are no issues. For the glacier walk we were told to enter the glacier just after the beginning and to exit just after the end. I suspect due to the increased popularity a new route has been made in sections so follow the trail markers which divert from the GPX route. <br /> <br /> We hired harnesses in El Chalten for the river crossings. We crossed the first on foot in the morning and had no issues. The second one we crossed using the equipment for the novelty but the river looked fine to cross further down. However I can see the river being hard to cross in high levels of rain. <br /> <br /> This was a very beautiful section and very different to the northern sections.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-12 / 4 days / Oreste Marquis'''<br /> <br /> Did the trek counterclockwise wich is the only way to do it rangers say. You need to register to do this trek and guardaparques vive great advises. I crossed the rivers by foot and they were pretty hard, I recommand using the zipline. Awesome views with good weather, but the wind is really annoying! The campgrounds rangers told me to camp weren’t the ones on the trackfiles, but are pretty close to them so they are not hard to find. Great experience !!<br /> <br /> Verify the wind forecast! The hills are so steep, strong wind could be dangerous! There’s no snow anymore and you will not need crampons.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec / 3 days / Matthieu '''<br /> <br /> We did it in December with good weather, in 3 days ( instead of the 4 recommended, 2 first days in one big day). Awesome trekk and views. It is better to register first at the guardaparques office. <br /> <br /> Trekk easy to follow excepted on the walk on the glaciar before the paso del viento (a little one, not the Viedma). During this walk, I would not advise to try to walk by the wall of mud and rocks at the left of the glaciar, it is a steepy way and everything slips, we tried it and went on the ice after. The little walk on the ice just near didn´t feel unsafe to me, with the little rocks it doesn't really slip.<br /> <br /> Good camping sites, well protected from the weather conditions. <br /> <br /> The last downhill after the paso de Huemul is the most dangerous part, very steepy but with trees to hang for help. I would advise to do this part with good weather conditions, with mud it could be dangerous. <br /> <br /> For the rivercrossings (2 real ones) there is one way walking and one way with tyrolean on a zip Line. We did it with with the tyrolean, and it was extremly funny. Rental of material possible in El chalten. Of course you have to know how to insure yourself good, so inform yourself before going, it is not hard to understand though, but extremely dangerous if not done well. None of us had experience with it before. <br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-18 / Arnaud et Adriane'''<br /> <br /> After we have taken the information at the national parc office, we only had 2 days of correct weather. So we decided not to walk the entire section but to go only to the paso del viento to get the view on the campo de hielo (glaciar viedma), following the advises of the guardaparques.<br /> <br /> I think it is the highlight of the section but not sure since I have never walked it entirely.<br /> <br /> On the first day we also took the time to walk to the summit of the cerro loma del pliegue tumbado (1500m of height). It offers an amazing view on the fitz roy and on the cerro torre, the 2 rockstars of El Chalten.<br /> <br /> On the second day we went to el Paso del Viento. The view there on the campo de hielo is absolutely fascinating. The hike is very tough but is absolutely worth the effort. You walk on a glaciar during 2kms but no equipment or particular skill is needed. It was very very very windy (and happily it was a quiet day I do not imagine on other day).<br /> <br /> Day 1 : El Chalten-cerro loma del pliegue tumbado-laguna torro : 27km with big elevation gain (around 1700m)<br /> Day 2 : laguna toro - paso del viento - laguna toro : 18km.<br /> Day 3 : back to El Chalten : 17km.<br /> <br /> I definitely recomand to follow the guardaparques advises and pay a huge attention to the weather. On this section with a bad weather and a strong wind I think it is dangerous to try to walk it entirely. And if it is cloudy, you will miss amazing views.<br /> <br /> The riverford after the laguna toro was easy on the way to the paso del viento (on the morning) but very dangerous on the way back (on the afternoon with all the gletchers melting I think). The worst we've done yet.<br /> If you intend to get back after the paso del viento I advise to get equipment to be able to use the zip line that has been settled by the guardaparques. It us much more secured than crossing the river on the afternoon.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Nov-6 / Lea Geibel, Kevin Moe /7'''<br /> <br /> Equipment for Zip Line to cross rivers is not required anymore since this season.<br /> <br /> Most of the season the rivers are possible to cross on foot<br /> <br /> Paso Viedma had a decent amount of snow on it (Snow Line at 1000m), the ascent is straightforward but the descent on the side facing the ice field can be really iced over and difficult without crampons (ask at Visitor Center of the NP for current conditions)<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Nov-4 / 4 days / regular hiking route / counter-clockwise / Lea Geibel, Kevin Moe '''<br /> <br /> Beautiful hike in good weather! Great views of the ice sheet and mountains from Paso Del Viento. Highly recommend waiting for clear weather so you don't miss the scenery! We went up right after a big storm. The trail was a bit muddy up to the Laguna Torro, and the lee of the pass had a decent amount of snow. The windward side was pretty icy and more difficult than the snow. The next day we took a detour and cut cross country to walk on the Campo De Hielo Sur. Our route took a bit of steep scrambling to get down to it and back up around Paso De Huemul, and there were lots of open crevasses on the ice, so it would be good to have some experience and navigation skills if you want to do the same. Dropping down Paso Huemul on the trail was steep and a knee killer, and from Lago Viedma we had a hard time staying on the right trail amidst all the cow path, but aside from a few spiky bushes it's easy to cut cross country. Unnecessary to use the zip lines this year to cross the rivers. You have to camp only in the designated campsites.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2018/19==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2017/18==<br /> * '''Route description by Kara Davis after Season 2017/18'''<br /> <br /> Notes to consider before beginning: GPT40 is more popularly known as the Huemul Circuit, a 57-kilometer trek in El Parque Nacional Los Glaciares. Before embarking, the national park guard requires that every hiker obtain a permit, bring required safety gear, and watch a slideshow about the circuit. The safety gear consists of a harness, 2 carabiners (one steel and one aluminum), slings, and 35 m of rope. Most of this gear can be rented at any outfitter in town, but due to liability reasons, the outfitters won’t rent rope. We went to the local ferretería to purchase this. All of this gear is used for two river crossings on zip lines. <br /> <br /> We were told that the rangers required hikers to bring their safety gear to the station before a permit would be issued. I would recommend that anyone who wants to do this circuit go to the rangers station the day before to watch the video and get any other necessary information about weather, conditions, etc. Since rentals can get expensive, renting the same day you leave and then going to the rangers station to show them your safety gear and get a permit seems to be the best course of action. The guard station is located on the south side of the Río Fitz Roy just across the bridge. <br /> <br /> Most people hike the circuit clockwise (as the slideshow recommends). The trail begins just behind the rangers station and ascends up gentle grassy hills. It is fairly flat and well maintained. After passing Laguna Túnel o Tore, the trail deviates from the GPS route and loops to the first crossing of the Río Túnel on a zip line. During low water, it is possible to cross this river on foot by following the GPS track. After crossing the river, the trail climbs steeply to just above Glaciar Río Túnel Inferior. Along the south side of the glacier, the trail becomes hard to follow as it disappears in loose moraine. Walking on the edge of the glacier may be easier than trying to pick your way across the steep slope but be careful doing this. <br /> <br /> After passing the glacier, follow maintained switchbacks up the side of the mountain towards Paso del Viento, the high point of the circuit. For the next 20 km, expect amazing views of Glacier Viedma. I cannot speak to the quality of the trail descending from the pass because of the blanketing snowpack that was present during our trek, but the sections where the snow did melt looked maintained. There is a small refugio, Refugio Paso del Viento located at a pond about 3.5 km from Paso Viento. <br /> <br /> After passing the refugio, the trail contours and then climbs to Paso Huemul. Make sure to look back and enjoy the last view of Glacier Viedma. The descent is very steep and at one point there is even a rope to downclimb. There are also plenty of woody bushes (manzanita?) to cling to as you lower yourself down the trail. After completing the descent, the trail is straightforward and easygoing. There is camping on the beach at the peninsula, Camping Bahía de Hornos. There is one more river crossing with a zip line at the lower Río Túnel, and from there it is easy walking to the end!<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> 2023: There is a bus every evening at 8PM from El Chalten to Los Antiguos, arriving at about 7AM. The bus continues to Esquel, El Bolson &amp; Bariloche. From Los Antiguos you can go by local taxi or hitch to the border &amp; Chile Chico (there is no longer a bus across the border) There is also a bus once a day from Los Antiguos to El Chalten.<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> *2023 / Anh<br /> It’s possible to hike alone, you just have to make registration online before and after:<br /> [[Registration|https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfP8lEz5ry97gEK6fzx2mlu1NAhPwBx8cRlnSZOH8mx8iUMHA/viewform]]<br /> <br /> *2023 / Arthur, Rémi, Noé &amp; Louis<br /> Do not forget to register online with the guardaparques (and to check out when you return !).<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT40 - Glaciar Viedma]]<br /> <br /> *2023 / Anh<br /> InReach from ranger: pls ask the ranger the current phone number and email for inReach.<br /> <br /> You don’t have to watch video in ranger station anymore, they have new presentation:<br /> [[Presentation |https://drive.google.com/file/u/0/d/1U_Wp46EDCLM_yFlSgXdfyxZYnMFHTLlN/view?pli=1]]<br /> <br /> =Images=</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT40_(Glaciar_Viedma)&diff=120087 2025-02-09T22:57:07Z

<p>MiaimZelt: </p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Overview=<br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> *'''2025-Feb-06 to 2025-Feb-09 / 3.5 days Hiking / counterclockwise/ RR / MiaimZelt'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: I had planned to go without a Harness to cross Rio Tunel on foot. But the day before i met a german, who told he talked to someone who hiked the Huemul and according to that Crossing Nr. 1 wasn't doable without harness. Two other people told, the rangers said Nr. 1 goes up to the hips and is too difficult. I couldn't get first hand informations and the Infocenter was already closed. Spontaneously i rented a harness and started at 11am. The weather forcast was mixed: two days of sun and two days of rain/snow. That's why i chosed to do it in 4 instead of 3 days. <br /> <br /> The first day was very easy, i only struggled with the heavy backpack (+1kg harness). Camped roughly 1.5km before Camping Toro, because i'm afraid of mice. It was easy to find a sheltered spot in the forest on that very windy day. <br /> <br /> Day 2: Soon i reached Laguna Túnel o Toro and the first Zipline. I was upset with myself because i fell for the fearmongering! 100m upstream the river looked easily fordable - i guess max. knee deep. Where it reaches the lake it even looked easier with low current. Up to the hips - what a lie! Don't understand why people were not able to ford the river. Either they don't know how to cross a river or they meant another one... The crossing with the zipline wasn't easy because i had to pull myself slightly uphill. Struggled to unhook myself and my backpack and fortunately got help from two brits. I think when you're alone and don't have strong arms, it's easier to cross the river on foot. <br /> <br /> I chosed to walk above the glacier not on it. The ranger said it's possible, but it didn't look save with the crevasses. The ascent was strenous, but easy. The views of the southern patagonian icefield was incredible! No wind at Paso del Viento. The descent was also easy, there it started snowing. Reached Camp Paso del Viento at 1:30pm and pitched my tent. Snowed even more, the world around me went white. It didn't stop until 11pm.<br /> <br /> Day 3: 15cm of snow, but the sky was blue. Was relieved when i found out the trail is still visible. Even had footprints in front of me. Enjoyed hiking in the snow and got amazing views. Way up to Paso Huemul was a bit steep, but overall easy. The descent was indeed very difficult. The upper part was ok: steep through forest with solid soil, the middle part had some helpful ropes installed, the worst part came below: extremely steep with loose soil and nothing to hold on. No ropes here. The rest was easy. Passed Bahia Tempános and Bahia Hornos. Stayed on this OSM Camp: -49.475284, -72.943223. Perfect protection from West (very windy afternoon), flat space for at least 4 tents, a primitive bench and a nice view at the lake. <br /> <br /> Day 4: Nice and easy trails the whole day. Followed the official Trek. Fortunately it stayed dry. 2nd Zipline also was not really easy, needed to pull myself after the first half and struggled to open one carabiner. I think the ziplining is better done in a group. The river didn't look fordable near the zipline, but where it branches in 3 parts it looked good to ford. You can see this area from the trail above. So i think it's not necessary to bring a harness. Reached El Chaltén at 2pm.<br /> In my opinion there are cases where it's good to have it: when you want to keep your feet dry; when you like the idea of ziplining; maybe in early season when it rained a lot and for people who have no experience with rivercrossings. <br /> <br /> * '''24-12-2024 to 26-12-2024/ 3 days / RR counterclockwise / wiiim'''<br /> <br /> Camped by Laguna Torre &amp; carried on with GPT40 early morning. It’s an undeniably beautiful loop but I couldn’t help feel a little old &amp; grumpy at times between the trail poop, Bluetooth speakers and groups heading straight up a clearly open crevassed glacier (without gear). I passed both river crossings on foot, the first one upstream from the cable where it splits in two, about knee height. The second crossing has more water but arguably you have a lot more options to choose from, I crossed about 100m downstream where it’s at its widest before branching out into channels.<br /> <br /> * '''13-11-2024 to 16-11-2024/ 3.5 days / NOBO / RR / Sophie and Gaspar'''l<br /> <br /> We continued our adventure with the Cerro Huemul or Viedma Glacier Circuit, hiking clockwise (the usual route is counterclockwise). The trail is well-marked throughout, presenting no navigation difficulties. There are two crossings of the Río Túnel, which can be done via zipline if you have a harness. We chose to ford the river on foot both times. However, at its farthest point, crossing at the same spot as the zipline can be risky. During the snowmelt season, it may be impossible to cross without equipment for the zipline, so renting the necessary gear is highly recommended.<br /> <br /> Another minor challenge is the ascent or descent (depending on your direction) of Cerro Huemul. It can be quite slippery in wet conditions, but fixed ropes are installed to ensure safety. You can camp comfortably near the Paso del Viento shelter, but watch out for mice! Paso del Viento itself does not present major technical difficulties, aside from the strong winds, as the name suggests. <br /> <br /> The circuit offers spectacular views of the Viedma Glacier, the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, and the upper and lower Túnel Glaciers—truly unforgettable scenery!<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-28 to 2024-Mar-2 / 4 days / Hiking / Counter Clockwise / RR / Andrew'''<br /> <br /> Beautiful trail. Not too much to add from what others have mentioned, the route is well marked. Views of the southern patagonia icefield are absolutely stunning. We decided to push a bit further and camp at Bahia Hornos, but I would have stayed at Bahia de Los tempanos if I did it again.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-24 to 2024-Feb-26 / 2.5d / Hiking / Counter Clock / RR and new terrain / Tom'''<br /> <br /> Perfect conditions! No clouds, no wind<br /> Day 1: <br /> Crossed rio tunnel almost dry behind the laguna (trail on OSM). Hiked on Glaciar Tunel inferior. It's not that safe as others stated. Following others footstep an think it's safe says a lot of your alpine experience. Walk on the glaciar only if you know what you are doing (I'm a mountain guide and knew enough strong hikers that ended as dead bodies).<br /> Be aware of the land slide between the glaciar inferior and the biwak. I told the park auhtorities to close that trail and use the GPT version. It's a matter of time and the trail slides away!<br /> No wind on paso viento and a stunning view to the icefield. Not a cloud on a azur sky. I pitched my tent at the small laguna behind laguna Ferrari but before laguna los Esquies.<br /> <br /> Day 2: Installed a rope on the Huemul downhill and stayed at Bahia Hornos.<br /> <br /> Day 3: I started before sunrise and was by intention first at the tyrolienne. Bully on the other side, so I just hooked my steel carabiner and pulled myself along the cable. <br /> <br /> I liked the hike, but hated the littering, I mean &quot;shittering&quot; around the official camps.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Apr-08 to 2024-Apr-10 / 3 days / Hiking / counterclockwise / RR / Joscha'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: RR [0.0-21.2]<br /> <br /> Good trail. Only the last 2 km was hiking on loose scree and took some time. Camp Rio Tunnel at km 21.2 has only spots for about three tents. The wind protection isn't as good as at camp Toro (16.6). The river at km 18.9 was a easy ford (knee high) about 50-100 meter up stream of the zip-line.<br /> <br /> Day 2: RR [21.2-45.1]<br /> <br /> Paso de viento (km 24.0) was very icy on top and on the way down. I managed without spikes, but they would have been helpfull. The pass at km 38.5 was snow free. The trail down after the pass is very steep. Would be very hard if snowy or muddy. Camped at -49.475284, -72.943223.<br /> <br /> Day 3: RR [45.1-64.9]<br /> <br /> The RR branches off the official Huemul Track at km 46.7. The RR runs a little higher and therefore offers maybe a bit better views. But the official Huemul Track would be the faster option. Rio Tunel was easily fordable (knee high) just under the zipline at km 54.0.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Mar-24 to 2024-Mar-26 / 3 days / Hiking / anticlockwise / RR / Juliet and Martin'''<br /> <br /> Day 1 el chalten - Rio Tunel camp<br /> <br /> The park rangers were closed for strike action. We weren't able to register online either (bad internet connection). We left around 9am. Several people and a group on the first part, but we lost them on our way around the glacier. Magnificent walk between forests, viewpoints and lakes. We arrived for lunch at laguna o toro. Possible bivouac spot with emergency shelter if needed. It's a beautiful spot, but we didn't feel like pitching our tent there. So we decided to head for the Rio Tunel campside. Passing the zipline, in fact the river is probably passable on foot a little above. We recommend that you look at tutorials on how to use the equipment, which we hadn't done, and the rental company gave us bad advice. Fortunately, there was an experienced hiker who helped us. <br /> The passage along and on the glacier is complicated. We lost the trail and took a long time to make headway. There are lots of slippery spots (ice), so you have to be careful. Once we'd found our way back, we were able to reach the camp. It's well sheltered from the weather with a few spots (in fact only 3). The place is very windy, so I'd recommend getting there early if it's busy to get a sheltered spot. Magnificent view of the glacier. <br /> There are mice, and we saw several in the evening, but we weren't bothered during the night. Difficult to find a place to hang the food so we kept it with us in the tent enclosed and in the middle of the two of us and not at the ends. That's how it was. <br /> Several water spots along the way all day (several rivers).<br /> <br /> Day 2 Rio Tunel camp - Bahia de los tempanosb camp (-49,47994,-7298601)<br /> <br /> Passage of the paso del viento, which was indeed very windy, but passable. The path is still passable as used. Easy to follow. Magnificent panoramic view of the glacier at the top. You can see that some people have already pitched their tents at the pass, but I wouldn't recommend it because of the strong wind. Beautiful descent to the refuge. Very good, in good condition. Lots of possibilities for pitching tents around the stone walls. Very nice place to sleep. We continued on. Passage over Col Huelmul easier than the previous one. Very windy too, but the wind was in our favor and helped us make our way up. The descent is very complicated indeed, and quite dangerous. Take your time, especially if it's been raining. It takes time. Fortunately, there are ropes to hold on to. We reach the camp just before dark. It's very crowded, but we find a place to pitch our tent. The view of the lake, icebergs and glacier is magnificent. However, we were bothered by mice all night. We had hung our food from the trees, but despite this, they came up to the tent (between the 2 canvas sheets) time and time again. AVOID! It's crowded, there's garbage, mice, a rotting cow carcass...<br /> <br /> Day 3 Camp Bahia de los tempanos (-49,47994,-7298601) - el chalten <br /> <br /> Last day of hiking. Very beautiful in the hills, views over the lake. We loved it. Cross country in the hills, very nice to do even if we had to pass a few muddy spots and lost the trail a few times. Once back on the official trail, no more worries. The zipline was easier than on the first day. We didn't have to wait very long, surely 2 people ahead of us. End of the day with an easy trail to el chalten. The last few kilometers are on the road, not very pleasant and uninteresting, but it's not very long. <br /> <br /> This section is definitely beautiful and diverse. Mice are a real problem on this section. They seem to be present at all the bivouac spots. They're not shy and don't hesitate to come along even if you scare them. If we had to do it all over again, we'd use rat repellents, because hanging up the food doesn't seem to be enough. <br /> <br /> * '''24-Mar-05 to 2024-Mar-07 / 48 hours / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Tomáš'''<br /> <br /> I did not like El Chaltén and the weather seemed better than later in the week so I immediatelly followed to GPT40. Starting at 17:00, I stopped 3 km from the first official camping Torro, which is normally 16 km far, in three hours of walking. I registered online and did not talk to any parkguards - not sure if they would not try to turn me back this late if they saw me. Fearing mice and being asocial, I did not want to reach the camp. The trail is very clear and easy. At least in this section, there are many places to camp - many trees provide shelter from wind. It was not that windy anyway, just on the final descent to the valley. Met lots of people coming back from Pliegue Tumbado mirador and nobody after the junction.<br /> <br /> The next morning surprised me (the only reliable forecast seems to be for heavy rain or cloudless day, anything in between seems to be a hit or miss) by blue sky, so I got awesome views going up the pass. There was a queue at the zipline so I forded 50 m upstream - it was barely below my knees. Met ten people altogether that day. Walked on glacier, as the official PDF recomends. It is not slippery with the rocks. It is fun, there are footsteps to follow going on and off the glacier. I assume it is safe. There is also a trail going in parallel on the rocks (all circuit is trail BTW, not partly CC like GPX suggests). Indeed only between the glaciers there is a few tentspots as indicated by OSM (unofficial? - but nobody probably cares). By the time I got to the first pass, clouds obscured Fitz Roy and the mountains across the icefield, which was still breathtaking. The pass had both quite windy spots and windless spots and some flats, so in good weather might be ok for camping, but hard to say. Traversing to the second pass, you actually mostly go through a valley partly (?) formed by ancient morraines, so most of the time, the icefield is hidden. I think there are places for pitching a tent, though not really between water at 35 and the second pass - anyway, the place around refugio is the most shletered. There used to be a campsite right after the second pass, but the PDF says you should not use it. Going further down is indeed very steep. There are now handy ropes attached to trees at places. The trail is badly eroded and slippery, would be indeed annoying when muddy. Darkness fell on me there and I still did not bother with a headlamp, but this is indeed the most demanding part of the whole trail. It is demanding also for GPT standards (the rest of the circuit is easy). Once you get down, it is flat and you can camp in many places, which I did.<br /> <br /> The next day there were about 15 people, three of which went clockwise, so it is done even if the Park does not like it (it normally seem to have no presence on the trail itself). This time I waited the queue for the zipline to actually try using it. I think the river was fordable there. It was definitely fordable 200-300 metres downstream (there is a diversion), where it widens and branches in the delta. The rest of the trail was uneventful.<br /> <br /> It is indeed a nice end to the GPT. I did not expect to finish the Main route (minus 23-31) this year, so yay! The El Viento shop (49.3229571S, 72.8940188W) is on the other side of the town (2 km) to the Park office and charged me for three days even though I finished the circuit in 48 hours - it was 5-6 USD per day. In retrospect, I would not bother with the harness. I met a guy who went without because he could not rent one - I was given the last one they had available and it was too big for me by far. Should the second river prove unfordable, people would probably borrow you theirs, it seems one set is usually carried per group and passed over using the thin rope - at least on the second crossing, the thin rope is there permanently so I am not sure what would the thin rope be for anyway.<br /> <br /> I still hated El Chalten (too many tourists, really bad 4g internet [apparently everybody in town shares one connection, unless I was wrongly informed] - if you stay overnight, usually in such situations it starts working well some time after midnight when everybody sleeps -, really pricy produce and very mediocre meal in one of the restaurants; Villa O'Higgins has a much nicer feel), so I hopped on a bus (3h) to El Calafate at 18h for about 22 USD. It goes also in the morning and around noon. There is also a 130 USD 28h (I think) bus to Bariloche at 14:00 and at 21:00. From El Calafate, there are connections to Ushuaia (this one not sure), Puerto Natales and Punta Arenas (at 3 AM and change in the middle about 40 USD, a bit cheaper if you have cash) and Buenos Aires. I don't have my ticket back yet and flying directly from El Calafate would be very expensive, prices from Punta Arenas were the cheapest. Bye!<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-16 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Charlie Gardner'''<br /> <br /> What an outstanding hike. This is definitely such an incredible way to either begin/end the main route of the GPT. We did it in the classic 4 days which was fairly chill. <br /> <br /> Day 1 - <br /> Pretty straightforward day. Hike starts with a nice climb that takes you eventually into the surrounding forests. Great views of Lago Viedma from the top and a nice lunch spot. We started very late in the day and the sun was BEATING, could recommend and earlier start to avoid this. Don’t forget to check in with rangers before leaving! Quick form you have to fill out. Hang your food at Toro campsite, we saw a few mice running around. <br /> <br /> Day 2 - <br /> Winds were crazy in the valley when we woke up. Many hikers were considering bailing on the hike due to worries of what Paso del viento would hold but the they calmed down around 930-10 and most pushed on. There’s an alternative route across the rivers that funnel into Laguna Tunel o Toro that we thought we’d check out as a few kairns led that way but they were far too strong to cross when we went that way. Ended up having a route find a bit and scramble up an alternative route after this lake, definitely recommend staying as close to route as possible here. Trail opens up again after you make it over. Tyrolean was short, didn’t look like anyone tried to ford the river here but it was definitely doable. Get to tyrolean early if you want to avoid waiting. The glacier route required a bit of route finding as well at points but isn’t anything crazy. Boulders and rocks can be loose at times though. Maybe we got lucky but paso del viento was quiet when we got to the top. Outstanding views! Short walk to camp after the descent from Viento. 8 of us slept in the shelter at paso del viento Camp as winds picked up considerably overnight. Was definitely glad for the protection but there were definitely mice scurrying around. <br /> <br /> Day 3 - <br /> Definitely recommend an earlyish start this day. The climb up to paso Huemul is not as hard as paso del viento but the decent afterwards is just ridiculous. If you have bad knees, it’s more of a controlled fall on some sections. Gravel is extremely loose and it is VERY steep. Thankfully, there are a fair amount of the roots and trees to grab hold up but this was definitely an annoying decent especially at the end of the Day 3. Many tried Bahia de Los témpanos camp but we decided to push on to Bahia de Hornos. An hour later, everyone else showed up at this camp as they said the other one did not have sufficient shelter from wind and was fairly dusty. Hornos ended up being lovely after winds calmed down and sound got lower. Would probably filter water here if possible, lots of cows nearby and water is fairly foggy. <br /> <br /> Day 4 - <br /> Final day was straightforward but definitely longer than expected. Would definitely recommend leaving early to be first at the tyrolean again. Be careful with the safety rope, ours broke halfway while pulling bags across and we had to send a person across without the pulley. <br /> <br /> Enjoy, this hike rocks!<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb- 05 to 2024-Feb-08/ 4 days/hiking/SOBO/40/RR/Paulina'''<br /> <br /> Absolutely beautiful section! Very various<br /> <br /> Day 1 I left very late ( 4 pm) because the wind was extremely strong earlier, but it is an easy day, about 9 I was at the camping Lago Toro. The way was most of the time well marked, after the rain the meadows can be very wet I think. Once you are in the valley of Lago Toro, there are some easy river crossing. The campground is well protected from the wind, the water is nearby. To grab a better spot for tent, don't come too late, when I was there, the camping was almost full.<br /> <br /> Day 2 For me it was the most beautiful day, in a good weather , the views on the glaciers are amasing. So yes, it's really worth to wait fot a good weather for this day ( and the next one too). This day you will need also to consult sometimes the trails on GPS. At the end of the lake, there are some cairns, don't follow them, just follow the trail on gps which goes up. A lot of people missed up there and instead to follow na easy and safe trail, they climbed unecessary some rocks. The tiroliene didn't seems.difficult, The only think is that when we were there, the thin rope was not attached to the tyroliene and it was not easy to pull the tiroliene at the beginning. So, take a thin rope to attach the tirolien because the one which was there was all missed up. It's ok if you have one hardness for a group, it's easy to send it back. As all the people from the camping left around the same hour, to avaoil the linę to the tiroliene, we just crossed the river a bit farther, the level was not too high. Later, a nice path will take you to the glacier and you will not see anymore the trail ( only cairns sometimes). If you follow GPS trail, it should be ok. At the glacier, just walk on the eadge of the glacier at first, and later on rocks which are close from the glacier. There is also an upper trail, some people followed this one but were complaining that it was hard ( a lot of ...stones.). One you are at the end of the glacier, go up, there are several trails, but all of them are ok. The views from the pass area are just amasing, so yes, wsit for the good weather because it would be a pity not to see all these glaciers. The trail to the rodugio is easy to follow, mostly descent. At the camping there are about 5 spots with stonewall protection. It's a windy area, so it's better to grab a good spot. Also, there is place for about 8 person in the rodugio.<br /> <br /> Day 3 Another beautiful day. Well marked all the time, most of the time easy way. The ascent to the pass is short and rather pleasent. Very, very windy at the end of the ascend ( even if it was not a windy day), so I can't imagine how windy it is with a worse weather. About ,30 min from the pass, a steep ascend starts. When it's wet, can be difficult. So also, better to have good, dry day for this descent. I would recommand to camp at Bahia Tempanos, well wind protected and beautiful views on icebergs, and a Perfect spot for sunrise.<br /> <br /> Day 4 Rather easy day. The landscape changes a lot comparing to previous days, but it's still very beautiful, especially views on Lago de Vuelta. The tiroliene is very easy.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-15 / 3 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Tom Pieper'''<br /> <br /> Not much to add. As the others mentioned a must do! When I started, there were indeed not that many people as weather forecast was not that good for the 'classic' 4 day itinerary. I was fine doing it in 3 days. The bivouack after Glaciar Rio Tunel Inferior only has space for 3 tents. You find additional protected spots 5 minutes beyond at the lake. If you fear glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) there are also some elevated spots there.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-06 to 2024-Jan-08 / 2.5 days / Hiking / anticlockwise / RR / Stiina &amp; Kris'''<br /> <br /> We started around noon on day 1 and hiked to the bivouack after Glaciar Rio Tunel Inferior at km (km 21.2). We walked acrosse the glacier to avoid the moraine, no crampons needed. The bivouack was extremely windy at night but still a bit protected, lots of big rocks to help with staking the tent down. There are also a few rock walls built.<br /> <br /> On day 2 we hiked over Paso Viento (which was very windy indeed; we also had rain, hail and snow) and down the other side. Once we got lower down we got out of the cloud and the weather was very pleasant. We didn't have much of the view over the glacier to the North but saw the end that descended towards Lago Viedma. The Paso Huemul was also extremely windy but at least it was sunny. The descent through the forest after the pass is really steep, with loose gravel/sand and lots of tree roots - be extremely careful here! The official campsites at the bay and peninsula were full so we continued until km45.2 where there is a nice windprotected campsite shown on OSM. Ford at 44.2 is completely dried out, but at 45.5 the stream is flowing.<br /> <br /> On day 3 we hiked back into El Chalten by lunch, it was a very windy day. When we reached the tyrolean at km54 (which is waymarked as a bridge for some reason?) there were about 15 people in the line so we decided to ford the river about 30m upstream. We went 3 people in a line formation, the first person had water up to the waist, the last just below hips. At km62, where you need to climb below a fence just before joining the road, pay attention to the small holes in the sandy banks: those are armadillo burrows, you might see one if lucky!<br /> <br /> * '''From 2023-12-26 to 2023-12-28 //3 days // Hiking // NOBO // Anticlockwise // Quentin Clavel'''<br /> <br /> Even if there's lot of people (around 15/20 departure per days at this time of the season), this section is in my opinion absolutely amazing ! The view on the icefield is outstanding ! I mostly followed the track, except on day two, where I continue to explore the surrounding of the Laguna de Los Esquies. Happy to be totally alone there, in front of this outstanding view. Hypnotic ! (It's almost the same that you can see at paso del viento, but closer to the icefield, and more chance to be by yourself here.<br /> <br /> You have to rent harnais in El Chaltén and pass threw two zip lines. That was very fun !<br /> <br /> I had a looooot of wind at paso del viento and paso del huemul. Reminds me tierra del fuego ! Could be very surprising as it's unpredictable squalls and so powerful ! <br /> <br /> The downhill after paso del huemul Is not funny as it's very slippery. Just have to take the time to be even more careful. <br /> <br /> Views along the whole trek are absolutely stunning ! A must do ! <br /> <br /> * '''2023-11-21 to 2023-11-26 / 5 days / RR / SOBO / anticlockwise / Anh'''<br /> <br /> GPT40 is no longer remote, there are 20 hikers on the trail every day.<br /> The trail is not marked, but not difficult to follow. No real river crossing necessary, there was always aid available. Snowfields are easy to cross.<br /> <br /> Day 1: a little muddy, but easy to walk.<br /> <br /> Day 2: Tyrolean Traverse is no fun as you have to pull yourself uphill. Alternative is an easy river crossing (knee deep, 10:00 AM good weather). 1km after that you can walk between RR or on the glacier (see presentation link at the end of this page). On the glacier trail you come back directly on the mountain of the same height. After the Paso del Viento (700m uphill in 6km, windy &amp; cold) I leave GPT40 and walk to Campamento Laguna de Los Esquies to get a bit closer to the glacier. The path is difficult to find as there are many snowfields (without footprints) in between. But I am alone at the glacier lake.<br /> <br /> Day 3: Mostly with CC back to GPT40 to Paso del Viento Camp<br /> <br /> Day 4: Shortly after windy Passo Huemul is time consuming downhill (500Hm in 1km). The trail is very slippery (in sunny weather) &amp; there is hardly any grip for the next step, take time for this part.<br /> <br /> Day 5: very easy trail &amp; Tyrolean Traverse is really fun (downhill zipline). Alternative river crossing is not easy (strong, 12:00 AM good weather).<br /> <br /> * '''2023-12-01 to 2023-12-04 / 4 days / Hiking / RR counterclockwise/ Fangwen &amp; Tobi'''<br /> <br /> Amazing section. We did the recommended 4 day itinerary (together with about 20 other hikers). A few points to add to the existing comments here: first, there was a lot of really wet grasslands, especially on day 1 (at least when we did it, early December). Accept your fate and live with wet feet (and bring extra socks if you can). Second, the four day itinerary makes use of the best-sheltered campsites. Other campsites may offer less protection. Note that even if the Park Rangers say conditions are good, you might encounter very strong winds in many areas. Third, if you want to extend the (somewhat short) days a bit, you can hike to the viewpoint Loma del Pliegue on day 1, on the ridge just above the campsite on day 2 (nice to watch the sunset), and to the aptly named mirador del cóndor next to Huemul pass on day 3. On day 3, it's best not to arrive too late to the very scenic Bahia de los Témpanos camp, since space is limited. Lastly, the descent from the huemul pass on day 3 is indeed a bit tricky, especially if you were to go in wet conditions.<br /> <br /> One warning regarding water at the campsites: despite the park information claiming that the water is potable, we would recommend taking some care to get clean drinking water. On day 1, there is an excellent little stream 400m past the campsite. On day 2, take water from a little side stream ~600m before the campsite. The lack of the toilet means that the water from the river flowing into the lake is likely not safe to consume. Similarly on day 3, it is highly recommended to fill up plenty of water at the little waterfall at the end of the steep downhill section before going into camp. The lack of a toilet means that the water there is also unsafe to drink. Furthermore, next to the campsite is a carcass of a recently deceased cow. If the first three days gave you the impression that there is plenty of clean drinking water available during the day, be aware that this is not true of day 4. There is only one good looking stream, roughly at km52, and all the water will require treatment (we saw another three cow carcasses nearby the trail on day 4). Don't worry too much about this, if you plan ahead and think a bit about where to get the water, then it's no issue at all. Enjoy this excellent adventure!<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Apr-08 to 2023-Apr-11 / 4 days / RR / SOBO / Arthur, Rémi, Noé &amp; Louis'''<br /> <br /> Such a wonderful section ! One of our favorite ! Incredible views on the glaciers, with autumn's colors it was amazing !<br /> <br /> It is recommended by the guardaparques to have good weather on day 2 and 3 (for the passes), no cloud and no wind for us : perfect.<br /> <br /> We rented 1 harness for the 2 zip lines (day 2 and 4). 1 harness per group is sufficient but you have to rent a thin rope too in case the one in the pulley is broken. It is really worth it because the feeling is so good ! (We rented at Viento Oeste, north of San Martin street, the cheapest according to a friend).<br /> <br /> The thin rope is very helpful to suspend all your bags and things in camps. You have to do it because mice are at every camp and the will destroy your bag, your tent or whatever has food inside. This is the only annoying point of this section.<br /> <br /> About the trail : easy to follow, except when you have to walk on the glacier on day 2, it can be a bit challenging. Take care, do not go if there is fresh snow all over the glacier.<br /> <br /> The way down the paso Huemul on day 3 is very steep too.<br /> <br /> Do not forget to register online with the guardaparques (and to check out when you return !).<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Mar-30 to 2023-Apr-01 / 3 days / El Chaltén counter clockwise / Anna &amp; Christopher'''<br /> <br /> We did the Huemul Circuit in 3 days. We started around 9 a.m. planning to camp at the Biwak Túnel the first night. The weather turned out to be so nice that we decided to continue and do the Paso del Viento the first day.<br /> <br /> The trail until the first Tyrolean traverse was really good even though it was partially covered in snow. We crossed the river easily by foot.<br /> After that the trail up to the pass gets more demanding and slower. Once you reach the Glaciar Túnel Inferior navigation gets more difficult. There are different paths and we firstly followed one going up and down on the gravel. It's probably easier to take the path on the glacier from the beginning on. We reached the pass at sunset and had an absolutely amazing view.<br /> <br /> We decided to camp at the end of Laguna Ferrari (to avoid the mice problem at the main campsites). The path to the lake was demanding, because the slope was covered with lot of snow and it was dark. At the campsite there are lots of well protected spots for tents.<br /> <br /> The next day we slept pretty long to recover from the previous big day and with better weather than anticipated we walked until km 39.3.<br /> There are two really good camping spots, one at the edge of the trees and one inside the small forest. No mice there.<br /> <br /> The steep trail down wasn't super easy and must be hard during rain. The second river crossing at km 54 was much more demanding. We crossed it further east of the Tyrolean, where the river divides in multiple branches. There the water went below Annas hips (1,63m). We walked to the viewpoint at km 62.4. Lots of people watched the sunset there with a great view of Fitz Roy and it was easy to get a ride for the last 2 km to El Chaltén.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Mar-10 to 2023-Mar-13 / 4 days / RR / SOBO / El Chaltén anticlockwise / Ondrej '''<br /> <br /> I had the luxury of being able to wait for a good weather window and it really payed out. My hike was easy with magnificent views when climbing up to Paso del Viento. I even had a tranquil lunch at the top. The glacier walk and the snowy peaks are stunning.<br /> <br /> However, I believe gpt40 can turn into hell in windy weather or if camping outside the wind-sheltered camps. I met several people in El Chaltén who had to turn back because the wind didn’t let them climb up to the pass. One couple also had their tent teared apart in the middle of the night at Bahía de Hornos. If you can, avoid camping there for the last night. Instead, camp at Bahía de Tempános which offers far better wind protection.<br /> <br /> I enjoyed the recommended 4 day length. Each day section took me around 5-6 hours of walking. I believe that especially Day 1 and 2 could be combined into one (El Chaltén - Refugio del Viento) if the weather is favourable.<br /> <br /> Mice seem to be present at all of the official camps - best is to hang your food, cooking utensils and hygienne stuff on a tree away from your tent and avoid eating in your tent. I did that and had no problems with the animals, while some of my companions got holes bitten into their tents and other stuff. <br /> <br /> I rented harness and carabiniers for the tyrollean traverse at Viento Oeste. The traverse was fun to use and I was happy that I didn’t need to ford the cold rivers. Recommended!<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Mar-06 to 2023-Mar-07 / 2 days / Laguna Toro out and back / Will'''<br /> <br /> This is a tough one, I didn't make it. I waited out a few rainy days in town until the park office told me we had a good two day window. <br /> <br /> I spent the first night at Laguna Toro. Be careful of mice there. Quite a bit of rain and snow, but still too warm for the snow to stay on the ground. The next day we (25 or so tourists) set out to attempt the pass. <br /> <br /> I crossed the river on foot right by the zip line, the water was below my knees at noon. Painfully cold though. I climbed up until I got a view of the first glacier at which point the wind was too strong for me to trust my footing. I went back to the first camp planning to wait and try again the next day.<br /> <br /> Just after setting up the wind tore down a big green tree branch, which crushed and ripped my tent. Thankfully I wasn't inside. Walked back to El Chaltén in defeat.<br /> <br /> I guess that's the end of my GPT hike. It's been amazing, other than the miserable weather down here in the south!<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Feb-21 to 2023-Feb-24 / 4 days / GPT40 RR counter clockwise / Véronica &amp; Zach'''<br /> <br /> Route: Centro de Visitantes - Laguna Toro - Paso del Viento - Paso Huemul - Bahía de los Témpanos - Centro de Visitantes <br /> <br /> We hiked the Huemul Circuit in 4 days as recommended by the Park officials. You could do it in less, but it is so beautiful and it was nice not to rush and to take it all in. The park staff also informed us of the expected weather conditions. You only really need favourable weather on the 2d and 3d day, going over the two passes. It was extremely windy when we went, knocking me off my feet at times. <br /> <br /> I enjoyed having my microspikes for the crossing of Glaciar Túnel, allowing me to explore a bit further up on the ice, but they are not necessary. From the top of Paso Del Viento, the view of the Southern Patagonian Icefield is awe-inspiring, but there are no good sheltered spots at or near the top to pause and admire the view for very long before the descent. <br /> <br /> The Paso del Viento Camp (second night) is the most exposed of the camps, the tent sites are semi-protected by low rock walls, and some are better than others. The trail is easy to follow and is well-marked. <br /> <br /> We rented harnesses and cord for the Tyrolean traverses from the gear shop Viento Oeste, at 1,400 pesos per person per day. The cord was 250 extra pesos per day. It was fairly straightforward to figure out how the cable crossings worked. The first crossing of Río Túnel on day 2 seemed fordable, but not the second one on day 4. That Tyrolean traverse also did not have a rope to pull the pulley back, so we were glad to have one. <br /> <br /> This is the link to register for the trek online: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfP8lEz5ry97gEK6fzx2mlu1NAhPwBx8cRlnSZOH8mx8iUMHA/viewform<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Unknown / Helen and Craig'''<br /> <br /> Big forest fire around the 3rd bay near iceberg bay. Circuit was closed for a bit. Unsure on how well it's recovering. Have a chat with the rangers before leaving.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-08 / Alexis, Iris'''<br /> <br /> Same as below, follow the trail when it differs from the trace. <br /> Beware that on Day 2, the Paso del Viento can be very windy and you should check the weather forecast before leaving.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-04 to 2023-Jan-07 / 4 days / Helen and Craig (plus 8 trail friends!) Gabby, James, Hannah, Jess, Julia, Jacob, Caro and Ali.'''<br /> <br /> Trail was very easy to find.<br /> <br /> Wind guru was for us completely unreliable. Very strong winds to the point of blowing us off path for minutes at a time whilst predictions were minimal forecast. Heed advice from rangers.<br /> <br /> First river crossing was impassable. Worth bringing harnesses for zipline (worth it for the fun)<br /> The far far end of el chalten there's a shop called vende oste where we found good rates of hiring harnesses.<br /> <br /> If it's windy on the 3rd day pitch up in the iceberg bay bivi site rather than the second site. We stopped earlier than the rest of the gang due to being a bit tired. We had very peaceful night in strong winds where friends at the next site a hellish night. Iceberg bay was also my number one campsite of all GPT40-30! Watching icebergs flip to the sunset after a long dusty day of slipping sliding and being gusted off the path by winds on the mornings pass. This place is a true refuge for the soul.<br /> <br /> Ferry not running so not many options to hitchhike back to chalten for last part of last day. The liberal use of gaiters on trainers also recommend. Lots of spiky grass seeds and burrs on last days<br /> <br /> Very much worth the wait for a weather window. Incredibly diverse veiws. The glacier walk was a one of kind! Veiws of the ice field kinder the feeling of being about a small at a ant.<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec-15 / 3 days / RR anticlockwise / Frank'''<br /> <br /> Watch video of the hike @ national park office. Bring a harness &amp; learn how to do a Tyrolean traverse before you go (the NP video is useful for this) Where the trail differs from the track file it's easier to follow the trail which is generally good &amp; clear. You are required to register online for the trek (link given by Veronica &amp; Zach) &amp; sign out at the national park office when you are finished.<br /> <br /> The river above Laguna Toro was waist deep &amp; v fast, it nearly knocked me over. Not recommended to cross in the afternoon. In the early morning it may be only knee deep. Bring the harness anyway &amp; learn how to use it, you may need it. On the glacier stay near the edge, people tend to go too far out. At the far side you should see footprints &amp; cairns leading to the moraine. Camped @ small high camp just after exiting the moraine (Vivac Tunel) There are a few stone corrals there. Lined the tent with rocks - pegs alone will pop. Good &amp; sheltered camping @ Laguna Toro &amp; after Paso del Viento @ Refuge but I went from Vivac Tunel over Pasos Viento &amp; Huemul in 1 long day. Only a little snow @ Paso del Viento &amp; easy to cross. Very windy on Paso Huemul in the afternoon. Steep &amp; loose descent, slow going but I saw 2 huemul. Amazing views of the Icecap between the two passes. Campsite @ Iceberg Bay one of the best on GPT. You can watch the bergs that calve off the icefield breaking up. At lower Rio Tunel we forded 300M downstream from the cable where the river is braided into channels. OK to cross @ noon, knee deep &amp; fast but you need to pick a good spot. Definitely not fordable @ the cable where it runs deep in a single channel. Challenging hike but incredible views of the Icecap.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Feb-02 / 2 days / Tom and Maddie'''<br /> <br /> 2 days anticlockwise. Trail is easy to follow. Talk to the rangers and they can let you know about any issues. Would be tough in bad weather but in clear weather there are no issues. For the glacier walk we were told to enter the glacier just after the beginning and to exit just after the end. I suspect due to the increased popularity a new route has been made in sections so follow the trail markers which divert from the GPX route. <br /> <br /> We hired harnesses in El Chalten for the river crossings. We crossed the first on foot in the morning and had no issues. The second one we crossed using the equipment for the novelty but the river looked fine to cross further down. However I can see the river being hard to cross in high levels of rain. <br /> <br /> This was a very beautiful section and very different to the northern sections.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-12 / 4 days / Oreste Marquis'''<br /> <br /> Did the trek counterclockwise wich is the only way to do it rangers say. You need to register to do this trek and guardaparques vive great advises. I crossed the rivers by foot and they were pretty hard, I recommand using the zipline. Awesome views with good weather, but the wind is really annoying! The campgrounds rangers told me to camp weren’t the ones on the trackfiles, but are pretty close to them so they are not hard to find. Great experience !!<br /> <br /> Verify the wind forecast! The hills are so steep, strong wind could be dangerous! There’s no snow anymore and you will not need crampons.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec / 3 days / Matthieu '''<br /> <br /> We did it in December with good weather, in 3 days ( instead of the 4 recommended, 2 first days in one big day). Awesome trekk and views. It is better to register first at the guardaparques office. <br /> <br /> Trekk easy to follow excepted on the walk on the glaciar before the paso del viento (a little one, not the Viedma). During this walk, I would not advise to try to walk by the wall of mud and rocks at the left of the glaciar, it is a steepy way and everything slips, we tried it and went on the ice after. The little walk on the ice just near didn´t feel unsafe to me, with the little rocks it doesn't really slip.<br /> <br /> Good camping sites, well protected from the weather conditions. <br /> <br /> The last downhill after the paso de Huemul is the most dangerous part, very steepy but with trees to hang for help. I would advise to do this part with good weather conditions, with mud it could be dangerous. <br /> <br /> For the rivercrossings (2 real ones) there is one way walking and one way with tyrolean on a zip Line. We did it with with the tyrolean, and it was extremly funny. Rental of material possible in El chalten. Of course you have to know how to insure yourself good, so inform yourself before going, it is not hard to understand though, but extremely dangerous if not done well. None of us had experience with it before. <br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-18 / Arnaud et Adriane'''<br /> <br /> After we have taken the information at the national parc office, we only had 2 days of correct weather. So we decided not to walk the entire section but to go only to the paso del viento to get the view on the campo de hielo (glaciar viedma), following the advises of the guardaparques.<br /> <br /> I think it is the highlight of the section but not sure since I have never walked it entirely.<br /> <br /> On the first day we also took the time to walk to the summit of the cerro loma del pliegue tumbado (1500m of height). It offers an amazing view on the fitz roy and on the cerro torre, the 2 rockstars of El Chalten.<br /> <br /> On the second day we went to el Paso del Viento. The view there on the campo de hielo is absolutely fascinating. The hike is very tough but is absolutely worth the effort. You walk on a glaciar during 2kms but no equipment or particular skill is needed. It was very very very windy (and happily it was a quiet day I do not imagine on other day).<br /> <br /> Day 1 : El Chalten-cerro loma del pliegue tumbado-laguna torro : 27km with big elevation gain (around 1700m)<br /> Day 2 : laguna toro - paso del viento - laguna toro : 18km.<br /> Day 3 : back to El Chalten : 17km.<br /> <br /> I definitely recomand to follow the guardaparques advises and pay a huge attention to the weather. On this section with a bad weather and a strong wind I think it is dangerous to try to walk it entirely. And if it is cloudy, you will miss amazing views.<br /> <br /> The riverford after the laguna toro was easy on the way to the paso del viento (on the morning) but very dangerous on the way back (on the afternoon with all the gletchers melting I think). The worst we've done yet.<br /> If you intend to get back after the paso del viento I advise to get equipment to be able to use the zip line that has been settled by the guardaparques. It us much more secured than crossing the river on the afternoon.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Nov-6 / Lea Geibel, Kevin Moe /7'''<br /> <br /> Equipment for Zip Line to cross rivers is not required anymore since this season.<br /> <br /> Most of the season the rivers are possible to cross on foot<br /> <br /> Paso Viedma had a decent amount of snow on it (Snow Line at 1000m), the ascent is straightforward but the descent on the side facing the ice field can be really iced over and difficult without crampons (ask at Visitor Center of the NP for current conditions)<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Nov-4 / 4 days / regular hiking route / counter-clockwise / Lea Geibel, Kevin Moe '''<br /> <br /> Beautiful hike in good weather! Great views of the ice sheet and mountains from Paso Del Viento. Highly recommend waiting for clear weather so you don't miss the scenery! We went up right after a big storm. The trail was a bit muddy up to the Laguna Torro, and the lee of the pass had a decent amount of snow. The windward side was pretty icy and more difficult than the snow. The next day we took a detour and cut cross country to walk on the Campo De Hielo Sur. Our route took a bit of steep scrambling to get down to it and back up around Paso De Huemul, and there were lots of open crevasses on the ice, so it would be good to have some experience and navigation skills if you want to do the same. Dropping down Paso Huemul on the trail was steep and a knee killer, and from Lago Viedma we had a hard time staying on the right trail amidst all the cow path, but aside from a few spiky bushes it's easy to cut cross country. Unnecessary to use the zip lines this year to cross the rivers. You have to camp only in the designated campsites.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2018/19==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2017/18==<br /> * '''Route description by Kara Davis after Season 2017/18'''<br /> <br /> Notes to consider before beginning: GPT40 is more popularly known as the Huemul Circuit, a 57-kilometer trek in El Parque Nacional Los Glaciares. Before embarking, the national park guard requires that every hiker obtain a permit, bring required safety gear, and watch a slideshow about the circuit. The safety gear consists of a harness, 2 carabiners (one steel and one aluminum), slings, and 35 m of rope. Most of this gear can be rented at any outfitter in town, but due to liability reasons, the outfitters won’t rent rope. We went to the local ferretería to purchase this. All of this gear is used for two river crossings on zip lines. <br /> <br /> We were told that the rangers required hikers to bring their safety gear to the station before a permit would be issued. I would recommend that anyone who wants to do this circuit go to the rangers station the day before to watch the video and get any other necessary information about weather, conditions, etc. Since rentals can get expensive, renting the same day you leave and then going to the rangers station to show them your safety gear and get a permit seems to be the best course of action. The guard station is located on the south side of the Río Fitz Roy just across the bridge. <br /> <br /> Most people hike the circuit clockwise (as the slideshow recommends). The trail begins just behind the rangers station and ascends up gentle grassy hills. It is fairly flat and well maintained. After passing Laguna Túnel o Tore, the trail deviates from the GPS route and loops to the first crossing of the Río Túnel on a zip line. During low water, it is possible to cross this river on foot by following the GPS track. After crossing the river, the trail climbs steeply to just above Glaciar Río Túnel Inferior. Along the south side of the glacier, the trail becomes hard to follow as it disappears in loose moraine. Walking on the edge of the glacier may be easier than trying to pick your way across the steep slope but be careful doing this. <br /> <br /> After passing the glacier, follow maintained switchbacks up the side of the mountain towards Paso del Viento, the high point of the circuit. For the next 20 km, expect amazing views of Glacier Viedma. I cannot speak to the quality of the trail descending from the pass because of the blanketing snowpack that was present during our trek, but the sections where the snow did melt looked maintained. There is a small refugio, Refugio Paso del Viento located at a pond about 3.5 km from Paso Viento. <br /> <br /> After passing the refugio, the trail contours and then climbs to Paso Huemul. Make sure to look back and enjoy the last view of Glacier Viedma. The descent is very steep and at one point there is even a rope to downclimb. There are also plenty of woody bushes (manzanita?) to cling to as you lower yourself down the trail. After completing the descent, the trail is straightforward and easygoing. There is camping on the beach at the peninsula, Camping Bahía de Hornos. There is one more river crossing with a zip line at the lower Río Túnel, and from there it is easy walking to the end!<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> 2023: There is a bus every evening at 8PM from El Chalten to Los Antiguos, arriving at about 7AM. The bus continues to Esquel, El Bolson &amp; Bariloche. From Los Antiguos you can go by local taxi or hitch to the border &amp; Chile Chico (there is no longer a bus across the border) There is also a bus once a day from Los Antiguos to El Chalten.<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> *2023 / Anh<br /> It’s possible to hike alone, you just have to make registration online before and after:<br /> [[Registration|https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfP8lEz5ry97gEK6fzx2mlu1NAhPwBx8cRlnSZOH8mx8iUMHA/viewform]]<br /> <br /> *2023 / Arthur, Rémi, Noé &amp; Louis<br /> Do not forget to register online with the guardaparques (and to check out when you return !).<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT40 - Glaciar Viedma]]<br /> <br /> *2023 / Anh<br /> InReach from ranger: pls ask the ranger the current phone number and email for inReach.<br /> <br /> You don’t have to watch video in ranger station anymore, they have new presentation:<br /> [[Presentation |https://drive.google.com/file/u/0/d/1U_Wp46EDCLM_yFlSgXdfyxZYnMFHTLlN/view?pli=1]]<br /> <br /> =Images=</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT37H_(Peninsula_La_Florida)&diff=119980 2025-02-04T00:07:51Z

<p>MiaimZelt: </p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;packrafting&quot;, as above):<br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD, WHAT IS ENCLOSED IN &lt;&gt; MAKES IT BLUE):<br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/nowiki&gt;.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Overview=<br /> <br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> *'''2025-Jan-27 to 2025-Jan-30 / 4 days hiking / SOBO Mix of East and West Traverse / RR + Variant G / Miaimzelt'''<br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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!<br /> 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. <br /> <br /> The trail until Camp {37H} [49.1/262] (Arrollo Derrumbe) was nice and easy again. The camp provided good protection from the wind. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> 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.<br /> 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. <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> * '''2025-Jan-07 to 2025-Jan-10 / 4 / &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / SOBO / 37H-10A + 37H-10 + 37H-08 + 37H-08A + RR / Roman'''<br /> <br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;island&quot; 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Files (GPX and KMZ /// Tracks and Important Markers):<br /> * https://1drv.ms/f/s!AqzLweJ3NZW5tI8mmMfzsXLi3RNR_Q<br /> <br /> Legend:<br /> <br /> * Red: Trail<br /> * Light Red: Suggestions for better Trail (not hiked)<br /> * Green: Open Cross Country<br /> * Purple: No trail trough the forest bust fast hiking like Cross Country<br /> * Blue: Packrafting<br /> <br /> <br /> All tracks are also on Strava and general contact for questions: https://linktr.ee/RundW<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Dec-31 to 2025-Jan-05 / 4.5 / Hiking / SOBO (Full 8 Circuit) / RR + Variant G / Roman'''<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> <br /> 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].<br /> <br /> 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 -<br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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! <br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;water&quot; or &quot;ford&quot; 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.<br /> <br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> <br /> General contact for questions: https://linktr.ee/RundW<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2024-dic-24 to 2024-dic-28 / 4 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR west traverse / Celio, Amalia and Isabelle'''<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> 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.<br /> 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.<br /> 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.<br /> The ford of the San Martín river at laguna Verde desagüe was just above knee deep but with low current.<br /> The camp at arroyó derrumbe and laguna verde are amazing!<br /> We thought that's an amazing hike, very diverse and with no difficulties when the weather is perfect has we had!<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Nov-19 to 2024-Nov-26 / 7.5 / Hiking / SOBO (Full 8 Circuit) / RR / Jonas'''<br /> Day 01: 19.11.2024<br /> 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.<br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 02: 20.11.2024<br /> 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.<br /> 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.<br /> 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.<br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 03: 21.11.2024<br /> 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).<br /> Landscape was amazing! Some sections with thorns vegetation in the way.<br /> Camped roughly 500 m after Pass/Camp not water 55.2.<br /> Was hard to find a wind protected spot.<br /> <br /> Day 04: 22.11.2024<br /> 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. <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 05: 23.11.2024<br /> 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!<br /> Found a nice place at Lago O'Higgins and stayed there.<br /> <br /> Day 06: 24.11.2024<br /> 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.<br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 07: 25.11.2024<br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 08: 26.11.2024<br /> Last day of the hike was easy with some middy sections and some overgrown trail. Passed the hydro station without seeing anyone.<br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> * '''2024-03-05 to 2024-03-15 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR west traverse to Bahia Pescado / Maggie &amp; Julian'''<br /> <br /> Trail attractiveness 5/5,<br /> Difficulty 3/5<br /> <br /> Day 1: Ferry {37H} [7.6/269] (Puerto Bahmondez) to (-48.6326, -72.6078):<br /> <br /> We organized a ride to the end of the Carretera Austral the evening before.<br /> 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.<br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Day 2: (-48.6326, -72.6078) to Camp Without Water {37H} [39.7/931]:<br /> <br /> The area right before the Pass {37H} [39.3/1006] (Canadon los Patos) was gorgeous but too windy and cold to stay for long.<br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 3: Camp Without Water {37H} [39.7/931] to Camp {37H} [48.6/262] (Arrollo Derrumbe):<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 4: Camp {37H} [48.6/262] (Arrollo Derrumbe) to Camp {37H} [66.0/343] (Vista Fitzroy):<br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Day 5: Camp {37H} [66.0/343] (Vista Fitzroy) to Settler {37H-H} [4.5/264] (Bahia Pescado, Nicole and Misael):<br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Notes:<br /> <br /> - 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.<br /> <br /> - 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.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-19 to 2024-Feb-23 / 5d / Hiking / SOBO / West Traverse / Andrew'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 1:<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 2:<br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 3:<br /> <br /> Walked through the dead forest, and after a short period of time I found a visible trail.<br /> <br /> I would recommend staying to the south of the creek as you approach the pass, impassable brush on the North side<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 4:<br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Day 5:<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> * '''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'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> On day one I climbed Cierro Alta Vista. The junction to OH-CC&amp;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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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&amp;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.<br /> Somehow I could escape straight uphill onto OH-TL&amp;CC-V {37H-K} [0.0+1.8]. (500m/h) was my pace :)<br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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&amp;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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Mar-25 to 2024-Mar-27 / 2.5 days hiking + 2.5 days waiting/ Hiking / SOBO / RR, West Traverse + OH G + H / Joscha'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 1: RR [0.0-29.3]<br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Day 2: RR [29.3-48.6]<br /> <br /> Plenty of water. Fords are max. knee hight. I really liked the camp at 48.6. <br /> <br /> Day 3: RR [48.6-62.9] + OH37H-G + RR [63.5-69.1] + OH37H-H<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> * '''24-Feb-28 to 2024-Mar-2 / 48 hours and a day of waiting / Hiking / SOBO / RR, West Traverse/ Tomáš'''<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> 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&amp;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.<br /> <br /> CC&amp;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.<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-feb-20/ 5,5days / hiking / Full loop west - east/ RR / Lukas en Tess ; Nolwenn and Yannick (first half)'''<br /> <br /> This is an incredible hike, (like most but still, doesn't get old!) Beautiful views, great camping spots and awesome people!<br /> Very demanding because of cross country and overgrown vegetation. (Not bushbashing but sometimes not far from it)<br /> <br /> Some recomendations: <br /> <br /> -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!<br /> -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. <br /> She also sells essential oils made from herbs and flowers out of the mountains around, ask her, its awesome!<br /> -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.<br /> -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. <br /> 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.<br /> -Refuge [88,5] is noting much but it's still there and you could hide from the elements if necessary.<br /> <br /> Plenty of water everywhere on the trail.<br /> <br /> Fords where no problem this time of year but we heard ford [89,9] is the one to be weary of.<br /> <br /> 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...<br /> <br /> 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<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-30 to 2024-Jan-02 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Stiina &amp; Kris'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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 &amp; effort was spent on climbing over them...then lots of soft sandy beachwalking + walking in the freezing cold lake as the &quot;trail&quot; 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-22 to 2023-Dec-30 / 8.5 days / full 8 circuit / Villa O'Higgins - Villa O'Higgins / RR/ Alex &amp; Christophe'''<br /> <br /> This wasn't an easy hike but totally worth it!<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> All in all, it was a fantastic adventurous section!<br /> <br /> * '''2023-12-14 to 18: Fangwen and Tobi / 5 days (4 hiking) / NOBO / West traverse (Bahia Pescado to Villa O'Higgins).'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> As far as we know, after Jan&amp;Meylin and Jess&amp;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).<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 2: we started hiking just before noon, and camped at a wind-sheltered location at around km57.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;wild&quot; GPT section and find out what is considered a &quot;trail&quot; 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. <br /> <br /> We can definitely recommend 37H, but hikers unfamiliar with overgrown trails should be aware of the physical and mental challenge that the terrain poses.<br /> <br /> 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]].<br /> 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).<br /> 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.<br /> 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).<br /> 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.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Mar-23-29 / 7 day / Hiking / NOBO / Candelario Mancilla to Villa O Higgins / Jess&amp;Paco'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Km 90 demanding Ford n°2<br /> The refuge is closed and locked and you have to pass an unreferenced barrier to follow GPT track and get to the refuge.<br /> 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.<br /> Km 96 demanding ford n°3 <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Mar-04 / 1 day / RR / SOBO / RR / Villa O’Higgins - Candelario Mansilla by ferry / Ondrej'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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). <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Feb-25 / 1 day / SOBO / Will '''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Raining every day in Villa o Higgins.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Feb-13 / SOBO / Véronica &amp; Zach '''<br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-18 to 2023-Jan-21 / 3.5 days / West Traverse / Iris, Alexis'''<br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> We camped at Camp {37H} [36.5/776] but we did not find water nearby. <br /> <br /> 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). <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-07 to 2023-Jan-07 / 6 days / GPT37P(H): Peninsula La Florida. Full &quot;8&quot; route and side hikes (to Cerro Tres Frailes) / Clockwise / Alex Abramov '''<br /> <br /> 179 km, Solo.<br /> <br /> 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). <br /> <br /> My choice of direction, clockwise, is due to trying challenging fords first.<br /> <br /> 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<br /> 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.<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Dec / SOBO / Yannic &amp; Mirjam'''<br /> <br /> We had to wait 8 days in O'Higgens because the ferry was postponed twice due to wind and the waiting list grew. <br /> <br /> Currently, there is only one operator (Las Ruedas). It is best to contact them early via Whatsapp and reserve a ticket.<br /> <br /> You can also drop by spontaneously the evening before departure. If someone has not paid, tickets will become available at short notice...<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> * '''2022-Mar-06 / 3.5 days / 37P: Península La Florida / Tobias Schorcht, Jonas Grünewald and Martin '''<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> ==Season 2020/21==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> * ''' 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.'''<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan / NOBO / Oreste Marquis'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan / NOBO / Olrik'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec / NOBO / Matthieu'''<br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> 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.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-10 / Lago O‘Higgins Motor Boat Crossing / Jan Dudeck'''<br /> <br /> 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:<br /> 1. RobinsonCrusoe (biggest and most expensive)<br /> 2. La Rueda<br /> 3. ???<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Recommendations:<br /> <br /> Be patient and don’t plan with a tight schedule if intending to cross the border between Villa O’Higgins and El Chalten<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Alternatively TAS offers occasionally flights for 70’000 CLP between an airfield next to the border and Villa O’Higgins.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Dec-11 / SOBO / Arnaud et Adriane'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> We stayed at the Mosco hostel who has rooms, dorms and camping and the welcome and attention of the team there is perfect.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Nov-11 / 1 day / NOBO / Ferry ride / Lea Geibel, Kevin Moe'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2018/19==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2017/18==<br /> <br /> * '''Route description by Kara Davis after Season 2017/18 /uitk:'''<br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> *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.<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT37H - Lago O'Higgins]]<br /> <br /> =Images=</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT36H_(Ruta_De_Los_Pioneros)&diff=119725 2025-01-25T00:04:32Z

<p>MiaimZelt: </p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;packrafting&quot;, as above):<br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD, WHAT IS ENCLOSED IN &lt;&gt; MAKES IT BLUE):<br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/nowiki&gt;.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Overview=<br /> <br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> * '''2025-Jan-20 to 2025-Jan-24 / 5 days Hiking / SOBO / RR + Option 36H-D/ MiaimZelt'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: Took the bus to X {36H} [33.9/336]. Got no hitch and had to hike 3 hours to Laguna Calluqueo. Ford {36H} [55.4/656] was easy and up to my knees. <br /> Same with Ford {36H} [54.8/650]. Puesto {36H} [57.6/667] (Calloqueo) was protected by an aggressive dog. Continued and camped in the forest. Heavy rain in the evening. <br /> <br /> Day 2: Fords Start/End {36H} [66.5/867] (Rio Pedregoso) was easy, only almost knee deep. Could not find the landslide that Sophie and Gaspar mentioned. Ford {36H} [78.6/888] (Rio Bravo) was a bit higher then my knees. Took option 36H-D to avoid to cross Rio Bravo two more times. Mostly i could follow a vague visible animal trail, which was often overgrown. <br /> Puesto {36H} [83.9/820] (La Pampa) was not locked and looked nice. Dicided to continue and camped somewhere in the forest.<br /> <br /> Day 3: From here -47.977178, -72.555534 to there -47.987679, -72.560694 the trail is definately very overgrown with 1-2m beech trees. Camped near this place -48.02468, -72.49029 nicely sheltered under trees. <br /> <br /> Day 4: Liked the stretch along both lakes very much. <br /> Refuge {36H} [126.1/512] (Entre Lagos) doesn't exist. -48.142506, -72.43804 collapsed shelter with a big and flat grassland. Would prefer to camp here instead because of better protection: -48.141492, -72.438798. After the shelter i struggled to find the trail. Got very windy in the afternoon. Camped here: <br /> -48.162321, -72.414155. There is good wind protection from the forest and a small stream next to it. But the shelter in the map is just some almost collapsed trunks of trees. Like the stuff they build in 7-vs.-wild, but 10 years later.<br /> <br /> Day 5: Again very windy. After 90 minutes hiking i reached the road. Very few cars passed. Refuge {36H} [148.6/464] is nice and has enough space to pitch a freestanding tent inside. But it has a corrugated iron roof, so probably waterproof. Refuge, River In {36H} [156.8/418] is ok, soil inside is sand. Found an open puesto here: <br /> -48.252049, -72.357653. It was in good condition, but looked abandoned. 45min later i got a hitch to Villa O'Higgins, before heavy rain started. <br /> <br /> * '''SOBO RR + OH 22A// hiking, hitchhiking // 6 days 7-12.01.2025 Maks &amp; Gabi'''<br /> <br /> Getting out of Cochrane was slightly problematic (hitchhiking) so we walked the first 5 km, but after leaving the main road, the 4th car stopped and gave us a ride until the Lago Calluqueo. <br /> <br /> We camped by Rio Pedregoso, left our backpacks there and went to see the glacier - a lovely trail, there are 3 streams on the trail but only in second part od the trail, it took us about 4hrs. <br /> <br /> Most of the fords were easy to cross, but some of the puestos looked abandoned (we haven't seen a human soul on that section). <br /> <br /> I don't think there is much to be added. The trail is slightly overgrown so that it is not always easy to follow. <br /> <br /> Again lots of annoyingly wind resistant horseflies 🙃 <br /> <br /> It might be quite hard to hitchhike the last +/- 50 km. We only saw one car after walking 7 km and we were lucky enough that they gave us a ride to Villa O' Higgins.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Dec-20 to 2024-Dec-26 / 7 / Hiking and &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / SOBO (circle) / RR + Variant E Options: 14, 14E (new option), 14D, 14A (new option) / Roman'''<br /> <br /> Successful investigation in Option 14 connecting Paso Mayer with Lago Burmeister.<br /> <br /> Route: Started in Cochrane and hiked to X {36H} [5.5/267] there i got the first lift. Overall it took me 3 lifts and 15km of hitchhiking. Followd the RR hiking with Variant E until Camp {36H} [110.9/500]. Packrafting to Lake, Refuge {36H} [213.2/527]. Got a lift to Border Control CL {36H} [222.6/449]. Hiked from there Options: 14, 14E, 14D and 14A. First to Border Control AR {36H-14} [191.4/480] then to Laguna Bello and Lago Burmeister and finshed at X {36H-14} [64.1/897] and got a lift to Gobernador Gregores and from there over Chile Chico to Cochrane.<br /> <br /> Started in Cochrane at 10:00 and hoped for a lift but didn't got one. You can also ask for a shuttle but I was told it was expensive so this wasn't a option. I guess you could gamble and just wait at X {36H} [5.5/267] for lift i hoked and reached the start of the hike at 16:00. The detailed information from Lilian Season 23/24 where really good. The first 3 fords where easy, there was a person at Puesto {36H} [53.1/611] and i camped at Ford {36H} [55.4/656]. There was no snow on the pass Border, Pass {36H} [71.5/1304] and Border, Pass {36H} [73.9/1225] so quite easy hiking. Camped at Puesto {36H} [83.9/820] (La Pampa) it was a nice place to pitch a tent - the Puesto was ok (see here: https://imgur.com/a/v2pPTK8). The next day was the only day where I didn't has sunshine and it was cloudy with 3 short rainfalls each ~10min. There were some people at Puesto {36H} [98.4/553] (Puesto Tablas). On that day was the only part where I would say the trail is overgrown- this is from -47.977178, -72.555534 to -47.987679, -72.560694 there is a trail but chest high trees which are especiallyin the rain annoyingas you get completely wet. The trail was good and easy to hike and I camped at Camp {36H} [110.9/500] which was good access to the lake and enough space for 2-3 tents. The next morning i stared Packrafting - wind forecast was good until 16:00 there wind with 23 km/h and gusts up to 40 km/h should set in from NW - so favourable. The Morning was super calm and it took me 4:20h for the 13km (avg. 3.0 km/h) to cross Lago Alegre. After the short hike from Lake {36H} [198.8/489] to Lake {36H} [200.5/525]. I started Packrafting at 15:00. The wind was favourable and I made fast progress especially with the strong wind it took me 3:00h for the 12.5 km (avg. 4.2 km/h). The waves at -48.173951, -72.427001 my limit and quite crazy. They calm down right after the turn. Same situation at -48.180342, -72.393292. So if the wind is that strong evaluate the situation critically. I camped at Lake, Refuge {36H} [213.2/527]. The Refuge is good for a fire or to cook but not to sleep inside. Until this point i would say the trail is in a ok to good condition. There a quite a few fallen trees but nothing major and all easy to hike except the 1km mentioned earlier so Overall good quality. <br /> <br /> The next day I got a lift to Border Control CL {36H} [222.6/449]. You need a Salvoconducto (https://www.pdichile.cl/tr%C3%A1mites-online/salvoconducto) you can request it 10 days in advance normally it takes between a few minutes to hours. Last year I also applied to it for the boarder crossing at Border Control CL {22S} [22.2/299]. But I never got one i event went to the local police before the trip. So i didn’t has a Salvoconducto at the Border. The PDI was very friendly and you have wifi there and we requested it together - and just got the approval email after 40min. They have given me Water, Tea, Biscuits and WiFi. They have given me a ride in the car to cross the Ford at -48.209796, -72.322273. From there i followed 36H-14 and 36H-14E to Border Control AR {36H-14} [191.4/480]. I took a slightly diffrent route which is in my Option optimized as it follows the main hose trail to Bridge {36H-14} [201.8/476] and after that the ond minor road and a shortcut at -48.242534, -72.23587 (there is also a bridge). This part can be found and downloaded below market as: GPT36H-14_14E.<br /> <br /> <br /> After that i started the investigation and hiked to Laguna Bello and camped here: -48.168916, -72.191267. There is no real trail only animal trails and CC and 250m of BB (i guess it can be circumvented. So overall quite easy to hike (3.1 km/h with 540m ascent). You have to jump the fence at -48.251191, -72.224694 ater that it's easy CC to this point -48.231692, -72.206461. There you enter the forest trough a small trial and reached a river visible on Topo maps and follow it: (https://imgur.com/a/KRGrwFD). After that it's CC trough the forest: https://imgur.com/a/ANahcO8. There is one ford at -48.219721, -72.202217 which is also a great place for a camp. CC continues all the way to -48.190151, -72.193122 there are quite a lot fallen trees. At -48.182434, -72.193504 is a short BB section 200m nit that bad just chest high trees - i guess this can circumvent if you hike a bit further west. The coordinates mark the end of the BB. The last 50m BB are here: -48.169691, -72.188992. After that you made it to Laguna Bello and absolutely stunning place to camp and hike: https://imgur.com/a/gjumzVL!!! The next day is awesome CC over the pass and down the valley there is water every few hunderd meters. There is a short swampy section here (300m -48.064146, -72.198477). All fords where below knee level and easy with one exception (will come later) you have to Ford here: -48.033639, -72.201987 and -48.029881, -72.202172. The Puesto at Refuge {36H-14} [90.7/1009] is a good place to pitch a tent but there is no water. The place itself is simple buy maybe even water proof as there is a plastic wrap as a roof see: https://imgur.com/a/mcizrYr. From there on is mostly a trail all the way to the end. It's south following the GPS. Sometimes the trail is not visible for e.g. if it's completely open CC but other that that I would say I got 80%. I camped at -47.968783, -72.187904 which wasn't very flat but manageable. The next day I connected the trail to GPT36H-14A end. The Ford Ford {36H-14} [79.6/902] is the only one which was knee high. It's a wide but not fast flowing river so easy to cross especially there is a treck for the cars: https://imgur.com/a/dqPamtM. To get a overall impression of the terrain: https://imgur.com/a/2I7gegk.<br /> <br /> After that i hiked to X {36H-14} [64.1/897]. And got a lift to -47.851658, -72.031836 (https://maps.app.goo.gl/HPkqayReiotCw2yP7) there is the registration for the Parque Nacional Perito Moreno. You need a reservation to get into the park and to have the huts booked. I guess if you just enter it's also fine. At this place is a open Bathroom and Free WiFi. The Ranger was nice and Helpful. There is no resupply. This and transfer could be arranged with Estancia la Oriental ( https://laorientalpatagonia.com/). While I was there (40min) 3 cars showed up. I got a lift directly to Gobernador Gregores (during the 1.5h dirst road 5 cars came in the opposite direction so i guess you always get a lift away within half a day) from where you can take multiple busses one is a daily bus which goes to Los Antiguos departure 16:30PM here: -48.755133, -70.255558 (https://taqsa.com.ar/). From there i went back to Cochrane.<br /> <br /> Overall:<br /> It's a absolutely beautiful and remote part of the GPT and I absolutely enjoyed it! It's nice and easy CC and if you like adventure, remoteness and CC without a trail is can highly reccomend it as you have great hiking access to a new area with this Option! I had food for 10 days with fairly fast hiking which was sufficient - i would reccomend doing this option only with a good weather window.<br /> <br /> Files (GPX and KMZ /// Tracks and Important Markers):<br /> <br /> GPT36H-14_14E: https://1drv.ms/f/s!AqzLweJ3NZW5tIZ5EBZfod3IqJ2B7Q?e=cl8pza<br /> <br /> GPT36H-14_14A_14D: https://1drv.ms/f/s!AqzLweJ3NZW5tIc7PQrXY25VQ5ywOA?e=ttbG02<br /> <br /> All tracks are also on Strava and general contact for questions: https://linktr.ee/RundW<br /> <br /> <br /> *27-11-2024 to 02-12-2024 / 6 days / NOBO / RR / Sophie and Gaspar<br /> <br /> We departed from Villa O’Higgins, where we stayed at the Los Pioneros campground, run by the very kind Pachi (highly recommended). Heading north, we followed the unpaved road for about a day and a half before joining the actual Pioneers’ Route. <br /> <br /> This trail is navigable 70% of the time, but vegetation has overgrown about 30% of the path (locals mentioned we were likely the first to pass through this year, which might explain the conditions). Locals also mentioned the possibility of crossing Lakes Christie and Alegre by boat. Since we intended to hike, we didn’t inquire further, but for those interested, this option exists. Only one permanent settler remains at Lake Christie: Don Rubén. We passed by his cabin, but unfortunately, he had already left for work that day, so we didn’t get the chance to meet him. On the third day, we reached the La Pampa settler site, where we camped in preparation for an early crossing of the Río Bravo. <br /> <br /> Crossing the Río Bravo at its source posed no issues for us, as this year’s snowmelt is delayed, keeping river levels low. We chose the OR route to ford the river only once. Although this path was slightly more challenging, it was worth it to avoid wet feet in the low temperatures. <br /> <br /> At Paso Picota, we encountered some snow, but it didn’t impede our progress. On the descent, however, the RR crossing of the first river was not passable, likely due to a landslide upstream. As a result, we followed the OR route, which runs higher and presented no problems. From there, we continued our journey to Cochrane without major difficulties.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Nov-06 / 3.5 hours (1 day including return) / GPT36H Option 22 Sendero Los Gatos / SOBO / Jan Dudeck'''<br /> <br /> This route is particularly useful for packrafters with a smaller open packraft that wish to travel GPT35 and GPT36H southbound. By only packrafting the more wind protected eastern section of Lago Cochrane the infamous windy “La Leona” sector of Lago Cochrane is avoided.<br /> <br /> Resupply can be arranged by hitchhiking or taking the subsidized bus 35 km back to Cochrane after paddling Lago Brown and Rio Tranquilo (this is part of the Regular Packrafting Route of GPT36H before reaching the trail head of Ruta de los Pioneros). This reduces travel time for packrafters and keeps the water proportion up.<br /> <br /> Route Description:<br /> <br /> Halfway between the Chilean Border Control of Pasa Roballo and the southern terminus of the Los Aviles Track (“Casa de Piedra”) is the “Camping Alto Valle”. This perfectly maintained camp ground offers about 8 shelters. The campground is situated 500 m away from the main road on a minor gravel road. This 6 km short gravel road continues towards Lago Cochrane. From this minor road start two trails: Sendero Los Gatos that leads all the way to Lago Cochrane and Sendero Lago Chico.<br /> <br /> Sendero Los Gatos can be used by packrafters to access Lago Cochrane in a somewhat wind sheltered sector next to Isla Victor. The track of Sendero Los Gatos is not part of the GPT track files 2024 but the trail head is signposted and route is mostly well visible.<br /> <br /> When visiting the beach I could see a few spots where a tent can be pitched for a night but I did not spot a really nice sheltered location where waiting two or three days would be delight (if the wind forecast makes it unlikely). So packrafters best descent to the lake on the day before attempting to cross Lago Cochrane.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> * '''2024-Apr-02 to 2024-Apr-07 / 5 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR - {36H-G} - RR - {36H-D} - RR / Lilian'''<br /> <br /> A beautiful section, especially from km83.9(Puesto La Pampa) to km66.5(multiple crossing), nice views with remote area, i love it so much!<br /> <br /> Because of late season, all the river crossing are super easy, only 4 place need to wet feet, all others can go around or rock hopping. Some of trail go in the water(lake, pond, pool) directly, but all you can go around by side trail, some CC or light BB.<br /> <br /> Snow still not a problem, snow start at 950m at south, and covered some of the trail above 1100m but didn't matter, i go around most of the snow easily. And didn't find any knee deep snow(maybe melted again), the deepest posthole just above ankle, easy walking. Because of lot of cairns at the area of two pass, so it is easy for navigation although some parts of trail is covered by snow.<br /> <br /> The most annoying is WIND. It is crazy windy almost everywhere except last day. The most windy part is at the second pass, i even can't open my eyes to look at the trail and walk on it straighly because of crazy freezing wind. (Be careful of hypothermia, crazy windy + rain/snow/after river crossing is horrible)<br /> <br /> My friend give me a 2hour ride from Villa O' Higgins to Lago Christie( X[142.0/550] ) , so i save about 50km road walking, a huge thank you to him!<br /> <br /> Km138.5 : shelter(-48.16236, -72.41397) made by woods, can cowboy inside when summer time, not rainproof but can be some wind protection. Can fit 2 tents outside with fire ring, some small stream flowing good with clear water just beside it. Weather protection by forest and the shelter.<br /> <br /> Km135.35 : old refuge(-48.14246, -72.43808), half of the roofs is collapsed, but still can provide some protection for emergency. Nice grassland for camping beside the refuge, can fit 3-5 tents with fire pit and rock seats, not much protection by trees or bushes. A river flowing good beside it, trail crossing it with wet feet, half of calf. It is the first wet feet point for me.<br /> <br /> Km134.1 : a lake, i cleared out a spot and camped here, some animals go to this lake and walking in it when midnight. It is very quiet and i heard the sound clearly. Not much protection, just some bushes here, not recommended with bad weather.<br /> <br /> Settler[132.8/525] : from here to Refuge[126.1/512], trail becomes very easy to follow and walk, it is a frequency used trail. Look like some people living here, but i met noone when i passed.<br /> <br /> Km129.3 : shelter(-48.11808, -72.48252) with just one side, weather protection by forest, can fit 1 tent here. A small stream flowing beside it.<br /> <br /> Refuge[126.1/512] : refuge(Puesto Entrelagos) already gone just left some woods here, and like Natalie said looks like someone wants to rebuild it. Some flat spots here can fit 2-3 tents.<br /> <br /> Lake[198.8/489] : Lago Alegre, a boat and a camping spot here, can fit 1 tent with fire ring and nice lake views but no protection, it is crazy windy when i was here.<br /> <br /> Km119.3 : junction of RR and {36H-G}, i go straight and didn't go to Settler[118.9/486](El Caleuche). It is easy to follow and walk on {36H-G}, but you need to climb over a 2m wooden fence at north.<br /> <br /> {36H-G} km3 : river crossing, cross it on a huge log easily.<br /> <br /> RR Km117.2 : flat spot(-48.02468, -72.49029) can fit 1-2 tents with weather protection by forest. A small stream flowing beside it.<br /> <br /> Km117 : river crossing, several logs crossing selection here, because raining and wet, so i crossed by the combination of multiple logs, it looks like more stability and safe. Huge flat area and grassland can fit many tents at both side of the river, weather protection by trees and bushes.<br /> <br /> Camp[110.9/500] : can fit 2-3 tents with lake views, easy to collect water, weather protection by trees.<br /> <br /> Then i did the short cut that Natalie said, from here walk through the open forest NW to the other valley(Río Bravo). It is completely CC or light BB on some animal path, fun and doable, but just recommend on good weather, otherwise you'll soaking wet by bushes.<br /> <br /> Río Bravo is a grey water river, better collect water from some small stream.<br /> <br /> Km104.3 : a small stream(-47.97355, -72.55419) flowing good with clear water, small flat spot can fit 1 tent after crossing.<br /> <br /> Km103.95 : camping spot(-47.97095, -72.55524) can fit 3-4 tents with fire ring.<br /> <br /> Puesto[98.4/553] : Puesto Las Tablas, huge and beautiful grassland for camping, refuge is a small cabin, have a wooden bed, bench, fire pit and some dry wood sticks (for burning) inside, it is possible to sleep inside with a warm fire night, good wind protection but not for rain. Didn't see any water nearby.<br /> <br /> Km95.05 : cross a stream with a small waterfall, it'll be completely wet by the waterfall if cross at trail, so I climb to upstream and rock hopping for dry feet.<br /> <br /> Puesto[92.3/660] : Puesto El Burro, large grassland but most of them are steep, only small grassland beside the refuge is flat for camping, can fit 2-3 tents with table and fire ring, refuge is a tiny cabin but half of roof is already collapsed, can fit 1 small single person tent for some protection if bad weather, a small stream flowing with clear water 200m before here. Very windy when i was here.<br /> <br /> Km85.4 : easy and beautiful walk start!<br /> <br /> Puesto[83.9/820] : Puesto La Pampa, large grassland for camping, refuge is a small, nice and clean cabin, have 2 wooden bed, wooden seats, table and fire pit inside, it is a nice place to sleep inside with a warm fire night, good wind protection but not sure for rain. Just like Natalie said you also can pitch a small tent inside. Tiny stream flowing low just in front of the refuge. Have a open toilet with views at here too.<br /> <br /> Fords start/end[81.3/854] : rock hopping.<br /> <br /> Then i take {36H-D} instead of RR, save 2 times of wet feet crossing of Río Bravo, it is doable and sometimes have an animal path(old trail?) to follow, but easy to lost the path, and overgrown at some part you need to BB, I'm not sure it can save time or not, and only recommend in good weather, otherwise you'll be completely soaking wet by bushes.<br /> <br /> Ford[78.6/888] : river crossing of Río Bravo, the second wet feet point. I crossed it at 50m downstream(-47.79880, -72.52101) where the river breaks to 2 parts by island. First part easy rock hopping, second part is just above ankle, the water is grey so i didn't see through the bottom, otherwise I'll throw some rocks for hopping to keep my feet dry.<br /> <br /> Ford[77.4/981] : i follow some cairns and crossed it much downstream with rock hopping. It is a beautiful viewpoint for waterfall and the glacier at west! Snow starts here.<br /> <br /> Ford[75.4/1023] : easy rock hopping, look at the rocks underwatee here, the west side of valley is white colour, the east side is red, amazing!<br /> <br /> Border,pass[73.9/1225] : snow here, but still not problem, go around them easily, or just above ankle posthole. A beautiful lake looks like good for camping 200m before here, but just for good weather because very exposed.<br /> <br /> Km72.9 : between two pass, before the second pass you need to go in a wide riverbed, but snow covered the water. You know there is water flowing, you can hear them flowing, but you can't see them. And the snow(bridge) is not thick, not stable enough to walk on them directly, so it take me some time to find out which part is water, which part can walk on it.<br /> <br /> Ford[71.8/1262] : snow covered most of the river, and river flowing a little wide here(can't step over), take me some time to find the way to go on it.<br /> <br /> Border,pass[71.5/1304] : crazy crazy crazy windy, beautiful views but too windy that i can't open my eyes to look. It is the first time for NOBO to see Cerro Los Mellizos(black sharp tower mountain) at here. Mostly you can arrive there after 1 day. North of here lot of snow but still doable and navigation with lot of cairns easily.<br /> <br /> Camp[68.4/1089] : can fit 2-3 tents with log seats and fire ring, some(not much) weather protection by trees and bushes. Stream flowing nearby. Then i continues RR.<br /> <br /> Km68.1 : flat area(-47.72665, -72.49681) can fit many tents with amazing glacier views, but no protection. Stream flowing here, also old fire pit beside a tree. Still lot of snow here.<br /> <br /> Water[67.3/1041] : snow end and i didn't see any water here. I took RR for going down, it is actually a trail, easy to follow. But some point is steep and a little landslide, walk easily when dry, but maybe a problem if wet or covered by snow.<br /> <br /> Fords starts/end[66.7/867] : old camping spot with fire pit 100m before here, nice view but no protection. River breaks into many streams at here, I took about 20min total for putting rocks in streams separately for all the way dry wet crossing by rock hopping.<br /> <br /> Km65.85 : shelter(-47.70890, -72.49466) with 1 side protection in good condition, nice for cowboy under it when summer. Flat spot can fit 2-3 tents with fire ring just beside it. Trail easy to miss it because covered by some trees.<br /> <br /> From here to km53.2(road), HURDLE RACE start! At least 500 blowdowns you need to step over. No climbing, just step over, easy to walk and follow but muddy and blowdowns, you know that.<br /> <br /> Km64.45 : camping spot(-47.69803, -72.49788) under trees, can fit many tents with fire pit and log seats, weather protection by forest.<br /> <br /> Km64.05 : i cleared a flat spot(-47.69555, -72.50008) for a single person tent, with great lake, mountain views and i stayed here for 18 hours because of snowstorm, just beside the lake so it is easy to collect water. Weather protection by forest, but if the wind comes from south then nothing help. If you have 15min more, i think can fit one more single person tent here.<br /> <br /> Km61.95 : junction of RR, {36H-A} and {36H-05}, easy to miss. Pay attention to wood cutting trace on ground.<br /> <br /> Km58.45 : swamp area full of water, you can jump(a huge jump) over it for dry feet. After swamp is a river crossing by narrow log, after the crossing don't go away immediately, looks inside the river, lot of beautiful green water plants here!<br /> <br /> Puesto[57.6/677](Calloqueo), Puesto Cayuqueo, refuge is locked, looks like no more people until next summer, because the gate nearby is completely locked by wire too. Beautiful grassland for camping at here, and a shelter with fire pit inside too. Easy to collect water because just beside Río Pedregoso, at here Río Pedregoso still a clear water river.<br /> <br /> Fence[56.5/657] : it is a gate and completely locked by wire. Climb it at right side just wooden fence, at left side is barbed wire with fence. Huge exposed grassland with views in this area.<br /> <br /> Ford[55.4/656] : third wet feet crossing, also is the deepest crossing at late season April. Looks like above knee at trail crossing, better go upstream 10m walk on the red rock bar, it is flowing very fast but just above half of calf, easy crossing. Flat area for camping at both side of river.<br /> <br /> Ford[54.8/650] : crossing a grey water river, so better collect water before it joins main river. Trail crossing looks like up to half of calf, better crossing point at downstream just before 2 river combined, rock hopping there. But be careful for rock hopping, rocks not stable and rolling there, also a pool looks deep just at downstream, don't slide!<br /> <br /> Km53.85 : nice flat spot(-47.62754, -72.46476) can fit 2 tents just beside the trail. Looks like camped by someone before.<br /> <br /> Ford[53.7/630] : river breaks into 3 parts here, the first and third part is easy rock hopping. The second, main part above ankle at trail crossing, easy. It is the fourth, also the last wet feet crossing.<br /> <br /> Puesto[53.1/611] : didn't see anyone when i passed here, but looks like still in using because lot of cooking equipment is outside the refuge. The refuge is not locked but I just take photos and didn't go inside. Can be emergency use for bad weather.<br /> <br /> After here, all the way road walking.<br /> <br /> Km49.25 : viewpoint(-47.59724, -72.49715) of Laguna Calluqueo, Glacier Calluqueo, Cerro Los Mellizos and Monte San Lorenzo o Cochrane. I camped here, with a 2m rock wall that covers the wind from south, also lot of things can hold my tent's line. A super beautiful spot with amazing sunrise coming up from the glacier!<br /> <br /> The next morning i saw a bus coming to here, that i met it before outside Cochrane tourist information, so maybe possible to arrange a shuttle at Cochrane for SOBO?<br /> <br /> Km48.5 : Glacier Calluqueo Camping Spot(-47.59382, -72.49962), i look it from high on road, looks like no views but covered by some trees with protection, can fit 2-4 tents with log seats.<br /> <br /> Bridge[46.2/394] : Puente Calluqueo, camping spot after the crossing at downstream, can fit 1-3 tents with fire ring.<br /> <br /> The next 2 Danger waypoint i didn't understand, it looks like very safe walking on the road?<br /> <br /> After 10 minutes i hitched a car to Cochrane, this is the second car i saw in that day. They also take me to Lago Brown and followed {36H-23} to viewpoint(-47.46236, -72.38094) of Cerro San Lorenzo, huge huge huge thank you to them!<br /> <br /> Lastly i stayed at Calafate Camping in Cochrane, 6k CLP for camping, good spot with nice refuge(kitchen), hot shower and clean toilet. You also can camping under some shelters if bad weather.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Mar-19 to 2024-Mar-23 / 4.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + OH 24A + 02 + 04B / Joscha'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: RR [5.5-50.0] + OH36H-24A to the Glacier and back<br /> <br /> I got a hitch to the junction at km 5.5. From there I walked for about 2 hours until a car took me to the junction at km 33.9. There is a fence between Rio del Salto and the RR. At the Danger Waypoint (km 43.2) is the fence broken down and the river is accessible. I got a 3rd hitch from there to the Calluqueo Glaciar. I took OH36H-24A to the glacier. Its a good trail, but mostly through forrest without view. Around km 3.0 you can see the glacier + the lake. Its really nice. At the end of OH36H-24A you get a close-up look at the Glaciar. There is a lot of water between km 3.5 and 6. At km 4.1 is a decently flat spot for camping. I camped at km 49.7 next to the RR. I would not recommend the spot in a windy night.<br /> <br /> Day 2: RR [50.0-79.9]<br /> <br /> There was snow above 1000 meters. Around the Bourder/Pass Waypoints the snow was more than knee deep. It was possible to do it without any snowgear, but it took some time. There was plenty of water along the RR and all Fords were max. knee high.<br /> <br /> Day 3: RR [79.9-107.3]<br /> <br /> The RR crosses lots of small streams, so there is plenty of water. Puesto at km 83.9 can be used as shelter and has a open outhouse. I camped at km 107.3 on a flat meadow.<br /> <br /> Day 4: OH36H-02 [0.0-26.6]<br /> <br /> The first 2 km of OH36H-02 are more CC than a trail. After that the trail is easy to follow and in good condition for about 5-6 km. Than the trail starts to become overgrown and later very muddy. Therefore it wasn't to much fun walking this trail. But the valley offers some nice waterfalls and snowy mountains. There was plenty of water and fords were easy.<br /> <br /> Day 5: OH36H-02 [26.6-29.0] + OH36H-04B [122.5-132]<br /> <br /> I hiked about 2 1/2 hours along the Carreterra Austral until a group of cars passed me and one of them took me to Villa O'Higgins.<br /> <br /> * '''2024 Mar 6 to 2024 Mar 12 / 7 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR / Maddi and Tom'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: Got the public bus from Villa O'Higgins to Lago Christie at 11am, paid 600 CLP per person. Apparently it comes every few days. We were the only ones on it so the driver dropped us at the trailhead. There is a big sign and a picnic table at the start and the trail is pretty clearly defined. Hiked along Lago Christie and camped at the Northern end at a clear spot on the sand.<br /> <br /> Day 2: Kept following a clear track to Lago Alegre. Passed the settlers but noone appeared to be home. Had lunch on the lake at a nice pebbly beach (-48.03641,-72.49016), had a swim and Tom caught a rainbow trout to eat. Had a relaxed day hiking and camped at the very northern end of the lake (-47.98559,-72.53109). Tom caught another trout for dinner. Two others hiking joined us later that night as it was a good camp spot with lake access.<br /> <br /> Day 3: Tom caught another trout for breakfast before we started hiking for the day. Rain started getting pretty heavy making the track quite muddy and it was very cold. Had lunch at Las Tablas to get out of the rain. Sun came out so we continued on, although it didn't last. Since it was raining heavily and I was getting very cold, we camped next to El Burro for the night.<br /> <br /> Day 4: More rain in the morning. Packed up and hiked to La Pampa for lunch. Got a weather update and it was looking bad for the next day (heavy snow and wind) so we decided to camp at La Pampa. Spent a nice afternoon in the sun with a fire going. The two hikers we camped with before also stayed there that night.<br /> <br /> Day 5: Woke up to heavy rain and wind so stayed in bed until 11am, not wanting to cross the pass in these conditions. Snow started around lunch and was heavy enough to stick. Got a weather update and it was looking sunny for the next day so decided to wait it out. Hiked up the river around 5pm to do the river crossing and then camped at the base of the pass at (-47.79854,-72.52191). Started snowing just as we went to bed.<br /> <br /> Day 6: Got up early and started up the pass. Lots of snow and ice made it quite slippery but manageable. Had to watch out for the black ice on all the rocks around the river. The snow concealed any tracks but wasn't difficult to navigate with my watch. Snow was about knee deep at the top of the pass. Came down the other side with awesome views down the valley. Took the detour to avoid the river crossing above the canyon. Detour is steep uphill but is worth it as where we ended up crossing didn't even get our shoes wet. Did see a dead horse there though that must have been washed down the canyon. Had lunch near the fallen down puesto on the river. Was nice to get some sun after so many days of rain and snow. Continued on and camped at Glacier Calluqueo.<br /> <br /> Day 7: Started walking along the road hoping for a hitch. Was actually very hot. Managed to get a ride after about an hour to Cochrane.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-28 to Mar-03 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Matthias'''<br /> <br /> Took transport till end of road near glaciar Calluqueo (Jonathan +56940246832, 65000$) as I wanted to walk the pass before the predicted snowfall sets in. Traverse was quite tedious cause of the rainy and cold weather. Met Natalie and Luca halfway, hi :-) Did not meet anyone else during 4 1/2 days! Was accompanied by a smelling(!) dog (of Ruben?) from the camp at Lago Christie until next morning near Rubens house. He slept a bit windsheltered next to my tent - it was cold and a lot of wind! Keep in mind (I didn`t) that once you have reached Lago Alegre there are still 2000hm to go uphill before you reach the MR!<br /> <br /> Campsites: <br /> 300m before Camp km68.4 on a +-exposed meadow with glaciar view,<br /> in front of Puesto ElBurro (rainshelter inside and a table outside), <br /> Camp km110.9, <br /> on the shore of Lago Christie km 129 just before the path leads uphill in to the forest (a bit wind protection by bushes and Wood)<br /> <br /> Did a shortcut between ca. km103.5 and km 100.5. Sometimes good trail, sometimes obstacle course over fallen trees. <br /> Was very lucky with transport to Villa O`Higgins. Got a motorcycle ride all the way from the refugio at km148.6 at 6 pm with a short detour to the border at Rio Mayer. Stayed in Hostal Rio Mayer in Villa O`Higgins (very friendly and talkative, no internet).<br /> <br /> 28-Feb-24 to 03-Mar-24/4days/ Hiking/ NOBO/ RR/ Natalie &amp; Luca<br /> <br /> Took a few days off to reconnect with an old friend in Villa O'Higgins and then decided to take him for a test trial on the GPT.<br /> <br /> With the help of Martin from Mosco we found out the day we left was the day the subsidized bus leaves from O'Higgins to Lago Christie. Left around 1130 and got to the TH ~13:00. The bus only goes 4x a month and it went twice in the last week of February, not sure how it is organized. Only 3500 each. <br /> <br /> A little bit of rain the first day and a lot of rain/snow at the end. The trail was fun, mellow and in good shape, next to no mud. We met Ruben and all of his animals (cutest puppy atm). He offered a camping spot but I am sure the dogs would be all over you at night. We camped at the beginning of Allegra near Refugio entre lagos (NO refugio), -48.09404, -72.49798. At this moment there is no shelter but it looks like someone is working on one, there is a boat at the lake. There is a creek with only still puddles of water so we drank from the lake. <br /> There are few nice camping spots along both Christie and Allegra that are not marked. Did not stop to fish :(. I heard Margarita is in O'Higgins atm. <br /> <br /> We made a short cut to avoid the big intersection near Puesto 107. We cut off after camp 110 and ended ~800m near a river camp marked on osm. It was easy and mostly open forest, mainly just a quest to stay on the best animal track as there are a few of them. We basically followed close to where the hill is but not too close bcs that is where the bush is no good.<br /> <br /> Camped outside Puesto 98.4, Las tablas. It had no water so fill up before of just go down to the river.<br /> <br /> Met Matías - Hi Matías! Even though we were both trying to beat the rain I very much enjoyed the conversation/laughs!<br /> <br /> When we got to Puesto 83.9, La Pampa, the rain just began to start and even though it was only lightly raining at the time the forecast was not good for the evening so we decided to stay and enjoy the early day and nice Refugio. The weather got increasingly worse and very strong overnight with snow in the morning. The Refugio is large and clean. It has a fire pit in the corner, an outhouse, extra blankets and tarps, a good table and lots of tools and pots if needed. No other puesto compared. There were only a few small leaks during the night, we pitched a tent inside for added warmth. <br /> <br /> The next morning there was a lot of fresh snow and it was still snowing with strong wind at times - so the pass was interesting. We took variant D to avoid the Rio Bravo fords and got soaking wet in the bush, it wasnt very clear where the trail was, needed the GPS. Although the Rio Bravo was very calm and shallow (barely to my knees, 167), the snow made it too cold for my liking. If one is curious about camping on the other side of the river, I think you can make a camp, there are lots of flat spots but not so much wind protection. There were camping possibilities throughout the pass as well. As for the pass, &quot;most&quot; of the trail was not covered by snow bcs the water was flowing down the trail therefore navigation was still okay, a bit harder between passes. Of course the weather improved at camp 68.4...<br /> <br /> I know Tomáš managed the La Picota river and it made me curious to try but it made no sense to go for it, the RR that follows the west is an easy trail and the fords afterwords were almost (all but one) jumpable. Sadly what I read about &quot;la playa&quot; is true, there was a dead horse (pieces of it) at the start of the fords, it seemed rather recent so I guess the La Picota ford still kills. <br /> The Refugio after the fords is just a &quot;lean-to&quot;. The trail afterwards is okay, starting to get muddy but not bad. A nice camp is possible at -47.66704, -72.50032 bcs of the beautiful view but there is no water, actually not many places to stop between ford and puesto 57.6. We Camped at Puesto 57.6 and met Antonio, super lovely man and we had breakfast with him the following morning. In return I gave him the rest of my walnuts and peanuts, hopefully that was enough. There is not much of a shelter there, teepee style, but you can camp under the trees by the river. His dogs are annoying, got into my food bag while we were talking and then never left us alone. Really nice camping just before his puesto in a big clover field.<br /> <br /> Next day super quick walk out to the view point and then got a hitch down to Cochrane easily, lots of people on a cloudy Sunday afternoon. <br /> <br /> * '''24-Feb-24 to 2024-Feb-27 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR, Variant B, Option 2 / Tomáš'''<br /> <br /> Having parted ways with Natalie, who had other commitments, I was not able to get a taxi to end of road so I started walking and hitching at noon. Second car took me for about ten km, then I was passed by ten cars in an hour and then got a hitch to the viewpoint three km from end of the road with a guide going to guide a group to the glacier (they go there by boat!). Our car's engine failed 4 km before the destination, but after 5 minutes a passing car took us there. Mount Cochrane is impressive. I ate there and in an hour another two cars passed, one probably from the puesto further on. It was a Saturday, still vacation period and a beautiful day, it seems hitching is promising under such conditions there. The road is in a very good condition and easily scalable by a non 4x4 car.<br /> <br /> The puesto at 53.1 had barking dogs and seems used (maybe a settler?), I did not see it though, it is in the trees. All fords were easy and shallow: definitely under knees. In the beginning there are multiple trails, RR probably has the best route. You cannot avoid fording, I tried. After about ten km, the trail stops being ambiguous. Took variant B (which is mostly a trail, not CC) and slept above the &quot;dangerous ford&quot; (would have been better to stay 500 m lower at the end of the flats). It indeed sounded and looked dangerous after such a hot day. In the morning, I realized the trail to the ford eroded and horses probably cannot go there anymore. A pedestrian still can. The ford was much calmer, very cold but under knees and not strong. I forded it six times unfortunately with bare feet - first to try, than with my backpack and then with my forgotten phone. It hurt even if it is just 5 metres. Going up from the ford, the trail goes to the left of a small stream on top of a small ridge, do not follow the stream as I did. The CC section thereafter is mostly a trail, only invisible on river flats and for about 20 metres in the pass. Going down from the pass, the trail is above the GPX for several hundred metres, going straight and not zigzagging. Rio Bravo was tame after dry weather and at the end of summer, so I took RR. The fords were easy, well under my knees. Puesto el Burro at 92.3 would be a nice place to camp. Utterly scaring a lonely large bull, I pushed to Puesto Tablas, which has a roof that protected me from drops of rain.<br /> <br /> Puesto at 107.4 looked nice and standing, not sure if it was locked, by any means very nice place to camp. I did not notice the &quot;bridge ?&quot;. The ford was mellow, wide but ankle deep. Option 1 at least to variant 01J is actually a used trail, the bridge on it is over a marsh, not sure why it is a waypoint. Decided to take option 2 thinking I would get an easier hitch on Carretera Austral and trusting others who did not like the lake part that much and hating mosquitoes. The first part to variant 01I is partly a cow trail, partly a BB through open forrest. Take 01J instead, should be a clear trail and the ford should be as easy as the one on RR. From there on, 8 km to an unmarked ford through a first creek marked on OSM (it originates from a lake on map, the trail is clear and looks used. 02A was overgrown after 100 clear meters, so do not take that (I did not see the other end of it either and I looked). From the ford, the condition of the trail worsens for 7ish km to camp at 16.4. It is partially overgrown, occasionally with thorns. There is still space for legs, but arms are needed to clear the way. This portion is also mostly over open tundra-like terrain above the river. It is a bit marshy but not much after dry days. The views are splendid! Somebody with a machete would have fun here. Took option 02B, which I think is the actual trail, but it is hard to tell as it goes through a marsh there. Overall the overgrown part is maybe 2-3 km. Puesto Chirola at 17.6 is actually an abandoned settler house, still locked but in heavy rain you could probably get in through a window, the roof is still mostly ok. I slept there, with dusk mosquitoes appeared.<br /> <br /> It rained during the night and probably because of that, the trail got muddy. It is however being used and mostly clear and mostly easy to follow. Refuge without water is without water. It is meant for cyclists and is in good condition. It would sleep easily four people amd uneasily double that. It is always well ventilated with always open windows (rain should not get through), so probably no need to fear the mouse virus. The occasional tundra, wetness and continous rain with occasional glimpse of a glacier finally made me feel like I am in proper Patagonia. On the Carretera, there are not many cars. Started walking and hitching at three PM. As the road is divided by a ferry, cars pass you at (in high season) 2-hour bursts of at most 8 cars, as I was informed by the one passing cyclist. The first burst was just three cars and two motorcycles and they all passed me. It is actually a one lane compacted road where cars in opposite directions must avoid each other. No luck with second burst of three cars. Finally a second car from the third burst took me after 4 hours on the road. The second refugio around km 35 did not look as nice.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-13 to 2024-Feb-18 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Yannick &amp; Nolwenn &amp; Tess &amp; Lukas'''<br /> <br /> - Trail condition : good condition, a lot of fallen trees that slows you down but not really bad / the trail was not muddy as we had good sunny days <br /> - Water : lots of rivers and lagunas <br /> - Camping spot : the refugio at km 126,1 has been destroyed by a tree so we camped closer to the lake amongst the trees // at km 148,6 The refugio is really nice, we could make a fire and have a great night before heading the next day to O'Higgins on the long gravel road <br /> - Weather : sunny and a little bit of rain <br /> - River crossing : easy, the river Bravo was not too high and not too strong so we didn't take the variant D<br /> - Resupply : in Cochrane everything you need<br /> - Overall : we were lucky to have an easy hitchike for the first 20km and for the last 7km // we also liked this section that offers really different landscapes and you feel really remote<br /> <br /> * '''From 2024-01-06 to 2024-01-12 // 6,5 days // Hiking // NOBO // RR + OPT D // Quentin Clavel'''<br /> <br /> After the small part in the forest, I followed the gravel road, which began to be nice from the Laguna la Clara. Some nice miradors along the roads, especially the last one, salto Rio Perez, which was pretty impressive ! <br /> <br /> Then you begin the track los Pioneros. Pretty easy to follow, a bit muddy, but I thought it would have been worse, the last sunny weeks made it dryer than expected. <br /> <br /> From there, it's a sequence of up and down, with amazing views, on Lago Christie then on Lago Alegre, surrounded by mountains. <br /> <br /> Some easy bushbashing which is more like cross country at the end of Lago Alegre to arrive along the Rio bravo. <br /> <br /> The you go along the Rio bravo until cross it. I took the option D to avoid to cross it three times, it's bushbashing but pretty easy to follow as there's a kind of path which was created to go around the small cliffs, and have to cross rio bravo only once. <br /> <br /> On the section, at this time, I haven't got any problem at all to pass the rivers who were pretty low and with weak current. <br /> <br /> Then I arrived in the mountains and that was just amazing ! Even with an uncertain weather and lots of clouds ! <br /> <br /> I had an amazing bivy in front of the impressive calluqueo glacier then it was the looong Gravel road to Cochrane, but really scenic ! <br /> <br /> During all the section it was easy to find water as there's water everywhere ! Some nice camp spot too. <br /> <br /> Mosquitoes and these spiky plants who stay scratched to your shoes and socks are the only annoying stuff. <br /> <br /> Plenty of crowberry and Calafate on the track. Delicious and perfect snacks on the road ! <br /> <br /> Last but not least, if you've always dreamed to try hurdles in athletism, this section is for you ! You'll have to pass threw hundreds of fallen trees ! Enjoy ! <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-01 to 2024-Jan-08 / 7.5 days / NOBO / Villa O'Higgins - Cochrane / RR and Option 36H-D / Alex &amp; Christophe'''<br /> <br /> We really enjoyed this section, especially the part of the pass, with awesome views on glaciers and mountains. We found the 2 lakes part nice but less impressive.<br /> <br /> For us, the most difficult with this section was to walk with heavy backpacks and to deal with the hundreds of mosquitoes on the camps near the two lakes. We had the chance to have dry trails most of the time and it helped us a lot. If it rains a lot before you start this section, you will need more time because the trail can get muddy really fast.<br /> <br /> After the first 9km in the forest, we tried to hitchhike from Villa O'Higgins to Lago Christie but we weren't lucky and couldn't find a car on a 1st of January. We only had a lift the second day for 15km by the carabineros. There is nearly no car passing on the X905 road so plan a day or two of extra food if you plan to hitchhike here. Taking a private transport to Lago Christie could also be a solution but it's expensive (about 70'000 CLP according to Martin from El Mosco in Villa O'Higgins).<br /> <br /> There is not much to say about the 2 lake part, we found the trail easy to follow and some nice shelter along the route. Apparently, there is a lot of trout in Lago Alegre. We didn't try to fish since it was raining but we let a peanut butter jar with a spoon (hook) and some fishing line rolled around the jar in the puesto next to Settler {36H} [118.9/486] (Margarita Bustos). She's actually not living there but the puesto is open and a nice shelter to cook (we put the tent next to it).<br /> <br /> For the second part with the pass, we found the trail also easy to follow. The OH-CC&amp;BB-A {36H-D} didn't took us too long and saved us at least 2 river crossing. All the other fords were sometimes wide but easy to pass.<br /> <br /> After 7 days, we tried to hitchhike on the X901 road near the Laguna Calluqueo and were really lucky. After only 4km, a car stopped and took us to X {36H} [5.5/267]. Maybe there is more traffic on this road than on the other side, especially with good weather during the holidays.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-25 to 2023-Dec-29 / 4.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Stiina &amp; Kris'''<br /> <br /> We arranged a ride to skip the first 50km of the roadwalk. The trail was surprisingly good and well-trodden throughout, i.e. visually easy to follow. Some muddy sections here and there and steeper climbs and descents. Plenty of water throughout.<br /> <br /> The river crossings didn't pose any difficulties and we were blessed with good weather, despite one rainy night. The views were amazing - that so low down you could be face to face with glaciers!<br /> <br /> We did not find the trail around lakes any harder than the rest of the section. A few times the route goes on the coast, i.e. you need to walk through the water, but it was not an issue. In two cases the route splits into two, the correct trail being the easier one to miss, so need to pay attention to nav. Met Ruben the settler, very nice and friendly guy. We also met 4 other GPT hikers on this section, which was a bit of a shock.<br /> <br /> We walked 30km of the dirt road after Lago Christie until we finally got a hitch to Villa O'Higgins. Barely any traffic on the road, especially in the afternoon.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-12-07 EXP-OH-TL-I 1day / Anh'''<br /> There is a damaged and not yet reopened route from Villa O’Higgins to Glacier Mosco: EXP-OH-TL-I &amp; EXP-OH-CC&amp;TL-I<br /> Together they are 24 km return and with a daypack it could work.<br /> The EXP-OH-TL-I trail is very well maintained and relatively well marked. There is even a very nice Refugio Puesto Rivera + campsite for tents along the way. BUT from km 7 the trail is damaged by landslides and the section after that is overgrown. I tried the last km via BB through the forest. After that everything should be clear and only CC to the Mosco glacier. Unfortunately, I make very slow progress with BB, it simply takes too much time and with a temperature of 15°C the river crossing afterwards would be dangerous. Unfortunately I have to abort (safety first) &amp; return.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-12-10 / 4 days / RR + OH-TL-V / SOBO / Anh'''<br /> <br /> A very experienced hiker/local in Villa O'Higgins advised me against NoBo due to high water levels in the next few days regarding river crossings.<br /> <br /> Day 1: With a private transfer to Laguna Calluqueo I had to hike a few more kilometers to the end of Ruta X-901 because it is private land closed by a gate. The first two river crossings were a bit above knee and sometimes strong current. The trail after that in the forest is actually made for horses, there are a lot of obstacles like fallen trees, overgrown bush, swampy paths. It is particularly misleading when the RR and horse path separate because it is suddenly very strange without horse tracks. It has rained and with the snow melting, the paths and streams are almost indistinguishable. I make very slow progress through the obstacles.<br /> The river crossing (Ford km 66.5) was long but in the evening without any problems (knee-deep). The path afterwards RR-CC-A to the camp was steep uphill, but more pleasant than in the forest. As you can see, this trail is only for hikers and it was very rarely used.<br /> <br /> Day 2: It was CC up, across the border from Argentina &amp; back into Chile. At this time there are still many snowfields to cross and therefore Ford (km 71.8) was under the snowfield, which made it very precarious for me. The river crossing Ford (km 77.4) was up to my hips with a strong current, but is not dangerous. Overall, I was much faster because there were hardly any obstacles (only Fords and completely swampy meadow).<br /> <br /> Day 3: The way back from yesterday + 250m river crossing should be easy and pleasant like yesterday! But there was a strong headwind &amp; snow = snow confusion. Then there was the fog and the infamous white-out. My footprints from yesterday were already filled with fresh snow, but still recognizable. I didn't have a long break, so I reached the day's destination very quickly.<br /> Bored, I just carried on hiking and didn't find the way back in the forest from day 1 so bad. I got through all the obstacles surprisingly quickly with the following strategy:<br /> - I had put on remedies on the way out, it had helped a lot. And I run like a horse, don't think twice, just jump over obstacles. The path is made for horses.<br /> - The way back is from the top, the path is much easier to recognize.<br /> - New strategy: just follow the horse tracks, even if I leave the RR.<br /> In the end, I had completed the entire way back from two days earlier in one day. It was about 27km, only possible because it was mostly downhill (450m uphill, 700m downhill).<br /> The price for this strategy was scratches and mini cuts from knees to shoes, very unpleasant at every river crossing.<br /> <br /> Day 4: OH-TL-V to the glacier at Laguna Calluqueo. You have to cross the river right at the beginning, it was a bit over your knees but easy. After that it's a slow climb of almost 700m. There were only a few tricky places: mini path on the precipice or slippery downhill. Overall, the path was very easy to recognize and very pleasant to run. Water is only available again at km 3.5, so you should take your time and enjoy the trail at a leisurely pace.<br /> During the night, a tent pole broke and the tent was damaged. There are no outdoor stores in Cochrane and you can't buy a new tent. In addition, a section on RR-GPT35 from Tamango entrance through Patagonia Park was not yet open.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> <br /> *'''13.03.23 - 18.03.23 / Anna &amp; Christopher / SOBO, Cochrane - Villa O'Higgins / 5.5 days'''<br /> We camped approximately 3 km outside of Cochrane to get an early start on the first day. After walking some km we got pretty lucky and got two hitchhikes and were able to skip 41 km until km 53. The views in between were amazing though, especially Glaciar Calluqueo. The next day it was supposed to rain a lot until the afternoon. Therefore we planned half a day in the tent and went to a small simple shelter at km 65.8, that is indicated on Gaia.<br /> <br /> It didn't rain as bad as last predicted and we were able to continue around 2 pm. The weather got surprisingly good then. Nice stretch over the pass. We camped at around km 76 next to the river. All rivercrossings were all pretty chill, even with Anna beeing 1,63m. But there were tons of small streams, muddy pools and rivers to cross. We had no dry feet for 5 days. There were also lots of fallen trees to climb over/walk around from Puesto la Pampa until Lago Christie, therefore that stretch took us longer than expected. The trail between approx. km 105 to 107 is starting to get really overgrown. It was still wet from the rain and our pants were completely drenched after we got through there, even without rain.<br /> <br /> We met the settler at km 118.9. He even invited us in, but we continued on to make some more km that day and camped at km 122.9, which is a pretty nice spot at the lake.<br /> <br /> The next morning we had to slip into frozen shoes to continue. After another friendly encounter with the next settler, we were happy to reach the dirtroad, were it felt good to gain kilometers a lot faster again. We spent the night at the refugio km 148.7 with a fireplace.<br /> <br /> On our final day there were some fantastic views. Just when the road got more dull and we started our first brake after approx. 11 km, a car of the Carabineros passed and they took us to Villa O'Higgins. A pretty lucky section for us :)<br /> <br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''Feb. 2-8 / Zach + Veronica / 36H-Regular Packrafting Route / 7 days'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> I did the hiking parts of 36H with Veronica. After hitching the Carratera I had a windless late morning paddle from the Lago Esmeralda picnic site where a group of military were training in rafts. Veronica described the hike to Lago Alegre. To start Lago Christie, Option X would put you better in line with the wind which was strong, blowing straight through the narrow all the way to the cozy refugio at the otherwise blustery southern end of Christie. Just past Salto Pérez there are two rapids visible from the road. Putting in after those, Rio Perez was a scenic and swift ride with avoidable submerged trees all the way to Rio Mayer, which is stronger than it looks. I put in again past the first mortal rapid and rode straight to the take out before the second mortal rapid. The waypointed rapids in between were very challenging, almost flipping me twice. After taking out of Rio Mayer, I hopped the black fence for option 27. The minor roads in this area are undulating and steep but well maintained with painted guardrails, bridges, and directional signage at intersections. I had a pleasant conversation with one worker on ATV. I tried to do Option 27E but the wind was too strong on the lake in the evening and also the next morning. Backtracking, I paddled the pleasant Rio Briceño between the impressive falls near the lake down to another set of falls near the lower bridge (between[-48.2710, -72.492] and [-48.2726, -72.4772]). The wind on Lago Briceño seemed calm in the cove of the sheltered picnic refuge/dock (km 251.6), but around the corner a strong headwind turned me around. The walk to Lago El Salto had commanding views. Lagos El Salto and Cisnes both provided tail winds. The short trail between these lakes was overgrown and difficult to follow, but it was worthwhile to follow the trail as bushwhacking often led to spiky plant jail. Tailwind continued all the way to the O’Higgins bridge. I highly recommend El Mosco Hostal/camping.<br /> <br /> * '''2 to 8 of February 2023 / Véronica &amp; Zach / GPT36H RR SOBO / 7 days'''<br /> Route: Cochrane - Mirador Glaciar Colluqueo - Río Pedregoso - Paso La Picota - Río Bravo - Lago Christie - Río Mayer - Villa O'Higgins<br /> <br /> We stayed at Camping Calafate while we were in Cochrane. Great camping area with a kitchen, laundry service, hot showers, and wifi for 6,000 clp per person. The owner is very kind too.<br /> <br /> We were quite fortunate this section to enjoy good weather almost the whole way. We were able to hitch the first few km on the Carretera Austral. Then Zach packrafted across Laguna Esmeralda while I took the primary road on the RR to the east of it. Very little traffic on the primary road, and we walked most of it, only ended up being able to hitch a ride for the last 10 km or so, to the junction at 39.9 km where the RR becomes a minor road.<br /> <br /> At that point it was getting late, and we wanted to camp at the waypoint Lake, Camp {36H} [109.8/334] along the minor road. We set up our tents, but after it was dark, around 10:30 p.m., we were surprised by the arrival of a man with a dog and a horse. Talking with him, we realized he was the owner of the land we were on, and his house was right nearby (we hadn't seen it when we initially set up camp). He said it was ok and that we could camp here though, that we didn't have to move.<br /> <br /> The next morning, around 8 a.m., we packed our things and walked to the house, with the intention of thanking the man for letting us camp on his property. There were no signs of life around his house, so we assumed he might be still sleeping or was already out and about. So we left along the dirt road again. His dog followed us. We figured it would eventually return home. Afted ~6km, we were surprised by the settler coming at us down the road on his horse with his whip raised in a threatening way. He was very angry and upset at us about his missing dog, and initially thought we had taken his dog with us on purpose. We did our best to explain that the dog had simply followed us, we did not coax it or feed it, and that we were very sorry it followed us and had no bad intentions. After a bit of discussion, the settler calmed down and we were able to chat about where we were hiking and such. We seemed to part on good terms, but it wasn't a pleasant experience, and we wished we'd known that the land on the south shore of the lake where we camped belonged to a settler, and is not really a viable wild camping place. The GPS tracks only indicate &quot;buildings&quot; nearby, but that waypoint should say &quot;settler&quot; instead, and perhaps the camping waypoint by the lake should be removed. S 47° 30.166', W 072° 31.809' is where the settler house is.<br /> <br /> The rest of the trail went well. The views of the various glaciers were wonderful, and we had mostly good weather the whole way. Zach took Option 36H-B that necessitates fording La Picota. It was early in the morning and he was able to ford it with the water reaching his waist. I took the regular route further west, which was a bit steep on shale rocks at first, but easy to follow.<br /> <br /> The ford at km 77.4 was the most difficult ford in this section for me, the current was strong and cold and went up to my hips. Fording Río Bravo was easier, and we only did it once, next to the laguna. Option 36H-D had virtually no bushwhacking — there was a clear path to follow in the forest.<br /> <br /> There were regular water sources between Puesto La Pampa (km 83.9) and Puesto Tablas (km 98.4), as well as occasional good spots to camp.<br /> <br /> Once we got to Lago Alegre, I walked the regular hiking route east of the lake while Zach packrafted across with a good tailwind. Very beautiful trail, loads of crowberries and Calafate berries to eat too. I took Option 36H-G, where there is a large tree trunk you can walk across over the river. Zach packrafted Lago Christie as well, although the wind was much stronger in the afternoon. The refuge at the south end of Lago Christie is a good place to sleep out of the wind.<br /> <br /> The roadwalk to town was quite scenic, with a few refuges along the way. Zach took the packrafting route while I stayed on the minor road. I ended up walking all of it except for the final 8 km. There was very little traffic, and I didn't mind walking through the gorgeous landscapes.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> * '''Dec 2022 Frank'''<br /> There is a bus from Cochrane to Lago Brown twice a week (see transport section) Taking it to the junction with Route 901, a little after the bridge over Rio Tranquilo, will save a 34KM road walk.<br /> <br /> * '''GPT36H and Option 2 / Yannic &amp; Mirjam / 22-Dec-2022 / Southbound'''<br /> Regular Route to Option 2 We started from Cochrane and did the first part on the Carretera Austral by car stop. After that you get on a side road with very little traffic. We didn't have a car in 4 hours so we hiked. Then there was one that didn't take us, then nothing again. In the end we hiked everything. We wanted to spend the night at Laguna Confluencia (south at Camp 109.8/334). Unfortunately we were surprised by barking dogs, but could not see a house. We therefore returned to the road and spent the night a few hundred metres further ahead in the meadow. Next day on the Minor Road and Trail was nice and easy. We spent the night next to the Puesto Cayuqueo. From there we went through the forest, which is partly badly damaged by storms. Many fallen trees. But you can always find the way again. We then took the western route (not 36H-B). The river only has to be crossed once at a shallow point. Partly very sloping path, but easy to pass. We crossed Rio Bravo at the lagoon, which was even possible in the evening. We spent the night at the lagoon and hiked everything on the east side the next day. OH-CC&amp;BB-A {36H-D} was well passable. Nice place to camp near Puesto Tablas at S 47.92184 W 72.56781.<br /> <br /> Option 2 All went well and we were set for an &quot;easy&quot; exit via option 2 - which surprised us.... The path is up and down. Partly well passable and easy path, partly very overgrown (up to bush bashing). Although we had only light rain, the path was very marshy and matchy. We sank in up to our knees. Nice refugio with fireplace at the end of the trail. The Carreteral Austral is not very busy. Cars only come when the ferry docks in Rio Bravo. It is best to check the timetable in advance. Then you can wait comfortably in the refugio. El Mosco is perfect to wait for the ferry in O'Higgins. For us 6 days....<br /> <br /> * '''2022 Dec Frank 6 days mainly SOBO'''<br /> <br /> As weather was initially poor I split the section as follows: 1. Got bus from Cochrane towards Lago Brown, got out @ road junction near Rio Tranquilo bridge, walked NOBO back to Cochrane. 2. While I was waiting for the ferry in Villa O'Higgins I walked out about 25KM NOBO to Padre Antonio Ronchi chapel &amp; hitched back to O'Higgins. 3. I again got the bus towards Lago Brown, got out @ the same junction &amp; walked the central section of the route SOBO in 4 long days.<br /> <br /> 1. NOBO, nearly all on road. You pass by the 'mortal falls' on Rio Tranquilo (by the bridge) About 1KM further on the road was blocked by aggressive dogs who came up from a settlement about 800M off the road. I had to shout to the settler to call them off. Around 7KM out from Cochrane the road bends left at a metal crash barrier. I left the RR here &amp; went over the low crash barrier &amp; continued straight ahead on forest tracks, quicker &amp; nicer than the road. About 1KM from Cochrane you return to the road by climbing over a small wooden gate.<br /> <br /> 3. I walked on the road past Calluqueo glacier then on a trail. After the first puesto the track fades out among fallen trees. Camped by a ruined shelter. I crossed the river on RR the next day. La Picota crossing is for horses &amp; best avoided on foot. The RR crossing was easy. After the crossing continue straight ahead &amp; go up the far hillside, pick up a small trail going left above a bluff about 70 metres up. Continued over the 2 border passes. There are some cliffs you need to go round when descending the first pass . There will be snowfields early in the season also. I crossed Rio Bravo high up between two waterfalls, descended to cross it again by the lake, then stayed on LHS of Rio Bravo. No trail initially on LHS of river &amp; a lot of bush bashing over bluffs but judging by later comments the route may now be improved. I continued down to Lago Alegre. There is a settler just as you reach Lago Alegre. She was friendly &amp; allowed me to sleep in her barn. She radioed Ruben, the settler who lives on Lago Christie, to let him know I was coming. It's slow going round the lakes with lots of up &amp; down over bluffs. The hut between the two lakes had been used by sheep &amp; was not in v. good condition. I met Ruben about half way round Lago Christie. He was friendly but I continued on to camp by a ruined hut after descending from bluffs to the lake. I walked out the road to Padre Antonio Ronchi chapel &amp; hitched from there to Villa O'Higgins. There is a good hut on the road at the junction with the X905 road. Another hut further on but it's dusty. All other huts marked on the route are in poor condition or ruined, they are mostly good for cooking &amp; camping outside. The weather for the central section was good so I didn't have any problems. It's possible to hitch part of the road sections - traffic is sparse but they will usually stop. In both cases when you reach the road there is nothing, you need to walk out about 15KM &amp; then start hitching.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''GPT 36P/ Ruta de Los Pioneros/ Option Río Baker and Valle de los Ñadis/ Packrafting Route / 2022 Feb-20 / 9.5 days / Tobias Schorcht and Jonas Grünewald'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> I packrafted from Balsa Baker (Cochrane) 50km downstream. On this section I faced 2 rapids. The first one -47,41143, -72,90798 has to be paddled from the right side (between 2 rocks). After the river is united again, stay in the center to avoid the swirls on the right side. The second rapid (class 3) needs to be ported, at least the first 20m. At the confluence with Río de los Ñadis I left the River and met with Jonas. We took a 20km Roadwalk southwards and entered the Valle de los Ñadis. Unfortunately we didn’t had Jan’s new GPS Tracks in this Part and got kind of lost on day 2, because of a misunderstanding with a settler. Now we know, that the trail is all the way to family Caucamán on the right side of the valley. We shared a mate with Ariel Caucamán, who explained us, how to get to Lago Desplaye. Found the lake after some struggles with navigation and camped right next to it. Luckily there was only some wind the following morning, so we made it with my Packraft to the stunning Glacier. Followed the river bank of Río Desplaye down to Lago Allegre. I packrafted Lago Alegre and Lago Christie, while Jonas walked. I was faster because the wind was in my favorite. The weather turned really bad with strong wind and rain on day 8. We stayed in the Refugio (-48,20300, -72,33202) close to the airport and made a fire. Because of bad weather conditions we decided to walk on the road to Villa O’Higgens instead of discovering the lakes.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> * '''Martín Lizondo / 3-Feb-2020 / Regular Hiking Southbound'''<br /> At this date the route is perfectly traversable. The settlers are happy to receive visitors. Path well visible 95% of the time. No snow at the pass and no dangerous river crossings, but only some suggestions: 1. cross Rio Bravo only once (47º 47' 53,49&quot; S, 72º 31' 15,78&quot; O) and then continue on the east margin with some bush bashing, instead of crossing it multiple times; 2. consider crossing the dirty river of sector Alegre at 48º 2' 20,65&quot; S, 72º 29' 27,81&quot; O instead of the gps track regular point nearer to the house. Way to Villa O’Higgins, at the road, Julia Torres offers place for tent and great fresh food ( 48º 15' 41,47&quot; S, 72º 25' 43,52&quot; O ). Good luck and enjoy!<br /> <br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''GPT36H Regular Packrafting Route / Southern End: Laguna Clara to Villa O‘Higgins'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> 2020-Jan-08 1.5 days Meylin Ubilla &amp; Jan Dudeck<br /> <br /> The „Ruta de los Pioneros“ is one of the historic routes that was created and used by the first settlers in the last century. This route connected Villa O’Higgins with Cochrane long before the Carreta Austral was completed in the year 2000.<br /> <br /> The northern and the southern terminus; approx. 50 km on each end; are now upgraded to gravel roads. Only the roughly 100 km in the middle remain a classic animal trail made and created by people on horses to drive cattle.<br /> <br /> To bypass as much as feasible of these gravel roads we have investigated in recent years multiple alternatives on both ends of GPT36H. Especially with a packraft most of these gravel road kilometers can be bypassed on a very attractive combination of lakes and rivers with shorter portages in between.<br /> <br /> We now investigated and verified a route that first crosses the 2 km wide Lago Claro and than connects on an excellent 2 km trail to Rio Meyer. To continue either only cross Rio Meyer (like we did) or float downstream o. this river up to 4 km (alternative river exit to be scouted first!). An perfectly maintained trail leads then to Lago Biceño (2 to 6 km depending on only crossing Rio Meyer or floating downstream up to 4 km on Rio Mayer). Here a decision needs to be made depending on wind: either paddle a part of Lago Briceño or or continue walking 8 km to Salto on an scenic very well maintained trail (Alternatively a 6 km long trail connects from Lago Briceño to Lago Salto on a different route). After traversing 4 km on Lago Salto a 1 km short animal trail leads to Lago Cines. Once you reach Lago Cisnes it’s 13 km on a combination of lakes and rivers that gets you very close to Villa O’Higgins. Only the last 3 km into the village must be walked on a gravel road.<br /> <br /> We travelled this route in 1.5 days and really enjoyed the landscape, the excellent trails and the scenic paddling. Even in suboptimal weather this route is feasible and offers plenty of alternatives and escape routes. Therefore I will re-route the regular packrafting route of GPT36H to this route.<br /> <br /> Between Lago Claro and Lago Salto we discovered the best maintained trails of the entire Aysen region. Bridges cross even the smallest streams and all muddy areas are crossed on wooden passages. After years of hiking in this region this came as a surprise. But we also know why. These trails were not created to serve the public but a single family: los “Luksic”, the richest clan of Chile (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrónico_Luksic_Abaroa). They buy up huge plots of land in this region to create family resorts and as investments. The land between Lago Claro and Lago Salto is owned to my knowledge by this family. And they have the money to contract a large stuff to i.e. create and maintain trails on their properties. What was nice: when a group of 3 employees passed us on a trail on quarts they did not challenge us but gave use useful recommendations how to continue. Legally, access to lakes, rivers and the coast must be given in Chile even if the private property i.e. surrounds a lake but landlords can make it difficult anyway. To my knowledge all access routes from public roads a locked but since we accessed this area on water we did not have to climb over locked gates. Therefore this route seams to me suitable for packrafters.<br /> <br /> Multiple route variations are feasible that link in further lakes. Short bushwhacking portages might be required in this case but the landscape and vegetation seams generally more open than the Valdivian rain forrest on the Aysen coast. Someone can easily spend up to 5 days discovering other packrafting routes in this area.<br /> <br /> <br /> *'''11/12/2019 - les 2 As - regular hiking route'''<br /> <br /> Hi! We finished this day the section 36 from north to south. It took us 6 days without the last 37 kms on the road (we hitchhiked on this part). It was rough, we have had 2 days of bad weather (only rain at our altitude but it changes everything). You are isolated in the middle of nowhere and we met no one during 5 days. Officially no bush bashing but sometimes the path is barely invisible and unmaintained so hard to walk. From the 3rd day to the end, we have had many rivercrossings. Some were easy, some not and some also quite dangerous. With all the snow melting, the level of the river is very high and the current is strong (I do not recommand to try these fords without walking poles, these saved us). Same situation with the lakes we walked near. Their level is high and often the path was submerged and we had to walk litteraly in the lake (sometimes up to the waist). Luckily we met 2 cabañas (2 last nights) to dry our clothes and sleep under a roof. This made the section even more wonderful than it already was. A great experience!<br /> <br /> * '''2019 Dec / Olrik / Northbound'''<br /> <br /> From O'Higgins there are 50km on a dirt road to the beginning of the sendero. There are some open refugios on the way to sleep. you can also arrange a paid transportation from O'Higgins. Hitchhiking is possible but there is not much traffic. The sendero was in pretty bad shape due to the weather conditions. Muddy and flooded all the way near the lakes. We ended up turning back as we did not plan to walk that slow and did not have enough food, and we felt it was safer. We met Matthieu (see below) and they completed it so his report seems better. Puesteros are really nice though.<br /> <br /> * '''2019 Dec / Matthieu / Northbound Regular HR : 9 days'''<br /> A very difficil trekk for us. Lots of river crossings, sometimes unsafe, and we had very bad weather conditions that make us last 9 days on the trekk, with hitchiking 40 km after Villa and 30 km before Cochrane. It could habe been more rapid though, but we walked &quot;tranquilito&quot;. So I would recommend to take 10 days of food,and the chileans agreed with this.<br /> <br /> I wont talk about the routes parts, because just long and we hitchhiked most.<br /> <br /> So 1st Part : The 2 lakes : A very technical trekk, very aquatic. Sometimes we had to walk in the lake (not dangerous though), and the trail by the lakes is very hilly and muddy, and the progression can be very slow. It was for us, with mostly only rain. 1 dangerous rivercrossing : Before El Caleuche, Strong river but a big fat trunk above perfect for crossing.We didnt search for another way of crossing, so maybe there are some safe places by the water.<br /> <br /> On this part, a few puestos good for shelters : between the two lakes, a good caban with possibility of making fire and a roof of metal and walls, very nice, two beds of wood, we slept in it well protected. El Caleuche : at the middle of the Lago alegre, near a abandoned house. POssibility of fire, but not really a good roof. We slept aside in the tents. The place is really nice though<br /> <br /> 2 houses of settlers on the way : - Ruben at the beginning of the Lago Christie, always happy to have visitors and share a mate. - At the end of the Lago Allegre a little bit south west from the trail (a rivercrossing a bit strong to go to the caban, or a &quot;bridge&quot; called Bridge ?-4 on the GPS waypoints, with 2 trunks, that we took in the morning to go back to the trail. A bit dangerous though, better to let Carmen show you how to cross): Ringo y Carmen, amazing persons too who let us plant the tent and permitted us to warm with a good mate, a meal and a wonderful smile, during the Christmas night.<br /> <br /> 2nd part : Rio Bravo and the pass We thought that the worst was behind but we had more strong weather conditions in this part. A few advises for the rivercrossings of the Rio Bravo : I would advise NOT to follow the GPS tracks that follow the normal trail on GPS devices (that is made normally for horses). All the locals (local guides in villa o higgins, Ruben, Carmen and Ringo) were agreed and told us all to follow the east side of the Rio UNTIL the Laguna. The crossing here is very safe, the rio not strong nor profund at all, and you have to cross it ONLY ONCE, instead of 4 or 5 (dont remember). To stay on the east side, there is a little cross country by the forest, a little bit technical and slow but not dangerous, and you can camp at the laguna on the east side. We saw some cairns in the forest too, on the last hill before the laguna, so the locals indeed use this way. We (very badly) abandonned this plan and passed by the normal way just near the camping site west from the river before the Laguna (really bad weather, really bad decisions !) and the rivercrossings (3 I think) were, for me, very dangerous with strong current in profund water, but there was a lot of rain and wind, so I wont judge during good conditions. We were frozen when we arrived at the camping site. I was very angry at me though to not have listened to the locals and taken all those risks.<br /> <br /> For the pass, not very difficult, but we had (again) very strong weather conditions with even snow, and finished at the camp at the north side completely frozen. Know that it can be very exposed !<br /> <br /> Last Part : Rio La Picota After the camping : Two choices - Following the normal road, made for horses. The rivercrossing is completely impossible, unless you want to join the fishes. Even for horses I don't understand how they do it. The Waypoint &quot;Dangerous&quot; totally make sense. - The GPS tracks : perfect to follow, and finished by a beautiful trail of cairns by the cliff (the optionnal trail OH on GPS track), very safe. The river crossing this way is very safe, the river is extremely large, separated and never go far from the ankle.<br /> <br /> The rest we didn't have any technical difficulties. A trekk not to take lightly, and with much respect. Take advises to the locals before. Every one is happy to talk about it in Villa. They have the bad habbit to say that it's an easy way though !<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Nov-12 / Lea Geibel, Kevin Moe / 6 days / northbound / regular hiking route'''<br /> <br /> This was a tough section for us! It rained and it rained and it rained and the trail turned to mud and was pretty overgrown in parts. We took the optional Hiking route after reaching Rio Bravo heading South to the Carretera Austral because we didn't feel comfortable forging on, knowing there was a high pass that was probably getting tons of snow instead of our rain, and a &quot;dangerous river ford&quot; that we were afraid would be tok dangerous with flooding too. The snow-line appeared to drop as low as 700 meters one night! We made surprisingly slow progress because of the conditions (entire trail flooded knee deep and extremely muddy after 6 days of rain) - were glad to have extra food with us. On the bail out route, about 10km from reaching the safety of the Carratera there was a pretty big river to cross. It was swollen after all the rain and scary and nearly floated us away. From the Carratera we hiked about 20 minutes before catching a lift back to Villa O'Higgins<br /> <br /> ==Season 2018/19==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2017/18==<br /> <br /> * '''Route description by Kara Davis after Season 2017/18'''<br /> <br /> Walk through town and join Highway 7, a moderately trafficked dirt road. The Regular Hiking Route follows X-901, a beautiful but fenced dirt road that culminates in the view of a stunning glacier, for about 28 km until it ends at a blockade just after the Mirador Calluqueo. Along X-901 there are few residences but extensive fence line on both sides. At the end of the road, the route transitions into a braided single track trail that may be confusing to follow.<br /> <br /> Comment by Jan Dudeck: I recently changed the regular packrafting route of GPT36H. This change avoids 35 km of gravel and adds around 70 km of paddling on the two lakes and one river. It’s a big detour but adds impressive beauty. Note that paddling Lago Cochrane is very challenging as wind can be firce. Follow the regular packrafting route only if you are willing and prepared to possibly wait several days on the shore of Lago Cochrane if wind makes paddling this lake unsafe.<br /> <br /> The trail, called La Ruta de Los Pioneros since it is frequently used by the local people, occasionally passes run down refugios as it winds through the forest. At the beginning of the climb to the highest pass, the trail joins a glacial river. Eventually the trail leaves the river to the west and follows a higher route above the valley that is occasionally marked by stone cairns. The top of the pass is at approximate elevation 1.300 m. From this point, there are several kilometers of very exposed hiking among rolling hills.<br /> <br /> The track descends down to treeline at a small, unnamed lake which is the source of the Río Bravo. Join the river and cross it as necessary. There are some stone cairns that mark the way, but they can be hard to spot. When the route is unclear, just follow the river bed. Where the trail deviates from the river bed to the east, it becomes easier to follow. The trail soon climbs about 80 m and remains above Río Bravo. Here there is the occasional small area to camp. To reach Lago Alegre, the trail leaves Río Bravo and travels through an open forest.<br /> <br /> Packrafters put in for Lago Alegre at a red sand beach. In general, both banks are very steep and heavily vegetated, but there are some flat areas near the shore where it may be possible to camp. Take-out is located at a rocky beach on the southeast end. 100 m from the Lago Alegre shoreline is an intact refugio; if you look closely inside, you may spot the etchings of GPT trail blazers, Jan and Meylin.<br /> <br /> From the refugio, there is a well-formed track to Lago Christie. The Regular Hiking route around the east side of Lago Christie is generally easy to follow, but be aware of the occasional spurs that leads away from the main route. The track climbs and descends frequently as it makes its way around the lake and offers a beautiful view of several glaciers. Watch for the occasional stone cairn or red spray-painted arrow to indicate the way. Camping is possible in the forest.<br /> <br /> The route exits onto X-911, a well formed and lightly trafficked gravel road. X-911 ends at X-905, and hikers continue to follow this road for around 20 km towards VIlla O’Higgins. X-905 is fence lined most of the way with the occasional residence.<br /> <br /> Río Mayer is a big, no-nonsense river that is swift at higher flows. It does however mellow out where the GPS route indicates packrafters should put in (a small beach on the other side of the fence).<br /> <br /> The Regular Hiking Route follows the Carretera Austral into Villa O’Higgins.<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> *Villa O’Higgins<br /> <br /> The biggest thing to realize about Villa O’Higgins is that nearly all of the lodging and restaurant options only take cash and there is no ATM in town. The closest place to withdraw money is Cochrane which is a 9-hour drive. Fortunately, there are two grocery stores in town thatl take credit cards. Lodging options vary from camping to a bed in a hostel.<br /> 2024/Joscha<br /> I would recommend Los Cuatreros (-48.463589, -72.559946) and Los Coigues (-48.464742, -72.559453) for resupply. They are cheaper than the other supermarkets.<br /> <br /> *Supermarket on the square in Cochrane. Several shops in Villa O'Higgins.<br /> <br /> *Banco Estado on the square in Cochrane. The ATM was open on Christmas day.<br /> <br /> *Cochrane: Campsite run by Patricia half a block from the Plaza. She does a good breakfast &amp; also has Cabanas &amp; a 4 bed dorm.<br /> <br /> *Zapatoria Cochrane: Little Blue house North side of Dr Stefan's Street, above Rio Maitén street. -47.2541386, -72.5761942.<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> *There are no resupply options &amp; you should bring everything from Cochrane or O'Higgins. There are only two settlers living permanently on the central off road RR: A woman at Lago Alegre &amp; Ruben on Lago Christie. All other off road puestos are only used occasionally.<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> <br /> *There is a minibus from Cochrane to Villa O'Higgins on Monday, Wednesday &amp; Saturday at 8AM &amp; one from O'Higgins to Cochrane on Tuesday, Thursday &amp; Sunday @ 8AM. Operated by Buses Katalina, they have an office at the bus terminal in Cochrane. There is a minibus from Cochrane to Lago Brown on Monday &amp; Thursday at 11AM. It comes back from Lago Brown on the same days &amp; passes the junction with RR at about 2PM.<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT36H - Ruta De Los Pioneros]]<br /> <br /> =Images=<br /> [[Archivo:IMG 7500.jpeg|left|Puerto Yungay - Rio Bravo Ferry Timetable February 2024]]</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT36H_(Ruta_De_Los_Pioneros)&diff=119724 2025-01-25T00:00:41Z

<p>MiaimZelt: </p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;packrafting&quot;, as above):<br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD, WHAT IS ENCLOSED IN &lt;&gt; MAKES IT BLUE):<br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/nowiki&gt;.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Overview=<br /> <br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> * '''2025-Jan-20 to 2025-Jan-24 / 5 days Hiking / SOBO / RR + Option 36H-D/ MiaimZelt'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: Took the bus to X {36H} [33.9/336]. Got no hitch and had to hike 3 hours to Laguna Calluqueo. Ford {36H} [55.4/656] was easy and up to my knees. <br /> Same with Ford {36H} [54.8/650]. Puesto {36H} [57.6/667] (Calloqueo) was protected by an aggressive dog. Continued and camped in the forest. Heavy rain in the evening. <br /> <br /> Day 2: Fords Start/End {36H} [66.5/867] (Rio Pedregoso) was easy, only almost knee deep. Could not find the landslide that Sophie and Gaspar mentioned. Ford {36H} [78.6/888] (Rio Bravo) was a bit higher then my knees. Took option 36H-D to avoid to cross Rio Bravo two more times. Mostly i could follow a vague visible animal trail, which was often overgrown. <br /> Puesto {36H} [83.9/820] (La Pampa) was not locked and looked nice. Dicided to continue and camped somewhere in the forest.<br /> <br /> Day 3: From here -47.977178, -72.555534 to there -47.987679, -72.560694 the trail is definately very overgrown with 1-2m beech trees. Camped near this place -48.02468, -72.49029 nicely sheltered under trees. <br /> <br /> Day 4: Liked the stretch along both lakes very much. <br /> Refuge {36H} [126.1/512] (Entre Lagos) doesn't exist. -48.142506, -72.43804 collapsed shelter with a big and flat grassland. Would prefer to camp here instead because of better protection: -48.141492, -72.438798. After the shelter i struggled to find the trail. Got very windy in the afternoon. Camped here: <br /> -48.162321, -72.414155. There is good wind protection from the forest and a small stream next to it. But the shelter in the map is just some almost collapsed trunks if trees. <br /> <br /> Day 5: Again very windy. After 90 minutes hiking i reached the road. Very few cars passed. Refuge {36H} [148.6/464] is nice and has enough space to pitch a freestanding tent inside. But it has a corrugated iron roof, so probably waterproof. Refuge, River In {36H} [156.8/418] is ok, soil inside is sand. Found a open puesto here: <br /> -48.252049, -72.357653. It was in good condition, but looked abandoned. 45min later i got a hitch to Villa O'Higgins, before heavy rain started. <br /> <br /> * '''SOBO RR + OH 22A// hiking, hitchhiking // 6 days 7-12.01.2025 Maks &amp; Gabi'''<br /> <br /> Getting out of Cochrane was slightly problematic (hitchhiking) so we walked the first 5 km, but after leaving the main road, the 4th car stopped and gave us a ride until the Lago Calluqueo. <br /> <br /> We camped by Rio Pedregoso, left our backpacks there and went to see the glacier - a lovely trail, there are 3 streams on the trail but only in second part od the trail, it took us about 4hrs. <br /> <br /> Most of the fords were easy to cross, but some of the puestos looked abandoned (we haven't seen a human soul on that section). <br /> <br /> I don't think there is much to be added. The trail is slightly overgrown so that it is not always easy to follow. <br /> <br /> Again lots of annoyingly wind resistant horseflies 🙃 <br /> <br /> It might be quite hard to hitchhike the last +/- 50 km. We only saw one car after walking 7 km and we were lucky enough that they gave us a ride to Villa O' Higgins.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Dec-20 to 2024-Dec-26 / 7 / Hiking and &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / SOBO (circle) / RR + Variant E Options: 14, 14E (new option), 14D, 14A (new option) / Roman'''<br /> <br /> Successful investigation in Option 14 connecting Paso Mayer with Lago Burmeister.<br /> <br /> Route: Started in Cochrane and hiked to X {36H} [5.5/267] there i got the first lift. Overall it took me 3 lifts and 15km of hitchhiking. Followd the RR hiking with Variant E until Camp {36H} [110.9/500]. Packrafting to Lake, Refuge {36H} [213.2/527]. Got a lift to Border Control CL {36H} [222.6/449]. Hiked from there Options: 14, 14E, 14D and 14A. First to Border Control AR {36H-14} [191.4/480] then to Laguna Bello and Lago Burmeister and finshed at X {36H-14} [64.1/897] and got a lift to Gobernador Gregores and from there over Chile Chico to Cochrane.<br /> <br /> Started in Cochrane at 10:00 and hoped for a lift but didn't got one. You can also ask for a shuttle but I was told it was expensive so this wasn't a option. I guess you could gamble and just wait at X {36H} [5.5/267] for lift i hoked and reached the start of the hike at 16:00. The detailed information from Lilian Season 23/24 where really good. The first 3 fords where easy, there was a person at Puesto {36H} [53.1/611] and i camped at Ford {36H} [55.4/656]. There was no snow on the pass Border, Pass {36H} [71.5/1304] and Border, Pass {36H} [73.9/1225] so quite easy hiking. Camped at Puesto {36H} [83.9/820] (La Pampa) it was a nice place to pitch a tent - the Puesto was ok (see here: https://imgur.com/a/v2pPTK8). The next day was the only day where I didn't has sunshine and it was cloudy with 3 short rainfalls each ~10min. There were some people at Puesto {36H} [98.4/553] (Puesto Tablas). On that day was the only part where I would say the trail is overgrown- this is from -47.977178, -72.555534 to -47.987679, -72.560694 there is a trail but chest high trees which are especiallyin the rain annoyingas you get completely wet. The trail was good and easy to hike and I camped at Camp {36H} [110.9/500] which was good access to the lake and enough space for 2-3 tents. The next morning i stared Packrafting - wind forecast was good until 16:00 there wind with 23 km/h and gusts up to 40 km/h should set in from NW - so favourable. The Morning was super calm and it took me 4:20h for the 13km (avg. 3.0 km/h) to cross Lago Alegre. After the short hike from Lake {36H} [198.8/489] to Lake {36H} [200.5/525]. I started Packrafting at 15:00. The wind was favourable and I made fast progress especially with the strong wind it took me 3:00h for the 12.5 km (avg. 4.2 km/h). The waves at -48.173951, -72.427001 my limit and quite crazy. They calm down right after the turn. Same situation at -48.180342, -72.393292. So if the wind is that strong evaluate the situation critically. I camped at Lake, Refuge {36H} [213.2/527]. The Refuge is good for a fire or to cook but not to sleep inside. Until this point i would say the trail is in a ok to good condition. There a quite a few fallen trees but nothing major and all easy to hike except the 1km mentioned earlier so Overall good quality. <br /> <br /> The next day I got a lift to Border Control CL {36H} [222.6/449]. You need a Salvoconducto (https://www.pdichile.cl/tr%C3%A1mites-online/salvoconducto) you can request it 10 days in advance normally it takes between a few minutes to hours. Last year I also applied to it for the boarder crossing at Border Control CL {22S} [22.2/299]. But I never got one i event went to the local police before the trip. So i didn’t has a Salvoconducto at the Border. The PDI was very friendly and you have wifi there and we requested it together - and just got the approval email after 40min. They have given me Water, Tea, Biscuits and WiFi. They have given me a ride in the car to cross the Ford at -48.209796, -72.322273. From there i followed 36H-14 and 36H-14E to Border Control AR {36H-14} [191.4/480]. I took a slightly diffrent route which is in my Option optimized as it follows the main hose trail to Bridge {36H-14} [201.8/476] and after that the ond minor road and a shortcut at -48.242534, -72.23587 (there is also a bridge). This part can be found and downloaded below market as: GPT36H-14_14E.<br /> <br /> <br /> After that i started the investigation and hiked to Laguna Bello and camped here: -48.168916, -72.191267. There is no real trail only animal trails and CC and 250m of BB (i guess it can be circumvented. So overall quite easy to hike (3.1 km/h with 540m ascent). You have to jump the fence at -48.251191, -72.224694 ater that it's easy CC to this point -48.231692, -72.206461. There you enter the forest trough a small trial and reached a river visible on Topo maps and follow it: (https://imgur.com/a/KRGrwFD). After that it's CC trough the forest: https://imgur.com/a/ANahcO8. There is one ford at -48.219721, -72.202217 which is also a great place for a camp. CC continues all the way to -48.190151, -72.193122 there are quite a lot fallen trees. At -48.182434, -72.193504 is a short BB section 200m nit that bad just chest high trees - i guess this can circumvent if you hike a bit further west. The coordinates mark the end of the BB. The last 50m BB are here: -48.169691, -72.188992. After that you made it to Laguna Bello and absolutely stunning place to camp and hike: https://imgur.com/a/gjumzVL!!! The next day is awesome CC over the pass and down the valley there is water every few hunderd meters. There is a short swampy section here (300m -48.064146, -72.198477). All fords where below knee level and easy with one exception (will come later) you have to Ford here: -48.033639, -72.201987 and -48.029881, -72.202172. The Puesto at Refuge {36H-14} [90.7/1009] is a good place to pitch a tent but there is no water. The place itself is simple buy maybe even water proof as there is a plastic wrap as a roof see: https://imgur.com/a/mcizrYr. From there on is mostly a trail all the way to the end. It's south following the GPS. Sometimes the trail is not visible for e.g. if it's completely open CC but other that that I would say I got 80%. I camped at -47.968783, -72.187904 which wasn't very flat but manageable. The next day I connected the trail to GPT36H-14A end. The Ford Ford {36H-14} [79.6/902] is the only one which was knee high. It's a wide but not fast flowing river so easy to cross especially there is a treck for the cars: https://imgur.com/a/dqPamtM. To get a overall impression of the terrain: https://imgur.com/a/2I7gegk.<br /> <br /> After that i hiked to X {36H-14} [64.1/897]. And got a lift to -47.851658, -72.031836 (https://maps.app.goo.gl/HPkqayReiotCw2yP7) there is the registration for the Parque Nacional Perito Moreno. You need a reservation to get into the park and to have the huts booked. I guess if you just enter it's also fine. At this place is a open Bathroom and Free WiFi. The Ranger was nice and Helpful. There is no resupply. This and transfer could be arranged with Estancia la Oriental ( https://laorientalpatagonia.com/). While I was there (40min) 3 cars showed up. I got a lift directly to Gobernador Gregores (during the 1.5h dirst road 5 cars came in the opposite direction so i guess you always get a lift away within half a day) from where you can take multiple busses one is a daily bus which goes to Los Antiguos departure 16:30PM here: -48.755133, -70.255558 (https://taqsa.com.ar/). From there i went back to Cochrane.<br /> <br /> Overall:<br /> It's a absolutely beautiful and remote part of the GPT and I absolutely enjoyed it! It's nice and easy CC and if you like adventure, remoteness and CC without a trail is can highly reccomend it as you have great hiking access to a new area with this Option! I had food for 10 days with fairly fast hiking which was sufficient - i would reccomend doing this option only with a good weather window.<br /> <br /> Files (GPX and KMZ /// Tracks and Important Markers):<br /> <br /> GPT36H-14_14E: https://1drv.ms/f/s!AqzLweJ3NZW5tIZ5EBZfod3IqJ2B7Q?e=cl8pza<br /> <br /> GPT36H-14_14A_14D: https://1drv.ms/f/s!AqzLweJ3NZW5tIc7PQrXY25VQ5ywOA?e=ttbG02<br /> <br /> All tracks are also on Strava and general contact for questions: https://linktr.ee/RundW<br /> <br /> <br /> *27-11-2024 to 02-12-2024 / 6 days / NOBO / RR / Sophie and Gaspar<br /> <br /> We departed from Villa O’Higgins, where we stayed at the Los Pioneros campground, run by the very kind Pachi (highly recommended). Heading north, we followed the unpaved road for about a day and a half before joining the actual Pioneers’ Route. <br /> <br /> This trail is navigable 70% of the time, but vegetation has overgrown about 30% of the path (locals mentioned we were likely the first to pass through this year, which might explain the conditions). Locals also mentioned the possibility of crossing Lakes Christie and Alegre by boat. Since we intended to hike, we didn’t inquire further, but for those interested, this option exists. Only one permanent settler remains at Lake Christie: Don Rubén. We passed by his cabin, but unfortunately, he had already left for work that day, so we didn’t get the chance to meet him. On the third day, we reached the La Pampa settler site, where we camped in preparation for an early crossing of the Río Bravo. <br /> <br /> Crossing the Río Bravo at its source posed no issues for us, as this year’s snowmelt is delayed, keeping river levels low. We chose the OR route to ford the river only once. Although this path was slightly more challenging, it was worth it to avoid wet feet in the low temperatures. <br /> <br /> At Paso Picota, we encountered some snow, but it didn’t impede our progress. On the descent, however, the RR crossing of the first river was not passable, likely due to a landslide upstream. As a result, we followed the OR route, which runs higher and presented no problems. From there, we continued our journey to Cochrane without major difficulties.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Nov-06 / 3.5 hours (1 day including return) / GPT36H Option 22 Sendero Los Gatos / SOBO / Jan Dudeck'''<br /> <br /> This route is particularly useful for packrafters with a smaller open packraft that wish to travel GPT35 and GPT36H southbound. By only packrafting the more wind protected eastern section of Lago Cochrane the infamous windy “La Leona” sector of Lago Cochrane is avoided.<br /> <br /> Resupply can be arranged by hitchhiking or taking the subsidized bus 35 km back to Cochrane after paddling Lago Brown and Rio Tranquilo (this is part of the Regular Packrafting Route of GPT36H before reaching the trail head of Ruta de los Pioneros). This reduces travel time for packrafters and keeps the water proportion up.<br /> <br /> Route Description:<br /> <br /> Halfway between the Chilean Border Control of Pasa Roballo and the southern terminus of the Los Aviles Track (“Casa de Piedra”) is the “Camping Alto Valle”. This perfectly maintained camp ground offers about 8 shelters. The campground is situated 500 m away from the main road on a minor gravel road. This 6 km short gravel road continues towards Lago Cochrane. From this minor road start two trails: Sendero Los Gatos that leads all the way to Lago Cochrane and Sendero Lago Chico.<br /> <br /> Sendero Los Gatos can be used by packrafters to access Lago Cochrane in a somewhat wind sheltered sector next to Isla Victor. The track of Sendero Los Gatos is not part of the GPT track files 2024 but the trail head is signposted and route is mostly well visible.<br /> <br /> When visiting the beach I could see a few spots where a tent can be pitched for a night but I did not spot a really nice sheltered location where waiting two or three days would be delight (if the wind forecast makes it unlikely). So packrafters best descent to the lake on the day before attempting to cross Lago Cochrane.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> * '''2024-Apr-02 to 2024-Apr-07 / 5 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR - {36H-G} - RR - {36H-D} - RR / Lilian'''<br /> <br /> A beautiful section, especially from km83.9(Puesto La Pampa) to km66.5(multiple crossing), nice views with remote area, i love it so much!<br /> <br /> Because of late season, all the river crossing are super easy, only 4 place need to wet feet, all others can go around or rock hopping. Some of trail go in the water(lake, pond, pool) directly, but all you can go around by side trail, some CC or light BB.<br /> <br /> Snow still not a problem, snow start at 950m at south, and covered some of the trail above 1100m but didn't matter, i go around most of the snow easily. And didn't find any knee deep snow(maybe melted again), the deepest posthole just above ankle, easy walking. Because of lot of cairns at the area of two pass, so it is easy for navigation although some parts of trail is covered by snow.<br /> <br /> The most annoying is WIND. It is crazy windy almost everywhere except last day. The most windy part is at the second pass, i even can't open my eyes to look at the trail and walk on it straighly because of crazy freezing wind. (Be careful of hypothermia, crazy windy + rain/snow/after river crossing is horrible)<br /> <br /> My friend give me a 2hour ride from Villa O' Higgins to Lago Christie( X[142.0/550] ) , so i save about 50km road walking, a huge thank you to him!<br /> <br /> Km138.5 : shelter(-48.16236, -72.41397) made by woods, can cowboy inside when summer time, not rainproof but can be some wind protection. Can fit 2 tents outside with fire ring, some small stream flowing good with clear water just beside it. Weather protection by forest and the shelter.<br /> <br /> Km135.35 : old refuge(-48.14246, -72.43808), half of the roofs is collapsed, but still can provide some protection for emergency. Nice grassland for camping beside the refuge, can fit 3-5 tents with fire pit and rock seats, not much protection by trees or bushes. A river flowing good beside it, trail crossing it with wet feet, half of calf. It is the first wet feet point for me.<br /> <br /> Km134.1 : a lake, i cleared out a spot and camped here, some animals go to this lake and walking in it when midnight. It is very quiet and i heard the sound clearly. Not much protection, just some bushes here, not recommended with bad weather.<br /> <br /> Settler[132.8/525] : from here to Refuge[126.1/512], trail becomes very easy to follow and walk, it is a frequency used trail. Look like some people living here, but i met noone when i passed.<br /> <br /> Km129.3 : shelter(-48.11808, -72.48252) with just one side, weather protection by forest, can fit 1 tent here. A small stream flowing beside it.<br /> <br /> Refuge[126.1/512] : refuge(Puesto Entrelagos) already gone just left some woods here, and like Natalie said looks like someone wants to rebuild it. Some flat spots here can fit 2-3 tents.<br /> <br /> Lake[198.8/489] : Lago Alegre, a boat and a camping spot here, can fit 1 tent with fire ring and nice lake views but no protection, it is crazy windy when i was here.<br /> <br /> Km119.3 : junction of RR and {36H-G}, i go straight and didn't go to Settler[118.9/486](El Caleuche). It is easy to follow and walk on {36H-G}, but you need to climb over a 2m wooden fence at north.<br /> <br /> {36H-G} km3 : river crossing, cross it on a huge log easily.<br /> <br /> RR Km117.2 : flat spot(-48.02468, -72.49029) can fit 1-2 tents with weather protection by forest. A small stream flowing beside it.<br /> <br /> Km117 : river crossing, several logs crossing selection here, because raining and wet, so i crossed by the combination of multiple logs, it looks like more stability and safe. Huge flat area and grassland can fit many tents at both side of the river, weather protection by trees and bushes.<br /> <br /> Camp[110.9/500] : can fit 2-3 tents with lake views, easy to collect water, weather protection by trees.<br /> <br /> Then i did the short cut that Natalie said, from here walk through the open forest NW to the other valley(Río Bravo). It is completely CC or light BB on some animal path, fun and doable, but just recommend on good weather, otherwise you'll soaking wet by bushes.<br /> <br /> Río Bravo is a grey water river, better collect water from some small stream.<br /> <br /> Km104.3 : a small stream(-47.97355, -72.55419) flowing good with clear water, small flat spot can fit 1 tent after crossing.<br /> <br /> Km103.95 : camping spot(-47.97095, -72.55524) can fit 3-4 tents with fire ring.<br /> <br /> Puesto[98.4/553] : Puesto Las Tablas, huge and beautiful grassland for camping, refuge is a small cabin, have a wooden bed, bench, fire pit and some dry wood sticks (for burning) inside, it is possible to sleep inside with a warm fire night, good wind protection but not for rain. Didn't see any water nearby.<br /> <br /> Km95.05 : cross a stream with a small waterfall, it'll be completely wet by the waterfall if cross at trail, so I climb to upstream and rock hopping for dry feet.<br /> <br /> Puesto[92.3/660] : Puesto El Burro, large grassland but most of them are steep, only small grassland beside the refuge is flat for camping, can fit 2-3 tents with table and fire ring, refuge is a tiny cabin but half of roof is already collapsed, can fit 1 small single person tent for some protection if bad weather, a small stream flowing with clear water 200m before here. Very windy when i was here.<br /> <br /> Km85.4 : easy and beautiful walk start!<br /> <br /> Puesto[83.9/820] : Puesto La Pampa, large grassland for camping, refuge is a small, nice and clean cabin, have 2 wooden bed, wooden seats, table and fire pit inside, it is a nice place to sleep inside with a warm fire night, good wind protection but not sure for rain. Just like Natalie said you also can pitch a small tent inside. Tiny stream flowing low just in front of the refuge. Have a open toilet with views at here too.<br /> <br /> Fords start/end[81.3/854] : rock hopping.<br /> <br /> Then i take {36H-D} instead of RR, save 2 times of wet feet crossing of Río Bravo, it is doable and sometimes have an animal path(old trail?) to follow, but easy to lost the path, and overgrown at some part you need to BB, I'm not sure it can save time or not, and only recommend in good weather, otherwise you'll be completely soaking wet by bushes.<br /> <br /> Ford[78.6/888] : river crossing of Río Bravo, the second wet feet point. I crossed it at 50m downstream(-47.79880, -72.52101) where the river breaks to 2 parts by island. First part easy rock hopping, second part is just above ankle, the water is grey so i didn't see through the bottom, otherwise I'll throw some rocks for hopping to keep my feet dry.<br /> <br /> Ford[77.4/981] : i follow some cairns and crossed it much downstream with rock hopping. It is a beautiful viewpoint for waterfall and the glacier at west! Snow starts here.<br /> <br /> Ford[75.4/1023] : easy rock hopping, look at the rocks underwatee here, the west side of valley is white colour, the east side is red, amazing!<br /> <br /> Border,pass[73.9/1225] : snow here, but still not problem, go around them easily, or just above ankle posthole. A beautiful lake looks like good for camping 200m before here, but just for good weather because very exposed.<br /> <br /> Km72.9 : between two pass, before the second pass you need to go in a wide riverbed, but snow covered the water. You know there is water flowing, you can hear them flowing, but you can't see them. And the snow(bridge) is not thick, not stable enough to walk on them directly, so it take me some time to find out which part is water, which part can walk on it.<br /> <br /> Ford[71.8/1262] : snow covered most of the river, and river flowing a little wide here(can't step over), take me some time to find the way to go on it.<br /> <br /> Border,pass[71.5/1304] : crazy crazy crazy windy, beautiful views but too windy that i can't open my eyes to look. It is the first time for NOBO to see Cerro Los Mellizos(black sharp tower mountain) at here. Mostly you can arrive there after 1 day. North of here lot of snow but still doable and navigation with lot of cairns easily.<br /> <br /> Camp[68.4/1089] : can fit 2-3 tents with log seats and fire ring, some(not much) weather protection by trees and bushes. Stream flowing nearby. Then i continues RR.<br /> <br /> Km68.1 : flat area(-47.72665, -72.49681) can fit many tents with amazing glacier views, but no protection. Stream flowing here, also old fire pit beside a tree. Still lot of snow here.<br /> <br /> Water[67.3/1041] : snow end and i didn't see any water here. I took RR for going down, it is actually a trail, easy to follow. But some point is steep and a little landslide, walk easily when dry, but maybe a problem if wet or covered by snow.<br /> <br /> Fords starts/end[66.7/867] : old camping spot with fire pit 100m before here, nice view but no protection. River breaks into many streams at here, I took about 20min total for putting rocks in streams separately for all the way dry wet crossing by rock hopping.<br /> <br /> Km65.85 : shelter(-47.70890, -72.49466) with 1 side protection in good condition, nice for cowboy under it when summer. Flat spot can fit 2-3 tents with fire ring just beside it. Trail easy to miss it because covered by some trees.<br /> <br /> From here to km53.2(road), HURDLE RACE start! At least 500 blowdowns you need to step over. No climbing, just step over, easy to walk and follow but muddy and blowdowns, you know that.<br /> <br /> Km64.45 : camping spot(-47.69803, -72.49788) under trees, can fit many tents with fire pit and log seats, weather protection by forest.<br /> <br /> Km64.05 : i cleared a flat spot(-47.69555, -72.50008) for a single person tent, with great lake, mountain views and i stayed here for 18 hours because of snowstorm, just beside the lake so it is easy to collect water. Weather protection by forest, but if the wind comes from south then nothing help. If you have 15min more, i think can fit one more single person tent here.<br /> <br /> Km61.95 : junction of RR, {36H-A} and {36H-05}, easy to miss. Pay attention to wood cutting trace on ground.<br /> <br /> Km58.45 : swamp area full of water, you can jump(a huge jump) over it for dry feet. After swamp is a river crossing by narrow log, after the crossing don't go away immediately, looks inside the river, lot of beautiful green water plants here!<br /> <br /> Puesto[57.6/677](Calloqueo), Puesto Cayuqueo, refuge is locked, looks like no more people until next summer, because the gate nearby is completely locked by wire too. Beautiful grassland for camping at here, and a shelter with fire pit inside too. Easy to collect water because just beside Río Pedregoso, at here Río Pedregoso still a clear water river.<br /> <br /> Fence[56.5/657] : it is a gate and completely locked by wire. Climb it at right side just wooden fence, at left side is barbed wire with fence. Huge exposed grassland with views in this area.<br /> <br /> Ford[55.4/656] : third wet feet crossing, also is the deepest crossing at late season April. Looks like above knee at trail crossing, better go upstream 10m walk on the red rock bar, it is flowing very fast but just above half of calf, easy crossing. Flat area for camping at both side of river.<br /> <br /> Ford[54.8/650] : crossing a grey water river, so better collect water before it joins main river. Trail crossing looks like up to half of calf, better crossing point at downstream just before 2 river combined, rock hopping there. But be careful for rock hopping, rocks not stable and rolling there, also a pool looks deep just at downstream, don't slide!<br /> <br /> Km53.85 : nice flat spot(-47.62754, -72.46476) can fit 2 tents just beside the trail. Looks like camped by someone before.<br /> <br /> Ford[53.7/630] : river breaks into 3 parts here, the first and third part is easy rock hopping. The second, main part above ankle at trail crossing, easy. It is the fourth, also the last wet feet crossing.<br /> <br /> Puesto[53.1/611] : didn't see anyone when i passed here, but looks like still in using because lot of cooking equipment is outside the refuge. The refuge is not locked but I just take photos and didn't go inside. Can be emergency use for bad weather.<br /> <br /> After here, all the way road walking.<br /> <br /> Km49.25 : viewpoint(-47.59724, -72.49715) of Laguna Calluqueo, Glacier Calluqueo, Cerro Los Mellizos and Monte San Lorenzo o Cochrane. I camped here, with a 2m rock wall that covers the wind from south, also lot of things can hold my tent's line. A super beautiful spot with amazing sunrise coming up from the glacier!<br /> <br /> The next morning i saw a bus coming to here, that i met it before outside Cochrane tourist information, so maybe possible to arrange a shuttle at Cochrane for SOBO?<br /> <br /> Km48.5 : Glacier Calluqueo Camping Spot(-47.59382, -72.49962), i look it from high on road, looks like no views but covered by some trees with protection, can fit 2-4 tents with log seats.<br /> <br /> Bridge[46.2/394] : Puente Calluqueo, camping spot after the crossing at downstream, can fit 1-3 tents with fire ring.<br /> <br /> The next 2 Danger waypoint i didn't understand, it looks like very safe walking on the road?<br /> <br /> After 10 minutes i hitched a car to Cochrane, this is the second car i saw in that day. They also take me to Lago Brown and followed {36H-23} to viewpoint(-47.46236, -72.38094) of Cerro San Lorenzo, huge huge huge thank you to them!<br /> <br /> Lastly i stayed at Calafate Camping in Cochrane, 6k CLP for camping, good spot with nice refuge(kitchen), hot shower and clean toilet. You also can camping under some shelters if bad weather.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Mar-19 to 2024-Mar-23 / 4.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + OH 24A + 02 + 04B / Joscha'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: RR [5.5-50.0] + OH36H-24A to the Glacier and back<br /> <br /> I got a hitch to the junction at km 5.5. From there I walked for about 2 hours until a car took me to the junction at km 33.9. There is a fence between Rio del Salto and the RR. At the Danger Waypoint (km 43.2) is the fence broken down and the river is accessible. I got a 3rd hitch from there to the Calluqueo Glaciar. I took OH36H-24A to the glacier. Its a good trail, but mostly through forrest without view. Around km 3.0 you can see the glacier + the lake. Its really nice. At the end of OH36H-24A you get a close-up look at the Glaciar. There is a lot of water between km 3.5 and 6. At km 4.1 is a decently flat spot for camping. I camped at km 49.7 next to the RR. I would not recommend the spot in a windy night.<br /> <br /> Day 2: RR [50.0-79.9]<br /> <br /> There was snow above 1000 meters. Around the Bourder/Pass Waypoints the snow was more than knee deep. It was possible to do it without any snowgear, but it took some time. There was plenty of water along the RR and all Fords were max. knee high.<br /> <br /> Day 3: RR [79.9-107.3]<br /> <br /> The RR crosses lots of small streams, so there is plenty of water. Puesto at km 83.9 can be used as shelter and has a open outhouse. I camped at km 107.3 on a flat meadow.<br /> <br /> Day 4: OH36H-02 [0.0-26.6]<br /> <br /> The first 2 km of OH36H-02 are more CC than a trail. After that the trail is easy to follow and in good condition for about 5-6 km. Than the trail starts to become overgrown and later very muddy. Therefore it wasn't to much fun walking this trail. But the valley offers some nice waterfalls and snowy mountains. There was plenty of water and fords were easy.<br /> <br /> Day 5: OH36H-02 [26.6-29.0] + OH36H-04B [122.5-132]<br /> <br /> I hiked about 2 1/2 hours along the Carreterra Austral until a group of cars passed me and one of them took me to Villa O'Higgins.<br /> <br /> * '''2024 Mar 6 to 2024 Mar 12 / 7 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR / Maddi and Tom'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: Got the public bus from Villa O'Higgins to Lago Christie at 11am, paid 600 CLP per person. Apparently it comes every few days. We were the only ones on it so the driver dropped us at the trailhead. There is a big sign and a picnic table at the start and the trail is pretty clearly defined. Hiked along Lago Christie and camped at the Northern end at a clear spot on the sand.<br /> <br /> Day 2: Kept following a clear track to Lago Alegre. Passed the settlers but noone appeared to be home. Had lunch on the lake at a nice pebbly beach (-48.03641,-72.49016), had a swim and Tom caught a rainbow trout to eat. Had a relaxed day hiking and camped at the very northern end of the lake (-47.98559,-72.53109). Tom caught another trout for dinner. Two others hiking joined us later that night as it was a good camp spot with lake access.<br /> <br /> Day 3: Tom caught another trout for breakfast before we started hiking for the day. Rain started getting pretty heavy making the track quite muddy and it was very cold. Had lunch at Las Tablas to get out of the rain. Sun came out so we continued on, although it didn't last. Since it was raining heavily and I was getting very cold, we camped next to El Burro for the night.<br /> <br /> Day 4: More rain in the morning. Packed up and hiked to La Pampa for lunch. Got a weather update and it was looking bad for the next day (heavy snow and wind) so we decided to camp at La Pampa. Spent a nice afternoon in the sun with a fire going. The two hikers we camped with before also stayed there that night.<br /> <br /> Day 5: Woke up to heavy rain and wind so stayed in bed until 11am, not wanting to cross the pass in these conditions. Snow started around lunch and was heavy enough to stick. Got a weather update and it was looking sunny for the next day so decided to wait it out. Hiked up the river around 5pm to do the river crossing and then camped at the base of the pass at (-47.79854,-72.52191). Started snowing just as we went to bed.<br /> <br /> Day 6: Got up early and started up the pass. Lots of snow and ice made it quite slippery but manageable. Had to watch out for the black ice on all the rocks around the river. The snow concealed any tracks but wasn't difficult to navigate with my watch. Snow was about knee deep at the top of the pass. Came down the other side with awesome views down the valley. Took the detour to avoid the river crossing above the canyon. Detour is steep uphill but is worth it as where we ended up crossing didn't even get our shoes wet. Did see a dead horse there though that must have been washed down the canyon. Had lunch near the fallen down puesto on the river. Was nice to get some sun after so many days of rain and snow. Continued on and camped at Glacier Calluqueo.<br /> <br /> Day 7: Started walking along the road hoping for a hitch. Was actually very hot. Managed to get a ride after about an hour to Cochrane.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-28 to Mar-03 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Matthias'''<br /> <br /> Took transport till end of road near glaciar Calluqueo (Jonathan +56940246832, 65000$) as I wanted to walk the pass before the predicted snowfall sets in. Traverse was quite tedious cause of the rainy and cold weather. Met Natalie and Luca halfway, hi :-) Did not meet anyone else during 4 1/2 days! Was accompanied by a smelling(!) dog (of Ruben?) from the camp at Lago Christie until next morning near Rubens house. He slept a bit windsheltered next to my tent - it was cold and a lot of wind! Keep in mind (I didn`t) that once you have reached Lago Alegre there are still 2000hm to go uphill before you reach the MR!<br /> <br /> Campsites: <br /> 300m before Camp km68.4 on a +-exposed meadow with glaciar view,<br /> in front of Puesto ElBurro (rainshelter inside and a table outside), <br /> Camp km110.9, <br /> on the shore of Lago Christie km 129 just before the path leads uphill in to the forest (a bit wind protection by bushes and Wood)<br /> <br /> Did a shortcut between ca. km103.5 and km 100.5. Sometimes good trail, sometimes obstacle course over fallen trees. <br /> Was very lucky with transport to Villa O`Higgins. Got a motorcycle ride all the way from the refugio at km148.6 at 6 pm with a short detour to the border at Rio Mayer. Stayed in Hostal Rio Mayer in Villa O`Higgins (very friendly and talkative, no internet).<br /> <br /> 28-Feb-24 to 03-Mar-24/4days/ Hiking/ NOBO/ RR/ Natalie &amp; Luca<br /> <br /> Took a few days off to reconnect with an old friend in Villa O'Higgins and then decided to take him for a test trial on the GPT.<br /> <br /> With the help of Martin from Mosco we found out the day we left was the day the subsidized bus leaves from O'Higgins to Lago Christie. Left around 1130 and got to the TH ~13:00. The bus only goes 4x a month and it went twice in the last week of February, not sure how it is organized. Only 3500 each. <br /> <br /> A little bit of rain the first day and a lot of rain/snow at the end. The trail was fun, mellow and in good shape, next to no mud. We met Ruben and all of his animals (cutest puppy atm). He offered a camping spot but I am sure the dogs would be all over you at night. We camped at the beginning of Allegra near Refugio entre lagos (NO refugio), -48.09404, -72.49798. At this moment there is no shelter but it looks like someone is working on one, there is a boat at the lake. There is a creek with only still puddles of water so we drank from the lake. <br /> There are few nice camping spots along both Christie and Allegra that are not marked. Did not stop to fish :(. I heard Margarita is in O'Higgins atm. <br /> <br /> We made a short cut to avoid the big intersection near Puesto 107. We cut off after camp 110 and ended ~800m near a river camp marked on osm. It was easy and mostly open forest, mainly just a quest to stay on the best animal track as there are a few of them. We basically followed close to where the hill is but not too close bcs that is where the bush is no good.<br /> <br /> Camped outside Puesto 98.4, Las tablas. It had no water so fill up before of just go down to the river.<br /> <br /> Met Matías - Hi Matías! Even though we were both trying to beat the rain I very much enjoyed the conversation/laughs!<br /> <br /> When we got to Puesto 83.9, La Pampa, the rain just began to start and even though it was only lightly raining at the time the forecast was not good for the evening so we decided to stay and enjoy the early day and nice Refugio. The weather got increasingly worse and very strong overnight with snow in the morning. The Refugio is large and clean. It has a fire pit in the corner, an outhouse, extra blankets and tarps, a good table and lots of tools and pots if needed. No other puesto compared. There were only a few small leaks during the night, we pitched a tent inside for added warmth. <br /> <br /> The next morning there was a lot of fresh snow and it was still snowing with strong wind at times - so the pass was interesting. We took variant D to avoid the Rio Bravo fords and got soaking wet in the bush, it wasnt very clear where the trail was, needed the GPS. Although the Rio Bravo was very calm and shallow (barely to my knees, 167), the snow made it too cold for my liking. If one is curious about camping on the other side of the river, I think you can make a camp, there are lots of flat spots but not so much wind protection. There were camping possibilities throughout the pass as well. As for the pass, &quot;most&quot; of the trail was not covered by snow bcs the water was flowing down the trail therefore navigation was still okay, a bit harder between passes. Of course the weather improved at camp 68.4...<br /> <br /> I know Tomáš managed the La Picota river and it made me curious to try but it made no sense to go for it, the RR that follows the west is an easy trail and the fords afterwords were almost (all but one) jumpable. Sadly what I read about &quot;la playa&quot; is true, there was a dead horse (pieces of it) at the start of the fords, it seemed rather recent so I guess the La Picota ford still kills. <br /> The Refugio after the fords is just a &quot;lean-to&quot;. The trail afterwards is okay, starting to get muddy but not bad. A nice camp is possible at -47.66704, -72.50032 bcs of the beautiful view but there is no water, actually not many places to stop between ford and puesto 57.6. We Camped at Puesto 57.6 and met Antonio, super lovely man and we had breakfast with him the following morning. In return I gave him the rest of my walnuts and peanuts, hopefully that was enough. There is not much of a shelter there, teepee style, but you can camp under the trees by the river. His dogs are annoying, got into my food bag while we were talking and then never left us alone. Really nice camping just before his puesto in a big clover field.<br /> <br /> Next day super quick walk out to the view point and then got a hitch down to Cochrane easily, lots of people on a cloudy Sunday afternoon. <br /> <br /> * '''24-Feb-24 to 2024-Feb-27 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR, Variant B, Option 2 / Tomáš'''<br /> <br /> Having parted ways with Natalie, who had other commitments, I was not able to get a taxi to end of road so I started walking and hitching at noon. Second car took me for about ten km, then I was passed by ten cars in an hour and then got a hitch to the viewpoint three km from end of the road with a guide going to guide a group to the glacier (they go there by boat!). Our car's engine failed 4 km before the destination, but after 5 minutes a passing car took us there. Mount Cochrane is impressive. I ate there and in an hour another two cars passed, one probably from the puesto further on. It was a Saturday, still vacation period and a beautiful day, it seems hitching is promising under such conditions there. The road is in a very good condition and easily scalable by a non 4x4 car.<br /> <br /> The puesto at 53.1 had barking dogs and seems used (maybe a settler?), I did not see it though, it is in the trees. All fords were easy and shallow: definitely under knees. In the beginning there are multiple trails, RR probably has the best route. You cannot avoid fording, I tried. After about ten km, the trail stops being ambiguous. Took variant B (which is mostly a trail, not CC) and slept above the &quot;dangerous ford&quot; (would have been better to stay 500 m lower at the end of the flats). It indeed sounded and looked dangerous after such a hot day. In the morning, I realized the trail to the ford eroded and horses probably cannot go there anymore. A pedestrian still can. The ford was much calmer, very cold but under knees and not strong. I forded it six times unfortunately with bare feet - first to try, than with my backpack and then with my forgotten phone. It hurt even if it is just 5 metres. Going up from the ford, the trail goes to the left of a small stream on top of a small ridge, do not follow the stream as I did. The CC section thereafter is mostly a trail, only invisible on river flats and for about 20 metres in the pass. Going down from the pass, the trail is above the GPX for several hundred metres, going straight and not zigzagging. Rio Bravo was tame after dry weather and at the end of summer, so I took RR. The fords were easy, well under my knees. Puesto el Burro at 92.3 would be a nice place to camp. Utterly scaring a lonely large bull, I pushed to Puesto Tablas, which has a roof that protected me from drops of rain.<br /> <br /> Puesto at 107.4 looked nice and standing, not sure if it was locked, by any means very nice place to camp. I did not notice the &quot;bridge ?&quot;. The ford was mellow, wide but ankle deep. Option 1 at least to variant 01J is actually a used trail, the bridge on it is over a marsh, not sure why it is a waypoint. Decided to take option 2 thinking I would get an easier hitch on Carretera Austral and trusting others who did not like the lake part that much and hating mosquitoes. The first part to variant 01I is partly a cow trail, partly a BB through open forrest. Take 01J instead, should be a clear trail and the ford should be as easy as the one on RR. From there on, 8 km to an unmarked ford through a first creek marked on OSM (it originates from a lake on map, the trail is clear and looks used. 02A was overgrown after 100 clear meters, so do not take that (I did not see the other end of it either and I looked). From the ford, the condition of the trail worsens for 7ish km to camp at 16.4. It is partially overgrown, occasionally with thorns. There is still space for legs, but arms are needed to clear the way. This portion is also mostly over open tundra-like terrain above the river. It is a bit marshy but not much after dry days. The views are splendid! Somebody with a machete would have fun here. Took option 02B, which I think is the actual trail, but it is hard to tell as it goes through a marsh there. Overall the overgrown part is maybe 2-3 km. Puesto Chirola at 17.6 is actually an abandoned settler house, still locked but in heavy rain you could probably get in through a window, the roof is still mostly ok. I slept there, with dusk mosquitoes appeared.<br /> <br /> It rained during the night and probably because of that, the trail got muddy. It is however being used and mostly clear and mostly easy to follow. Refuge without water is without water. It is meant for cyclists and is in good condition. It would sleep easily four people amd uneasily double that. It is always well ventilated with always open windows (rain should not get through), so probably no need to fear the mouse virus. The occasional tundra, wetness and continous rain with occasional glimpse of a glacier finally made me feel like I am in proper Patagonia. On the Carretera, there are not many cars. Started walking and hitching at three PM. As the road is divided by a ferry, cars pass you at (in high season) 2-hour bursts of at most 8 cars, as I was informed by the one passing cyclist. The first burst was just three cars and two motorcycles and they all passed me. It is actually a one lane compacted road where cars in opposite directions must avoid each other. No luck with second burst of three cars. Finally a second car from the third burst took me after 4 hours on the road. The second refugio around km 35 did not look as nice.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-13 to 2024-Feb-18 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Yannick &amp; Nolwenn &amp; Tess &amp; Lukas'''<br /> <br /> - Trail condition : good condition, a lot of fallen trees that slows you down but not really bad / the trail was not muddy as we had good sunny days <br /> - Water : lots of rivers and lagunas <br /> - Camping spot : the refugio at km 126,1 has been destroyed by a tree so we camped closer to the lake amongst the trees // at km 148,6 The refugio is really nice, we could make a fire and have a great night before heading the next day to O'Higgins on the long gravel road <br /> - Weather : sunny and a little bit of rain <br /> - River crossing : easy, the river Bravo was not too high and not too strong so we didn't take the variant D<br /> - Resupply : in Cochrane everything you need<br /> - Overall : we were lucky to have an easy hitchike for the first 20km and for the last 7km // we also liked this section that offers really different landscapes and you feel really remote<br /> <br /> * '''From 2024-01-06 to 2024-01-12 // 6,5 days // Hiking // NOBO // RR + OPT D // Quentin Clavel'''<br /> <br /> After the small part in the forest, I followed the gravel road, which began to be nice from the Laguna la Clara. Some nice miradors along the roads, especially the last one, salto Rio Perez, which was pretty impressive ! <br /> <br /> Then you begin the track los Pioneros. Pretty easy to follow, a bit muddy, but I thought it would have been worse, the last sunny weeks made it dryer than expected. <br /> <br /> From there, it's a sequence of up and down, with amazing views, on Lago Christie then on Lago Alegre, surrounded by mountains. <br /> <br /> Some easy bushbashing which is more like cross country at the end of Lago Alegre to arrive along the Rio bravo. <br /> <br /> The you go along the Rio bravo until cross it. I took the option D to avoid to cross it three times, it's bushbashing but pretty easy to follow as there's a kind of path which was created to go around the small cliffs, and have to cross rio bravo only once. <br /> <br /> On the section, at this time, I haven't got any problem at all to pass the rivers who were pretty low and with weak current. <br /> <br /> Then I arrived in the mountains and that was just amazing ! Even with an uncertain weather and lots of clouds ! <br /> <br /> I had an amazing bivy in front of the impressive calluqueo glacier then it was the looong Gravel road to Cochrane, but really scenic ! <br /> <br /> During all the section it was easy to find water as there's water everywhere ! Some nice camp spot too. <br /> <br /> Mosquitoes and these spiky plants who stay scratched to your shoes and socks are the only annoying stuff. <br /> <br /> Plenty of crowberry and Calafate on the track. Delicious and perfect snacks on the road ! <br /> <br /> Last but not least, if you've always dreamed to try hurdles in athletism, this section is for you ! You'll have to pass threw hundreds of fallen trees ! Enjoy ! <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-01 to 2024-Jan-08 / 7.5 days / NOBO / Villa O'Higgins - Cochrane / RR and Option 36H-D / Alex &amp; Christophe'''<br /> <br /> We really enjoyed this section, especially the part of the pass, with awesome views on glaciers and mountains. We found the 2 lakes part nice but less impressive.<br /> <br /> For us, the most difficult with this section was to walk with heavy backpacks and to deal with the hundreds of mosquitoes on the camps near the two lakes. We had the chance to have dry trails most of the time and it helped us a lot. If it rains a lot before you start this section, you will need more time because the trail can get muddy really fast.<br /> <br /> After the first 9km in the forest, we tried to hitchhike from Villa O'Higgins to Lago Christie but we weren't lucky and couldn't find a car on a 1st of January. We only had a lift the second day for 15km by the carabineros. There is nearly no car passing on the X905 road so plan a day or two of extra food if you plan to hitchhike here. Taking a private transport to Lago Christie could also be a solution but it's expensive (about 70'000 CLP according to Martin from El Mosco in Villa O'Higgins).<br /> <br /> There is not much to say about the 2 lake part, we found the trail easy to follow and some nice shelter along the route. Apparently, there is a lot of trout in Lago Alegre. We didn't try to fish since it was raining but we let a peanut butter jar with a spoon (hook) and some fishing line rolled around the jar in the puesto next to Settler {36H} [118.9/486] (Margarita Bustos). She's actually not living there but the puesto is open and a nice shelter to cook (we put the tent next to it).<br /> <br /> For the second part with the pass, we found the trail also easy to follow. The OH-CC&amp;BB-A {36H-D} didn't took us too long and saved us at least 2 river crossing. All the other fords were sometimes wide but easy to pass.<br /> <br /> After 7 days, we tried to hitchhike on the X901 road near the Laguna Calluqueo and were really lucky. After only 4km, a car stopped and took us to X {36H} [5.5/267]. Maybe there is more traffic on this road than on the other side, especially with good weather during the holidays.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-25 to 2023-Dec-29 / 4.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Stiina &amp; Kris'''<br /> <br /> We arranged a ride to skip the first 50km of the roadwalk. The trail was surprisingly good and well-trodden throughout, i.e. visually easy to follow. Some muddy sections here and there and steeper climbs and descents. Plenty of water throughout.<br /> <br /> The river crossings didn't pose any difficulties and we were blessed with good weather, despite one rainy night. The views were amazing - that so low down you could be face to face with glaciers!<br /> <br /> We did not find the trail around lakes any harder than the rest of the section. A few times the route goes on the coast, i.e. you need to walk through the water, but it was not an issue. In two cases the route splits into two, the correct trail being the easier one to miss, so need to pay attention to nav. Met Ruben the settler, very nice and friendly guy. We also met 4 other GPT hikers on this section, which was a bit of a shock.<br /> <br /> We walked 30km of the dirt road after Lago Christie until we finally got a hitch to Villa O'Higgins. Barely any traffic on the road, especially in the afternoon.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-12-07 EXP-OH-TL-I 1day / Anh'''<br /> There is a damaged and not yet reopened route from Villa O’Higgins to Glacier Mosco: EXP-OH-TL-I &amp; EXP-OH-CC&amp;TL-I<br /> Together they are 24 km return and with a daypack it could work.<br /> The EXP-OH-TL-I trail is very well maintained and relatively well marked. There is even a very nice Refugio Puesto Rivera + campsite for tents along the way. BUT from km 7 the trail is damaged by landslides and the section after that is overgrown. I tried the last km via BB through the forest. After that everything should be clear and only CC to the Mosco glacier. Unfortunately, I make very slow progress with BB, it simply takes too much time and with a temperature of 15°C the river crossing afterwards would be dangerous. Unfortunately I have to abort (safety first) &amp; return.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-12-10 / 4 days / RR + OH-TL-V / SOBO / Anh'''<br /> <br /> A very experienced hiker/local in Villa O'Higgins advised me against NoBo due to high water levels in the next few days regarding river crossings.<br /> <br /> Day 1: With a private transfer to Laguna Calluqueo I had to hike a few more kilometers to the end of Ruta X-901 because it is private land closed by a gate. The first two river crossings were a bit above knee and sometimes strong current. The trail after that in the forest is actually made for horses, there are a lot of obstacles like fallen trees, overgrown bush, swampy paths. It is particularly misleading when the RR and horse path separate because it is suddenly very strange without horse tracks. It has rained and with the snow melting, the paths and streams are almost indistinguishable. I make very slow progress through the obstacles.<br /> The river crossing (Ford km 66.5) was long but in the evening without any problems (knee-deep). The path afterwards RR-CC-A to the camp was steep uphill, but more pleasant than in the forest. As you can see, this trail is only for hikers and it was very rarely used.<br /> <br /> Day 2: It was CC up, across the border from Argentina &amp; back into Chile. At this time there are still many snowfields to cross and therefore Ford (km 71.8) was under the snowfield, which made it very precarious for me. The river crossing Ford (km 77.4) was up to my hips with a strong current, but is not dangerous. Overall, I was much faster because there were hardly any obstacles (only Fords and completely swampy meadow).<br /> <br /> Day 3: The way back from yesterday + 250m river crossing should be easy and pleasant like yesterday! But there was a strong headwind &amp; snow = snow confusion. Then there was the fog and the infamous white-out. My footprints from yesterday were already filled with fresh snow, but still recognizable. I didn't have a long break, so I reached the day's destination very quickly.<br /> Bored, I just carried on hiking and didn't find the way back in the forest from day 1 so bad. I got through all the obstacles surprisingly quickly with the following strategy:<br /> - I had put on remedies on the way out, it had helped a lot. And I run like a horse, don't think twice, just jump over obstacles. The path is made for horses.<br /> - The way back is from the top, the path is much easier to recognize.<br /> - New strategy: just follow the horse tracks, even if I leave the RR.<br /> In the end, I had completed the entire way back from two days earlier in one day. It was about 27km, only possible because it was mostly downhill (450m uphill, 700m downhill).<br /> The price for this strategy was scratches and mini cuts from knees to shoes, very unpleasant at every river crossing.<br /> <br /> Day 4: OH-TL-V to the glacier at Laguna Calluqueo. You have to cross the river right at the beginning, it was a bit over your knees but easy. After that it's a slow climb of almost 700m. There were only a few tricky places: mini path on the precipice or slippery downhill. Overall, the path was very easy to recognize and very pleasant to run. Water is only available again at km 3.5, so you should take your time and enjoy the trail at a leisurely pace.<br /> During the night, a tent pole broke and the tent was damaged. There are no outdoor stores in Cochrane and you can't buy a new tent. In addition, a section on RR-GPT35 from Tamango entrance through Patagonia Park was not yet open.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> <br /> *'''13.03.23 - 18.03.23 / Anna &amp; Christopher / SOBO, Cochrane - Villa O'Higgins / 5.5 days'''<br /> We camped approximately 3 km outside of Cochrane to get an early start on the first day. After walking some km we got pretty lucky and got two hitchhikes and were able to skip 41 km until km 53. The views in between were amazing though, especially Glaciar Calluqueo. The next day it was supposed to rain a lot until the afternoon. Therefore we planned half a day in the tent and went to a small simple shelter at km 65.8, that is indicated on Gaia.<br /> <br /> It didn't rain as bad as last predicted and we were able to continue around 2 pm. The weather got surprisingly good then. Nice stretch over the pass. We camped at around km 76 next to the river. All rivercrossings were all pretty chill, even with Anna beeing 1,63m. But there were tons of small streams, muddy pools and rivers to cross. We had no dry feet for 5 days. There were also lots of fallen trees to climb over/walk around from Puesto la Pampa until Lago Christie, therefore that stretch took us longer than expected. The trail between approx. km 105 to 107 is starting to get really overgrown. It was still wet from the rain and our pants were completely drenched after we got through there, even without rain.<br /> <br /> We met the settler at km 118.9. He even invited us in, but we continued on to make some more km that day and camped at km 122.9, which is a pretty nice spot at the lake.<br /> <br /> The next morning we had to slip into frozen shoes to continue. After another friendly encounter with the next settler, we were happy to reach the dirtroad, were it felt good to gain kilometers a lot faster again. We spent the night at the refugio km 148.7 with a fireplace.<br /> <br /> On our final day there were some fantastic views. Just when the road got more dull and we started our first brake after approx. 11 km, a car of the Carabineros passed and they took us to Villa O'Higgins. A pretty lucky section for us :)<br /> <br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''Feb. 2-8 / Zach + Veronica / 36H-Regular Packrafting Route / 7 days'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> I did the hiking parts of 36H with Veronica. After hitching the Carratera I had a windless late morning paddle from the Lago Esmeralda picnic site where a group of military were training in rafts. Veronica described the hike to Lago Alegre. To start Lago Christie, Option X would put you better in line with the wind which was strong, blowing straight through the narrow all the way to the cozy refugio at the otherwise blustery southern end of Christie. Just past Salto Pérez there are two rapids visible from the road. Putting in after those, Rio Perez was a scenic and swift ride with avoidable submerged trees all the way to Rio Mayer, which is stronger than it looks. I put in again past the first mortal rapid and rode straight to the take out before the second mortal rapid. The waypointed rapids in between were very challenging, almost flipping me twice. After taking out of Rio Mayer, I hopped the black fence for option 27. The minor roads in this area are undulating and steep but well maintained with painted guardrails, bridges, and directional signage at intersections. I had a pleasant conversation with one worker on ATV. I tried to do Option 27E but the wind was too strong on the lake in the evening and also the next morning. Backtracking, I paddled the pleasant Rio Briceño between the impressive falls near the lake down to another set of falls near the lower bridge (between[-48.2710, -72.492] and [-48.2726, -72.4772]). The wind on Lago Briceño seemed calm in the cove of the sheltered picnic refuge/dock (km 251.6), but around the corner a strong headwind turned me around. The walk to Lago El Salto had commanding views. Lagos El Salto and Cisnes both provided tail winds. The short trail between these lakes was overgrown and difficult to follow, but it was worthwhile to follow the trail as bushwhacking often led to spiky plant jail. Tailwind continued all the way to the O’Higgins bridge. I highly recommend El Mosco Hostal/camping.<br /> <br /> * '''2 to 8 of February 2023 / Véronica &amp; Zach / GPT36H RR SOBO / 7 days'''<br /> Route: Cochrane - Mirador Glaciar Colluqueo - Río Pedregoso - Paso La Picota - Río Bravo - Lago Christie - Río Mayer - Villa O'Higgins<br /> <br /> We stayed at Camping Calafate while we were in Cochrane. Great camping area with a kitchen, laundry service, hot showers, and wifi for 6,000 clp per person. The owner is very kind too.<br /> <br /> We were quite fortunate this section to enjoy good weather almost the whole way. We were able to hitch the first few km on the Carretera Austral. Then Zach packrafted across Laguna Esmeralda while I took the primary road on the RR to the east of it. Very little traffic on the primary road, and we walked most of it, only ended up being able to hitch a ride for the last 10 km or so, to the junction at 39.9 km where the RR becomes a minor road.<br /> <br /> At that point it was getting late, and we wanted to camp at the waypoint Lake, Camp {36H} [109.8/334] along the minor road. We set up our tents, but after it was dark, around 10:30 p.m., we were surprised by the arrival of a man with a dog and a horse. Talking with him, we realized he was the owner of the land we were on, and his house was right nearby (we hadn't seen it when we initially set up camp). He said it was ok and that we could camp here though, that we didn't have to move.<br /> <br /> The next morning, around 8 a.m., we packed our things and walked to the house, with the intention of thanking the man for letting us camp on his property. There were no signs of life around his house, so we assumed he might be still sleeping or was already out and about. So we left along the dirt road again. His dog followed us. We figured it would eventually return home. Afted ~6km, we were surprised by the settler coming at us down the road on his horse with his whip raised in a threatening way. He was very angry and upset at us about his missing dog, and initially thought we had taken his dog with us on purpose. We did our best to explain that the dog had simply followed us, we did not coax it or feed it, and that we were very sorry it followed us and had no bad intentions. After a bit of discussion, the settler calmed down and we were able to chat about where we were hiking and such. We seemed to part on good terms, but it wasn't a pleasant experience, and we wished we'd known that the land on the south shore of the lake where we camped belonged to a settler, and is not really a viable wild camping place. The GPS tracks only indicate &quot;buildings&quot; nearby, but that waypoint should say &quot;settler&quot; instead, and perhaps the camping waypoint by the lake should be removed. S 47° 30.166', W 072° 31.809' is where the settler house is.<br /> <br /> The rest of the trail went well. The views of the various glaciers were wonderful, and we had mostly good weather the whole way. Zach took Option 36H-B that necessitates fording La Picota. It was early in the morning and he was able to ford it with the water reaching his waist. I took the regular route further west, which was a bit steep on shale rocks at first, but easy to follow.<br /> <br /> The ford at km 77.4 was the most difficult ford in this section for me, the current was strong and cold and went up to my hips. Fording Río Bravo was easier, and we only did it once, next to the laguna. Option 36H-D had virtually no bushwhacking — there was a clear path to follow in the forest.<br /> <br /> There were regular water sources between Puesto La Pampa (km 83.9) and Puesto Tablas (km 98.4), as well as occasional good spots to camp.<br /> <br /> Once we got to Lago Alegre, I walked the regular hiking route east of the lake while Zach packrafted across with a good tailwind. Very beautiful trail, loads of crowberries and Calafate berries to eat too. I took Option 36H-G, where there is a large tree trunk you can walk across over the river. Zach packrafted Lago Christie as well, although the wind was much stronger in the afternoon. The refuge at the south end of Lago Christie is a good place to sleep out of the wind.<br /> <br /> The roadwalk to town was quite scenic, with a few refuges along the way. Zach took the packrafting route while I stayed on the minor road. I ended up walking all of it except for the final 8 km. There was very little traffic, and I didn't mind walking through the gorgeous landscapes.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> * '''Dec 2022 Frank'''<br /> There is a bus from Cochrane to Lago Brown twice a week (see transport section) Taking it to the junction with Route 901, a little after the bridge over Rio Tranquilo, will save a 34KM road walk.<br /> <br /> * '''GPT36H and Option 2 / Yannic &amp; Mirjam / 22-Dec-2022 / Southbound'''<br /> Regular Route to Option 2 We started from Cochrane and did the first part on the Carretera Austral by car stop. After that you get on a side road with very little traffic. We didn't have a car in 4 hours so we hiked. Then there was one that didn't take us, then nothing again. In the end we hiked everything. We wanted to spend the night at Laguna Confluencia (south at Camp 109.8/334). Unfortunately we were surprised by barking dogs, but could not see a house. We therefore returned to the road and spent the night a few hundred metres further ahead in the meadow. Next day on the Minor Road and Trail was nice and easy. We spent the night next to the Puesto Cayuqueo. From there we went through the forest, which is partly badly damaged by storms. Many fallen trees. But you can always find the way again. We then took the western route (not 36H-B). The river only has to be crossed once at a shallow point. Partly very sloping path, but easy to pass. We crossed Rio Bravo at the lagoon, which was even possible in the evening. We spent the night at the lagoon and hiked everything on the east side the next day. OH-CC&amp;BB-A {36H-D} was well passable. Nice place to camp near Puesto Tablas at S 47.92184 W 72.56781.<br /> <br /> Option 2 All went well and we were set for an &quot;easy&quot; exit via option 2 - which surprised us.... The path is up and down. Partly well passable and easy path, partly very overgrown (up to bush bashing). Although we had only light rain, the path was very marshy and matchy. We sank in up to our knees. Nice refugio with fireplace at the end of the trail. The Carreteral Austral is not very busy. Cars only come when the ferry docks in Rio Bravo. It is best to check the timetable in advance. Then you can wait comfortably in the refugio. El Mosco is perfect to wait for the ferry in O'Higgins. For us 6 days....<br /> <br /> * '''2022 Dec Frank 6 days mainly SOBO'''<br /> <br /> As weather was initially poor I split the section as follows: 1. Got bus from Cochrane towards Lago Brown, got out @ road junction near Rio Tranquilo bridge, walked NOBO back to Cochrane. 2. While I was waiting for the ferry in Villa O'Higgins I walked out about 25KM NOBO to Padre Antonio Ronchi chapel &amp; hitched back to O'Higgins. 3. I again got the bus towards Lago Brown, got out @ the same junction &amp; walked the central section of the route SOBO in 4 long days.<br /> <br /> 1. NOBO, nearly all on road. You pass by the 'mortal falls' on Rio Tranquilo (by the bridge) About 1KM further on the road was blocked by aggressive dogs who came up from a settlement about 800M off the road. I had to shout to the settler to call them off. Around 7KM out from Cochrane the road bends left at a metal crash barrier. I left the RR here &amp; went over the low crash barrier &amp; continued straight ahead on forest tracks, quicker &amp; nicer than the road. About 1KM from Cochrane you return to the road by climbing over a small wooden gate.<br /> <br /> 3. I walked on the road past Calluqueo glacier then on a trail. After the first puesto the track fades out among fallen trees. Camped by a ruined shelter. I crossed the river on RR the next day. La Picota crossing is for horses &amp; best avoided on foot. The RR crossing was easy. After the crossing continue straight ahead &amp; go up the far hillside, pick up a small trail going left above a bluff about 70 metres up. Continued over the 2 border passes. There are some cliffs you need to go round when descending the first pass . There will be snowfields early in the season also. I crossed Rio Bravo high up between two waterfalls, descended to cross it again by the lake, then stayed on LHS of Rio Bravo. No trail initially on LHS of river &amp; a lot of bush bashing over bluffs but judging by later comments the route may now be improved. I continued down to Lago Alegre. There is a settler just as you reach Lago Alegre. She was friendly &amp; allowed me to sleep in her barn. She radioed Ruben, the settler who lives on Lago Christie, to let him know I was coming. It's slow going round the lakes with lots of up &amp; down over bluffs. The hut between the two lakes had been used by sheep &amp; was not in v. good condition. I met Ruben about half way round Lago Christie. He was friendly but I continued on to camp by a ruined hut after descending from bluffs to the lake. I walked out the road to Padre Antonio Ronchi chapel &amp; hitched from there to Villa O'Higgins. There is a good hut on the road at the junction with the X905 road. Another hut further on but it's dusty. All other huts marked on the route are in poor condition or ruined, they are mostly good for cooking &amp; camping outside. The weather for the central section was good so I didn't have any problems. It's possible to hitch part of the road sections - traffic is sparse but they will usually stop. In both cases when you reach the road there is nothing, you need to walk out about 15KM &amp; then start hitching.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''GPT 36P/ Ruta de Los Pioneros/ Option Río Baker and Valle de los Ñadis/ Packrafting Route / 2022 Feb-20 / 9.5 days / Tobias Schorcht and Jonas Grünewald'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> I packrafted from Balsa Baker (Cochrane) 50km downstream. On this section I faced 2 rapids. The first one -47,41143, -72,90798 has to be paddled from the right side (between 2 rocks). After the river is united again, stay in the center to avoid the swirls on the right side. The second rapid (class 3) needs to be ported, at least the first 20m. At the confluence with Río de los Ñadis I left the River and met with Jonas. We took a 20km Roadwalk southwards and entered the Valle de los Ñadis. Unfortunately we didn’t had Jan’s new GPS Tracks in this Part and got kind of lost on day 2, because of a misunderstanding with a settler. Now we know, that the trail is all the way to family Caucamán on the right side of the valley. We shared a mate with Ariel Caucamán, who explained us, how to get to Lago Desplaye. Found the lake after some struggles with navigation and camped right next to it. Luckily there was only some wind the following morning, so we made it with my Packraft to the stunning Glacier. Followed the river bank of Río Desplaye down to Lago Allegre. I packrafted Lago Alegre and Lago Christie, while Jonas walked. I was faster because the wind was in my favorite. The weather turned really bad with strong wind and rain on day 8. We stayed in the Refugio (-48,20300, -72,33202) close to the airport and made a fire. Because of bad weather conditions we decided to walk on the road to Villa O’Higgens instead of discovering the lakes.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> * '''Martín Lizondo / 3-Feb-2020 / Regular Hiking Southbound'''<br /> At this date the route is perfectly traversable. The settlers are happy to receive visitors. Path well visible 95% of the time. No snow at the pass and no dangerous river crossings, but only some suggestions: 1. cross Rio Bravo only once (47º 47' 53,49&quot; S, 72º 31' 15,78&quot; O) and then continue on the east margin with some bush bashing, instead of crossing it multiple times; 2. consider crossing the dirty river of sector Alegre at 48º 2' 20,65&quot; S, 72º 29' 27,81&quot; O instead of the gps track regular point nearer to the house. Way to Villa O’Higgins, at the road, Julia Torres offers place for tent and great fresh food ( 48º 15' 41,47&quot; S, 72º 25' 43,52&quot; O ). Good luck and enjoy!<br /> <br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''GPT36H Regular Packrafting Route / Southern End: Laguna Clara to Villa O‘Higgins'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> 2020-Jan-08 1.5 days Meylin Ubilla &amp; Jan Dudeck<br /> <br /> The „Ruta de los Pioneros“ is one of the historic routes that was created and used by the first settlers in the last century. This route connected Villa O’Higgins with Cochrane long before the Carreta Austral was completed in the year 2000.<br /> <br /> The northern and the southern terminus; approx. 50 km on each end; are now upgraded to gravel roads. Only the roughly 100 km in the middle remain a classic animal trail made and created by people on horses to drive cattle.<br /> <br /> To bypass as much as feasible of these gravel roads we have investigated in recent years multiple alternatives on both ends of GPT36H. Especially with a packraft most of these gravel road kilometers can be bypassed on a very attractive combination of lakes and rivers with shorter portages in between.<br /> <br /> We now investigated and verified a route that first crosses the 2 km wide Lago Claro and than connects on an excellent 2 km trail to Rio Meyer. To continue either only cross Rio Meyer (like we did) or float downstream o. this river up to 4 km (alternative river exit to be scouted first!). An perfectly maintained trail leads then to Lago Biceño (2 to 6 km depending on only crossing Rio Meyer or floating downstream up to 4 km on Rio Mayer). Here a decision needs to be made depending on wind: either paddle a part of Lago Briceño or or continue walking 8 km to Salto on an scenic very well maintained trail (Alternatively a 6 km long trail connects from Lago Briceño to Lago Salto on a different route). After traversing 4 km on Lago Salto a 1 km short animal trail leads to Lago Cines. Once you reach Lago Cisnes it’s 13 km on a combination of lakes and rivers that gets you very close to Villa O’Higgins. Only the last 3 km into the village must be walked on a gravel road.<br /> <br /> We travelled this route in 1.5 days and really enjoyed the landscape, the excellent trails and the scenic paddling. Even in suboptimal weather this route is feasible and offers plenty of alternatives and escape routes. Therefore I will re-route the regular packrafting route of GPT36H to this route.<br /> <br /> Between Lago Claro and Lago Salto we discovered the best maintained trails of the entire Aysen region. Bridges cross even the smallest streams and all muddy areas are crossed on wooden passages. After years of hiking in this region this came as a surprise. But we also know why. These trails were not created to serve the public but a single family: los “Luksic”, the richest clan of Chile (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrónico_Luksic_Abaroa). They buy up huge plots of land in this region to create family resorts and as investments. The land between Lago Claro and Lago Salto is owned to my knowledge by this family. And they have the money to contract a large stuff to i.e. create and maintain trails on their properties. What was nice: when a group of 3 employees passed us on a trail on quarts they did not challenge us but gave use useful recommendations how to continue. Legally, access to lakes, rivers and the coast must be given in Chile even if the private property i.e. surrounds a lake but landlords can make it difficult anyway. To my knowledge all access routes from public roads a locked but since we accessed this area on water we did not have to climb over locked gates. Therefore this route seams to me suitable for packrafters.<br /> <br /> Multiple route variations are feasible that link in further lakes. Short bushwhacking portages might be required in this case but the landscape and vegetation seams generally more open than the Valdivian rain forrest on the Aysen coast. Someone can easily spend up to 5 days discovering other packrafting routes in this area.<br /> <br /> <br /> *'''11/12/2019 - les 2 As - regular hiking route'''<br /> <br /> Hi! We finished this day the section 36 from north to south. It took us 6 days without the last 37 kms on the road (we hitchhiked on this part). It was rough, we have had 2 days of bad weather (only rain at our altitude but it changes everything). You are isolated in the middle of nowhere and we met no one during 5 days. Officially no bush bashing but sometimes the path is barely invisible and unmaintained so hard to walk. From the 3rd day to the end, we have had many rivercrossings. Some were easy, some not and some also quite dangerous. With all the snow melting, the level of the river is very high and the current is strong (I do not recommand to try these fords without walking poles, these saved us). Same situation with the lakes we walked near. Their level is high and often the path was submerged and we had to walk litteraly in the lake (sometimes up to the waist). Luckily we met 2 cabañas (2 last nights) to dry our clothes and sleep under a roof. This made the section even more wonderful than it already was. A great experience!<br /> <br /> * '''2019 Dec / Olrik / Northbound'''<br /> <br /> From O'Higgins there are 50km on a dirt road to the beginning of the sendero. There are some open refugios on the way to sleep. you can also arrange a paid transportation from O'Higgins. Hitchhiking is possible but there is not much traffic. The sendero was in pretty bad shape due to the weather conditions. Muddy and flooded all the way near the lakes. We ended up turning back as we did not plan to walk that slow and did not have enough food, and we felt it was safer. We met Matthieu (see below) and they completed it so his report seems better. Puesteros are really nice though.<br /> <br /> * '''2019 Dec / Matthieu / Northbound Regular HR : 9 days'''<br /> A very difficil trekk for us. Lots of river crossings, sometimes unsafe, and we had very bad weather conditions that make us last 9 days on the trekk, with hitchiking 40 km after Villa and 30 km before Cochrane. It could habe been more rapid though, but we walked &quot;tranquilito&quot;. So I would recommend to take 10 days of food,and the chileans agreed with this.<br /> <br /> I wont talk about the routes parts, because just long and we hitchhiked most.<br /> <br /> So 1st Part : The 2 lakes : A very technical trekk, very aquatic. Sometimes we had to walk in the lake (not dangerous though), and the trail by the lakes is very hilly and muddy, and the progression can be very slow. It was for us, with mostly only rain. 1 dangerous rivercrossing : Before El Caleuche, Strong river but a big fat trunk above perfect for crossing.We didnt search for another way of crossing, so maybe there are some safe places by the water.<br /> <br /> On this part, a few puestos good for shelters : between the two lakes, a good caban with possibility of making fire and a roof of metal and walls, very nice, two beds of wood, we slept in it well protected. El Caleuche : at the middle of the Lago alegre, near a abandoned house. POssibility of fire, but not really a good roof. We slept aside in the tents. The place is really nice though<br /> <br /> 2 houses of settlers on the way : - Ruben at the beginning of the Lago Christie, always happy to have visitors and share a mate. - At the end of the Lago Allegre a little bit south west from the trail (a rivercrossing a bit strong to go to the caban, or a &quot;bridge&quot; called Bridge ?-4 on the GPS waypoints, with 2 trunks, that we took in the morning to go back to the trail. A bit dangerous though, better to let Carmen show you how to cross): Ringo y Carmen, amazing persons too who let us plant the tent and permitted us to warm with a good mate, a meal and a wonderful smile, during the Christmas night.<br /> <br /> 2nd part : Rio Bravo and the pass We thought that the worst was behind but we had more strong weather conditions in this part. A few advises for the rivercrossings of the Rio Bravo : I would advise NOT to follow the GPS tracks that follow the normal trail on GPS devices (that is made normally for horses). All the locals (local guides in villa o higgins, Ruben, Carmen and Ringo) were agreed and told us all to follow the east side of the Rio UNTIL the Laguna. The crossing here is very safe, the rio not strong nor profund at all, and you have to cross it ONLY ONCE, instead of 4 or 5 (dont remember). To stay on the east side, there is a little cross country by the forest, a little bit technical and slow but not dangerous, and you can camp at the laguna on the east side. We saw some cairns in the forest too, on the last hill before the laguna, so the locals indeed use this way. We (very badly) abandonned this plan and passed by the normal way just near the camping site west from the river before the Laguna (really bad weather, really bad decisions !) and the rivercrossings (3 I think) were, for me, very dangerous with strong current in profund water, but there was a lot of rain and wind, so I wont judge during good conditions. We were frozen when we arrived at the camping site. I was very angry at me though to not have listened to the locals and taken all those risks.<br /> <br /> For the pass, not very difficult, but we had (again) very strong weather conditions with even snow, and finished at the camp at the north side completely frozen. Know that it can be very exposed !<br /> <br /> Last Part : Rio La Picota After the camping : Two choices - Following the normal road, made for horses. The rivercrossing is completely impossible, unless you want to join the fishes. Even for horses I don't understand how they do it. The Waypoint &quot;Dangerous&quot; totally make sense. - The GPS tracks : perfect to follow, and finished by a beautiful trail of cairns by the cliff (the optionnal trail OH on GPS track), very safe. The river crossing this way is very safe, the river is extremely large, separated and never go far from the ankle.<br /> <br /> The rest we didn't have any technical difficulties. A trekk not to take lightly, and with much respect. Take advises to the locals before. Every one is happy to talk about it in Villa. They have the bad habbit to say that it's an easy way though !<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Nov-12 / Lea Geibel, Kevin Moe / 6 days / northbound / regular hiking route'''<br /> <br /> This was a tough section for us! It rained and it rained and it rained and the trail turned to mud and was pretty overgrown in parts. We took the optional Hiking route after reaching Rio Bravo heading South to the Carretera Austral because we didn't feel comfortable forging on, knowing there was a high pass that was probably getting tons of snow instead of our rain, and a &quot;dangerous river ford&quot; that we were afraid would be tok dangerous with flooding too. The snow-line appeared to drop as low as 700 meters one night! We made surprisingly slow progress because of the conditions (entire trail flooded knee deep and extremely muddy after 6 days of rain) - were glad to have extra food with us. On the bail out route, about 10km from reaching the safety of the Carratera there was a pretty big river to cross. It was swollen after all the rain and scary and nearly floated us away. From the Carratera we hiked about 20 minutes before catching a lift back to Villa O'Higgins<br /> <br /> ==Season 2018/19==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2017/18==<br /> <br /> * '''Route description by Kara Davis after Season 2017/18'''<br /> <br /> Walk through town and join Highway 7, a moderately trafficked dirt road. The Regular Hiking Route follows X-901, a beautiful but fenced dirt road that culminates in the view of a stunning glacier, for about 28 km until it ends at a blockade just after the Mirador Calluqueo. Along X-901 there are few residences but extensive fence line on both sides. At the end of the road, the route transitions into a braided single track trail that may be confusing to follow.<br /> <br /> Comment by Jan Dudeck: I recently changed the regular packrafting route of GPT36H. This change avoids 35 km of gravel and adds around 70 km of paddling on the two lakes and one river. It’s a big detour but adds impressive beauty. Note that paddling Lago Cochrane is very challenging as wind can be firce. Follow the regular packrafting route only if you are willing and prepared to possibly wait several days on the shore of Lago Cochrane if wind makes paddling this lake unsafe.<br /> <br /> The trail, called La Ruta de Los Pioneros since it is frequently used by the local people, occasionally passes run down refugios as it winds through the forest. At the beginning of the climb to the highest pass, the trail joins a glacial river. Eventually the trail leaves the river to the west and follows a higher route above the valley that is occasionally marked by stone cairns. The top of the pass is at approximate elevation 1.300 m. From this point, there are several kilometers of very exposed hiking among rolling hills.<br /> <br /> The track descends down to treeline at a small, unnamed lake which is the source of the Río Bravo. Join the river and cross it as necessary. There are some stone cairns that mark the way, but they can be hard to spot. When the route is unclear, just follow the river bed. Where the trail deviates from the river bed to the east, it becomes easier to follow. The trail soon climbs about 80 m and remains above Río Bravo. Here there is the occasional small area to camp. To reach Lago Alegre, the trail leaves Río Bravo and travels through an open forest.<br /> <br /> Packrafters put in for Lago Alegre at a red sand beach. In general, both banks are very steep and heavily vegetated, but there are some flat areas near the shore where it may be possible to camp. Take-out is located at a rocky beach on the southeast end. 100 m from the Lago Alegre shoreline is an intact refugio; if you look closely inside, you may spot the etchings of GPT trail blazers, Jan and Meylin.<br /> <br /> From the refugio, there is a well-formed track to Lago Christie. The Regular Hiking route around the east side of Lago Christie is generally easy to follow, but be aware of the occasional spurs that leads away from the main route. The track climbs and descends frequently as it makes its way around the lake and offers a beautiful view of several glaciers. Watch for the occasional stone cairn or red spray-painted arrow to indicate the way. Camping is possible in the forest.<br /> <br /> The route exits onto X-911, a well formed and lightly trafficked gravel road. X-911 ends at X-905, and hikers continue to follow this road for around 20 km towards VIlla O’Higgins. X-905 is fence lined most of the way with the occasional residence.<br /> <br /> Río Mayer is a big, no-nonsense river that is swift at higher flows. It does however mellow out where the GPS route indicates packrafters should put in (a small beach on the other side of the fence).<br /> <br /> The Regular Hiking Route follows the Carretera Austral into Villa O’Higgins.<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> *Villa O’Higgins<br /> <br /> The biggest thing to realize about Villa O’Higgins is that nearly all of the lodging and restaurant options only take cash and there is no ATM in town. The closest place to withdraw money is Cochrane which is a 9-hour drive. Fortunately, there are two grocery stores in town thatl take credit cards. Lodging options vary from camping to a bed in a hostel.<br /> 2024/Joscha<br /> I would recommend Los Cuatreros (-48.463589, -72.559946) and Los Coigues (-48.464742, -72.559453) for resupply. They are cheaper than the other supermarkets.<br /> <br /> *Supermarket on the square in Cochrane. Several shops in Villa O'Higgins.<br /> <br /> *Banco Estado on the square in Cochrane. The ATM was open on Christmas day.<br /> <br /> *Cochrane: Campsite run by Patricia half a block from the Plaza. She does a good breakfast &amp; also has Cabanas &amp; a 4 bed dorm.<br /> <br /> *Zapatoria Cochrane: Little Blue house North side of Dr Stefan's Street, above Rio Maitén street. -47.2541386, -72.5761942.<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> *There are no resupply options &amp; you should bring everything from Cochrane or O'Higgins. There are only two settlers living permanently on the central off road RR: A woman at Lago Alegre &amp; Ruben on Lago Christie. All other off road puestos are only used occasionally.<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> <br /> *There is a minibus from Cochrane to Villa O'Higgins on Monday, Wednesday &amp; Saturday at 8AM &amp; one from O'Higgins to Cochrane on Tuesday, Thursday &amp; Sunday @ 8AM. Operated by Buses Katalina, they have an office at the bus terminal in Cochrane. There is a minibus from Cochrane to Lago Brown on Monday &amp; Thursday at 11AM. It comes back from Lago Brown on the same days &amp; passes the junction with RR at about 2PM.<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT36H - Ruta De Los Pioneros]]<br /> <br /> =Images=<br /> [[Archivo:IMG 7500.jpeg|left|Puerto Yungay - Rio Bravo Ferry Timetable February 2024]]</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT36H_(Ruta_De_Los_Pioneros)&diff=119723 2025-01-24T23:58:40Z

<p>MiaimZelt: </p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;packrafting&quot;, as above):<br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD, WHAT IS ENCLOSED IN &lt;&gt; MAKES IT BLUE):<br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/nowiki&gt;.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Overview=<br /> <br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> * '''2025-Jan-20 to 2025-Jan-24 / 5 days Hiking / SOBO / RR + Option 36H-D/ MiaimZelt'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: Took the bus to X {36H} [33.9/336]. Got no hitch and had to hike 3 hours to Laguna Calluqueo. Ford {36H} [55.4/656] was easy and up to my knees. <br /> Same with Ford {36H} [54.8/650]. Puesto {36H} [57.6/667] (Calloqueo) was protected by an aggressive dog. Continued and camped in the forest. Heavy rain in the evening. <br /> <br /> Day 2: Fords Start/End {36H} [66.5/867] (Rio Pedregoso) was easy, only almost knee deep. Could not find the landslide that Sophie and Gaspar mentioned. Ford {36H} [78.6/888] (Rio Bravo) was a bit higher then my knees. Took option 36H-D to avoid to cross Rio Bravo two more times. Mostly i could follow a vague visible animal trail. <br /> Puesto {36H} [83.9/820] (La Pampa) was not locked and looked nice. Dicided to continue and camped somewhere in the forest.<br /> <br /> Day 3: From here -47.977178, -72.555534 to there -47.987679, -72.560694 the trail is definately very overgrown with 1-2m beech trees. Camped near this place -48.02468, -72.49029 nicely sheltered under trees. <br /> <br /> Day 4: Liked the stretch along both lakes very much. <br /> Refuge {36H} [126.1/512] (Entre Lagos) doesn't exist. -48.142506, -72.43804 collapsed shelter with a big and flat grassland. Would prefer to camp here instead because of better protection: -48.141492, -72.438798. After the shelter i struggled to find the trail. Got very windy in the afternoon. Camped here: <br /> -48.162321, -72.414155. There is good wind protection from the forest and a small stream next to it. But the shelter in the map is just some almost collapsed trunks if trees. <br /> <br /> Day 5: Again very windy. After 90 minutes hiking i reached the road. Very few cars passed. Refuge {36H} [148.6/464] is nice and has enough space to pitch a freestanding tent inside. But it has a corrugated iron roof, so probably waterproof. Refuge, River In {36H} [156.8/418] is ok, soil inside is sand. Found a open puesto here: <br /> -48.252049, -72.357653. It was in good condition, but looked abandoned. 45min later i got a hitch to Villa O'Higgins, before heavy rain started. <br /> <br /> * '''SOBO RR + OH 22A// hiking, hitchhiking // 6 days 7-12.01.2025 Maks &amp; Gabi'''<br /> <br /> Getting out of Cochrane was slightly problematic (hitchhiking) so we walked the first 5 km, but after leaving the main road, the 4th car stopped and gave us a ride until the Lago Calluqueo. <br /> <br /> We camped by Rio Pedregoso, left our backpacks there and went to see the glacier - a lovely trail, there are 3 streams on the trail but only in second part od the trail, it took us about 4hrs. <br /> <br /> Most of the fords were easy to cross, but some of the puestos looked abandoned (we haven't seen a human soul on that section). <br /> <br /> I don't think there is much to be added. The trail is slightly overgrown so that it is not always easy to follow. <br /> <br /> Again lots of annoyingly wind resistant horseflies 🙃 <br /> <br /> It might be quite hard to hitchhike the last +/- 50 km. We only saw one car after walking 7 km and we were lucky enough that they gave us a ride to Villa O' Higgins.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Dec-20 to 2024-Dec-26 / 7 / Hiking and &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / SOBO (circle) / RR + Variant E Options: 14, 14E (new option), 14D, 14A (new option) / Roman'''<br /> <br /> Successful investigation in Option 14 connecting Paso Mayer with Lago Burmeister.<br /> <br /> Route: Started in Cochrane and hiked to X {36H} [5.5/267] there i got the first lift. Overall it took me 3 lifts and 15km of hitchhiking. Followd the RR hiking with Variant E until Camp {36H} [110.9/500]. Packrafting to Lake, Refuge {36H} [213.2/527]. Got a lift to Border Control CL {36H} [222.6/449]. Hiked from there Options: 14, 14E, 14D and 14A. First to Border Control AR {36H-14} [191.4/480] then to Laguna Bello and Lago Burmeister and finshed at X {36H-14} [64.1/897] and got a lift to Gobernador Gregores and from there over Chile Chico to Cochrane.<br /> <br /> Started in Cochrane at 10:00 and hoped for a lift but didn't got one. You can also ask for a shuttle but I was told it was expensive so this wasn't a option. I guess you could gamble and just wait at X {36H} [5.5/267] for lift i hoked and reached the start of the hike at 16:00. The detailed information from Lilian Season 23/24 where really good. The first 3 fords where easy, there was a person at Puesto {36H} [53.1/611] and i camped at Ford {36H} [55.4/656]. There was no snow on the pass Border, Pass {36H} [71.5/1304] and Border, Pass {36H} [73.9/1225] so quite easy hiking. Camped at Puesto {36H} [83.9/820] (La Pampa) it was a nice place to pitch a tent - the Puesto was ok (see here: https://imgur.com/a/v2pPTK8). The next day was the only day where I didn't has sunshine and it was cloudy with 3 short rainfalls each ~10min. There were some people at Puesto {36H} [98.4/553] (Puesto Tablas). On that day was the only part where I would say the trail is overgrown- this is from -47.977178, -72.555534 to -47.987679, -72.560694 there is a trail but chest high trees which are especiallyin the rain annoyingas you get completely wet. The trail was good and easy to hike and I camped at Camp {36H} [110.9/500] which was good access to the lake and enough space for 2-3 tents. The next morning i stared Packrafting - wind forecast was good until 16:00 there wind with 23 km/h and gusts up to 40 km/h should set in from NW - so favourable. The Morning was super calm and it took me 4:20h for the 13km (avg. 3.0 km/h) to cross Lago Alegre. After the short hike from Lake {36H} [198.8/489] to Lake {36H} [200.5/525]. I started Packrafting at 15:00. The wind was favourable and I made fast progress especially with the strong wind it took me 3:00h for the 12.5 km (avg. 4.2 km/h). The waves at -48.173951, -72.427001 my limit and quite crazy. They calm down right after the turn. Same situation at -48.180342, -72.393292. So if the wind is that strong evaluate the situation critically. I camped at Lake, Refuge {36H} [213.2/527]. The Refuge is good for a fire or to cook but not to sleep inside. Until this point i would say the trail is in a ok to good condition. There a quite a few fallen trees but nothing major and all easy to hike except the 1km mentioned earlier so Overall good quality. <br /> <br /> The next day I got a lift to Border Control CL {36H} [222.6/449]. You need a Salvoconducto (https://www.pdichile.cl/tr%C3%A1mites-online/salvoconducto) you can request it 10 days in advance normally it takes between a few minutes to hours. Last year I also applied to it for the boarder crossing at Border Control CL {22S} [22.2/299]. But I never got one i event went to the local police before the trip. So i didn’t has a Salvoconducto at the Border. The PDI was very friendly and you have wifi there and we requested it together - and just got the approval email after 40min. They have given me Water, Tea, Biscuits and WiFi. They have given me a ride in the car to cross the Ford at -48.209796, -72.322273. From there i followed 36H-14 and 36H-14E to Border Control AR {36H-14} [191.4/480]. I took a slightly diffrent route which is in my Option optimized as it follows the main hose trail to Bridge {36H-14} [201.8/476] and after that the ond minor road and a shortcut at -48.242534, -72.23587 (there is also a bridge). This part can be found and downloaded below market as: GPT36H-14_14E.<br /> <br /> <br /> After that i started the investigation and hiked to Laguna Bello and camped here: -48.168916, -72.191267. There is no real trail only animal trails and CC and 250m of BB (i guess it can be circumvented. So overall quite easy to hike (3.1 km/h with 540m ascent). You have to jump the fence at -48.251191, -72.224694 ater that it's easy CC to this point -48.231692, -72.206461. There you enter the forest trough a small trial and reached a river visible on Topo maps and follow it: (https://imgur.com/a/KRGrwFD). After that it's CC trough the forest: https://imgur.com/a/ANahcO8. There is one ford at -48.219721, -72.202217 which is also a great place for a camp. CC continues all the way to -48.190151, -72.193122 there are quite a lot fallen trees. At -48.182434, -72.193504 is a short BB section 200m nit that bad just chest high trees - i guess this can circumvent if you hike a bit further west. The coordinates mark the end of the BB. The last 50m BB are here: -48.169691, -72.188992. After that you made it to Laguna Bello and absolutely stunning place to camp and hike: https://imgur.com/a/gjumzVL!!! The next day is awesome CC over the pass and down the valley there is water every few hunderd meters. There is a short swampy section here (300m -48.064146, -72.198477). All fords where below knee level and easy with one exception (will come later) you have to Ford here: -48.033639, -72.201987 and -48.029881, -72.202172. The Puesto at Refuge {36H-14} [90.7/1009] is a good place to pitch a tent but there is no water. The place itself is simple buy maybe even water proof as there is a plastic wrap as a roof see: https://imgur.com/a/mcizrYr. From there on is mostly a trail all the way to the end. It's south following the GPS. Sometimes the trail is not visible for e.g. if it's completely open CC but other that that I would say I got 80%. I camped at -47.968783, -72.187904 which wasn't very flat but manageable. The next day I connected the trail to GPT36H-14A end. The Ford Ford {36H-14} [79.6/902] is the only one which was knee high. It's a wide but not fast flowing river so easy to cross especially there is a treck for the cars: https://imgur.com/a/dqPamtM. To get a overall impression of the terrain: https://imgur.com/a/2I7gegk.<br /> <br /> After that i hiked to X {36H-14} [64.1/897]. And got a lift to -47.851658, -72.031836 (https://maps.app.goo.gl/HPkqayReiotCw2yP7) there is the registration for the Parque Nacional Perito Moreno. You need a reservation to get into the park and to have the huts booked. I guess if you just enter it's also fine. At this place is a open Bathroom and Free WiFi. The Ranger was nice and Helpful. There is no resupply. This and transfer could be arranged with Estancia la Oriental ( https://laorientalpatagonia.com/). While I was there (40min) 3 cars showed up. I got a lift directly to Gobernador Gregores (during the 1.5h dirst road 5 cars came in the opposite direction so i guess you always get a lift away within half a day) from where you can take multiple busses one is a daily bus which goes to Los Antiguos departure 16:30PM here: -48.755133, -70.255558 (https://taqsa.com.ar/). From there i went back to Cochrane.<br /> <br /> Overall:<br /> It's a absolutely beautiful and remote part of the GPT and I absolutely enjoyed it! It's nice and easy CC and if you like adventure, remoteness and CC without a trail is can highly reccomend it as you have great hiking access to a new area with this Option! I had food for 10 days with fairly fast hiking which was sufficient - i would reccomend doing this option only with a good weather window.<br /> <br /> Files (GPX and KMZ /// Tracks and Important Markers):<br /> <br /> GPT36H-14_14E: https://1drv.ms/f/s!AqzLweJ3NZW5tIZ5EBZfod3IqJ2B7Q?e=cl8pza<br /> <br /> GPT36H-14_14A_14D: https://1drv.ms/f/s!AqzLweJ3NZW5tIc7PQrXY25VQ5ywOA?e=ttbG02<br /> <br /> All tracks are also on Strava and general contact for questions: https://linktr.ee/RundW<br /> <br /> <br /> *27-11-2024 to 02-12-2024 / 6 days / NOBO / RR / Sophie and Gaspar<br /> <br /> We departed from Villa O’Higgins, where we stayed at the Los Pioneros campground, run by the very kind Pachi (highly recommended). Heading north, we followed the unpaved road for about a day and a half before joining the actual Pioneers’ Route. <br /> <br /> This trail is navigable 70% of the time, but vegetation has overgrown about 30% of the path (locals mentioned we were likely the first to pass through this year, which might explain the conditions). Locals also mentioned the possibility of crossing Lakes Christie and Alegre by boat. Since we intended to hike, we didn’t inquire further, but for those interested, this option exists. Only one permanent settler remains at Lake Christie: Don Rubén. We passed by his cabin, but unfortunately, he had already left for work that day, so we didn’t get the chance to meet him. On the third day, we reached the La Pampa settler site, where we camped in preparation for an early crossing of the Río Bravo. <br /> <br /> Crossing the Río Bravo at its source posed no issues for us, as this year’s snowmelt is delayed, keeping river levels low. We chose the OR route to ford the river only once. Although this path was slightly more challenging, it was worth it to avoid wet feet in the low temperatures. <br /> <br /> At Paso Picota, we encountered some snow, but it didn’t impede our progress. On the descent, however, the RR crossing of the first river was not passable, likely due to a landslide upstream. As a result, we followed the OR route, which runs higher and presented no problems. From there, we continued our journey to Cochrane without major difficulties.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Nov-06 / 3.5 hours (1 day including return) / GPT36H Option 22 Sendero Los Gatos / SOBO / Jan Dudeck'''<br /> <br /> This route is particularly useful for packrafters with a smaller open packraft that wish to travel GPT35 and GPT36H southbound. By only packrafting the more wind protected eastern section of Lago Cochrane the infamous windy “La Leona” sector of Lago Cochrane is avoided.<br /> <br /> Resupply can be arranged by hitchhiking or taking the subsidized bus 35 km back to Cochrane after paddling Lago Brown and Rio Tranquilo (this is part of the Regular Packrafting Route of GPT36H before reaching the trail head of Ruta de los Pioneros). This reduces travel time for packrafters and keeps the water proportion up.<br /> <br /> Route Description:<br /> <br /> Halfway between the Chilean Border Control of Pasa Roballo and the southern terminus of the Los Aviles Track (“Casa de Piedra”) is the “Camping Alto Valle”. This perfectly maintained camp ground offers about 8 shelters. The campground is situated 500 m away from the main road on a minor gravel road. This 6 km short gravel road continues towards Lago Cochrane. From this minor road start two trails: Sendero Los Gatos that leads all the way to Lago Cochrane and Sendero Lago Chico.<br /> <br /> Sendero Los Gatos can be used by packrafters to access Lago Cochrane in a somewhat wind sheltered sector next to Isla Victor. The track of Sendero Los Gatos is not part of the GPT track files 2024 but the trail head is signposted and route is mostly well visible.<br /> <br /> When visiting the beach I could see a few spots where a tent can be pitched for a night but I did not spot a really nice sheltered location where waiting two or three days would be delight (if the wind forecast makes it unlikely). So packrafters best descent to the lake on the day before attempting to cross Lago Cochrane.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> * '''2024-Apr-02 to 2024-Apr-07 / 5 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR - {36H-G} - RR - {36H-D} - RR / Lilian'''<br /> <br /> A beautiful section, especially from km83.9(Puesto La Pampa) to km66.5(multiple crossing), nice views with remote area, i love it so much!<br /> <br /> Because of late season, all the river crossing are super easy, only 4 place need to wet feet, all others can go around or rock hopping. Some of trail go in the water(lake, pond, pool) directly, but all you can go around by side trail, some CC or light BB.<br /> <br /> Snow still not a problem, snow start at 950m at south, and covered some of the trail above 1100m but didn't matter, i go around most of the snow easily. And didn't find any knee deep snow(maybe melted again), the deepest posthole just above ankle, easy walking. Because of lot of cairns at the area of two pass, so it is easy for navigation although some parts of trail is covered by snow.<br /> <br /> The most annoying is WIND. It is crazy windy almost everywhere except last day. The most windy part is at the second pass, i even can't open my eyes to look at the trail and walk on it straighly because of crazy freezing wind. (Be careful of hypothermia, crazy windy + rain/snow/after river crossing is horrible)<br /> <br /> My friend give me a 2hour ride from Villa O' Higgins to Lago Christie( X[142.0/550] ) , so i save about 50km road walking, a huge thank you to him!<br /> <br /> Km138.5 : shelter(-48.16236, -72.41397) made by woods, can cowboy inside when summer time, not rainproof but can be some wind protection. Can fit 2 tents outside with fire ring, some small stream flowing good with clear water just beside it. Weather protection by forest and the shelter.<br /> <br /> Km135.35 : old refuge(-48.14246, -72.43808), half of the roofs is collapsed, but still can provide some protection for emergency. Nice grassland for camping beside the refuge, can fit 3-5 tents with fire pit and rock seats, not much protection by trees or bushes. A river flowing good beside it, trail crossing it with wet feet, half of calf. It is the first wet feet point for me.<br /> <br /> Km134.1 : a lake, i cleared out a spot and camped here, some animals go to this lake and walking in it when midnight. It is very quiet and i heard the sound clearly. Not much protection, just some bushes here, not recommended with bad weather.<br /> <br /> Settler[132.8/525] : from here to Refuge[126.1/512], trail becomes very easy to follow and walk, it is a frequency used trail. Look like some people living here, but i met noone when i passed.<br /> <br /> Km129.3 : shelter(-48.11808, -72.48252) with just one side, weather protection by forest, can fit 1 tent here. A small stream flowing beside it.<br /> <br /> Refuge[126.1/512] : refuge(Puesto Entrelagos) already gone just left some woods here, and like Natalie said looks like someone wants to rebuild it. Some flat spots here can fit 2-3 tents.<br /> <br /> Lake[198.8/489] : Lago Alegre, a boat and a camping spot here, can fit 1 tent with fire ring and nice lake views but no protection, it is crazy windy when i was here.<br /> <br /> Km119.3 : junction of RR and {36H-G}, i go straight and didn't go to Settler[118.9/486](El Caleuche). It is easy to follow and walk on {36H-G}, but you need to climb over a 2m wooden fence at north.<br /> <br /> {36H-G} km3 : river crossing, cross it on a huge log easily.<br /> <br /> RR Km117.2 : flat spot(-48.02468, -72.49029) can fit 1-2 tents with weather protection by forest. A small stream flowing beside it.<br /> <br /> Km117 : river crossing, several logs crossing selection here, because raining and wet, so i crossed by the combination of multiple logs, it looks like more stability and safe. Huge flat area and grassland can fit many tents at both side of the river, weather protection by trees and bushes.<br /> <br /> Camp[110.9/500] : can fit 2-3 tents with lake views, easy to collect water, weather protection by trees.<br /> <br /> Then i did the short cut that Natalie said, from here walk through the open forest NW to the other valley(Río Bravo). It is completely CC or light BB on some animal path, fun and doable, but just recommend on good weather, otherwise you'll soaking wet by bushes.<br /> <br /> Río Bravo is a grey water river, better collect water from some small stream.<br /> <br /> Km104.3 : a small stream(-47.97355, -72.55419) flowing good with clear water, small flat spot can fit 1 tent after crossing.<br /> <br /> Km103.95 : camping spot(-47.97095, -72.55524) can fit 3-4 tents with fire ring.<br /> <br /> Puesto[98.4/553] : Puesto Las Tablas, huge and beautiful grassland for camping, refuge is a small cabin, have a wooden bed, bench, fire pit and some dry wood sticks (for burning) inside, it is possible to sleep inside with a warm fire night, good wind protection but not for rain. Didn't see any water nearby.<br /> <br /> Km95.05 : cross a stream with a small waterfall, it'll be completely wet by the waterfall if cross at trail, so I climb to upstream and rock hopping for dry feet.<br /> <br /> Puesto[92.3/660] : Puesto El Burro, large grassland but most of them are steep, only small grassland beside the refuge is flat for camping, can fit 2-3 tents with table and fire ring, refuge is a tiny cabin but half of roof is already collapsed, can fit 1 small single person tent for some protection if bad weather, a small stream flowing with clear water 200m before here. Very windy when i was here.<br /> <br /> Km85.4 : easy and beautiful walk start!<br /> <br /> Puesto[83.9/820] : Puesto La Pampa, large grassland for camping, refuge is a small, nice and clean cabin, have 2 wooden bed, wooden seats, table and fire pit inside, it is a nice place to sleep inside with a warm fire night, good wind protection but not sure for rain. Just like Natalie said you also can pitch a small tent inside. Tiny stream flowing low just in front of the refuge. Have a open toilet with views at here too.<br /> <br /> Fords start/end[81.3/854] : rock hopping.<br /> <br /> Then i take {36H-D} instead of RR, save 2 times of wet feet crossing of Río Bravo, it is doable and sometimes have an animal path(old trail?) to follow, but easy to lost the path, and overgrown at some part you need to BB, I'm not sure it can save time or not, and only recommend in good weather, otherwise you'll be completely soaking wet by bushes.<br /> <br /> Ford[78.6/888] : river crossing of Río Bravo, the second wet feet point. I crossed it at 50m downstream(-47.79880, -72.52101) where the river breaks to 2 parts by island. First part easy rock hopping, second part is just above ankle, the water is grey so i didn't see through the bottom, otherwise I'll throw some rocks for hopping to keep my feet dry.<br /> <br /> Ford[77.4/981] : i follow some cairns and crossed it much downstream with rock hopping. It is a beautiful viewpoint for waterfall and the glacier at west! Snow starts here.<br /> <br /> Ford[75.4/1023] : easy rock hopping, look at the rocks underwatee here, the west side of valley is white colour, the east side is red, amazing!<br /> <br /> Border,pass[73.9/1225] : snow here, but still not problem, go around them easily, or just above ankle posthole. A beautiful lake looks like good for camping 200m before here, but just for good weather because very exposed.<br /> <br /> Km72.9 : between two pass, before the second pass you need to go in a wide riverbed, but snow covered the water. You know there is water flowing, you can hear them flowing, but you can't see them. And the snow(bridge) is not thick, not stable enough to walk on them directly, so it take me some time to find out which part is water, which part can walk on it.<br /> <br /> Ford[71.8/1262] : snow covered most of the river, and river flowing a little wide here(can't step over), take me some time to find the way to go on it.<br /> <br /> Border,pass[71.5/1304] : crazy crazy crazy windy, beautiful views but too windy that i can't open my eyes to look. It is the first time for NOBO to see Cerro Los Mellizos(black sharp tower mountain) at here. Mostly you can arrive there after 1 day. North of here lot of snow but still doable and navigation with lot of cairns easily.<br /> <br /> Camp[68.4/1089] : can fit 2-3 tents with log seats and fire ring, some(not much) weather protection by trees and bushes. Stream flowing nearby. Then i continues RR.<br /> <br /> Km68.1 : flat area(-47.72665, -72.49681) can fit many tents with amazing glacier views, but no protection. Stream flowing here, also old fire pit beside a tree. Still lot of snow here.<br /> <br /> Water[67.3/1041] : snow end and i didn't see any water here. I took RR for going down, it is actually a trail, easy to follow. But some point is steep and a little landslide, walk easily when dry, but maybe a problem if wet or covered by snow.<br /> <br /> Fords starts/end[66.7/867] : old camping spot with fire pit 100m before here, nice view but no protection. River breaks into many streams at here, I took about 20min total for putting rocks in streams separately for all the way dry wet crossing by rock hopping.<br /> <br /> Km65.85 : shelter(-47.70890, -72.49466) with 1 side protection in good condition, nice for cowboy under it when summer. Flat spot can fit 2-3 tents with fire ring just beside it. Trail easy to miss it because covered by some trees.<br /> <br /> From here to km53.2(road), HURDLE RACE start! At least 500 blowdowns you need to step over. No climbing, just step over, easy to walk and follow but muddy and blowdowns, you know that.<br /> <br /> Km64.45 : camping spot(-47.69803, -72.49788) under trees, can fit many tents with fire pit and log seats, weather protection by forest.<br /> <br /> Km64.05 : i cleared a flat spot(-47.69555, -72.50008) for a single person tent, with great lake, mountain views and i stayed here for 18 hours because of snowstorm, just beside the lake so it is easy to collect water. Weather protection by forest, but if the wind comes from south then nothing help. If you have 15min more, i think can fit one more single person tent here.<br /> <br /> Km61.95 : junction of RR, {36H-A} and {36H-05}, easy to miss. Pay attention to wood cutting trace on ground.<br /> <br /> Km58.45 : swamp area full of water, you can jump(a huge jump) over it for dry feet. After swamp is a river crossing by narrow log, after the crossing don't go away immediately, looks inside the river, lot of beautiful green water plants here!<br /> <br /> Puesto[57.6/677](Calloqueo), Puesto Cayuqueo, refuge is locked, looks like no more people until next summer, because the gate nearby is completely locked by wire too. Beautiful grassland for camping at here, and a shelter with fire pit inside too. Easy to collect water because just beside Río Pedregoso, at here Río Pedregoso still a clear water river.<br /> <br /> Fence[56.5/657] : it is a gate and completely locked by wire. Climb it at right side just wooden fence, at left side is barbed wire with fence. Huge exposed grassland with views in this area.<br /> <br /> Ford[55.4/656] : third wet feet crossing, also is the deepest crossing at late season April. Looks like above knee at trail crossing, better go upstream 10m walk on the red rock bar, it is flowing very fast but just above half of calf, easy crossing. Flat area for camping at both side of river.<br /> <br /> Ford[54.8/650] : crossing a grey water river, so better collect water before it joins main river. Trail crossing looks like up to half of calf, better crossing point at downstream just before 2 river combined, rock hopping there. But be careful for rock hopping, rocks not stable and rolling there, also a pool looks deep just at downstream, don't slide!<br /> <br /> Km53.85 : nice flat spot(-47.62754, -72.46476) can fit 2 tents just beside the trail. Looks like camped by someone before.<br /> <br /> Ford[53.7/630] : river breaks into 3 parts here, the first and third part is easy rock hopping. The second, main part above ankle at trail crossing, easy. It is the fourth, also the last wet feet crossing.<br /> <br /> Puesto[53.1/611] : didn't see anyone when i passed here, but looks like still in using because lot of cooking equipment is outside the refuge. The refuge is not locked but I just take photos and didn't go inside. Can be emergency use for bad weather.<br /> <br /> After here, all the way road walking.<br /> <br /> Km49.25 : viewpoint(-47.59724, -72.49715) of Laguna Calluqueo, Glacier Calluqueo, Cerro Los Mellizos and Monte San Lorenzo o Cochrane. I camped here, with a 2m rock wall that covers the wind from south, also lot of things can hold my tent's line. A super beautiful spot with amazing sunrise coming up from the glacier!<br /> <br /> The next morning i saw a bus coming to here, that i met it before outside Cochrane tourist information, so maybe possible to arrange a shuttle at Cochrane for SOBO?<br /> <br /> Km48.5 : Glacier Calluqueo Camping Spot(-47.59382, -72.49962), i look it from high on road, looks like no views but covered by some trees with protection, can fit 2-4 tents with log seats.<br /> <br /> Bridge[46.2/394] : Puente Calluqueo, camping spot after the crossing at downstream, can fit 1-3 tents with fire ring.<br /> <br /> The next 2 Danger waypoint i didn't understand, it looks like very safe walking on the road?<br /> <br /> After 10 minutes i hitched a car to Cochrane, this is the second car i saw in that day. They also take me to Lago Brown and followed {36H-23} to viewpoint(-47.46236, -72.38094) of Cerro San Lorenzo, huge huge huge thank you to them!<br /> <br /> Lastly i stayed at Calafate Camping in Cochrane, 6k CLP for camping, good spot with nice refuge(kitchen), hot shower and clean toilet. You also can camping under some shelters if bad weather.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Mar-19 to 2024-Mar-23 / 4.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + OH 24A + 02 + 04B / Joscha'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: RR [5.5-50.0] + OH36H-24A to the Glacier and back<br /> <br /> I got a hitch to the junction at km 5.5. From there I walked for about 2 hours until a car took me to the junction at km 33.9. There is a fence between Rio del Salto and the RR. At the Danger Waypoint (km 43.2) is the fence broken down and the river is accessible. I got a 3rd hitch from there to the Calluqueo Glaciar. I took OH36H-24A to the glacier. Its a good trail, but mostly through forrest without view. Around km 3.0 you can see the glacier + the lake. Its really nice. At the end of OH36H-24A you get a close-up look at the Glaciar. There is a lot of water between km 3.5 and 6. At km 4.1 is a decently flat spot for camping. I camped at km 49.7 next to the RR. I would not recommend the spot in a windy night.<br /> <br /> Day 2: RR [50.0-79.9]<br /> <br /> There was snow above 1000 meters. Around the Bourder/Pass Waypoints the snow was more than knee deep. It was possible to do it without any snowgear, but it took some time. There was plenty of water along the RR and all Fords were max. knee high.<br /> <br /> Day 3: RR [79.9-107.3]<br /> <br /> The RR crosses lots of small streams, so there is plenty of water. Puesto at km 83.9 can be used as shelter and has a open outhouse. I camped at km 107.3 on a flat meadow.<br /> <br /> Day 4: OH36H-02 [0.0-26.6]<br /> <br /> The first 2 km of OH36H-02 are more CC than a trail. After that the trail is easy to follow and in good condition for about 5-6 km. Than the trail starts to become overgrown and later very muddy. Therefore it wasn't to much fun walking this trail. But the valley offers some nice waterfalls and snowy mountains. There was plenty of water and fords were easy.<br /> <br /> Day 5: OH36H-02 [26.6-29.0] + OH36H-04B [122.5-132]<br /> <br /> I hiked about 2 1/2 hours along the Carreterra Austral until a group of cars passed me and one of them took me to Villa O'Higgins.<br /> <br /> * '''2024 Mar 6 to 2024 Mar 12 / 7 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR / Maddi and Tom'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: Got the public bus from Villa O'Higgins to Lago Christie at 11am, paid 600 CLP per person. Apparently it comes every few days. We were the only ones on it so the driver dropped us at the trailhead. There is a big sign and a picnic table at the start and the trail is pretty clearly defined. Hiked along Lago Christie and camped at the Northern end at a clear spot on the sand.<br /> <br /> Day 2: Kept following a clear track to Lago Alegre. Passed the settlers but noone appeared to be home. Had lunch on the lake at a nice pebbly beach (-48.03641,-72.49016), had a swim and Tom caught a rainbow trout to eat. Had a relaxed day hiking and camped at the very northern end of the lake (-47.98559,-72.53109). Tom caught another trout for dinner. Two others hiking joined us later that night as it was a good camp spot with lake access.<br /> <br /> Day 3: Tom caught another trout for breakfast before we started hiking for the day. Rain started getting pretty heavy making the track quite muddy and it was very cold. Had lunch at Las Tablas to get out of the rain. Sun came out so we continued on, although it didn't last. Since it was raining heavily and I was getting very cold, we camped next to El Burro for the night.<br /> <br /> Day 4: More rain in the morning. Packed up and hiked to La Pampa for lunch. Got a weather update and it was looking bad for the next day (heavy snow and wind) so we decided to camp at La Pampa. Spent a nice afternoon in the sun with a fire going. The two hikers we camped with before also stayed there that night.<br /> <br /> Day 5: Woke up to heavy rain and wind so stayed in bed until 11am, not wanting to cross the pass in these conditions. Snow started around lunch and was heavy enough to stick. Got a weather update and it was looking sunny for the next day so decided to wait it out. Hiked up the river around 5pm to do the river crossing and then camped at the base of the pass at (-47.79854,-72.52191). Started snowing just as we went to bed.<br /> <br /> Day 6: Got up early and started up the pass. Lots of snow and ice made it quite slippery but manageable. Had to watch out for the black ice on all the rocks around the river. The snow concealed any tracks but wasn't difficult to navigate with my watch. Snow was about knee deep at the top of the pass. Came down the other side with awesome views down the valley. Took the detour to avoid the river crossing above the canyon. Detour is steep uphill but is worth it as where we ended up crossing didn't even get our shoes wet. Did see a dead horse there though that must have been washed down the canyon. Had lunch near the fallen down puesto on the river. Was nice to get some sun after so many days of rain and snow. Continued on and camped at Glacier Calluqueo.<br /> <br /> Day 7: Started walking along the road hoping for a hitch. Was actually very hot. Managed to get a ride after about an hour to Cochrane.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-28 to Mar-03 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Matthias'''<br /> <br /> Took transport till end of road near glaciar Calluqueo (Jonathan +56940246832, 65000$) as I wanted to walk the pass before the predicted snowfall sets in. Traverse was quite tedious cause of the rainy and cold weather. Met Natalie and Luca halfway, hi :-) Did not meet anyone else during 4 1/2 days! Was accompanied by a smelling(!) dog (of Ruben?) from the camp at Lago Christie until next morning near Rubens house. He slept a bit windsheltered next to my tent - it was cold and a lot of wind! Keep in mind (I didn`t) that once you have reached Lago Alegre there are still 2000hm to go uphill before you reach the MR!<br /> <br /> Campsites: <br /> 300m before Camp km68.4 on a +-exposed meadow with glaciar view,<br /> in front of Puesto ElBurro (rainshelter inside and a table outside), <br /> Camp km110.9, <br /> on the shore of Lago Christie km 129 just before the path leads uphill in to the forest (a bit wind protection by bushes and Wood)<br /> <br /> Did a shortcut between ca. km103.5 and km 100.5. Sometimes good trail, sometimes obstacle course over fallen trees. <br /> Was very lucky with transport to Villa O`Higgins. Got a motorcycle ride all the way from the refugio at km148.6 at 6 pm with a short detour to the border at Rio Mayer. Stayed in Hostal Rio Mayer in Villa O`Higgins (very friendly and talkative, no internet).<br /> <br /> 28-Feb-24 to 03-Mar-24/4days/ Hiking/ NOBO/ RR/ Natalie &amp; Luca<br /> <br /> Took a few days off to reconnect with an old friend in Villa O'Higgins and then decided to take him for a test trial on the GPT.<br /> <br /> With the help of Martin from Mosco we found out the day we left was the day the subsidized bus leaves from O'Higgins to Lago Christie. Left around 1130 and got to the TH ~13:00. The bus only goes 4x a month and it went twice in the last week of February, not sure how it is organized. Only 3500 each. <br /> <br /> A little bit of rain the first day and a lot of rain/snow at the end. The trail was fun, mellow and in good shape, next to no mud. We met Ruben and all of his animals (cutest puppy atm). He offered a camping spot but I am sure the dogs would be all over you at night. We camped at the beginning of Allegra near Refugio entre lagos (NO refugio), -48.09404, -72.49798. At this moment there is no shelter but it looks like someone is working on one, there is a boat at the lake. There is a creek with only still puddles of water so we drank from the lake. <br /> There are few nice camping spots along both Christie and Allegra that are not marked. Did not stop to fish :(. I heard Margarita is in O'Higgins atm. <br /> <br /> We made a short cut to avoid the big intersection near Puesto 107. We cut off after camp 110 and ended ~800m near a river camp marked on osm. It was easy and mostly open forest, mainly just a quest to stay on the best animal track as there are a few of them. We basically followed close to where the hill is but not too close bcs that is where the bush is no good.<br /> <br /> Camped outside Puesto 98.4, Las tablas. It had no water so fill up before of just go down to the river.<br /> <br /> Met Matías - Hi Matías! Even though we were both trying to beat the rain I very much enjoyed the conversation/laughs!<br /> <br /> When we got to Puesto 83.9, La Pampa, the rain just began to start and even though it was only lightly raining at the time the forecast was not good for the evening so we decided to stay and enjoy the early day and nice Refugio. The weather got increasingly worse and very strong overnight with snow in the morning. The Refugio is large and clean. It has a fire pit in the corner, an outhouse, extra blankets and tarps, a good table and lots of tools and pots if needed. No other puesto compared. There were only a few small leaks during the night, we pitched a tent inside for added warmth. <br /> <br /> The next morning there was a lot of fresh snow and it was still snowing with strong wind at times - so the pass was interesting. We took variant D to avoid the Rio Bravo fords and got soaking wet in the bush, it wasnt very clear where the trail was, needed the GPS. Although the Rio Bravo was very calm and shallow (barely to my knees, 167), the snow made it too cold for my liking. If one is curious about camping on the other side of the river, I think you can make a camp, there are lots of flat spots but not so much wind protection. There were camping possibilities throughout the pass as well. As for the pass, &quot;most&quot; of the trail was not covered by snow bcs the water was flowing down the trail therefore navigation was still okay, a bit harder between passes. Of course the weather improved at camp 68.4...<br /> <br /> I know Tomáš managed the La Picota river and it made me curious to try but it made no sense to go for it, the RR that follows the west is an easy trail and the fords afterwords were almost (all but one) jumpable. Sadly what I read about &quot;la playa&quot; is true, there was a dead horse (pieces of it) at the start of the fords, it seemed rather recent so I guess the La Picota ford still kills. <br /> The Refugio after the fords is just a &quot;lean-to&quot;. The trail afterwards is okay, starting to get muddy but not bad. A nice camp is possible at -47.66704, -72.50032 bcs of the beautiful view but there is no water, actually not many places to stop between ford and puesto 57.6. We Camped at Puesto 57.6 and met Antonio, super lovely man and we had breakfast with him the following morning. In return I gave him the rest of my walnuts and peanuts, hopefully that was enough. There is not much of a shelter there, teepee style, but you can camp under the trees by the river. His dogs are annoying, got into my food bag while we were talking and then never left us alone. Really nice camping just before his puesto in a big clover field.<br /> <br /> Next day super quick walk out to the view point and then got a hitch down to Cochrane easily, lots of people on a cloudy Sunday afternoon. <br /> <br /> * '''24-Feb-24 to 2024-Feb-27 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR, Variant B, Option 2 / Tomáš'''<br /> <br /> Having parted ways with Natalie, who had other commitments, I was not able to get a taxi to end of road so I started walking and hitching at noon. Second car took me for about ten km, then I was passed by ten cars in an hour and then got a hitch to the viewpoint three km from end of the road with a guide going to guide a group to the glacier (they go there by boat!). Our car's engine failed 4 km before the destination, but after 5 minutes a passing car took us there. Mount Cochrane is impressive. I ate there and in an hour another two cars passed, one probably from the puesto further on. It was a Saturday, still vacation period and a beautiful day, it seems hitching is promising under such conditions there. The road is in a very good condition and easily scalable by a non 4x4 car.<br /> <br /> The puesto at 53.1 had barking dogs and seems used (maybe a settler?), I did not see it though, it is in the trees. All fords were easy and shallow: definitely under knees. In the beginning there are multiple trails, RR probably has the best route. You cannot avoid fording, I tried. After about ten km, the trail stops being ambiguous. Took variant B (which is mostly a trail, not CC) and slept above the &quot;dangerous ford&quot; (would have been better to stay 500 m lower at the end of the flats). It indeed sounded and looked dangerous after such a hot day. In the morning, I realized the trail to the ford eroded and horses probably cannot go there anymore. A pedestrian still can. The ford was much calmer, very cold but under knees and not strong. I forded it six times unfortunately with bare feet - first to try, than with my backpack and then with my forgotten phone. It hurt even if it is just 5 metres. Going up from the ford, the trail goes to the left of a small stream on top of a small ridge, do not follow the stream as I did. The CC section thereafter is mostly a trail, only invisible on river flats and for about 20 metres in the pass. Going down from the pass, the trail is above the GPX for several hundred metres, going straight and not zigzagging. Rio Bravo was tame after dry weather and at the end of summer, so I took RR. The fords were easy, well under my knees. Puesto el Burro at 92.3 would be a nice place to camp. Utterly scaring a lonely large bull, I pushed to Puesto Tablas, which has a roof that protected me from drops of rain.<br /> <br /> Puesto at 107.4 looked nice and standing, not sure if it was locked, by any means very nice place to camp. I did not notice the &quot;bridge ?&quot;. The ford was mellow, wide but ankle deep. Option 1 at least to variant 01J is actually a used trail, the bridge on it is over a marsh, not sure why it is a waypoint. Decided to take option 2 thinking I would get an easier hitch on Carretera Austral and trusting others who did not like the lake part that much and hating mosquitoes. The first part to variant 01I is partly a cow trail, partly a BB through open forrest. Take 01J instead, should be a clear trail and the ford should be as easy as the one on RR. From there on, 8 km to an unmarked ford through a first creek marked on OSM (it originates from a lake on map, the trail is clear and looks used. 02A was overgrown after 100 clear meters, so do not take that (I did not see the other end of it either and I looked). From the ford, the condition of the trail worsens for 7ish km to camp at 16.4. It is partially overgrown, occasionally with thorns. There is still space for legs, but arms are needed to clear the way. This portion is also mostly over open tundra-like terrain above the river. It is a bit marshy but not much after dry days. The views are splendid! Somebody with a machete would have fun here. Took option 02B, which I think is the actual trail, but it is hard to tell as it goes through a marsh there. Overall the overgrown part is maybe 2-3 km. Puesto Chirola at 17.6 is actually an abandoned settler house, still locked but in heavy rain you could probably get in through a window, the roof is still mostly ok. I slept there, with dusk mosquitoes appeared.<br /> <br /> It rained during the night and probably because of that, the trail got muddy. It is however being used and mostly clear and mostly easy to follow. Refuge without water is without water. It is meant for cyclists and is in good condition. It would sleep easily four people amd uneasily double that. It is always well ventilated with always open windows (rain should not get through), so probably no need to fear the mouse virus. The occasional tundra, wetness and continous rain with occasional glimpse of a glacier finally made me feel like I am in proper Patagonia. On the Carretera, there are not many cars. Started walking and hitching at three PM. As the road is divided by a ferry, cars pass you at (in high season) 2-hour bursts of at most 8 cars, as I was informed by the one passing cyclist. The first burst was just three cars and two motorcycles and they all passed me. It is actually a one lane compacted road where cars in opposite directions must avoid each other. No luck with second burst of three cars. Finally a second car from the third burst took me after 4 hours on the road. The second refugio around km 35 did not look as nice.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-13 to 2024-Feb-18 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Yannick &amp; Nolwenn &amp; Tess &amp; Lukas'''<br /> <br /> - Trail condition : good condition, a lot of fallen trees that slows you down but not really bad / the trail was not muddy as we had good sunny days <br /> - Water : lots of rivers and lagunas <br /> - Camping spot : the refugio at km 126,1 has been destroyed by a tree so we camped closer to the lake amongst the trees // at km 148,6 The refugio is really nice, we could make a fire and have a great night before heading the next day to O'Higgins on the long gravel road <br /> - Weather : sunny and a little bit of rain <br /> - River crossing : easy, the river Bravo was not too high and not too strong so we didn't take the variant D<br /> - Resupply : in Cochrane everything you need<br /> - Overall : we were lucky to have an easy hitchike for the first 20km and for the last 7km // we also liked this section that offers really different landscapes and you feel really remote<br /> <br /> * '''From 2024-01-06 to 2024-01-12 // 6,5 days // Hiking // NOBO // RR + OPT D // Quentin Clavel'''<br /> <br /> After the small part in the forest, I followed the gravel road, which began to be nice from the Laguna la Clara. Some nice miradors along the roads, especially the last one, salto Rio Perez, which was pretty impressive ! <br /> <br /> Then you begin the track los Pioneros. Pretty easy to follow, a bit muddy, but I thought it would have been worse, the last sunny weeks made it dryer than expected. <br /> <br /> From there, it's a sequence of up and down, with amazing views, on Lago Christie then on Lago Alegre, surrounded by mountains. <br /> <br /> Some easy bushbashing which is more like cross country at the end of Lago Alegre to arrive along the Rio bravo. <br /> <br /> The you go along the Rio bravo until cross it. I took the option D to avoid to cross it three times, it's bushbashing but pretty easy to follow as there's a kind of path which was created to go around the small cliffs, and have to cross rio bravo only once. <br /> <br /> On the section, at this time, I haven't got any problem at all to pass the rivers who were pretty low and with weak current. <br /> <br /> Then I arrived in the mountains and that was just amazing ! Even with an uncertain weather and lots of clouds ! <br /> <br /> I had an amazing bivy in front of the impressive calluqueo glacier then it was the looong Gravel road to Cochrane, but really scenic ! <br /> <br /> During all the section it was easy to find water as there's water everywhere ! Some nice camp spot too. <br /> <br /> Mosquitoes and these spiky plants who stay scratched to your shoes and socks are the only annoying stuff. <br /> <br /> Plenty of crowberry and Calafate on the track. Delicious and perfect snacks on the road ! <br /> <br /> Last but not least, if you've always dreamed to try hurdles in athletism, this section is for you ! You'll have to pass threw hundreds of fallen trees ! Enjoy ! <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-01 to 2024-Jan-08 / 7.5 days / NOBO / Villa O'Higgins - Cochrane / RR and Option 36H-D / Alex &amp; Christophe'''<br /> <br /> We really enjoyed this section, especially the part of the pass, with awesome views on glaciers and mountains. We found the 2 lakes part nice but less impressive.<br /> <br /> For us, the most difficult with this section was to walk with heavy backpacks and to deal with the hundreds of mosquitoes on the camps near the two lakes. We had the chance to have dry trails most of the time and it helped us a lot. If it rains a lot before you start this section, you will need more time because the trail can get muddy really fast.<br /> <br /> After the first 9km in the forest, we tried to hitchhike from Villa O'Higgins to Lago Christie but we weren't lucky and couldn't find a car on a 1st of January. We only had a lift the second day for 15km by the carabineros. There is nearly no car passing on the X905 road so plan a day or two of extra food if you plan to hitchhike here. Taking a private transport to Lago Christie could also be a solution but it's expensive (about 70'000 CLP according to Martin from El Mosco in Villa O'Higgins).<br /> <br /> There is not much to say about the 2 lake part, we found the trail easy to follow and some nice shelter along the route. Apparently, there is a lot of trout in Lago Alegre. We didn't try to fish since it was raining but we let a peanut butter jar with a spoon (hook) and some fishing line rolled around the jar in the puesto next to Settler {36H} [118.9/486] (Margarita Bustos). She's actually not living there but the puesto is open and a nice shelter to cook (we put the tent next to it).<br /> <br /> For the second part with the pass, we found the trail also easy to follow. The OH-CC&amp;BB-A {36H-D} didn't took us too long and saved us at least 2 river crossing. All the other fords were sometimes wide but easy to pass.<br /> <br /> After 7 days, we tried to hitchhike on the X901 road near the Laguna Calluqueo and were really lucky. After only 4km, a car stopped and took us to X {36H} [5.5/267]. Maybe there is more traffic on this road than on the other side, especially with good weather during the holidays.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-25 to 2023-Dec-29 / 4.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Stiina &amp; Kris'''<br /> <br /> We arranged a ride to skip the first 50km of the roadwalk. The trail was surprisingly good and well-trodden throughout, i.e. visually easy to follow. Some muddy sections here and there and steeper climbs and descents. Plenty of water throughout.<br /> <br /> The river crossings didn't pose any difficulties and we were blessed with good weather, despite one rainy night. The views were amazing - that so low down you could be face to face with glaciers!<br /> <br /> We did not find the trail around lakes any harder than the rest of the section. A few times the route goes on the coast, i.e. you need to walk through the water, but it was not an issue. In two cases the route splits into two, the correct trail being the easier one to miss, so need to pay attention to nav. Met Ruben the settler, very nice and friendly guy. We also met 4 other GPT hikers on this section, which was a bit of a shock.<br /> <br /> We walked 30km of the dirt road after Lago Christie until we finally got a hitch to Villa O'Higgins. Barely any traffic on the road, especially in the afternoon.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-12-07 EXP-OH-TL-I 1day / Anh'''<br /> There is a damaged and not yet reopened route from Villa O’Higgins to Glacier Mosco: EXP-OH-TL-I &amp; EXP-OH-CC&amp;TL-I<br /> Together they are 24 km return and with a daypack it could work.<br /> The EXP-OH-TL-I trail is very well maintained and relatively well marked. There is even a very nice Refugio Puesto Rivera + campsite for tents along the way. BUT from km 7 the trail is damaged by landslides and the section after that is overgrown. I tried the last km via BB through the forest. After that everything should be clear and only CC to the Mosco glacier. Unfortunately, I make very slow progress with BB, it simply takes too much time and with a temperature of 15°C the river crossing afterwards would be dangerous. Unfortunately I have to abort (safety first) &amp; return.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-12-10 / 4 days / RR + OH-TL-V / SOBO / Anh'''<br /> <br /> A very experienced hiker/local in Villa O'Higgins advised me against NoBo due to high water levels in the next few days regarding river crossings.<br /> <br /> Day 1: With a private transfer to Laguna Calluqueo I had to hike a few more kilometers to the end of Ruta X-901 because it is private land closed by a gate. The first two river crossings were a bit above knee and sometimes strong current. The trail after that in the forest is actually made for horses, there are a lot of obstacles like fallen trees, overgrown bush, swampy paths. It is particularly misleading when the RR and horse path separate because it is suddenly very strange without horse tracks. It has rained and with the snow melting, the paths and streams are almost indistinguishable. I make very slow progress through the obstacles.<br /> The river crossing (Ford km 66.5) was long but in the evening without any problems (knee-deep). The path afterwards RR-CC-A to the camp was steep uphill, but more pleasant than in the forest. As you can see, this trail is only for hikers and it was very rarely used.<br /> <br /> Day 2: It was CC up, across the border from Argentina &amp; back into Chile. At this time there are still many snowfields to cross and therefore Ford (km 71.8) was under the snowfield, which made it very precarious for me. The river crossing Ford (km 77.4) was up to my hips with a strong current, but is not dangerous. Overall, I was much faster because there were hardly any obstacles (only Fords and completely swampy meadow).<br /> <br /> Day 3: The way back from yesterday + 250m river crossing should be easy and pleasant like yesterday! But there was a strong headwind &amp; snow = snow confusion. Then there was the fog and the infamous white-out. My footprints from yesterday were already filled with fresh snow, but still recognizable. I didn't have a long break, so I reached the day's destination very quickly.<br /> Bored, I just carried on hiking and didn't find the way back in the forest from day 1 so bad. I got through all the obstacles surprisingly quickly with the following strategy:<br /> - I had put on remedies on the way out, it had helped a lot. And I run like a horse, don't think twice, just jump over obstacles. The path is made for horses.<br /> - The way back is from the top, the path is much easier to recognize.<br /> - New strategy: just follow the horse tracks, even if I leave the RR.<br /> In the end, I had completed the entire way back from two days earlier in one day. It was about 27km, only possible because it was mostly downhill (450m uphill, 700m downhill).<br /> The price for this strategy was scratches and mini cuts from knees to shoes, very unpleasant at every river crossing.<br /> <br /> Day 4: OH-TL-V to the glacier at Laguna Calluqueo. You have to cross the river right at the beginning, it was a bit over your knees but easy. After that it's a slow climb of almost 700m. There were only a few tricky places: mini path on the precipice or slippery downhill. Overall, the path was very easy to recognize and very pleasant to run. Water is only available again at km 3.5, so you should take your time and enjoy the trail at a leisurely pace.<br /> During the night, a tent pole broke and the tent was damaged. There are no outdoor stores in Cochrane and you can't buy a new tent. In addition, a section on RR-GPT35 from Tamango entrance through Patagonia Park was not yet open.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> <br /> *'''13.03.23 - 18.03.23 / Anna &amp; Christopher / SOBO, Cochrane - Villa O'Higgins / 5.5 days'''<br /> We camped approximately 3 km outside of Cochrane to get an early start on the first day. After walking some km we got pretty lucky and got two hitchhikes and were able to skip 41 km until km 53. The views in between were amazing though, especially Glaciar Calluqueo. The next day it was supposed to rain a lot until the afternoon. Therefore we planned half a day in the tent and went to a small simple shelter at km 65.8, that is indicated on Gaia.<br /> <br /> It didn't rain as bad as last predicted and we were able to continue around 2 pm. The weather got surprisingly good then. Nice stretch over the pass. We camped at around km 76 next to the river. All rivercrossings were all pretty chill, even with Anna beeing 1,63m. But there were tons of small streams, muddy pools and rivers to cross. We had no dry feet for 5 days. There were also lots of fallen trees to climb over/walk around from Puesto la Pampa until Lago Christie, therefore that stretch took us longer than expected. The trail between approx. km 105 to 107 is starting to get really overgrown. It was still wet from the rain and our pants were completely drenched after we got through there, even without rain.<br /> <br /> We met the settler at km 118.9. He even invited us in, but we continued on to make some more km that day and camped at km 122.9, which is a pretty nice spot at the lake.<br /> <br /> The next morning we had to slip into frozen shoes to continue. After another friendly encounter with the next settler, we were happy to reach the dirtroad, were it felt good to gain kilometers a lot faster again. We spent the night at the refugio km 148.7 with a fireplace.<br /> <br /> On our final day there were some fantastic views. Just when the road got more dull and we started our first brake after approx. 11 km, a car of the Carabineros passed and they took us to Villa O'Higgins. A pretty lucky section for us :)<br /> <br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''Feb. 2-8 / Zach + Veronica / 36H-Regular Packrafting Route / 7 days'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> I did the hiking parts of 36H with Veronica. After hitching the Carratera I had a windless late morning paddle from the Lago Esmeralda picnic site where a group of military were training in rafts. Veronica described the hike to Lago Alegre. To start Lago Christie, Option X would put you better in line with the wind which was strong, blowing straight through the narrow all the way to the cozy refugio at the otherwise blustery southern end of Christie. Just past Salto Pérez there are two rapids visible from the road. Putting in after those, Rio Perez was a scenic and swift ride with avoidable submerged trees all the way to Rio Mayer, which is stronger than it looks. I put in again past the first mortal rapid and rode straight to the take out before the second mortal rapid. The waypointed rapids in between were very challenging, almost flipping me twice. After taking out of Rio Mayer, I hopped the black fence for option 27. The minor roads in this area are undulating and steep but well maintained with painted guardrails, bridges, and directional signage at intersections. I had a pleasant conversation with one worker on ATV. I tried to do Option 27E but the wind was too strong on the lake in the evening and also the next morning. Backtracking, I paddled the pleasant Rio Briceño between the impressive falls near the lake down to another set of falls near the lower bridge (between[-48.2710, -72.492] and [-48.2726, -72.4772]). The wind on Lago Briceño seemed calm in the cove of the sheltered picnic refuge/dock (km 251.6), but around the corner a strong headwind turned me around. The walk to Lago El Salto had commanding views. Lagos El Salto and Cisnes both provided tail winds. The short trail between these lakes was overgrown and difficult to follow, but it was worthwhile to follow the trail as bushwhacking often led to spiky plant jail. Tailwind continued all the way to the O’Higgins bridge. I highly recommend El Mosco Hostal/camping.<br /> <br /> * '''2 to 8 of February 2023 / Véronica &amp; Zach / GPT36H RR SOBO / 7 days'''<br /> Route: Cochrane - Mirador Glaciar Colluqueo - Río Pedregoso - Paso La Picota - Río Bravo - Lago Christie - Río Mayer - Villa O'Higgins<br /> <br /> We stayed at Camping Calafate while we were in Cochrane. Great camping area with a kitchen, laundry service, hot showers, and wifi for 6,000 clp per person. The owner is very kind too.<br /> <br /> We were quite fortunate this section to enjoy good weather almost the whole way. We were able to hitch the first few km on the Carretera Austral. Then Zach packrafted across Laguna Esmeralda while I took the primary road on the RR to the east of it. Very little traffic on the primary road, and we walked most of it, only ended up being able to hitch a ride for the last 10 km or so, to the junction at 39.9 km where the RR becomes a minor road.<br /> <br /> At that point it was getting late, and we wanted to camp at the waypoint Lake, Camp {36H} [109.8/334] along the minor road. We set up our tents, but after it was dark, around 10:30 p.m., we were surprised by the arrival of a man with a dog and a horse. Talking with him, we realized he was the owner of the land we were on, and his house was right nearby (we hadn't seen it when we initially set up camp). He said it was ok and that we could camp here though, that we didn't have to move.<br /> <br /> The next morning, around 8 a.m., we packed our things and walked to the house, with the intention of thanking the man for letting us camp on his property. There were no signs of life around his house, so we assumed he might be still sleeping or was already out and about. So we left along the dirt road again. His dog followed us. We figured it would eventually return home. Afted ~6km, we were surprised by the settler coming at us down the road on his horse with his whip raised in a threatening way. He was very angry and upset at us about his missing dog, and initially thought we had taken his dog with us on purpose. We did our best to explain that the dog had simply followed us, we did not coax it or feed it, and that we were very sorry it followed us and had no bad intentions. After a bit of discussion, the settler calmed down and we were able to chat about where we were hiking and such. We seemed to part on good terms, but it wasn't a pleasant experience, and we wished we'd known that the land on the south shore of the lake where we camped belonged to a settler, and is not really a viable wild camping place. The GPS tracks only indicate &quot;buildings&quot; nearby, but that waypoint should say &quot;settler&quot; instead, and perhaps the camping waypoint by the lake should be removed. S 47° 30.166', W 072° 31.809' is where the settler house is.<br /> <br /> The rest of the trail went well. The views of the various glaciers were wonderful, and we had mostly good weather the whole way. Zach took Option 36H-B that necessitates fording La Picota. It was early in the morning and he was able to ford it with the water reaching his waist. I took the regular route further west, which was a bit steep on shale rocks at first, but easy to follow.<br /> <br /> The ford at km 77.4 was the most difficult ford in this section for me, the current was strong and cold and went up to my hips. Fording Río Bravo was easier, and we only did it once, next to the laguna. Option 36H-D had virtually no bushwhacking — there was a clear path to follow in the forest.<br /> <br /> There were regular water sources between Puesto La Pampa (km 83.9) and Puesto Tablas (km 98.4), as well as occasional good spots to camp.<br /> <br /> Once we got to Lago Alegre, I walked the regular hiking route east of the lake while Zach packrafted across with a good tailwind. Very beautiful trail, loads of crowberries and Calafate berries to eat too. I took Option 36H-G, where there is a large tree trunk you can walk across over the river. Zach packrafted Lago Christie as well, although the wind was much stronger in the afternoon. The refuge at the south end of Lago Christie is a good place to sleep out of the wind.<br /> <br /> The roadwalk to town was quite scenic, with a few refuges along the way. Zach took the packrafting route while I stayed on the minor road. I ended up walking all of it except for the final 8 km. There was very little traffic, and I didn't mind walking through the gorgeous landscapes.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> * '''Dec 2022 Frank'''<br /> There is a bus from Cochrane to Lago Brown twice a week (see transport section) Taking it to the junction with Route 901, a little after the bridge over Rio Tranquilo, will save a 34KM road walk.<br /> <br /> * '''GPT36H and Option 2 / Yannic &amp; Mirjam / 22-Dec-2022 / Southbound'''<br /> Regular Route to Option 2 We started from Cochrane and did the first part on the Carretera Austral by car stop. After that you get on a side road with very little traffic. We didn't have a car in 4 hours so we hiked. Then there was one that didn't take us, then nothing again. In the end we hiked everything. We wanted to spend the night at Laguna Confluencia (south at Camp 109.8/334). Unfortunately we were surprised by barking dogs, but could not see a house. We therefore returned to the road and spent the night a few hundred metres further ahead in the meadow. Next day on the Minor Road and Trail was nice and easy. We spent the night next to the Puesto Cayuqueo. From there we went through the forest, which is partly badly damaged by storms. Many fallen trees. But you can always find the way again. We then took the western route (not 36H-B). The river only has to be crossed once at a shallow point. Partly very sloping path, but easy to pass. We crossed Rio Bravo at the lagoon, which was even possible in the evening. We spent the night at the lagoon and hiked everything on the east side the next day. OH-CC&amp;BB-A {36H-D} was well passable. Nice place to camp near Puesto Tablas at S 47.92184 W 72.56781.<br /> <br /> Option 2 All went well and we were set for an &quot;easy&quot; exit via option 2 - which surprised us.... The path is up and down. Partly well passable and easy path, partly very overgrown (up to bush bashing). Although we had only light rain, the path was very marshy and matchy. We sank in up to our knees. Nice refugio with fireplace at the end of the trail. The Carreteral Austral is not very busy. Cars only come when the ferry docks in Rio Bravo. It is best to check the timetable in advance. Then you can wait comfortably in the refugio. El Mosco is perfect to wait for the ferry in O'Higgins. For us 6 days....<br /> <br /> * '''2022 Dec Frank 6 days mainly SOBO'''<br /> <br /> As weather was initially poor I split the section as follows: 1. Got bus from Cochrane towards Lago Brown, got out @ road junction near Rio Tranquilo bridge, walked NOBO back to Cochrane. 2. While I was waiting for the ferry in Villa O'Higgins I walked out about 25KM NOBO to Padre Antonio Ronchi chapel &amp; hitched back to O'Higgins. 3. I again got the bus towards Lago Brown, got out @ the same junction &amp; walked the central section of the route SOBO in 4 long days.<br /> <br /> 1. NOBO, nearly all on road. You pass by the 'mortal falls' on Rio Tranquilo (by the bridge) About 1KM further on the road was blocked by aggressive dogs who came up from a settlement about 800M off the road. I had to shout to the settler to call them off. Around 7KM out from Cochrane the road bends left at a metal crash barrier. I left the RR here &amp; went over the low crash barrier &amp; continued straight ahead on forest tracks, quicker &amp; nicer than the road. About 1KM from Cochrane you return to the road by climbing over a small wooden gate.<br /> <br /> 3. I walked on the road past Calluqueo glacier then on a trail. After the first puesto the track fades out among fallen trees. Camped by a ruined shelter. I crossed the river on RR the next day. La Picota crossing is for horses &amp; best avoided on foot. The RR crossing was easy. After the crossing continue straight ahead &amp; go up the far hillside, pick up a small trail going left above a bluff about 70 metres up. Continued over the 2 border passes. There are some cliffs you need to go round when descending the first pass . There will be snowfields early in the season also. I crossed Rio Bravo high up between two waterfalls, descended to cross it again by the lake, then stayed on LHS of Rio Bravo. No trail initially on LHS of river &amp; a lot of bush bashing over bluffs but judging by later comments the route may now be improved. I continued down to Lago Alegre. There is a settler just as you reach Lago Alegre. She was friendly &amp; allowed me to sleep in her barn. She radioed Ruben, the settler who lives on Lago Christie, to let him know I was coming. It's slow going round the lakes with lots of up &amp; down over bluffs. The hut between the two lakes had been used by sheep &amp; was not in v. good condition. I met Ruben about half way round Lago Christie. He was friendly but I continued on to camp by a ruined hut after descending from bluffs to the lake. I walked out the road to Padre Antonio Ronchi chapel &amp; hitched from there to Villa O'Higgins. There is a good hut on the road at the junction with the X905 road. Another hut further on but it's dusty. All other huts marked on the route are in poor condition or ruined, they are mostly good for cooking &amp; camping outside. The weather for the central section was good so I didn't have any problems. It's possible to hitch part of the road sections - traffic is sparse but they will usually stop. In both cases when you reach the road there is nothing, you need to walk out about 15KM &amp; then start hitching.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''GPT 36P/ Ruta de Los Pioneros/ Option Río Baker and Valle de los Ñadis/ Packrafting Route / 2022 Feb-20 / 9.5 days / Tobias Schorcht and Jonas Grünewald'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> I packrafted from Balsa Baker (Cochrane) 50km downstream. On this section I faced 2 rapids. The first one -47,41143, -72,90798 has to be paddled from the right side (between 2 rocks). After the river is united again, stay in the center to avoid the swirls on the right side. The second rapid (class 3) needs to be ported, at least the first 20m. At the confluence with Río de los Ñadis I left the River and met with Jonas. We took a 20km Roadwalk southwards and entered the Valle de los Ñadis. Unfortunately we didn’t had Jan’s new GPS Tracks in this Part and got kind of lost on day 2, because of a misunderstanding with a settler. Now we know, that the trail is all the way to family Caucamán on the right side of the valley. We shared a mate with Ariel Caucamán, who explained us, how to get to Lago Desplaye. Found the lake after some struggles with navigation and camped right next to it. Luckily there was only some wind the following morning, so we made it with my Packraft to the stunning Glacier. Followed the river bank of Río Desplaye down to Lago Allegre. I packrafted Lago Alegre and Lago Christie, while Jonas walked. I was faster because the wind was in my favorite. The weather turned really bad with strong wind and rain on day 8. We stayed in the Refugio (-48,20300, -72,33202) close to the airport and made a fire. Because of bad weather conditions we decided to walk on the road to Villa O’Higgens instead of discovering the lakes.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> * '''Martín Lizondo / 3-Feb-2020 / Regular Hiking Southbound'''<br /> At this date the route is perfectly traversable. The settlers are happy to receive visitors. Path well visible 95% of the time. No snow at the pass and no dangerous river crossings, but only some suggestions: 1. cross Rio Bravo only once (47º 47' 53,49&quot; S, 72º 31' 15,78&quot; O) and then continue on the east margin with some bush bashing, instead of crossing it multiple times; 2. consider crossing the dirty river of sector Alegre at 48º 2' 20,65&quot; S, 72º 29' 27,81&quot; O instead of the gps track regular point nearer to the house. Way to Villa O’Higgins, at the road, Julia Torres offers place for tent and great fresh food ( 48º 15' 41,47&quot; S, 72º 25' 43,52&quot; O ). Good luck and enjoy!<br /> <br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''GPT36H Regular Packrafting Route / Southern End: Laguna Clara to Villa O‘Higgins'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> 2020-Jan-08 1.5 days Meylin Ubilla &amp; Jan Dudeck<br /> <br /> The „Ruta de los Pioneros“ is one of the historic routes that was created and used by the first settlers in the last century. This route connected Villa O’Higgins with Cochrane long before the Carreta Austral was completed in the year 2000.<br /> <br /> The northern and the southern terminus; approx. 50 km on each end; are now upgraded to gravel roads. Only the roughly 100 km in the middle remain a classic animal trail made and created by people on horses to drive cattle.<br /> <br /> To bypass as much as feasible of these gravel roads we have investigated in recent years multiple alternatives on both ends of GPT36H. Especially with a packraft most of these gravel road kilometers can be bypassed on a very attractive combination of lakes and rivers with shorter portages in between.<br /> <br /> We now investigated and verified a route that first crosses the 2 km wide Lago Claro and than connects on an excellent 2 km trail to Rio Meyer. To continue either only cross Rio Meyer (like we did) or float downstream o. this river up to 4 km (alternative river exit to be scouted first!). An perfectly maintained trail leads then to Lago Biceño (2 to 6 km depending on only crossing Rio Meyer or floating downstream up to 4 km on Rio Mayer). Here a decision needs to be made depending on wind: either paddle a part of Lago Briceño or or continue walking 8 km to Salto on an scenic very well maintained trail (Alternatively a 6 km long trail connects from Lago Briceño to Lago Salto on a different route). After traversing 4 km on Lago Salto a 1 km short animal trail leads to Lago Cines. Once you reach Lago Cisnes it’s 13 km on a combination of lakes and rivers that gets you very close to Villa O’Higgins. Only the last 3 km into the village must be walked on a gravel road.<br /> <br /> We travelled this route in 1.5 days and really enjoyed the landscape, the excellent trails and the scenic paddling. Even in suboptimal weather this route is feasible and offers plenty of alternatives and escape routes. Therefore I will re-route the regular packrafting route of GPT36H to this route.<br /> <br /> Between Lago Claro and Lago Salto we discovered the best maintained trails of the entire Aysen region. Bridges cross even the smallest streams and all muddy areas are crossed on wooden passages. After years of hiking in this region this came as a surprise. But we also know why. These trails were not created to serve the public but a single family: los “Luksic”, the richest clan of Chile (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrónico_Luksic_Abaroa). They buy up huge plots of land in this region to create family resorts and as investments. The land between Lago Claro and Lago Salto is owned to my knowledge by this family. And they have the money to contract a large stuff to i.e. create and maintain trails on their properties. What was nice: when a group of 3 employees passed us on a trail on quarts they did not challenge us but gave use useful recommendations how to continue. Legally, access to lakes, rivers and the coast must be given in Chile even if the private property i.e. surrounds a lake but landlords can make it difficult anyway. To my knowledge all access routes from public roads a locked but since we accessed this area on water we did not have to climb over locked gates. Therefore this route seams to me suitable for packrafters.<br /> <br /> Multiple route variations are feasible that link in further lakes. Short bushwhacking portages might be required in this case but the landscape and vegetation seams generally more open than the Valdivian rain forrest on the Aysen coast. Someone can easily spend up to 5 days discovering other packrafting routes in this area.<br /> <br /> <br /> *'''11/12/2019 - les 2 As - regular hiking route'''<br /> <br /> Hi! We finished this day the section 36 from north to south. It took us 6 days without the last 37 kms on the road (we hitchhiked on this part). It was rough, we have had 2 days of bad weather (only rain at our altitude but it changes everything). You are isolated in the middle of nowhere and we met no one during 5 days. Officially no bush bashing but sometimes the path is barely invisible and unmaintained so hard to walk. From the 3rd day to the end, we have had many rivercrossings. Some were easy, some not and some also quite dangerous. With all the snow melting, the level of the river is very high and the current is strong (I do not recommand to try these fords without walking poles, these saved us). Same situation with the lakes we walked near. Their level is high and often the path was submerged and we had to walk litteraly in the lake (sometimes up to the waist). Luckily we met 2 cabañas (2 last nights) to dry our clothes and sleep under a roof. This made the section even more wonderful than it already was. A great experience!<br /> <br /> * '''2019 Dec / Olrik / Northbound'''<br /> <br /> From O'Higgins there are 50km on a dirt road to the beginning of the sendero. There are some open refugios on the way to sleep. you can also arrange a paid transportation from O'Higgins. Hitchhiking is possible but there is not much traffic. The sendero was in pretty bad shape due to the weather conditions. Muddy and flooded all the way near the lakes. We ended up turning back as we did not plan to walk that slow and did not have enough food, and we felt it was safer. We met Matthieu (see below) and they completed it so his report seems better. Puesteros are really nice though.<br /> <br /> * '''2019 Dec / Matthieu / Northbound Regular HR : 9 days'''<br /> A very difficil trekk for us. Lots of river crossings, sometimes unsafe, and we had very bad weather conditions that make us last 9 days on the trekk, with hitchiking 40 km after Villa and 30 km before Cochrane. It could habe been more rapid though, but we walked &quot;tranquilito&quot;. So I would recommend to take 10 days of food,and the chileans agreed with this.<br /> <br /> I wont talk about the routes parts, because just long and we hitchhiked most.<br /> <br /> So 1st Part : The 2 lakes : A very technical trekk, very aquatic. Sometimes we had to walk in the lake (not dangerous though), and the trail by the lakes is very hilly and muddy, and the progression can be very slow. It was for us, with mostly only rain. 1 dangerous rivercrossing : Before El Caleuche, Strong river but a big fat trunk above perfect for crossing.We didnt search for another way of crossing, so maybe there are some safe places by the water.<br /> <br /> On this part, a few puestos good for shelters : between the two lakes, a good caban with possibility of making fire and a roof of metal and walls, very nice, two beds of wood, we slept in it well protected. El Caleuche : at the middle of the Lago alegre, near a abandoned house. POssibility of fire, but not really a good roof. We slept aside in the tents. The place is really nice though<br /> <br /> 2 houses of settlers on the way : - Ruben at the beginning of the Lago Christie, always happy to have visitors and share a mate. - At the end of the Lago Allegre a little bit south west from the trail (a rivercrossing a bit strong to go to the caban, or a &quot;bridge&quot; called Bridge ?-4 on the GPS waypoints, with 2 trunks, that we took in the morning to go back to the trail. A bit dangerous though, better to let Carmen show you how to cross): Ringo y Carmen, amazing persons too who let us plant the tent and permitted us to warm with a good mate, a meal and a wonderful smile, during the Christmas night.<br /> <br /> 2nd part : Rio Bravo and the pass We thought that the worst was behind but we had more strong weather conditions in this part. A few advises for the rivercrossings of the Rio Bravo : I would advise NOT to follow the GPS tracks that follow the normal trail on GPS devices (that is made normally for horses). All the locals (local guides in villa o higgins, Ruben, Carmen and Ringo) were agreed and told us all to follow the east side of the Rio UNTIL the Laguna. The crossing here is very safe, the rio not strong nor profund at all, and you have to cross it ONLY ONCE, instead of 4 or 5 (dont remember). To stay on the east side, there is a little cross country by the forest, a little bit technical and slow but not dangerous, and you can camp at the laguna on the east side. We saw some cairns in the forest too, on the last hill before the laguna, so the locals indeed use this way. We (very badly) abandonned this plan and passed by the normal way just near the camping site west from the river before the Laguna (really bad weather, really bad decisions !) and the rivercrossings (3 I think) were, for me, very dangerous with strong current in profund water, but there was a lot of rain and wind, so I wont judge during good conditions. We were frozen when we arrived at the camping site. I was very angry at me though to not have listened to the locals and taken all those risks.<br /> <br /> For the pass, not very difficult, but we had (again) very strong weather conditions with even snow, and finished at the camp at the north side completely frozen. Know that it can be very exposed !<br /> <br /> Last Part : Rio La Picota After the camping : Two choices - Following the normal road, made for horses. The rivercrossing is completely impossible, unless you want to join the fishes. Even for horses I don't understand how they do it. The Waypoint &quot;Dangerous&quot; totally make sense. - The GPS tracks : perfect to follow, and finished by a beautiful trail of cairns by the cliff (the optionnal trail OH on GPS track), very safe. The river crossing this way is very safe, the river is extremely large, separated and never go far from the ankle.<br /> <br /> The rest we didn't have any technical difficulties. A trekk not to take lightly, and with much respect. Take advises to the locals before. Every one is happy to talk about it in Villa. They have the bad habbit to say that it's an easy way though !<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Nov-12 / Lea Geibel, Kevin Moe / 6 days / northbound / regular hiking route'''<br /> <br /> This was a tough section for us! It rained and it rained and it rained and the trail turned to mud and was pretty overgrown in parts. We took the optional Hiking route after reaching Rio Bravo heading South to the Carretera Austral because we didn't feel comfortable forging on, knowing there was a high pass that was probably getting tons of snow instead of our rain, and a &quot;dangerous river ford&quot; that we were afraid would be tok dangerous with flooding too. The snow-line appeared to drop as low as 700 meters one night! We made surprisingly slow progress because of the conditions (entire trail flooded knee deep and extremely muddy after 6 days of rain) - were glad to have extra food with us. On the bail out route, about 10km from reaching the safety of the Carratera there was a pretty big river to cross. It was swollen after all the rain and scary and nearly floated us away. From the Carratera we hiked about 20 minutes before catching a lift back to Villa O'Higgins<br /> <br /> ==Season 2018/19==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2017/18==<br /> <br /> * '''Route description by Kara Davis after Season 2017/18'''<br /> <br /> Walk through town and join Highway 7, a moderately trafficked dirt road. The Regular Hiking Route follows X-901, a beautiful but fenced dirt road that culminates in the view of a stunning glacier, for about 28 km until it ends at a blockade just after the Mirador Calluqueo. Along X-901 there are few residences but extensive fence line on both sides. At the end of the road, the route transitions into a braided single track trail that may be confusing to follow.<br /> <br /> Comment by Jan Dudeck: I recently changed the regular packrafting route of GPT36H. This change avoids 35 km of gravel and adds around 70 km of paddling on the two lakes and one river. It’s a big detour but adds impressive beauty. Note that paddling Lago Cochrane is very challenging as wind can be firce. Follow the regular packrafting route only if you are willing and prepared to possibly wait several days on the shore of Lago Cochrane if wind makes paddling this lake unsafe.<br /> <br /> The trail, called La Ruta de Los Pioneros since it is frequently used by the local people, occasionally passes run down refugios as it winds through the forest. At the beginning of the climb to the highest pass, the trail joins a glacial river. Eventually the trail leaves the river to the west and follows a higher route above the valley that is occasionally marked by stone cairns. The top of the pass is at approximate elevation 1.300 m. From this point, there are several kilometers of very exposed hiking among rolling hills.<br /> <br /> The track descends down to treeline at a small, unnamed lake which is the source of the Río Bravo. Join the river and cross it as necessary. There are some stone cairns that mark the way, but they can be hard to spot. When the route is unclear, just follow the river bed. Where the trail deviates from the river bed to the east, it becomes easier to follow. The trail soon climbs about 80 m and remains above Río Bravo. Here there is the occasional small area to camp. To reach Lago Alegre, the trail leaves Río Bravo and travels through an open forest.<br /> <br /> Packrafters put in for Lago Alegre at a red sand beach. In general, both banks are very steep and heavily vegetated, but there are some flat areas near the shore where it may be possible to camp. Take-out is located at a rocky beach on the southeast end. 100 m from the Lago Alegre shoreline is an intact refugio; if you look closely inside, you may spot the etchings of GPT trail blazers, Jan and Meylin.<br /> <br /> From the refugio, there is a well-formed track to Lago Christie. The Regular Hiking route around the east side of Lago Christie is generally easy to follow, but be aware of the occasional spurs that leads away from the main route. The track climbs and descends frequently as it makes its way around the lake and offers a beautiful view of several glaciers. Watch for the occasional stone cairn or red spray-painted arrow to indicate the way. Camping is possible in the forest.<br /> <br /> The route exits onto X-911, a well formed and lightly trafficked gravel road. X-911 ends at X-905, and hikers continue to follow this road for around 20 km towards VIlla O’Higgins. X-905 is fence lined most of the way with the occasional residence.<br /> <br /> Río Mayer is a big, no-nonsense river that is swift at higher flows. It does however mellow out where the GPS route indicates packrafters should put in (a small beach on the other side of the fence).<br /> <br /> The Regular Hiking Route follows the Carretera Austral into Villa O’Higgins.<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> *Villa O’Higgins<br /> <br /> The biggest thing to realize about Villa O’Higgins is that nearly all of the lodging and restaurant options only take cash and there is no ATM in town. The closest place to withdraw money is Cochrane which is a 9-hour drive. Fortunately, there are two grocery stores in town thatl take credit cards. Lodging options vary from camping to a bed in a hostel.<br /> 2024/Joscha<br /> I would recommend Los Cuatreros (-48.463589, -72.559946) and Los Coigues (-48.464742, -72.559453) for resupply. They are cheaper than the other supermarkets.<br /> <br /> *Supermarket on the square in Cochrane. Several shops in Villa O'Higgins.<br /> <br /> *Banco Estado on the square in Cochrane. The ATM was open on Christmas day.<br /> <br /> *Cochrane: Campsite run by Patricia half a block from the Plaza. She does a good breakfast &amp; also has Cabanas &amp; a 4 bed dorm.<br /> <br /> *Zapatoria Cochrane: Little Blue house North side of Dr Stefan's Street, above Rio Maitén street. -47.2541386, -72.5761942.<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> *There are no resupply options &amp; you should bring everything from Cochrane or O'Higgins. There are only two settlers living permanently on the central off road RR: A woman at Lago Alegre &amp; Ruben on Lago Christie. All other off road puestos are only used occasionally.<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> <br /> *There is a minibus from Cochrane to Villa O'Higgins on Monday, Wednesday &amp; Saturday at 8AM &amp; one from O'Higgins to Cochrane on Tuesday, Thursday &amp; Sunday @ 8AM. Operated by Buses Katalina, they have an office at the bus terminal in Cochrane. There is a minibus from Cochrane to Lago Brown on Monday &amp; Thursday at 11AM. It comes back from Lago Brown on the same days &amp; passes the junction with RR at about 2PM.<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT36H - Ruta De Los Pioneros]]<br /> <br /> =Images=<br /> [[Archivo:IMG 7500.jpeg|left|Puerto Yungay - Rio Bravo Ferry Timetable February 2024]]</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT35_(Parque_Patagonia)&diff=119652 2025-01-18T01:01:07Z

<p>MiaimZelt: /* Season 2024/25 */</p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;packrafting&quot;, as above):<br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD, WHAT IS ENCLOSED IN &lt;&gt; MAKES IT BLUE):<br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/nowiki&gt;.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Overview=<br /> <br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> *'''2025-Jan-13 to 2025-Jan-17 / 5 days Hiking / SOBO/ RR + Variant L / MiaimZelt'''<br /> <br /> I very much enjoyed this lovely section. Took the bus to skip the first 6.5km of Roadwalk. CC was indeed easy, on the way up i didn't follow the Track very closely. Crazy windy between km 19-30. Surprinsingly there were some small areas that had way less wind. Guess it should be possible to find a campspot somehow sheltered by the curves of the landscape, when you can't make it further. Camp {35} [32.6/1300] is exposed and has no shelter besides from the tiny stonewall. Camped here: -46.722612, -71.904105. Was sheltered by the valley and fits a 1 person tent, wind was ok. 100m below there is a spot which can fit a 2 person tent. While sitting in the tent 2 german GPT hikers arrived and took the spot below. I very much enjoyed their company. <br /> <br /> Day 2 i could follow animal trails very often. Walked 4km on the road until i got a hitch. Entrance fee was 11400 for foreigner. You have to pay online, but they have WiFi. Tons of black caterpillars everywhere, gets better after Laguna Verde. Trail was in very good shape. Ford {35} [67.0/877] was up to the knees. Stayed at Camp Valle Hermoso, which is very good sheltered by the forest. <br /> <br /> Day 3 i met no one, until i reached the camp. Trail was 99% in good shape, few meters overgrown with young beech trees. -46.89382, -72.161099 campspots with shelter from the forest. All fords were easy. Stayed at Camping Casa Piedra. 8000 per person, can pay cash or card. They have WiFi, Room to cook inside and a shower (not hot). Most campspots are sheltered by trees or buildings. Spots next to buildings were occupied by carcampers. Trees provided good protection, although 80km/h winds according to Windy. <br /> <br /> Sendero 7 Lagunas was mostly in good to ok shape, <br /> only in few parts the trail isn't visible at all. -47.094236, -72.286568 near pass has lots of flat space and is sheltered by the forest. Small stream here: -47.097866, -72.285581. Also flat areas nearby to create a makeshift campsite. Later the only sources for water were the lakes. Refuge, X {35} [119.1/716] is collapsed, but flat space protected by trees and bushes for one bigger tent. Water from the lake. Stayed at small flat space with very little wind here -47.140176, -72.372035 and listened to the birds. <br /> <br /> Day 5 was mostly straight forward. Saw 2 Huemuls near the Minor Road. Lago Cochrane is a real gem. Open and abandoned huts here: -47.198091, -72.457465. There was a sign, saying danger becaus of rodents. Maybe not good to sleep in, but would be a good shelter in heavy rain. 1km later i saw the first dayhikers. Lot's of steep ups and downs at Sendero Carpinteros, but very beautiful. Got a hitch to Cochrane after 1.5km on the paved road. <br /> <br /> *'''GPT 35 SOBO RR // hiking, hitchhiking // 4 days 1-4.01.2025 Maks &amp; Gabi'''<br /> <br /> Simply magical section with lots of guanacos, birds and beautiful landscapes. We hitchhiked the first 8 km and then from Casa de Piedra to Cochrane. <br /> CC parts were quite easy and visible, later on when entering the park by Lago Jeinimeni the trail is incredibly well maintained. You can buy a ticket by the entrance because the is a wi-fi.<br /> <br /> One thing that is worth taking into account when planning the hike, are insects - there are tons of mosquitos and quite a lot of horseflies. Furthermore the ranger (Jeinimeni entrance) warned us about black worms that are in the forests (not sure what is the name in eng). For that reason we did not sleep at the camping by the lake (see pictures), choosing a camp spot by the bridge at 50.0 km instead. It is better not to camp by the trees. <br /> If you have a spare moment we really recommend the visitors center near Casa de Piedra as they have a really nice museum. If you already bought a ticket to the park it is free of charge.<br /> <br /> About trail itself it's hard to say something new compare to the previous notes. There was no snow, all ford's easy to cross.<br /> <br /> *'''2024-Nov-08 to 2024-Nov-16 / 8.5 / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Jonas'''<br /> Day 01: 08.11.2024<br /> Arrived by ferry from Puerto Ibanez in Chile Chico at 1430. Started walking right away. Caught a ride for about 3 km. After street, needed to open fence and door.<br /> Dog kept following all day. Couldn't make him leave.<br /> Settlers (mother &amp; daughter) offered a ride but kept walking. Camp spot at 14.1 was too wet to stay there. Looked for another spot. Nothing was good, wanted to look after puesto at 15.8. settlers offered me mate and asked if I wanna pitch my tent here since it got late. Stayed close to their place. Same settler family who offered me a ride.<br /> <br /> Day 02: 09.11.2024<br /> Starting from the settlers puesto CC had light snow when packing my tent. Didn't follow the route exactly. On the way to the first pass, saw the first guanacos. Started snowing stronger. Didn't follow the track or the OSM path to avoid snowfields. Tried to follow the trails but not always possible. Stronger snow and windy. After the first pass went too far to the east to avoid snowfields, thought it'd be easy to come back to the trail but took a longer detour. At least saw the first flamingos! In the plateau it was crazy windy. Sometimes followed track, sometimes OSM. Often in between because of snowfields. Snowfields were not steep, just wanted to avoid them. More guanacos only on the way down. Camp at 32.6 was too wet. ~250 m further down found a protected spot close to a small river/creek.<br /> <br /> Day 03: 10.11.2024<br /> Woke up late. Water in pot was frozen about 1 cm thick. Walked down, saw a lot of bones. Followed not the OSM track. Crossed the fence relatively far to the west. CC walking was nice. Maybe as others mentioned there is a path sooner if you cross/stay further east. Hit the dirt road and walked to the main dirt road. Already afternoon. First Pick Up stopped and gave me a ride to the park entrance. Didn't book the ticket before. You can book it at the CONAF station with their WiFi for the same day. 11.400 CLP for the entrance. Camping is free. Walked to camp Raleigh (about two hours) and found a nice spot there.<br /> <br /> Day04: 11.11.2024<br /> Short day. Started late, trail easy to follow. In the beginning keep left if other trails are there. First fording section is well marked in the track files. Keep your shoes off until Ford Stop. Climb to pass is sometimes steep but easy. Climb down is ready with stunning view of Valle Hermoso. Some parts with some rock slides. After descend two rivers to ford. Until camp Valle Hermoso some stretches in wind protected first in the river bed, some stretches in open river bed. Easy to follow. Camp Valle Hermoso has two roofed areas.<br /> <br /> Day 05 12.11.2024<br /> Started from camp Valle Hermoso. If you keep south you can avoid all the fords. At least at this time of the year. <br /> Trail is easy walking, landscape is stunning! Did a detour to Laguna Escondida. Nice and windy up there. To get there keep close to the track files. <br /> Only needed to take the boots off for the ford at 79.3. The rest was easy to navigate around or enough rocks/trees in the river.<br /> Camped at refuge 81.0 at the broken down cabin.<br /> <br /> Day 06: 13.11.2024<br /> Easy walking all day. Trail was easy to follow. Needed to ford once.<br /> The bridge at 90.9 is something if you're afraid of heights.<br /> Arrived early at Casa Piedra. Could use the infrastructure including warmish water. Since I said I won't pass the ranger station it was fine without paying.<br /> <br /> Day 07: 14.11.2024<br /> Trail is easy to follow. Lago Gutierrez looks amazing and quite windy. Some beach walking off track is nice. After Lago Gutierrez the trail is mainly easy to follow. Checked the GPS every now and then. Climb to the pass takes some time. Filled water up at a stream at the end of Lago Gutierrez. There was on running stream in the middle of the stretch to the pass. Not sure if it has water all year. Way down is through a beautiful forest. Nice views of the valley along the way. Some trees on the path but easy enough to climb them or walk around them. <br /> Stayed at the collapsed refuge. Enough wind protection even though it was quite windy.<br /> <br /> Day 08: 15.11.2024<br /> Trail was easy to follow in the forest. Outside the forest check your GPS when you think you might be off trail. <br /> Water in the beginning mainly from the lakes, later streams existed as well. Took the MR on the RR easy fast walking, no GPS checking necessary. Settler at 138.7 wasn't there passed by his house and followed the RR on a horse trail. Camped at around 142 at Lago Cochrane. Beautiful lake with clear water.<br /> <br /> Day 09: 16.11.2024<br /> For the last 12 km it was easy to follow the trail. Quite some up and down. Nice views on the lake. Arrived the CONAF office at lunch time. Did a self checkout. Stayed in Cochrane for two nights before the next bus to Villa O'Higgins left.<br /> <br /> Really nice hike! Due to the time of the year I only met one other hiker. It snowed a bit in the first days but not too much. Trails were generally easy to follow. Fording was not too much, might be different at another time.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Dec-14 to 2024-Dec-18 / 4.5 / Hiking / SOBO/ RR + Variant J, L / Roman'''<br /> <br /> <br /> Route: Hitchhiked from Chile Chico to X {35} [8.1/505]. Hiked to X {35} [41.5/768]. Hitchhiked from there to Park Ranger {35} [53.0/843] and hiked from there to -47.244414, -72.529165 and hitchhiked from there to Cochrane.<br /> <br /> Started in the Morning in Chile Chico and and started hiking at X {35} [8.1/505]. It's a small easy hiking road up to Puesto {35} [15.8/1075]. It's easy CC. I camped at Camp {35} [32.6/1300]. The next day was a easy hike to X {35} [41.5/768]. I was waiting 25 minutes for the first car to come by which picked me up around 11:30 AM - so prepared to either walk or wait quite some time. At the Ranger Station (Park Ranger {35} [53.0/843]) is fesh water, a toilet. There you have free internet via starlink. I have heard multiple stories and read multiple prices for entry. I would recommend to just show up. You will scan the QR code and buy the ticket online. I said that I hike to &quot;Casa Piedra camping&quot;. I had to buy the ticket &quot;Parque Nacional Patagonia - Sector Chacabuco&quot; for 5.200 CLP. Link here: https://tickets.pasesparques.cl/events/parque-nacional-patagonia-sector-chacabuco . From there i hiked to Camped at Refuge {35} [69.0/867] there are multiple fordings (river bed walking) which had a few banks and tables and a shelter hut. The next day hiked to Camp $, Refuge {35} [99.8/379] (Casa dePiedra). The Camp has electricity and a warm (not hot ;)) shower and toilets and 3 rooms with benches and tables for cooking etc. I was staying there with 2 other people and the Ranger. Apparently the Ranger doesn't collect/want money - i/we didn't needed to pay. There is Apparently a lady coming from time to time to collect a fee - so we were lucky. The trail was maintained and easy to hike. At the beginning there was some fording.<br /> <br /> The next day I camped at Refuge {35} [131.2/556] which is only a emergency shelter but has some flat spots to pich a tent. The trail is not maintained and is sometimes very good or not visible at all - you need you GPS! Overall good easy to hike with some fallen trees. There is a bridge at -47.160823, -72.407796 also with water which makes the Refuge a great place to say. Picture of bridge https://imgur.com/a/ZydIQ7f and Refuge: https://imgur.com/a/NDMT0FP . After that it's a easy hike all the way to -47.244414, -72.529165 where I hitchhiked to Cochrane. I haven't camped there but this location looked like the best stay you could get in the trail here: https://imgur.com/a/rtak82Q. -47.198106, -72.457406 close to Camp {35} [138.4/173].<br /> <br /> Stayed at Camping, Refugio ,Cabaña y HostelCochrane which i can highly recommend (camping 7k, dorm 9k, laundry 5k and a supermarket across the street)<br /> <br /> Contact: https://linktr.ee/RundW<br /> <br /> * ''' 2024-Dec-13 to 2024-Dec-17 / 5 days / GPT35 SOBO RR / wiiiim<br /> Relatively uncomplicated &amp; fast section, lots of info exists so just a summary here. In essence it feels like 3 parts<br /> <br /> - part 1 Chile Chico to the park entrance: mostly cross country over a barren plateau with lots of animals. I arranged a taxi out of Chile Chico to skip the first 9km of road walk at 7am for an early start - Alexis +56 9 7971 5823. Surprisingly lots of water on this section.<br /> <br /> - part 2 Park entrance to Casa de Piedra, park fee is 11400, very easy going, well marked trail, lots of water<br /> <br /> - part 3 Casa de piedra to Cochrane, somewhat overgrown, less water, mostly from the lagunas so good to have a filter<br /> <br /> I took the bus from Cochrane to Villa O’Higgins, it runs every Monday, Wednesday &amp; Saturday at 8:30am (returning the next day), it’s a small publicly funded bus (8400 pesos) with about 25 seats, they typically want you to buy a ticket in person in Cochrane in the bus terminal upstairs (I believe the company is Gardy?), I got a ticket the afternoon before and it had 5 seats left.<br /> <br /> * ''' 2024-Dec-12 to 2024-Dec-14 / 3 days go and back / GPT35 SOBO option 1 by car and Regular Road with a little part of option D and OH-CC-A-{35-06} to the first laguna/ Julien Mamari <br /> <br /> All the way to the Releigh Camp is really easy and try with bridges.<br /> Into the Releigh Camp and the 3rd camp you have 2 rivers to cross with the Gloria pass but it's really easy with sandals... Water to the knees maximum (on my time)<br /> If you go to the first Laguna (option 6) on the right sise of valley better beguin on the left side for around 1km then you have obligation to cross and the best its to keep always on de right side, it's dry.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Nov-07 to 2024-Nov-10 / 4 days with one day of rest at home of Daniel “Huemul” / GPT35 Regular Route SOBO from Kilometer 100 to 150 / Sendero 7 Lagunas / Meylin Ubilla and Jan Dudeck'''<br /> <br /> This scenic route inside Parque Patagonia is officially closed due to lack of trail maintenance but still easily traversable. As we entered from the north we did not speak with any Conaf personnel and learned about the closure when exiting this route in Cochrane.<br /> <br /> The GPT track file 2024 precisely documents the official route of Sendero 7 Lagunas from Kilometer 37 to Kilometer 5 (GPT35 Regular Route) where the Regular Route connects on other trails to Cochrane. Note that the OSM data is in large parts incorrect. OSM is showing a now partially overgrown and less attractive routing on disused trails and minor roads. So all topographic maps based on OSM data are unreliable in this respect.<br /> <br /> About 30% of the trail is clearly visible, about 60% of the trail is vaguely visible and 10% of the trail are invisible as trail. There is just a trail mark every kilometer but no other visual aids to follow the official trail. This makes frequent GPS verifications essential. Without a GPS and without the correct tracks loaded to the GPS hikers get inevitably lost numerous times and it would be very time consuming to find the correct trail just based on visual references. But with a GPS it’s easy to stay on the trail.<br /> <br /> There was no snow left on the 1126 m high pass.<br /> <br /> In the forest numerous fallen trees block the trail but there is always an easy way around.<br /> <br /> There are no noteworthy river crossings and the trail is dry. Water can be obtained regularly at smaller streams or at the lakes.<br /> <br /> There are numerous potential camp sites except from the northern trail head and the 1126 m high pass. This northern end is mostly wind exposed with very little shelter to pitch a tent.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Nov-02 to 2024-Nov-05 / 4 days (but 50 km hitchhiked) / Hiking / SOBO / Option 4 (Ruta RP41 in Argentina) / Meylin Ubilla and Jan Dudeck'''<br /> <br /> This option provides an alternative to the weather-exposed regular route of GPT35. Therefore this option should be considered early or late in the season (October, November or April) or whenever poor weather makes the regular route of GPT35 unsafe. This option is east of the Andes main mountain chain in Argentina and the clouds that typically come from the west unload most snow and rain while crossing the higher peaks in Chile. Anyway, the maximum altitude of just under 1500 m should not be undermined. Up on the pass area, weather can become unpleasant all year around.<br /> <br /> This road walking option is certainly not as attractive as the regular route but the insignificant traffic and the scenic scenery makes it a worthwhile hiking choice. The landscape is that attractive that one tour company in Los Antiguos offers guided excursions along this route.<br /> <br /> This option connects back to regular route of GPT35 at the trailhead of “Sendero 7 Lagunas” that becomes also traversable early in the season (October or November).<br /> <br /> Route description:<br /> <br /> The border crossing from Chile to Argentina is a 13 km hike or hitchhike as there is not organized public transport. Argentines rarely check luggage of backpackers, therefore bringing all supplies from Chile should not cause problems. Don’t be surprised when Argentine border controls don’t stamp your passport on entry. It’s not any more a given, that all travelers with passports receive an entry stamp when crossing into Argentina.<br /> <br /> Before starting on RP41 consider a good meal in Los Antiguos.<br /> <br /> The first 43 km on RP41 from Los Antiguos to Estancia Los Alamos are wind-exposed and dry. We were lucky to ride most of this stretch on the back of a pickups truck. From the road we could only see one more reliable water source at kilometer 39.5. And descending 100 to 200 m into gorge of Rio Jenimeni just to refill water supplies seams an ordeal that should be avoided.<br /> <br /> The owners of Estancia Los Alamos are welcoming and helpful. We were invited for lunch and offered a bed for a night. But to get moving we opted to start hiking in the afternoon.<br /> <br /> Estancia La Frontera at kilometer 46 of RP41 just after the bridge over Rio Zaballos seams also to offer accommodation on request. And here starts the more scenic part with patches of forest and more regular water streams crossing the road.<br /> <br /> At kilometer 54 of RP41 by-passes are welcome to camp just next to Rio Lincoln. Here we spend our first night.<br /> <br /> At kilometer 64 of RP41 the last patches of forest are left behind and exposed but scenic landscape is crossed.<br /> <br /> The highest point of RP41 (“portezuelo”) is reached at kilometer 76 with just under 1500 m. The last snowmelt washed a part of road away stopping currently most transit traffic but hikers and bikers can cross this damaged road section without problems.<br /> <br /> While walking from Rio Lincoln up to the “portezuelo” the wind and the light snowfall increased. But compared to the weather in Chile at the same time our conditions where quite manageable. The lack of wind-sheltered places keep us moving to kilometer 79 of RP41. Here, an unlocked puesto with a wood stove provided a surprisingly convenient shelter for our second night en route. We just had to seal some gaps in the walls to reduce the wind and snow from entering our temporary refuge. When getting up on the next morning a thin layer of fresh snow covered everything around us.<br /> <br /> The descent to Paso Roballos at kilometer 96 of RP41 traverses open but scenic landscape with little natural shelter. <br /> <br /> The best places to camp after the pass are:<br /> Kilometer 79: unlocked puesto<br /> Kilometer 87: maybe near puesto at 47°06'47&quot;S 71°50'00&quot;W<br /> Kilometer 96: the crossing to Paso Roballos 2 km before the Argentine border control <br /> <br /> At the Argentine border control camping is not permitted.<br /> <br /> When exiting Argentina make sure to get an exit stamp. This stamp is required to enter into Chile.<br /> <br /> Another good option is the abandoned Chilean military post 4 km after the Argentine border control. Most buildings of this small compound are sealed closed but one shelter is open and one mostly closed veranda provided good shelter for us for one night while rain and snow made pitching a tent less pleasant.<br /> <br /> The Chilean border control is 11 km inland from the border.<br /> <br /> From the Chilean border control it’s another 26 km to the trail head of “Sendero 7 Lagunas” with a brilliant camp site halfway (“camping alto valle”).<br /> <br /> * '''Note:''' The RR was changed between Lago Jeinemeni and Lago Verge in October 2024, so numbering of options in the reports below might be slightly off.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> <br /> * '''2024 Mar 14 to 2024 Mar 19 / 5.5 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR / Maddi and Tom'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: Hiked out of Cochrane after lunch in light rain. Hiked up Sendero Las Aguilas then Las Lengas, easy trail and well defined. Rain got heavier as we approached Laguna El Cangrejo. Camped on the west side of the lake, started snowing lightly as we set up. One of the colder nights and we considered turning back and taking the lower route as we weren't sure how passable Laguna Altas would be in the snow.<br /> <br /> Day 2: Woke up to a snowy morning so decided to wait it out in the tent. Packed up once it stopped around 11am and followed Sendero Los Condores. Luckily had a bit of sun as we went over the pass but as we were coming down the other side the rain and wind picked up. Abandoned our plans to hike the Lagunas Altas circuit and instead followed it straight down to Westwind campsite. Sat there for a bit hoping to see a puma but only guanaco in sight. Hiked towards Valle Chacabuco hoping for a hitch but no cars came past. Kept walking along Paso Roballos trying for a hitch, eventually a couple from the UK picked us up and dropped us at Casa Piedra. Spent the night there and got a hot shower which was excellent after all the rain and snow. Didn't end up paying any entry fees for the park or the camping as noone asked.<br /> <br /> Day 3: Got up fairly early to overcast day but no rain. Followed the eastern branch of the Sendero Aviles which was clearly marked and easy to follow. The bridge over the canyon is fun to rejoin the west branch of the trail. Kept following the track along, easy going until you hit the river bed and then there are many crossings back and forth. We did a bit of dodgy scrambling up the banks to avoid getting wet feet. We were going to push on but it started raining lightly about 4pm so we set up camp in the trees along the river. Another group joined us later that night as it was raining heavily and it was the first flat and clear spot.<br /> <br /> Day 4: Started along the track, excellent views as you pass Cerro Jeinimeni. Fairly easy track down to the next river, followed by a lot of walking in the river bed. Gave in and just walked through the water to Lago Verde. Crossings were never really over ankle deep. Track around Lago Verde is fine to follow with excellent views. Very windy as we got over the pass and the path down is quite eroded (but manageable). Hiked around to Raleigh. There is a new suspension bridge over the river at Raleigh that connects to Sendero Laguna Esmerelda. It isn't marked on Gaia or Maps Me so a group behind us went around the other way and had to do a hip deep river crossing. Going via Raleigh and Sendero Esmerelda avoids all river crossings and is an easy track to follow. Hiked all the way to El Silencio for the night, noone there so didn't pay any fees.<br /> <br /> Day 5: Started the hike out along the road hoping for a hitch but no cars went by. Headed up the plateau following a minor road, then relying on GPS and animal tracks. Lots of guanaco. Kept hiking up the hill as the wind picked up. Found a camp spot somewhat out of the wind towards the top of the plateau with a small river passing by for water. Started snowing as we went to sleep.<br /> <br /> Day 6: Woke up to a few cms of snow on the ground and tent and started a very frosty walk up and over the plateau. Lots of guanaco around but not much else other than snow. Luckily the sun came out as we were coming back down the other side as it was freezing up the top and was difficult navigating with the snow cover. Once it cleared we had awesome views of the Torres de Avellano and the lake. The descent track is pretty eroded and very slippery in parts where mud is hidden under small stones. Eventually joined up to the minor road and followed it down to Ruta 265. I had a weird phenomenon with my shoes picking up enormous amounts of sticky mud on the minor road, making my feet a few kgs heavier and having to scrape it off every 100m. Got a hitch to Chile Chico from Ruta 265.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Mar-12 to 2024-Mar-17 / 4 + 2×0.5 = 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + OH D + F / Joscha'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: RR [0.0-16.7]<br /> <br /> I startet around 2 pm and did not try to hitch the first 8 km on the primary road. There is a good flowing stream at the water marker (km 12.2) and at the camp (km 14.1). The flat spot that is camp 14.1 is swampy and therefore not ideal for camping. I camped at -46.60658, -71.80980 which is at least a little bit wind protected. There is also a stream on the other side of the RR close to this spot. <br /> <br /> Day 2: RR [16.7-48.2]<br /> <br /> There was plenty of water. The RR was covered in snow from about km 23 to 28. I took a CC shortcut from km 40.8 to 42.7. I camped at -46.810258, -71.965073.<br /> <br /> Day 3: RR [48.2-59.1] + OSM trail to Laguna Verde + OH35-D + RR [62.4-88.9] + OH35-F + RR [70.3-78.9]<br /> <br /> The park gate at km 50.1 is open from 9 am to 5 pm. But the ranger didn't mind, that I entered before 9 am. I paid 17000 Pesos at the ranger station (km 53). This fee allows camping at all the Campgrounds in the park. I followed the official park trail which branches off at km 59,1 to Laguna Verde. From there it returns via OH35-D to the RR. All fords today were below my knees. After km 75.5 the RR was partially flooded and you had to walk through some branches. Therefore I sometimes walked in the river bed on the eastern side of Rio Aviles. I camped at km 78.9. Its an official campground of the park, but there is nothing. But its flat and wind protected.<br /> <br /> Day 4: RR [78.9-106.3]<br /> <br /> The roof of the refuge at km 93.9 is collapsed. Casa de Piedra is a real house with bathrooms and some common rooms to hang out and probably sleep. I camped on the lakeshore at -47.074614, -72.25701. I would not recommend this spot for windy nights.<br /> <br /> Day 5: RR [106.3-137.6]<br /> <br /> The next reliable water source after Lago Gutierrez (km 106.3) is a stream at km 113.8. Its possible to camp just south of the pass (km 110.8). I did a shortcut from km 129.1 to 130.3. I had to cross a small swampy area for that. Camping at km 137.6 is nice.<br /> <br /> Day 6: RR [137.6-150.4]<br /> <br /> Nice campsite at km 146.0 (RN Tamango) with sheltered tables and spots for camping. I stayed at camping calafate in Cochrane (-47.254013, -72.568419). It has a kitchen with common area (heated by wood oven), wifi and hot showers for 7000 pp.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-24 to 2024-Mar-01 / 6.5 days / &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / SOBO / RR+&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;RP&lt;/span&gt; / Lauren &amp; Seb'''<br /> <br /> Much has been said about this section, so we will share only our impressions.<br /> <br /> Day 1: After reaching wp Settler {35} [8.9/539] by taxi in the early evening, we hiked a short distance and camped at wp Camp {35} [14.1/923]. On a windy day it’s basically unprotected in a narrow valley. There was no wind that day, making it a spot with a great view.<br /> <br /> Day 2: Upon reaching the plateau, it felt like a guanaco/flamencos safari as previously described. To get up there, you have to CC on one manageable steep stretch. Follow the dotted line in OSM relatively far to the left and not the GPT files. We camped north of wp Water {35} [28.1/1579].<br /> <br /> Day 3: We headed across the pass and amazing views opened up before us. On the downhill, follow the GPT line until you reach a fence. Go through the fence on the left end and follow the fence line towards wp Puesto {35} [34.6/1191]. From the side of the puesto, you can easily follow well trodded horse tracks along the fence line until -46.75064, -71.89899. Follow the trails along the river towards the south until you hit the MR. We stopped for the night at wp Camp {35} [42.9+0.2/713].<br /> <br /> Day 4: Cars did not appear until after 10am but we eventually got a ride to the park entrance. From here, the more touristy part begins. Once inside the park we decided to walk the MR around Lago Jeinemeni and only inflated the packraft at Lago Verde. This was an absolutely great paddle on the most turquoise waters and we were lucky with the afternoon wind. We stayed the night at Refuge {35} [68.1/867]. <br /> <br /> Day 5: The next part has lots of fording so expect slow progress. We left our crocs on for the next 3 km. Well marked trail through the forest and across the pass. On the other side, however there is a new official route which starts here -46.87696, -72.17213 and requires more fording. The old trail still exists and no fording was necessary. Stick to the GPS here if you want to save time taking your shoes off! The rest of the way down the valley was enjoyable and we stayed the night just before wp Ford {35} [82.6/805].<br /> <br /> Day 6: Easy hiking down to Camp Piedra where we stayed and camped early.<br /> <br /> Day 7: We started paddling Rio Chacabuco the next morning, but I would advise packrafters against doing so (at least in the late season). Conditions of the river included low water levels with frequent ground contact and many trees in the water. The river splits often, making the already low water even lower and obstacles in the tightly winding corners become even more tricky. First time that we hit a tree since we are on the GPT. As if that wasn’t enough, wind picked up early and forced us out of the water. We decided to water-out here -47.05177, -72.29040 and hiked up the road, where a car took us towards Cochrane after 2 hours.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-27 to 2024-Mar-04 / 5.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR - {35-S} - {35-D} - RR - {35-J} - RR - {35-L} - RR / Lilian &amp; Rainbow '''<br /> <br /> Safari = GPT35, we saw foxes, bunny, flamingos, ostrich, owl, woodpecker, and more than 100 guanacos at this section!<br /> <br /> We standing at the end of town more than 1 hour and found that it is really difficult to hitch out by low traffic. So we go to tourist information ask for help maybe a ride, a man at there said he can take us to x[8.1/505] for 10k CLP, but lastly he just took us to the junction at km5.9, and said he don't want to drive on a non paved road, then don't wait us to respond and throw our backpacks out from his car immediately, and ask for the money.<br /> <br /> So, DON'T ask any ride in tourist information at Chile Chico, they cheated our trust.<br /> <br /> Km12 : flat spot (-46.57669, -71.82779) can fit some tents at other side of a stream, the stream is flowing good and dry feet crossable by rock hopping.<br /> <br /> Km12.75 : viewpoint(-46.58294, -71.82549) of a valley with sky blue colour, super beautiful, don't miss it!<br /> <br /> Camp[14.1/923] : grassland spot, a small stream is flowing low beside it.<br /> <br /> Km16.6 : flat spot(-46.60658, -71.80980), have some covers can stay away from the wind tunnel in valley at north.(wind from north)<br /> <br /> After this spot, no more camping spot or flat spot have wind protection until camp[32.6/1300]. Wind is crazy at the plateau.<br /> <br /> Camp[32.6/1300] : tiny wind protection from a rock wall, just fit 1 tent for it. Better wind protection nearby camp[42.9/713].<br /> <br /> Short cut CC from 38.2 to 42.7, it doesn't save much time, better follow GPX track, MR is completely finished and super easy to walk. It also walk beside some beautiful meadows that are nice to camp(no wind protection).<br /> <br /> Camp[42.9/713] : spots at a wet muddy road. Better spots nearby at (-46.79053, -71.91127), dry and 2-3 sides wind protection by bushes, can fit many tents there.<br /> <br /> Didn't see any cars going south at morning, so road walking all the way to entrance. 11k CLP for entrance fee, 6k CLP for camping fee, total 17k CLP, can pay by credit card.<br /> <br /> Camp,$,bridge,lake[53.3/852] : El Silencio campsite and Lago Jeinemeni. This campsite is a little bit crown with car camping, and the lake is amazing beautiful!<br /> <br /> HIGHLY RECOMMEND walking on the shore of lake from km56.65 - km57.75(from the junction of viewpoint, to the point that trail met the beach), easy, dry feet and excellent beautiful!<br /> <br /> Bridge[58.9/856] : after this bridge, follow south route ( {35-S} &amp; RP{35} ) to Lago Verde, then take the bridge(-46.86056, -72.07982) to cross the river. Lastly follow {35-D} rejoin RR. Dry feet.<br /> <br /> Lake [59.2/840] : Laguna Esmeralda. Didn't find any camping possibilities. Better views at trail.<br /> <br /> Refuge[61.7/856] : beside Laguna Esmeralda, a super blue lake. This refuge is not a cabin, just a shelter with 3 side wooden wall, good wind protection, but I'm not sure about heavy rain, because i saw many holes at the wall. Better camping spot with views beside the lake(not much wind protection).<br /> <br /> Ford start/end[63.4/896] : late season, all the way easy dry feet crossing, walking on log or rock hopping.<br /> <br /> Pass[64.5/1132] : no camping spot here, the spot shown on OSM, is already covered by many blowdowns. Nice viewpoint(-46.84093, -72.10324) of Lago Verde just SW of here.<br /> <br /> Ford[66.1/877] : better river crossing point at (-46.83741, -72.11991), there is a sign at another side of river. Below knee, easy.<br /> <br /> Ford[66.4/859] : river breaks into some parts, below knee, easy.<br /> <br /> Refuge[68.1/867] : shelter with 2 walls, nice weather protection. Refuge with 4 walls, but huge air tunnel at ceiling, so just wind protection. A sign book inside refuge too. Camping spots at here can fit lot of tents, mostly have some wind protection, but not much, because trees are too tall, and just 1 spot behind a blowdowns have well wind protection.<br /> <br /> Fords[68.4/869] - [71.6/905] : lot of river crossing, some trail can go around the river, but not much help and they are overgrown, so finally you need to be crossing and crossing then wet feet.<br /> <br /> Km74.7 : camping spot(-46.87204, -72.17630), can fit 3-4 tents with some weather protection by the forest. Have a shelter made by logs here, can squat 1-2 hiker inside for emergency, but not much help, because it is really small and too many holes on it.<br /> <br /> Km75.7 : camping spot(-46.87886, -72.16954), can fit 3-4 tents with some weather protection by the forest.<br /> <br /> Km78.9 :camping spot(-46.90498, -72.15591), and some more spots nearby, total can fit 4-6 tents with some weather protection by the forest.<br /> <br /> Ford[79.3/846] : Below knee, easy.<br /> <br /> Refuge[81.0/819] : no refuge, no shelter. Camping spot with views can fit 2 tents but no protection.<br /> <br /> Ford[82.6/805] : Below knee. Camping spot(-46.93485, -72.15869), can fit 2 tents with not much weather protection by the bushes, before the crossing.<br /> <br /> Km83.3 : camping spot(-46.94089, -72.15600), can fit 2-3 tents with some weather protection by some trees. Also one spot at south but not much protection.<br /> <br /> Km84.7 : camping spot(-46.95268, -72.15123), can fit 1 tent with some weather protection by some brushes.<br /> <br /> Km88.6 : camping spot(-46.98397, -72.15988), can fit 2 tents with weather protection by some trees and brushes. Flat area nearby can fit many tents with good views but no protection.<br /> <br /> Bridge[90.9/635] : classic bridge! Worth to take a look and walk on it!<br /> <br /> We took {35-J} instead RR here, because less puds, also walking on a plateau looks like more scenic.<br /> <br /> {35-J} Km5 : viewpoint(-47.03902, -72.19077) of the whole valley, very beautiful! Don't miss it!<br /> <br /> Camp,$,refuge[98.9/379] : Casa de Piedra campground. Have some shelters with picnic table for cooking, and a refuge with hot(warm) shower, toilet and some tables for meals. If you decide to camp here, please expect sleep late. This spot mostly are campers and tourists. They'll speaking and cooking until 10 or 11 or midnight.<br /> <br /> You can take a shuttle form here to Cochrane(30k CLP per person) or Camping Los West Wind(15k CLP per person)<br /> <br /> Time schedule: 9am Cochrane - 9.45am Museo, 10am Museo - 10.15am Camping Los West Wind, 10.30am Camping Los West Wind - 10.45am Museo, 12noon Museo - 1pm Camping Casa de Piedra, 4.30pm Camping Casa de Piedra - 5.15pm Museo, 5.30pm Museo - 6.30pm Cochrane<br /> <br /> Start from here, the trail is not maintained anymore, but still in good condition.<br /> <br /> Km103 : Lago Gutierrez, amazing beautiful lake, have some minutes i thought back to Norway again.<br /> <br /> Km103.85 : a small stream(-47.07911, -72.22738) flowing good with clear water, easy to collect.<br /> <br /> Pass[110.8/1126] : some fresh snow remain at here.<br /> <br /> Km112.45 : emergency camping spot(-47.10718, -72.28893), the ground is a little soft, but is flat and some wind protection, can fit many tents here.<br /> <br /> Km116.9 : Laguna Guagua. Camping spot(-47.13350, -72.30170), can fit 2-3 tents with some wind protection from west by bushes, SW of the spot have a side trail to lake. BUT, DON'T go for {35-02A} back to RR, it is completely CC and BB with spike plants, not fun. Better CC climbing up to RR from camping spot directly.<br /> <br /> Refuge,X[118.3/716] : no refuge, it is collapsed. The woods becomes a super small shelter here. If you lost your backpack, crawling inside maybe can save your life. Otherwise just for photos snapping function.<br /> <br /> From here to km125.0, you will walk beside 3 lakes, didn't see any wind protection camping spots there, but if you have good luck at a no wind night, you maybe find some spots at the last lake.<br /> <br /> Km125.0 : road walking start. Flat spot with some wind protection on the road can fit 1-2 tents at here too.<br /> <br /> Km125.9 : junction of RR and {35-L}, because the road is too easy to walk and follow, we completely miss this junction and walk a long time then realised RR is a different way, so we keep going on {35-L} and rejoin RR later.<br /> <br /> {35-L} km3.6 : a small stream(-47.17383, -72.37063) flowing good with clear water, easy to collect. Flat spot can fit 1-2 tents after the crossing.<br /> <br /> We walked the whole way{35-L} and rejoin RR at km130.8.<br /> <br /> RR Km132.4 : flat spot(-47.17220, -72.42231) can fit 1 tent at the end of lake. With some wind protection by forest.<br /> <br /> Camp[136.9/162] : can fit 2-4 tents with weather protection by forest, but if the wind is come from south, it is not much help. Excellent views on the beach.<br /> <br /> Camp[137.6/173] : can fit 2-3 tents with wind protection from east and north by trees. Excellent views on the beach. Just beside a port, looks like can take a boat to here.<br /> <br /> Km138.3 : camping spot(-47.20064, -72.46718), total can fit 3-5 tents at several stage, some spots have good wind protection by trees and bushes.<br /> <br /> From here to km146.0, lot of up and down beside some cliffs (maybe slippery in rain), but it is a trail with lot of amazing views, we are really enjoyed it.<br /> <br /> Km139.77 : a tiny stream(-47.20803, -72.47813) flowing good with clear water, easy to collect.<br /> <br /> Km141.73 : side trail to viewpoint(-47.21986, -72.49280) and cell service for Movistar.<br /> <br /> Km142.15 : flat grassland(-47.22231, -72.49623) can fit 4 tents just beside the beautiful lake, some wind protection by valley itself.<br /> <br /> X[143.9/244] : cell service for Entel(-47.23128, -72.50780)<br /> <br /> Km146.0 : RN Tamango campground, some shelters for cooking, large arae for camping, hot shower and trash can, 7k CLP per person.<br /> <br /> Km146.5 : the last flat spot(-47.24353, -72.53067) before Cochrane, some wind protection by brushes, can fit 1-3 tents with nice sunrise, you can arrive there by a clear trail beside ranger station, the trail is shown on OSM map.<br /> <br /> Cochrane : <br /> <br /> Lot of accommodation, markets and restaurants, and 2 outdoor gear shops.<br /> <br /> 230g gas canisters, power bank, chargers and tent stakes at Supermercado Melero(-47.25386, -72.57414).<br /> <br /> Sunglasses, micro spikes, snow shoes and some clothes at La Ruta 7 Patagonia(-47.25591, -72.57320).<br /> <br /> Sleeping bag, tents, boots(just 1 trail runner), socks, base layer, warm clothes and pants at Kalfu Patagonia(-47.25474, -72.57018).<br /> <br /> Clothes at Vansy(-47.25417, -72.57431), not a outdoor gear shop, but some sporty clothes and pants for a low price at here.<br /> <br /> Some campground and lot of indoor stays at Cochrane. The only hostel is Camping, Refugio ,Cabaña y Hostel(a long name) (-47.25446, -72.57497). And most of the rooms here include breakfast(without kitchen), 20k CLP per person. The only one we found with kitchen(but no breakfast) is Casa Raíces Hostal(-47.25113, -72.56848).<br /> <br /> Bus terminal to Coyhaique, Villa Cerro Castillo, Villa O' Higgins, Chile Chico, Puerto Rio Tranquilo and Tortel at (-47.25137, -72.57317).<br /> <br /> Tourist information(-47.25439, -72.57283).<br /> <br /> I recommend La Martica(-47.25112, -72.57266), local restaurant with nice food in a good price.<br /> <br /> * '''24-Feb-17 to 2024-Feb-22 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR, Variant L / Tomáš &amp; Natalie'''<br /> <br /> There were several hitchhiker groups out of Chile Chico so we took a taxi (990250968) to the settler at 8.9 for 10,000 CLP. Nobody was there, but there is a locked gate so it would not be possible to take a taxi further up. For pedestrians, there is an unlocked door. One can shortcut the first zigzag of the road thereafter and several others, it is open terrain. We camped in a dry lakebed (for windprotection) about 1 km after the first pass. Despite strong wind in Chile Chico and a forecast of wind gusts over 60km/hr, the night was largely peaceful with just one hour of wind. The plateau has terrain features and it seemed to us it is not that impossible to camp there, but maybe we were just lucky.<br /> <br /> The next day was like a safari, lots of animals and little wind. Pawprints on lake bed turned out to be a big dog and not a puma according to the rangers though. Going down from the plateau, it is possible to shortcut the GPX track to the SE and end near the puesto at 34.6. Trail starts above the puesto but is not so easy to follow and the GPX does not seem to be the most precise. It is advisable to take a CC shortcut to bridge at 42.7 as mentioned by Adrien Kunzli: about 1 km before the end of MR 38.2, veer right aiming for a black outcrop on the mountain on the other side of the valley and you will pop out above the bridge. We got lucky and got a ride at around 16:30 to the parkoffice. We paid 15000 CLP only for one person - they forget to charge the other one. They were friendly and told us the weather forecast. We did not get any receipt or pass though. Walked two hours to campsite Raleigh, there were two other foreign tents there. The new trail is technically the old &quot;laguna Esmeralda&quot; (RP 59.2) trail with a new bridge, so keep left to avoid fords, combined with variant D it seems preferable to RR even when not intending to camp [November 20224: this is not RR].<br /> <br /> From Raleigh, the first fords were possible to cross without fording thanks to logs and stones. The next valley is indeed beautiful, especially Lago Verde. There were about ten tents but no people near the refugio at 67.6. Tomáš tried to go around the second fords through the forest on the left and he eventually reached variant F, which exists but partially goes through a marsh and does not avoid fording anyway: it is pointless, just ford. Initially the start of the fords seem like a marsh, go around it from the right through the river, it is a nice riverbed thereafter. Rio Aviles was kneedeep and ok. Ford 71.2 is mighty - go downstream about 200 m, it splits and is easy there (there is a cairn in the middle). We camped at a camping site marked on OSM about 2 km further down from there. There is a place for one tent about 20 m from a creek. Very nice spot. Having a headstart to people starting from the park office, we only met three groups of foreigners all day.<br /> <br /> Variant J does not avoid any substabtial fords, water at 96.1 is easily jumpable and the river is bridged on both J and RR. <br /> Casa de Piedra is a nice spot with resident guanacos (and some tourists). Tomáš had a hot shower! We were asked for our passes - we explained we were not given them and it was ok. We went on. The Siete Lagunas trail is surprisingly in a rather good shape. It is little used but not much overgrown and generally easy to follow, needing a GPS only occasionally. Tomáš liked it tremendeously. Did not meet anyone on it.<br /> <br /> We slept near the pass next to a marsh. It rained most of the night but stopped before morning, luckily the trail was not too wet the next day. The first stream after the pass is very weak (not flowing if not raining?); it flows from the marsh by which we slept and is about 500 m after the pass waypoint. The next stream is about 1 km further down, it had more water. After that, water is only in the lakes. Tomáš cleaned a lot of the logs and branches from the trail, if you can spare a moment, please do likewise. We could not see any traces of option 02A or option K. We took option L near km 129.9 - we were confused by other reports because we thought people were taking the much longer part of L that follows a MR. RR leaves the Siete lagunas trail at the end of option L after 29 km. The trail probably goes to Valle Chacabuco. [OSM has Variant F and L marked as &quot;Sendero 7 Lagunas&quot;, this is wrong. Variant K looks to be indeed CC and variant L looks to be an unnecessary detour on a MR (overgrown and with logs at first when RR is on this MR - when you cross the MR again after four km on RR, it no longer looks that overgrown). November 2024: OSM has been corrected.] On L, one can easily take a CC shortcut from top of the hill to MR. We found two shortcutting trails to the MR. We met Daniel who was coming back from cutting invasive pines with his chainsaw, he had a friendly and humorous attitude. Camped at the lake at the wind protected camp.<br /> <br /> The night brought surprisingly strong wind and rain - try to camp deeper in the forest. We followed a faint trail tracing the shore of the lake instead of CC 137.6, in the middle of it there was an apple tree that will be ripe in March probably. Did not meet anybody until the viewpoint above the lake that says &quot;signal Movistar&quot; (we have Entel, which has a sign 2 km further on but it did not work, just wait one hour until Cochrane proper), from then on, there were daytrippers. CONAF had a lunch break so we passed unnoticed. Cochrane as a town is ok.<br /> <br /> Nat's Notes:<br /> The Bulk shop in Chile Chico (Güenta Emporio) is not open on weekends, they have weird hours and sometimes need to call before; Andrea +56 9 9540 1708. I recommend the hospedaje Rio Baker, 15mil pp which is the general price here. <br /> The plateau <br /> - Besides Descabezado, this area was one of the most visually interesting sections for me. I haven't had that much fun taking photos in a long time. At first the guanacos scared me a little, I felt like I was surrounded by ninjas, eventually I warmed up to them. A good place for a zoom camera.<br /> -For me the going was slow, besides being tired and equipped with rash-covered feet I found the navigation tricky. I kept aiming for the wrong pass because there are many rolling hills. However I found things got better near and after pass km28.8.<br /> - Water in the plateau is still frequent. If one wants to camp as close to the plateau as possible (SOBO) I suggest this spot:-46.62397, -71.81920. Also there is a nice grassy and fairly sheltered spot near water km23.9: -46.66437, -71.84393 and a big flat grass patch at water 30.6. There is a huge boulder for wind protection if needed here; -46.65469, -71.83997. In the valley bottom near the puesto, there are less/no camping spots. I did not like all the dogs at puesto 34.6, so I purposely avoided it. <br /> - When finishing the plateau section, I filled up on water at the last stream that wasn't the main river here: -46.72842, -71.89633, as I didn't think we would get a hitch to the park office.<br /> <br /> Sendero Avilés<br /> - The descent from pass km64.5 is nothing, just a bit of dirt dust that makes traction hard. The only part on this track that I would worry about safety-wise (apart from the two river crossings) is a new steep traverse 2ish kms after pass km74.1: -46.88996, -72.16428. I decided to throw my bag down 5m instead of walking down the &quot;free fall&quot;. (Alternatively you could ford rio Aviles twice.)<br /> - The series of mini river crossings were all fine, there is a nice water source before pass km74 in the forest once you finish all the fords, it comes from a waterfall not far away. <br /> - Near the end I took Variant J bcs I thought it avoided a river crossing (no rivers to cross but RR doesn't either). If you do this option I recommend still going to the hanging bridge at the X of J and RR bcs it is a fun and unique bridge!<br /> - Cassandra at Case Piedra was nice and easy to get along with.<br /> <br /> Siete Lagunas<br /> - The water we took from the marsh was probably the grossest water I have had to drink, lots of algae and oil, I filtered and boiled. (The second stream was much better.)<br /> - As noted the trail is not hard to follow at this moment, only a handful of times I lost it. That being said it could be because we were walking near the end of the season and therefore it was obvious where ppl had been walking (pushed down grass), I think it would be a lot harder at the beginning of the season. Another bonus was that most spikees were gone.<br /> - Near to camp 136.9, there is a water source. It is at the end of the beach, 200-300m west of camp. There are two or three more water sources on the first part of the trail but after the look-out, there are no more.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-6 to 2024-Feb-11 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + option L / Yannick &amp; Nolwenn &amp; Tess &amp; Lukas'''<br /> <br /> - Trail condition : really nice overall // the trail is sometimes overgrown and easy to loose from km 113,5 to km 122, so just keep an eye on the gps<br /> - Water : easy to find plenty of rivers and lagunas<br /> - Camping spot : we camped at km 32,6 and it was a bad idea, too exposed and we got snow and a lot of wind during the night, would really recommend to go down more // we camped near the lago Gutiérrez at km 106,15 there is place for 2 tents<br /> - Weather : windy, sunny, snow, rain <br /> - River crossing : easy<br /> - Resupply : in Chile Chico (a bulk shop just opened in front of the camping Nandu) // in Cochrane everything you need<br /> - Entrance fee : for park Patagonia 11 000 pesos per pp + 6 000 pesos for camping per pp<br /> - Overall : really nice section, we were happy to encounter 3 huemuls<br /> <br /> *'''2024-Jan- 18 to 2024-Jan-24/ 7 days/hiking/SOBO/ 35/ 35-02a( from 47.1567357S, 72.4154650W)/ 35-02 ( from S 47.12123, W 072.46099) /35-03 ( from S 47.11712 W072.48494)/35-03c ( from Laguna El Cangrejo)/35-03d/ 35 from Lago Cochrane/ Paulina'''<br /> Long, beautiful tour in Parque Patagonia, as I mixed different variants, it allowed me to see all the divercity of the park. Almost no people, a lot of guanacos, a really beautiful section!<br /> <br /> Day 1 The way from Chile Chico to Lago Jeinimeni. I was prepared to walk all the way, but as some cars stoped and it was a very hot day, I took a lift ( I have walked maybe 8 km in total ). I stopped at 46.7304997S, 71.7415019W, to do the loop of about 7 km in the first reserve of Jeinimeni. The entrance is paid 6000 CLP but the ticket is valid later, at the main entrance at Lago Jeinimeni ( the next 2 days). It's really worth to walk on this place. The rock formations are amasing. It takes about 3h and you can leave your backpack at the park reception After that, another car stoped and took me to the main entrance of Lago Jeinimeni. The views from the road are really scenic, it's a pity not to walk some parts of this road, lucky my car was old and slow so I could admire the views.<br /> <br /> Day 2 From Lago Jeinimeni to the refugio and camping at 46.8406732S, 72.1409082W. The first part of the trail to Portezuelo La Gloria is rather easy, it stays mostly in the valley, the ascent to the pass is not very difficult and rather short. On the way down from the pass there are some steeper moments and there are some places where the trail is distroyed by a kind of stone avalanche so you have to find your way thru the stones. Amasing views on Laguna Verde. Once you are down at Laguna, there are some fords, when I was there, the highest one was till knees.<br /> <br /> Day 3 A lot of fords all the way in Valle Hermoso, there were all easy to cross. Also, you can't clearly see the path but anyway, you have to follow the valley. Sometimes there are signes so you will always find the way. This day, the only a bit more difficult place you can find around S 46.89032 W 072.16461. Going SOBO it's a steep descent, it's very short but steep. Can be dangerous after the rain. Later the views on the canyon on Aviles river became really amasing, it was for me one of the most beautiful part in all the park.<br /> <br /> Day 4/5 I had 6 km till Casa de Piedra ( there was a tiny spot for one tent with a stream at this distance) and I started the part Siete Lagunas. At Casa de Piedra I asked the ranger if the trail was walkable and he confirmed that it was ok and I could go. But, as the others already mentioned , the trail is not maintained anymore. Till the end of Laguna Gutierrez it's rather easy to find the way without gps, but later, there are some places where the path is not at all visible. With trail on gps is not very difficult to find the way, but without this, can be very difficult to follow this trail. There are also a lot of fallen trees, some BB. If they do nothing, I think in 2 years the path will completely disapear. But it's a beautiful trail, wild, you meet nobody, a pure and intacked nature. Just take enough water, the first day of this sendero the water was at Lago Gutierrez and later about 1h after the pass.<br /> <br /> Day 6 Instead to continue on RR I went to Valle Chacabuco to discoverer also this sector. I started with the trail Lagunas Atlas. Well marked, beautiful, various views, it was the most frequented part of the park, but still I can't say it was crowded. Beautiful camp on Laguna el Cangrejo.<br /> <br /> Day 7 The views on Lago Cochrane are really amasing. The landscapes and the vegetation are in this part different than before.<br /> <br /> To conclude, I did not encontered really difficult places on this long hike. As I walked through all sections of the park, it allowed me to see all the divercity of the area. Except maybe 3 h in Valle Chacabuco, I did not really meet people in the park. It was a beautiful section! In Cochrane, you will find a lot of shops where you can find everything you need for next section. There are several campings ( I liked a lot Camping Lorenzo not crowded, nice place to cook with gaz, friendly owner, spots with twin protection<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-28 to 2024-Jan-04 / 8 days / RR / SOBO / Roshi'''<br /> <br /> I hitchhiked from Chile Chico to X{35}[8.1/505] and did not see the settler at El Ciprés. It was very windy and I decided to cross the plateau at midday which was maybe not the best idea. The cross country I found very challenging and the extreme head wind across the plateau was in relentless. Nevertheless I thoroughly enjoyed the amazing landscape and the challenge, although a less windy day or starting earlier would have made it more enjoyable. I camped close to Camp 32.6/1300 at a dry spot and the next day followed the fence down to the road and walked to the Park entrance at Jenimeni. The park rangers told me of an alternative route to the start of the Avilés trail to Casa de Piedra and gave me some maps and info, they were very friendly. I paid 3000 pesos for park entry. I camped at Valle Hermoso which lives up to its name and then did a day hike to the glacial lake leaving my tent at the Refugio Valle Hermoso and following Estero Ventisquero or part of OH-CC-A {35-06} After packing up I then hiked a couple of kms down to a next campsite (there are a couple of established places to set up your tent on the way to Casa de Piedra). From Casa de Piedra I followed the Site Laguna's trail which was overgrown and difficult to follow and navigate and for me probably my least favourite part. The kms are marked but you really have to follow the GPS me there aren't many places to pitch if you don't feel like hiking anymore. I think going down into Chacobuco (which I had done previously) would have been nicer. I loved the Lago Cochrane and Tamango reserve the views and colours were amazing and the trails very easy to follow and not very busy. I got a lift into Cochrane halfway from the entrance but the road walk is not long anyway and I was not actively hitching. <br /> <br /> Annoyances were horse flies but I got good advice to &quot;out Zen&quot; them and to be honest once you let it go and enjoy the views and being in nature generally they are easy to deal with. Just don't stop between 2 and 8 PM ;) <br /> And from Jenimeni to Casa de Piedra is lots of river crossings so just accept wet feet :) and try do river crossings in the morning especially on hot days ( esp Avilés) Be safe and sensible obviously!<br /> I would have maybe even liked to stay longer on this part of the trail, there were lots of little day hikes and alternative routes I'd have loved to explore, but I didn't have enough food. It's a beautiful part of the world, enjoy it! <br /> <br /> <br /> * '''From 2023-01-15 to 2023-01-19 // 5 days // Hiking // NOBO // VARIANT P + OPT3 + OPT3A + RR + VARIANT J + VARIANT I + VARIANT D + Sendero Laguna Esmeralda (no variant on that one yet) + RR // Quentin Clavel'''<br /> <br /> From Cochrane, I thought it was sad to go straight along the Lago Cochrane without checking what's going up there, and have a view over the vallee Chacabuco. So that's what I did. <br /> <br /> I just took the beginning of Variant P, you have to pass threw a gate saying &quot;no passar&quot; then you have to bifurcate to the option 3 (tamango) to reach the pass between vallée tamango and chacabuco. Very nice views. Then instead of going down into vallée Chacabuco, I went straight, and continue on the sendero de las siete lagunas, wich is an old track, sometimes hard to guess, so check the GPS, but mostly easy to folllow (you still have the mark every kilometers). <br /> <br /> Really loved the colours at the end of Lago guitterrez ! <br /> <br /> Main difficulties on the section are these horrible horseflies, and the no less terrible little spiky plants that stay sticks in your shoes and socks. <br /> <br /> Then you reach casa de piedras. I took the variant J to don't have to put my crocs for the river crossing (yeah, I'm a lazy walker aha). <br /> <br /> Then follow the river until the vallée hermoso, wich lives up to its name. And at this time it's just a mix between walking and crossing rivers. No need to ask, I putted my crocs on aha ! <br /> <br /> The pass up to Lago Verde was steep but the view so outstanding and the colours .. same amazing colours on Lago jeinemeni ! <br /> <br /> Didn't stayed at, but the Raleigh camp is very nice if you may choose a camp around ! <br /> <br /> Second part of NP was CC, and that was so cool ! Just have the directions and go straight to this point. Passing from mountains to others, surrounded by an unnumerable number of curious guanacos ! <br /> <br /> Hardest part is to deal with the strong wind during the ascend and at the highest point. And the descent is quite unstable, stay close to the GPX tracks, I tried to shorttrack but it led me down to slippery slopes, so I had to backtrack to find again the GPX. <br /> <br /> Then it's 15 km down to reach Chile Chico (8km on the asphalt). Settler wasn't angry against me and saluate me kindly when I passed threw his land.<br /> <br /> <br /> Very nice stretch. Very diversificate, great landscapes, wildlife. I loved it ! <br /> <br /> And about the entrance fees, It was not my intention, but I haven't paid for as I entered by variant P which is not a porper enter. And haven't seen any guardaparque at all. <br /> <br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''2023-Dec-30 / 1 day / Packrafting / SOBO / Option 10 C / Tom Pieper'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> <br /> I attempted this option as an alternative starting point for section 36G. Hitchhiked to the bridge of Carreterra Austral over Rio Chacabuco. I scouted rapid {35-10C} [2.3/121] from 100 m above and it looked feasible. This was not true when I approached on the river after entering just before the bridge. The rapid was impassable (late afternoon) which brought me into serious troubles. The canyon is pretty steep here and there is no way back. It was not fun to climb the steep slopes cliffs to escape the 100 m deep canyon. Its really dangerous. The rapid is pretty hard to investigate from above. I would recommend to only go later in the season and only in the morning or at least with company.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-21 / 8 day / Hiking + &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / SOBO / RR + Option 10 + Old and new tracks to Administration Parque Patagonia Valle Chacabuco / Tom Pieper'''<br /> <br /> Most have been described by Kris and Stina. The plateau and the entire track is awesome. After the kind Arriero at the puesto {35} [15.8/1075] (actually its his house) I found it a little bit tricky to find a good route first but then just ascended and found a nice cross country route. Camped before the plateau. There are nice spots just before 1400 m, after that its just rocky until you descend to the Water {35} [23.9/1586]. Camp {35} [32.6/1300] was a little bit swampy. Found a better spot 300 m south. Try to be early at the road if you want to hitchhike. I was lucky and got the last car passing at 14.00 to the park at day. On the 25/12 the park entrance (but only the entrance) is always closed! Keep in mind if you come around christmas. At the park entrance you must disinfect your packrafting gear due to Didymo algae. I could not packraft lago jenimeni and verde due to wind but its still stunning. Between Water {35} [75.5/937] and Ford {35} [79.3/846] there is a approx. 3-4 steep bluff. I felt really uncomfortable with my heavy backpack as a lot of erosion happened to the steep ‘steps’. Maybe exploring an additional bush bashing route is feasible here. The ford was rather deep and could be a problem for shorter persons but I crossed in the evening, so in the morning it should be fine. Collapsed Refuge {35} [81.0/819] makes a nice camp spot. The other forts were fine. Stayed one night at Casa Piedra were I met Tobi and Fangwen and spend dinner and breakfast together the next day. CONAF first denied to packraft Rio Chacabuco due to conservation reasons, but after I mentioned that I came along all the track with my gear and rangers et sector jenimeni they were fine with me going on that river. The river is a bit unspectacular. I left at the River Out {35} [119.8/277] and I followed the old trail/road to Park Ranger, Refuge, Camp {35} [123.2/263]. There is a new picknick hut and I spend the night in there with a spectacular view of the valle chacabuco to the rims of campo hielo norte. The next day I continued the old track right side of the river (not in the GPT track files) until the bridge {35-10} [4.7/265]. Track is still in good conditions and occasionally used by the horses and guanacos there. A wonderful hike with massive views. I than continued on the CONAF trail (also not in the GPT track files) to Park administracion at Lodging $$$ {35-03} [1.9/340]. Would not recommend the restaurant. 65 $ for a 3 course meal but nothing fancy. Better spend for dinner in Cochrane. But for a post hike drink at the bar it is a lovely place and staff is kind. Also liked the museum and stayed the night at the campsite approximately 2 km away. The puma still seems to be there occasionally. Next day I hitchhiked out to Cochrane.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-18 to 2023-Dec-23/ 5.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Stiina &amp; Kris'''<br /> <br /> Got a taxi for the first 8 kilometers of the roadwalk. Nobody present at the farm where the dirtroad starts to go uphill, gates easy to get through, friendly dog. We hiked just 6km and made camp by a stream.<br /> <br /> The next day passed the puesto at km15.8, owner seemed friendly and waved. Slowly climbed up to the plateau, lots of water everywhere, very few snowpatches en route. Perfect day - not much wind. Saw lots of guanacos, hares, flamingos. Moving cross-country was ok throughout. Climbed a few barbed-wire fences. Finally found the dirt road, hiked to camp at km42.9.<br /> <br /> In the morning hitched a ride to the park entry with a ranger. We had no online booking as we didn't know when we'd arrive, they had us make one on site. Super friendly guys, said that there is currently fewer visitors than normally at this time. The route between Rio San Antonio crossing and Camp Raleigh has been changed, partially new trail built; follows mainly the Lago Esmeralda trail. There is now a brand new hanging bridge over Rio San Antonio right next to Camp Raleigh, avoiding all the needless crossings.<br /> <br /> After the camp there trail seems new in places, but then resorts to many rivercrossings again. The way up and down the Puertozuela La Gloria is steep and loose. After Lago Verde there are a million more crossings until you turn South. Here the trail is not much maintained, lots of fallen trees. The next 25km to Casa Piedra the trail is a bit harder to see at first but then gets much better. The guy (not a ranger) at Casa Piedra informed us that the Siete Lagos trail is closed but couldn't say why. It's definitely overgrown in parts, lots of fallen trees - need to keep track on the gpx at all times. After settler at km135.2 the trail has been recently maintained and bushes cut.<br /> <br /> For photos and stories, you can follow us on Instagram: @smallfootprint_bigadventures<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Mar-31 to 2023-Apr-06 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Option J / Martin &amp; Helena'''<br /> <br /> We enjoyed this section a lot, especially with all the beautiful autumn colors in early April and basically without people until the last part before Cochrane. PN Patagonia closed some sectors on the first Monday in April, so we were the last ones to get a permission and do this section ‘legally’. Be prepared for this if you want to do this part in April or later. The problem is they close Casa Del Piedra and probably won’t let you pass to that sector from Lago Jeinemeni, where the entrance stays open for longer time. Sneaking around the guards house early in the morning or just not be specific about your plans might work if needed, its very unlikely you would meet anyone on the way from the main entrance.<br /> <br /> Just like others we found the plateau between km 20-28 very very windy. Definitely don’t count with camping there. We found a good spot right after the secound pass, aprox. 500m down the hill where you can find a wind protected place. The descent down is a little slow but with nice views, guanacos, horses.. simply amazing. Once back on the road, it’s not too far to the PN entrance where we met a guard, but fortunately were able to get a permission as described above. The trail from Lago Jeinemeni was one of our favorites. All the fords were easy, but expect quite slow progress in the CC parts. We camped in a forrest at km 81 where is a destroyed refugio but still a good spot for camping. The rest of the trail to Casa Del Piedra is again straightforward and the landscape is somehow more dry. We didn’t cross the first bridge but went with the J option which turned out to be a good decision as we met a xx of guanacos that let us come really close to them. Closed and locked refugio still provides a good shelter, but when open it must be a perfect stop in the middle of this long section. Water was turned off as well but there is a stream behind the house.<br /> <br /> We spent the next night on the beach of Lago Gutierrez where is enough space to build a tent - bushes around the trail are otherwise very thorny and sharp. After the ascent to the pass was a good stream of water, probably the last place to safely take unfiltered water for the next couple of kms. The trail from there leads around all the lakes and is nice and easy. We spent the night in a refugio at km 134. This one was the only one standing from what we have seen and its a good shelter when it rains, however we decided to stay in our tent anyway. You can make fire inside. Closest water is actually the one in a lake uphill, the stream on the other side of the path was very dirty and hard to gather anyway.<br /> <br /> From there its a one more day until the finish with a good pace. We haven’t met the settler Daniel, but he’s definitely still living there. Beautiful beach of Lago Cochrane and from there we started to meet more and more tourists, doing just a day hike or some circuit around the lake - might be a good option as well in this beautiful region. The last kms felt a little long for us as we were looking forward to have some rest and enjoy all the fun in town. At the official campsite were a few people but no one asked us about anything. There are nice toilets and shower. From there its around 30m to Cochrane. Good to remember they celebrate Easter holidays in Chile as well, but we still managed to find some shop and bakery open.<br /> <br /> Contact: @martin_hanzelka @helenneka<br /> <br /> * '''12/03/2023 - 18/03/2023 / RR SOBO / Jakub+Veronika:'''<br /> <br /> Doing section 35 was due to closure of the Patagonia NP caused by heavy rains with helicopter rescue of several tourists from Valle Hermoso quite complicated, we did walk all we could in Tamango reserve and later (when it was opened) in Chacabuco valley. Be sure not to miss the museum. It's really worth it. The northern part was opened as the last one, that's why we've skipped it and hitchhiked back to Caretera. All paths in great condition. When going from Tamango to Chacabuco there's one suggestion:<br /> <br /> It seems that on RR (35, km 141) ends new 11km long track ”Huemules” which starts at the parking in Chacabuco valley on RP (35, km 132.5). That trail might be a nice alternative to RR (mud road) leading over private land of settler David Huemul.<br /> <br /> *8.02. - 05.03.23 / Anna &amp; Christopher / SOBO, Chile Chico - Cochrane<br /> <br /> We started in Chile Chico around 5 pm walking the first km on the road. After a while we got a ride to the Bahía Jara cross and camped a few hundred meters further near the street (we carried water from Chile Chico).<br /> <br /> The ascent to the plateau is mostly easy dirtroad walking and the last CC part easy to navigate. The whole stretch on the plateau until the street at km 41.5 we had extreme wind, which made walking super tiring and nearly blew us away a few times. We found a tiny and steep, but wind protected place to set up our tent at around km 28 in the ridge dug by the river. We had to get a bit inventive to set it up and to be able to sleep properly there. There were almost no other places that were protected by the wind until you get off the plateau. As almost all previous entries say, it's better to camp off the plateau. But it's really worth doing it because you can see Guanacos and flamingos on it :)<br /> <br /> When we reached the street at km 41.5 we were lucky and a car passed by a few minutes later, which brought us to the entrance of Parque Patagonia. We payed 15k CLP p.p. and walked to the camp Raleigh at Lago verde. There are some sheltered places to set up the tent, with an unfamiliar amount of people for the GPT. Lago Verde is beautiful though.<br /> <br /> The next day involves lots of river- and stream crossings and it started to rain not particularly heavy, but after some hours we were completely wet. Therefore the rivercrossing at km 82.6 was really hard for Anna (1,63 m) but we managed by inertlocking our arms and doing it step by step slowly. After that the trails get really good and you can walk way faster. We camped at the unofficial camp site at km 84.7.<br /> <br /> We had good weather the next day and the trail was really good until Lago Gutierrez. Up to the pass the trail gets a bit worse with some navigation issues, but you always find a good path again. As the others wrote there are only some tiny streams within the first km after the pass until the next Laguna, so we filled up our bottles there and camped somewhere in the forest soon afterwards once it started to rain again.<br /> <br /> The next day there were still not too much water sources and we fetched the first water at the first Laguna which wasn't super easy to access. The trail until Lago Cochrane wasn't in bad condition neither. We also took Option L, which follows the 'regular' siete lagunas trail. The stretch from Lago Cochrane until the Conaf office at the end of the lake is absolutely amazing with great views of one of the clearest lakes in the world. We camped at km 145.7 and took a bath in the lake.<br /> <br /> The last 8 km to Cochrane went super fast on an easy trail until Conaf and 4 km road walking to the town, so happily we could escape from the starting rain.<br /> <br /> * '''20 to 24 of February 2023 / Silke &amp; Hans / Loop - Fachinal -&gt; Chile Chico'''<br /> <br /> We didn't do the regular route, but read about an intresting loop starting in Fachinal and entering the normal route at Valley Hermoso. We then continued along the regular route to the entrance at Laguna Jeinimeni, and back to Chile Chico. The first 3 days from Fachinal we didn't see any other hikers, but it was pretty clear why. The trail was completely overgrown, full of fallen trees and a lot of the time there is no trail at all. But we managed our way through pretty good, and is was an awesome alternative to enter the Park. We recorded our GPX for others, waypointed some POI's and added some photo's to it: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/114121493<br /> <br /> DAY 1 / 18km / +740m /<br /> Although we heard of a bus to Fachinal from Chile Chico, nobody really appeared to know any information about it.. In the terminal the people we spoke said there were none. So we started hitchhiking the following morning. But after 3-4h of no luck we went back to the terminal, and all of a sudden there was a bus leaving at 11:30. 10.000 pesos pp, a little expensive but being unsuccesfull hitchhiking we took it. We had lunch at the turnoff, and starting hiking around 13:00. The first part is on a clear double track, but soons turns into a clear singletrack. We took the wrong intersection twice (waypointed on our GPX). We camped right before the first big river crossing. There is one steel cable, so if you bring a harness you could tiroller across. <br /> <br /> DAY 2 / 22km / +1100m /<br /> First up, we crossed the river. The water level didn't seem a lot lower than the day before, and at the deepest part it was about halfway our thighs. After taking another wrong intersection and backtracking, we reach the second river crossing. Again a steel cable is provided but the crossing was pretty straightforward, and the water level was only slighty above our knees. Just across the river is a an old cabin, and then short after a very new refugio (locked, used by a trekking agency). The trail gets super dense after this, climbs steeply on the mountain side and dissapears completely on numerous occasions. After the climb it flattens out, opens up and you reach a laguna. After the laguna it's the easiest to just follow the river bed down to the open valley floor (possible sheltered campsite in the forest). Follow the valley floor to another amazing laguna where you can camp near a second locked refugio.<br /> <br /> DAY 3 / 14km / +440m /<br /> We started the day with a side-trip to a mirador looking over the glacier high above. Takes about 1,5-2 hours return. We then packed up camp and headed for Valley Hermoso. You pass another beautiful laguna and follow the river down to the main valley. Lots of river crossing here. We camped at the Refugio Valley Hermoso, arriving earlier than expected. <br /> <br /> DAY 4 / 15km / +200m /<br /> Very short and easy daytrip to another laguna. About 3 hours return. We just chilled the rest of the day.<br /> <br /> DAY 5 / 36km / +830m /<br /> Final day along the normal route to the entrance of Laguna Jeinimeni. The day started off with some heavy rain for a couple of hours, but all the river crossings were still very doable. We arrived at the entrance around 13:00, and there was no sign of anybody leaving soon. So we decided to continue hiking untill we could find a ride along the way. We ended up hiking an extra 19km before finally a car was willing to take us along. There is an established campsite at the entrance for 3000 pesos pp.<br /> <br /> * '''19 to 24 of February 2023 / Will / SOBO, regular route'''<br /> <br /> Not too much to add on this one. I had a good time but the section felt long.<br /> <br /> On the way up to the first plateau there were a few somewhat sheltered places to camp past the puesto. I camped around km 19, just before the last steep climb up to the plateau. Lots of streams around there.<br /> <br /> None of the river crossings went above my knees, after a dry week.<br /> <br /> I liked the detour up to the Lago Jeinemeni mirador. I also took variant I out and back to a glacier lake, I'm less sure whether that was worth it. I couldn't find any real trail, it was nice easy cross country walking through the woods followed by some open rocky ground. The glacial lake was cool, but not as spectacular as some of the ones I've seen in other sections.<br /> <br /> I camped at the casa de piedras and took a luxurious warm shower. The ranger said you're supposed to pay at the office in valle Chacabuco, but since our route doesn't go there she just let me stay for free. She also said that sendero de siete lagunas (our route) was closed, but that I could do it since I had my gps and satellite communicator. She made it sound tough/dangerous though it turned out to be fairly quick trail.<br /> <br /> Not much water or campsites along the siete lagunas. There's a nice campsite at the tip of the pencil lake just after the (still intact!) refugio at 133.9.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Feb-12-19 / NOBO / RR + Option 35-L / Ondrej and Bara / Cochrane - Chile Chico / 7.5 days'''<br /> <br /> We really enjoyed this section! We went from Cochrane to Chile Chico. Our favourite parts were the descent through Valle Hermoso and the descent on the cross country section to Chile Chico. We spent 7.5 days on this section, taking a relaxed pace and including a half day break.<br /> <br /> We only had to pay 9,000 CLP per person entrance fee at the Cochrane park gate (sector Tamango). We then showed the pass three days later to a ranger at Casa de Piedras and he let us go. The final checkpoint for us was the CONAF park exit/entrance at Lago Jeinemeni. The ranger there didn’t want to see our pass at all, he just asked from where we hiked (we said Casa de Piedras).<br /> <br /> Some details: - Starting from Cochrane, the trail is easy walking up until km 144.9. As you leave Lago Cochrane, the trail is harder to follow. Fortunately this lasts only up to km 138, where the trail becomes easy to follow again. We camped next to the refuge on km133.9. The refuge has a good roof and can serve as an emergency shelter. There is no good water next to it though - we needed to climb the hill to the laguna to refill. - From roughly km 125 to km 99, the RR follows the old Siete Lagunas trail, which is not maintained anymore. Expect some fallen trees and slightly overgrown parts but the trail is beautiful and easy to navigate in general. - We took Option L to cut some overgrown road walking as recommended by others. We really liked it. - We camped next to the destroyed refuge at Laguna Guagua (km 118.3) and really loved the place - there is an amazing pebble beach at the laguna. - If you don’t want to camp at Casa de Piedras, there is a place for a small tent and a stream at roughly km 97 (-47.07463, -72.20439). We camped there. - The river crossings in Valle Aviles and Vale Hermoso were maximum to our knees. The deepest one was at Lago Verde (km 66.1). However, the river levels can change rapidly when it rains the days before - do check the weather. - We camped at the eastern shore of Lago Verde (km 61.7; campsite Raleigh) and really loved it - it has picnic tables and a spacious cooking/eating shelter. - We hitchhiked the part on the road between km 53 and 41.5. Few cars go by but the hitch was easy - we stopped the first car. - The cross country section from km 41.5 is very different from the rest - semi-desert like and lots of animals. We saw llamas, flamimgos, condors and hares (among sheep, cows and horses). - Between km 38 and 33 the path goes along a fence. We had to get over the fence once (we scrambled below it without problems). - If you are going NOBO, expect stunning views of the General Carrera Lake and Torres del Avelano when coming from the last pass (km 20.8) down to Chile Chico.<br /> <br /> A ranger in Casa de Piedras wanted to prevent us to walk the RR NOBO from Casa de Piedras to Valle Hermoso. He claimed that route is closed now as the rivers are too high to cross. To avoid conflict, we said that we will only do the “loop trail” which is basically the RR from Casa de Piedras up until the bridge where the RR joins Option J. The Option J is then used to return back to Casa de Piedras. When doing the loop, we met several hikers in the opposite direction who confirmed that all river crossings are fine. In light of this we decided to continue on the RR and indeed the deepest ford was to our knees. Therefore if faced with a ranger claiming that the rivers are too high, we suggest to start with the loop trail (rangers should be okay with that) and get more info on the river levels from the hikers going the opposite direction.<br /> <br /> *2023 last week January NoBo (6 days but could have very easily been done in less) / Helen and Craig + (Caro, Ali and Gabby)<br /> <br /> &gt;Such lovely camp sites. Beautiful places to stay the night the whole way around<br /> <br /> &gt;Very very easy trails. River crossing section isn't bad at all and the Valle hermosa lives up to its name.<br /> <br /> &gt;1st and last camp site particularly lovely<br /> <br /> &gt;Keep eyes peeled for pumas! I would have easily missed the sighting if I hadn't been looking the right way at the right time. They were super close. 10m or less away. Two cubs outside the refugio at casa peidra. Not where they are commonly seen in the park at all Aparently around west winds camp they are more commenly seen.<br /> <br /> &gt;Museum in the middle of the section worth checking out. Very visual and quite hard hitting environmental museum<br /> <br /> &gt; Can hitch easy enough to Chile Chico but leave last camp early in the morning. There's often a driver with a 4x4 who drives hikers in to the park and will take you back for 10,000p/p. Hikers who were a few hours behind us had no luck hitching as demand can often overtake spaces.<br /> <br /> * '''27 of January to 1 of February 2023 / Véronica &amp; Zach / GPT35 RR SOBO / 5.5 days '''<br /> <br /> Route: Chile Chico - Lago Jeinimeni - Valle Hermoso - Casa de Piedra - Lago Cochrane - Cochrane <br /> <br /> What a beautiful and diverse stretch of the GPT! I hiked half of this section with Zach, up to Casa de Piedras at km 98.9. We were unable to get a hitch out of Chile Chico, so we ended up walking the road to where the trail begins. No navigation issues, but the entire cross-country section to Río de las Nieves (waypoint at 42.7 km) is very exposed and was very windy when we crossed. We ended up camping at the water at 23.9 km, but the wind blew very strongly all night and I was worried it might take my tent. If you can, it is better to camp off this plateau unless the weather is calm. Lots of guanaco trails to follow :) <br /> <br /> At the CONAF office at km 53.0, we each paid 9,000 clp for entry to the national park, plus 6,000 clp for passage/camping along the trail to Casa de Piedras in the Valles Hermoso and Aviles. Beautiful trail the whole way, popular and well-maintained, with cairns and markers to follow. There is an awesome shelter and camping area with picnic tables on the eastern shore of Lago Verde, at the end of Option D. In my opinion it was nicer than the popular refugio in Valle Hermoso (km 68.1) that everyone talks about. <br /> <br /> We had no issues with fords, except the one at km 82.6 which flows into Río Aviles. It was the end of a warm sunny day, so the flow was quite high and strong. Had I been on my own I would have camped on the north side and waited till morning to cross. However, this time I was able to cross by linking arms with Zach as he is much taller than me and was more stable in the current. <br /> <br /> At Casa de Piedras, Zach and I parted ways as he wanted to packraft down the Río Chacabuco. The ranger at the Casa told me the Sendero de las Siete Lagunas (which begins at km 99.5) was no longer maintained. This is true, there were stretches in the desertlike brush that were hard to follow, and I checked the GPS frequently. Generally it was better when the trail went into wooded areas. I also found this trail to be dry — the only water I found was the water from the lagunas and a tiny trickle about a kilometer south of the pass. Lots of spiky plants that get stuck in your socks and shoes. I took Option L to cut out some overgrown minor road walking. It's sad that this trail is being neglected and left to be swallowed up by nature, because otherwise it is quite scenic. <br /> <br /> The horse trail that goes from the puesto of Daniel Huemul (km 143.3) to Lago Cochrane was also rough and overgrown. Everything gets easier once you reach Lago Cochrane though, nice, maintained trails all the way to Cochrane with beautiful places to camp along the lake. <br /> <br /> * '''GPT35 / Yannic &amp; Mirjam / 2022-Dec-13'''<br /> <br /> Much is already detailed below, so we will keep it short <br /> <br /> 1 day: from Chile Chico to the entrance of the National Park. We camped one night before the pass at S 46.61639 W 71.81632. Water right next to the camp. Pass is very windy.<br /> <br /> 2 days: from the National Park to the Refugio. Nice refugio with small house where you can make a fire inside to dry things. From the Refugio to Casa Piedra is possible in one day. But it is a long day with many kilometres.<br /> <br /> 2.5 days: Casa Piedra to Cochrane. Leaving Casa Piedra, after a few hundred metres the trail leaves the Minor Road and enters the trail (where there is a large stone marker). The trail is officially closed and partly in bad condition. There are many fallen trees on the trail, some of it is overgrown and not completely clear. We therefore checked the GPS regularly. We took OH-TL-V{35-L}, which saves a few kilometres of (overgrown) minor road.<br /> We spent one night at Laguna Guagua (Refugio is completely destroyed) and one at Lago Cochrane.<br /> When we left the national park, no one was at the office. We therefore simply went through...<br /> <br /> * '''GPT35 Variant P, Option 3, 3C, 3D / Meylin Ubilla, Jan Dudeck / 2022-Dec-12 and 13 / 1.5 days'''<br /> <br /> While waiting in the village Cochrane for our friends to catch up, we did a little 1.5 day hike higher up next to Lago Cochrane that we visited at least 3 times by packraft in past years. For the first time this year we waked with a light backpack without packrafting gear.<br /> <br /> We took Variant P eastbound that slowly climbs on a gravel road to an altitude of 500 m and then continues as a panorama trail in this altitude.<br /> <br /> Apparently, this is not authorized access to Parque Patagonia (Sector Tamango) and two gates need to be climbed but there was nobody to be seen on this route. The normal access to the park is down next Rio Cochrane and Lago Cochrane.<br /> <br /> Nearly the entire route was scenic and worth the effort.<br /> <br /> The settler “El Húngaro” apparently sold the land and became part of the national park. There is an open building that might be used as a refuge in case of emergency but camping is probably more comfortable.<br /> <br /> The refuge at {35-P} [4.0/501] is collapsed but camping is pleasant on this pasture.<br /> <br /> The trail section OH-TL-V {35-03} [0.0+5.2] is not maintained for several years making this route inconvenient to walk. The route south of both lakes is easy walking.<br /> <br /> As long as Parque Patagonia does not challenge hikers to make a full traverse from Cochrane to Chile Chico it is prudent to take the official route which is the current regular route and pay the entrance fee near Cochrane when hiking northbound.<br /> <br /> But should longer multi-day traverses be denied, then it might be less bothersome to take Variant P which avoids the entrance.<br /> <br /> Packrafters can travel east and westbound on Lago Cochrane and will not pass any park entrance.<br /> <br /> * '''Alice &amp; Florian / 4 to 10 November-2022 / Regular Hiking Northbound'''<br /> <br /> Here's our story of our GPT35. We really enjoyed this section, it is really diverse, beautiful landscapes and we saw heaps of animals. <br /> <br /> As we wanted to do the trail in the northbound direction, we took the bus from chile chico to Cochrane, arriving in chile chico from argentina from the south (border o'higgins closed...). It tales 4 hours and leaves on sunday at 14 (return Monday 7 Am), Monday 16 (return Tuesday 7 AM),Wednesday and Friday 7 Am (return 16).<br /> <br /> We took the option north of Cochrane because we were not sure if they would allow us to sleep in the tamango reserve. But, indeed you have to pass a no entry sign, a gate and a sign saying that entering the park that way is prohibited so we do not recommend it when it is written on the conaf website that it is allowed to sleep in tamango section.<br /> <br /> We took the sendero de los huemules and slept at camp 1 waypoint. There was plenty of water at that time and a beautiful view.<br /> <br /> After that we took the option OH-TL-V 35-P to avoid going downhill. The entry of this trail is about 150m before what is indicated on the GPT so be aware. I don't think the trail is an official one from the park so you have to fight your way through some bushes. But apart from that, it is clear. Then we joined the regular route, which since the 2022 version does follow the siete lagunas trail. You will join the siete lagunas trail at the kilometer 11 more or less. We then camped around the km 13 of the 7 lagunas trail. <br /> <br /> We found water just before climbing at the pass at S47°06.0856' W072°17.592' and there is more at the top. However, it is true that it is drier on the other side of the pass, so if you are going Southbound, pack enough water from Lago Gutierrez to climb the pass. <br /> <br /> We spent the third night at casa de Piedra where you have all facilities (electricity, hot shower, kitchen). Unfortunately for us they were on strike so they wouldn't allow us to go further on the trail. We did anyway as going out to jeiminini or through the road to chacabuco would take the same time. <br /> By the way various national parks - including Torres del Paine were on strike at the moment. <br /> <br /> The second part in the aviles valley is really clear, the trail is really nice and easy and with a lot of water available. Exiting the casa de piedra you should take the option OH-TI-V 35-J instead of the regular route, it will save you 600 m and two river crossings, and the view is similar. Starting at km 20, you will have to reduce your pace because the trail is busy with a lot of fallen trees, bushes and rocks. Between the km 22 and 23 of the valle aviles trail, the trail has been swept away by the river this winter so you have to cross the river two more times to go around. The kilometers indications disappear more or less after the pass, at km 25. <br /> <br /> After that you enter the valle Hermoso. We camped at the waypoint 17/Camp Valle Hermoso but we do not recommend it. It was really small and close to the river, so if there is a sudden level rise because of heavy rain or a flooding because of a glaciar outburst (GLOF), you might get wet... Better sleep st the small caban near km23 if you don't think you will reach the refugio in valle Hermoso.<br /> <br /> Once you reach Lago Verde, follow the GPT track and not the trail that leads to the lake, or you will have to turn back. After the pass it's more river crossings but you can save some kilometers in the river bed by taking the option OH-TI-V 35-E and then OH-TI-V 35-D until the rio jeimenini (the first part of the option OH-TI-V 35-D does not exist anymore). We did not have any trouble to cross the Rio between the 2 lakes even though we were in the middle of the afternoon. It was about thigh deep for me but I'm tall. <br /> <br /> After that it's really easy to the Parc entrance. We went back to Chile Chico walking on the road instead of taking the cross country option, because0 there were still snow on the mountain. The first part is still pretty until the intersection, once you enter the valley of the Rio it is a bit more monotonous. Halfway there is an access to an annex of the national park, to go see the Cueva de las manos and valle lunar. <br /> <br /> * '''Adrien Kunzli / 31-Oct-2022-04-November-2022 / Regular Hiking Northbound'''<br /> <br /> All rivers crossing are easy to pass at this time of year. One tricky passage on the snow at the entrance of lago verde, very steep, but it was to avoid walking in the lake (frozen feet early in the morning). <br /> <br /> No guards at the entrance at Tamango so i didnt pay the fee but didnt get my pass. Tamara gently gave me one at the camping of casa del piedra (apparently if i didnt have this pass i could not be admitted at Jeinimeni.) At Jeinimeni pass, again, nobody. So i were to the houses near and finaly find the guy. He took my pass and i get no fee in this NOBO direction. <br /> Nice shortcut after the bridge of Rio de las Nieves (S 46° 47.274', W 071° 54.665') that can avoid you a little bit of the 4x4 unfinshing road and get you directly into the heart of this amazing and beautifull last part. So: <br /> In front of the end of the bridge, you go up the big hill and go diagonally (or directly if you feel better) to join the path (pretty wild) of the gps (S 46° 45.843', W 071° 54.359'). Small stretches of paths are drawn rather well along this shortcut. <br /> <br /> Not much good water between the bridge (brown water) and the puesto but the the puesto's water is of much better quality.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> * '''GPT 35: Parque Patagonia/ Exploration Route via Valle Maullín Grande/ 2022 March-12/ 4 days / Tobias Schorcht, Jonas Grünewald '''<br /> <br /> We hiked from Maullín Grande to Cochrane by chance. I always wanted to do the stretch from Chile Chico to Cochrane, but we had just 4 days left… When we hitchhiked northbounded from Villa O’Higgins, we luckily got picked up by Pascual Diaz, who is a experienced Mountain Guide (company Kalem) and took us all the way to his refugio in Maullín Grande. He also explained us, how to reach Cochrane on time while doing that crossing. The next day he took us to the end of the Road, where we started hiking around midday (-46,80390, -72,42001). It was a easy walk to the end of the Valley where we camped (-46,87872, -72,34138). The following day was hard, but we went up to the pass (1430m) in perfect sunshine. At (-46,87234, -72,30906) you will face a waterfall in a steep canyon. We recommend to walk on the left side (northwest) through the forest until you meet the riverbed again. The other side is also possible (we went there), but you have to climb higher in difficult terrain. From that point you can easily do a cross country walk up to the pass, where you have to cross the Glaciar (without cracks). It was absolutely stunning! Going down to the laguna is quite steep. I would not do it in bad weather conditions. When you meet the laguna, you can either walk on the left or right side. Both options are not easy. We crossed on the right (southern) side, which is ok in good weather conditions. There is one river crossing in between, which could be impossible with more water. Now we think it would have been easier to walk on the left (northern) side, although we would have had needed to cross the river before and after the laguna. Packrafting is an option as well, but since it only 1.5 km we don’t think it is worth it. Camped in a forest close to the regular trail dry and save. All in all we recommend this option to experienced hikers in good weather conditions. The hike to Cochrane was hard, because we had just 2 days for 80km. So we hitchhiked to the museum of Parque Patagonia and we even saw a puma at the Westwind Campsite! It seems like this puma shows up there regularly. I waited for that moment almost 5 months. My dream came true on my very last evening in nature. Thank you Patagonia for this great gift. 🙏<br /> <br /> * '''Christmas2021 / GPT 35, NOBO, participants Janna &amp; Matthias, dec 2021, duration 6 days from Cochrane to Conaf center at Lago Jeinimeni, then hitchhiked to Chile Chico'''<br /> <br /> As recommended by a friend we opted for the following route through the Parque Nacional de Patagonia which is highly recommendable (first two days mainly GPT variants and options, afterwards GPT regular routes. There are several marked senderos in the beginning as 5 Los Huemules, 8 los Pumas, 7 los Guanacos, sendero 9, sendero Lagunas Altas etc.) as you can see in our attached tracking file.<br /> <br /> All in all the trails were easy to find, some seemed to be still unhiked this year. To enter the park from Cochrane we had to pass a prohibition sign and climb over a no entrar gate. We didn't meet anyone on the first day, the settler didn't seem to be around. The following days we met two to three other hikers per day, but no rangers until the end at Conaf Center near Lago Jeinimeni, where we easily paid the park fees in arrears (8000 pp park entrance fee and an additional 6000 pp overnight stays in the park). We deliberately skipped the Conaf center in Valle Chacabuco on the advice of our friend.<br /> <br /> Good to know:<br /> - There is no water anymore at S 47.198557, W 72.474927 near the camping site but instead at S 47.203460, W 72.480747 and S 47.179332, W 72.465807<br /> - There were many lagoons on our day 3 that weren't visibly well marked neither on our apps nor on the Garmin GPS.<br /> - All the marked refugios along the trail are heavily damaged except Casa de Piedra<br /> (closed on the 24th of dec) and Refugio Valle Hermoso (where we could even dry our<br /> soaked shoes from the many river crossings next to the fireplace).<br /> - From the refugio Valle Hermoso we did a side trip to the first glacier lake in the Valle<br /> Estero Ventisquero without all the luggage.<br /> - The río Jeinimeni water level was up to our waists and strong (note it had rained the<br /> night before). According to others it was supposed to be knee-deep.<br /> - Hitchhiking from Conaf center Jeinimeni to Chile Chico is possible when camping or day guests are leaving. As we arrived later in the afternoon we spent an extra night there. <br /> - The supermercado sur in Chile Chico sells gas.<br /> <br /> Track files and waypoints: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-98Ou9jk0porCVRp7CSFZ-KciXQ2PBzD<br /> <br /> *'''30 Nov RR 5 days SOBO Frank'''<br /> <br /> From Chile Chico I got the Bahia Jara bus &amp; got off at the junction, saves a 6KM roadwalk. Walked 2KM up the road then on trail to the high plateau. The settler before the pass wasn't there but his dogs were a bit territorial so I avoided the puesto. I went across the high plateau &amp; camped a bit before the second puesto in one long day. Camp marked on track file below the pass was not very good (boggy &amp; sloping) so I continued down to camp near the stream. The second puesto is above the RR &amp; not visible from it. Camping on the high plateau definitely not recommended. It is very exposed &amp; the wind can &amp; will knock tents. On day 2 I got to CONAF, they said a puma had been there every day the week before. Continued with many river crossings to the hut. There are trails marked with ribbons on LHS of the river SOBO, they go in on small loops which avoid some of the river crossings. Nearing the hut there is a stream flowing into the lake. At the lake it was too deep to cross. Bush bashed for about 40 metres to reach the ford. Camped outside the hut. Several river crossings on the third day. The double crossing is the crux. I avoided it by going over the bluff on LHS of river with a bit of tree bashing but I don't recommend that. The bluff descent is cliffed off with only a narrow breach where you can downclimb on trees. The breach is not obvious from above. Better to ford the river - it was running high but I met several hikers who had crossed it. Got to Casa de Pidera in 1 long day from the hut. You can cook in the Casa (they have a gas stove, electricity &amp; showers) but have to camp outside. There are some trees to shelter from the wind. On the fourth day I started walking Sendero de Siete Lagunas (SSL) but I was using the 2019 track file which doesn't show the SSL. It had not been walked much recently &amp; the route was not obvious. At the lake I lost the SSL in guanaco tracks. I continued around the lake &amp; walked out about 2KM to the road. The descent to the road was cliffed off but I found a way down in a gully. Then I walked out the road past a meadow where hundreds of guanaco were grazing. Past the meadow I went in left on a side road to rejoin the RR. On the fifth day I walked past Daniel Huemul's puesto &amp; was lucky to meet Daniel who was riding out &amp; he showed me the way. He said the direct RR which goes right from the puesto is now overgrown &amp; disused. Instead we went out to the left. There is a small road which goes in a loop &amp; turns towards Lago Cochrane but with his directions I was able to shortcut it. I paid 15,000 CLP for entry &amp; camping at CONAF Lago Jeinemeni &amp; they didn't charge me anything at Casa de Piedra.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2020/21==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> <br /> *'''2020-Mar-18 , Tyler Wood, 7 Days Sobo'''<br /> <br /> Amazing section to end my season with. I got a couple short hitches on the way up past Chile Chico. Up past the last puesto are some great areas to camp along a big boulder field. Maybe 2 km more. Beautiful and surrounded by Guanacos. Plenty of water too. Up near the top of the pass was very cold, but very beautiful, and even saw a bunch of flamingoes in the lakes.<br /> <br /> On the way down the pass I tried to find the fore-mentioned route to the puesto to take the road the rest of the way down and didn’t really have any luck...found my way anyways and camped down by Rio sucio under a willow.<br /> <br /> Into Jenimeni I got another little hitch. Once you cross the deeper river by Laguna esmeralda just keep those water shoes on, you’ll be crossing many more times.<br /> <br /> I also was told by a ranger that sendero siete Lagunas wasn’t habilitado, but went for it anyways. Water is Not after Laguna Gutiérrez for a while, so make sure you fill up around there. After the pass there are a few more small<br /> Streams to fill up. <br /> <br /> The road walking to Tmango reserve seemed to take forever, but Walking/camping by Lago Cochrane was all worth it. At puesto Huemul Is when I got my first advice that the corona virus was a big deal. The woman told me there were 3 confirmed cases in Cochrane, I went there and booked my tickets straight home. Hasta le vista baby!!!<br /> <br /> * '''2020-February-08 / 7 days / Southbound'''<br /> <br /> Long and beautiful section. No major difficulties. Great diversity. Without hitchhiking, it took me 173 kilometers. <br /> <br /> 1st part / 2 days / Chile Chico to Div 217<br /> At the beginning of the cross country, valley full of Guanacos. I camped just after the puesto, about 2 kilometers after the beginning of the cross country, before the pass, where there are still rocks to protect from the wind.<br /> As related in previous reports, after camp 279, you will stumbled upon a fence. Go on the East along the fence, cross it, and you will find a trail to the next Puesto and then the trail goes down from the puesto to the dirt road. You will avoid cross country this way. <br /> <br /> 2nd part / 2,5 days to Casa de Piedra<br /> Popular part. Groups of hikers along the way. 8000CLP entrance fee + 6000 CLP for 2 nights sleeping inside the park. <br /> <br /> 3rd part / 2,5 days / Sendero de las 7 lagunas<br /> After Casa de Piedra, I followed the GPS regular route which took me to the beginning of the Sendero of 7 lagunas. CONAF said it was not &quot;habilitado&quot; but it is actually well marked. The good thing is that there will be no hikers on this part, except when you approach the end, along the lago Cochrane. The trail is very different from the GPS tracks but no difficulties to find it. So, don't worry not having the GPS tracks. <br /> At S 47º08.015' W 72º18.948', there is a nice place to camp and also, the trail will merge with the optional route OH-TL-V@35-02F-#001 You can then follow this track and then go back to the Regular Route to reach Cochrane.<br /> <br /> * Martin Lizondo / 28-Jan-2020 / Regular Hiking Southbound<br /> <br /> The section took me 6 days. Some tips:<br /> <br /> The first part from Chile Chico has a +20 km cross country walk. The wind is extremly strong and the route very high, with no forest protection. I recommend spending the first night behind the trees of El Ciprés (the settler Orlando Vazquez allows people to pass and is very kind) or near to the puesto at the end of the minor road at 46º 36' 5,3&quot; S, 71º 48' 45,05&quot; O (Miguel Pacheco is very kind too). Enough water all along the route.<br /> <br /> The Jeinimeni section of Parque Patagonia is very easy and well marked. Entrance to foreigners costs CLP 8000 plus 6000 if spending the night. There’s a shelter with place for fire and tents after 18 km.<br /> <br /> Valley Aviles to Casa de Piedra is also easy and beautifull, with many free camping spots. Casa de Piedra costs CLP 8000 per night.<br /> <br /> The rest of the gps track is very different from the actual trail, called “Sendero de las Siete Lagunas”. I recommend taking this route instead of the old gps track, as it’s very well maintained. At Lago la Pepa ( 47º 7' 45,19&quot; S, 72º 18' 41,54&quot; O ) the trail crosses an old overgrown minor road, which coincides with the gps track and takes to Puesto Huemul (47º 11' 25,31&quot; S, 72º 26' 6,98&quot; O). If going to the left, you’ll reach the puesto, if going up to the right you’ll end the official “Sendero de las Siete Lagunas” near to the main park center. Other hiking options are possible from that point, but the regular route to Puesto Huemul is the shortest.<br /> <br /> From Puesto Huemul, the trail goes down near to the lake Cochrane through Sendero “Coigües” and “Carpinteros”. Well marked and signed, this trails will take you to the start of Tamango section, very near to Cochrane.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-27 / GPT35 New Route: Lago General Carrera (Fachinal) to Parque Patagonia (Lago Jenimeni or “Casa de Piedra”) / 5 days / Meylin Meylin Elisabeth Ubilla González and Jan Dudeck'''<br /> <br /> Based on a recommendation from Tobias Hellwig W and Daniel Mahn Borkowsky we investigated a new route that I did no had on my radar until a few weeks ago. This route provides an alternative access from the southern coast of Lago General Carrera into the Parque Patagonia and is of interest for packrafters and hikers.<br /> <br /> The route is a traditional animal trail that was used by the settlers of Fachinal to drive cattle to a large summer pasture that is now part of Parque Patagonia (sector Jenimeni). With the enforcement of keeping domestic animals out of the protected park area a 5 km trail section inside Parque Patagonia lacks maintenance but is still quite well traversable for GPT standards. Apart from this short trail section most of the route is very scenic and nice to walk but practically unknown. Only one tourism company runs guided hiking trips along this route about once per months. Apart from this occasionally use the full traverse seams not to be done anymore.<br /> <br /> Due to lack of trail markings we spend about one extra day in searching and following the poorly maintained 5 km trail section but with our GPS record other hikers should struggle much less than we did and will be able to walk in 4 to 5 moderate hiking days from Fachinal at the southern shore of Lago General Carrera to “Casa de Piedra” in the center of Parque Patagonia in the Valle Chacabuco.<br /> <br /> We hiked the route northbound as we considered the option to cross Lago General Carretera at its shortest narrow by packraft. Here the lake is only 3.2 km wide but we finally did not cross this rather dangerous lake due to suboptimal wind conditions.<br /> <br /> Fachinal to Rio Aviles River Crossing: <br /> <br /> A well maintained “cattle highway” leads from Fachinal from the road bridge of Rio Aviles along the western/southern side of Rio Aviles to the limit of Parque Patagonia. This roughly 20 km long trail section gets regularly cleaned with chain saws to facilitate access to the pastures along Rio Aviles for free-rooming cattle. Most of the trees that have fallen on the trail have been cut to keep the trail easily traversable. Some hikers might find the “pointless up and down” annoying but this trail was created by men that move on horses that did not had to ascent and descent themself. About 1 km before crossing the Rio Aviles two signs indicate the limit of Parque Patagonia (Sector Jenimeni) and ban access for unauthorized people and domestic animals (without providing any clue who might be authorized and who not ;-). From the park limit the trail descents steep to Rio Aviles but remain well maintained to ford.<br /> <br /> This trail section requires two possibly demanding river crossings that can become impossible during snow melt in spring, after heavy rain or on the afternoon or evening of hot days (melting water from glaciers!). To keep the route traversable in such circlesumstances the tourism company has installed in both locations steel ropes (to cross these two rivers hooked up in harness to the steel rope without even touching the water).<br /> <br /> Rio Aviles River Crossing to the Pass (1150 m above Sea Level): <br /> <br /> After the river crossing the trail condition suddenly changes. Fallen trees don’t get cut anymore and undergrowth is not cleaned by machete. It’s mainly the remaining path on the ground that indicates the former animal trail. Advance is slow and in various locations care must be taken to not loose the trail. Here you will need to climb over fall trees and push occasionally through dense vegetation until reaching an altitude of 950 m. At this altitude the forest floor opens up (no dense undergrowth any more) and the trail disappears completely. Here walking becomes easy again. Walk the following kilometer through the open forest following roughly the GPS track until reaching the end of the forest and the small lake after the 1150 m high pass.<br /> <br /> An advise for northbound hikers: <br /> <br /> Finding the first signs of the trail in the open forest was a struggle as we had no information where exactly the trail starts to descent. I searched at least 3 or 4 hours in a 400 m wide and 1200 m long section of open forest till I found a first old machete mark on a tree that indicated the location of the trail. Carefully searching and following similar marks I finally found the descending trail.<br /> <br /> Searching northbound we lost the trail again when reaching Rio Aviles at the bottom of the valley and searched half a day for the correct continuation. A well visible and noticeably used trail next to Rio Aviles leads directly to an suitable river ford but from there a well maintained trail continues 1 km in the wrong direction (upstream). Only after bushbashing 1 km along the river shore downstream we recognized with surprise a second river ford (now the correct river ford) which connects to the well maintained trail section in the correct direction. In hindsight we understood that the well maintained trail simply continues upstream along Rio Aviles and that this trail crosses twice the Rio Aviles. Due to a partially not evident trail section on the other side of we did not recognize this when hitting this trail on the bottom of the valley and took the wrong direction to the wrong river ford.<br /> <br /> Now hikers with our GPS record and a GPS should not struggle to find and follow this trail as we did.<br /> <br /> Pass (1150 m above Sea Level) to Valle Hermoso Refugio: <br /> <br /> After leaving the forest at the 1150 m high pass the most scenic part of this route starts. A roughly 15 km long cross country route leads over pastures and river sediments past 3 lakes and two glaciers to the Refugio Valle Hermoso. Occasionally signs of a trail are visible but due to the open landscape a continuous trail neither exists nor is needed. <br /> <br /> Near the Refuge Valle Hermoso this route connects with regular route that leads along Valle Aviles (diffrent river with the same name!) to “Casa de Piedra” in the center of Parque Patagonia.<br /> <br /> Access to Trail Head at Fachinal:<br /> <br /> There are multiple buses per week from Chile Chico to Puerto Tranquilo on the Carretera Austral that pass Fachinal.<br /> <br /> Monday and Friday runs a subsidized bus from Chile Chico to Fachinal and back to Chile Chico (One round trip in the morning and a second one in the evening).<br /> 8:30 leaving Chile Chico<br /> 9:30 in Fachinal<br /> 11:00 returning to Chile Chico<br /> 17:30 leaving Chile Chico<br /> 18:30 in Fachinal<br /> 20:00 returning to Chile Chico<br /> <br /> If you wish to cross Lago General Carrera to continue hiking in the Cordillera Avellano North of the lake speak to Carloz Amoros in Fachinal (mobile: +56 9 76267029 / price around 30‘000 CLP) or Pascual Diaz de Mallin Grande.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-January 23 / Oreste Marquis/ Northbound : 8 days '''<br /> <br /> Going northbound. I followed the route until the second settler at the puesto Tejuela. From there, until the optional route @35-02e#001,<br /> I could not find the approximate trail in the files. I manage to find another one which is call siete Lagunas. It is really easy to follow and really beautiful! I find it near km 18 and keep walking on it until km 38. It is the end of it and is at the campground near Lago Gutiérrez. For more informations go reed Martin post in recent alerts and suggestion. I met him on the trail and he updated the wikiexplora before me. From the beginning to Casa Piedra took me 3 days. Then I hiked to the end of the reserve in an other 3 days. Lots of rivers to cross but felt pretty safe for all of them even the one higher between Lagos Jeinimeni and Verde. The cross country part the next day was my favorite of the hole trip! Awesome views, a lot of wildlife, just need to check a little bit more the gps! Last day, I headed to Chile Chico without any problem. Overall, I love it! Enjoyed it as much as GPT40.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-January / Matthieu / Northbound : 7.5 days &quot;tranquilito&quot;'''<br /> Incredible trekk, lots of different type of views and soil, my favorite since El Chalten. Money required for passing by the reserves !!<br /> I hitchhiked 10 km on the road to Casa Piedra, and 12 km between Jeinemini qnd the beginning of the trail that goes north in the mountain to join Chile Chico.<br /> <br /> '''1st part : Reserve Tamango''' : 6000 CLP the entry<br /> I took the old &quot;Huemul trail&quot; in the Tamango reserve, taking the left route at the &quot;Camp 284&quot; It is an old trail for 4x4, so very easy, and closed to vehicles now. <br /> <br /> '''2nd part : The road to Casa Piedra :''' the rangers I crossed were all agreed that it was not permitted to camp aside of the road (so the information is different that in Nov). One officiql camping at the end of Tamango reserve (WestWind) and one at Casa Piedra 26 km after. 8000 CLP each. At Westwind (not verified, only inforñqtions for guardaparques): no accomodations, only baño. At Casa Piedra . real big house, hot shower, electricity, place to cook. <br /> <br /> '''3rd part : Reserve Jenemeni :''' Entry 8000 CLP. For the camping, the ranger told me that it was permitted to camp wherever I wanted, so the information differs too from november. And at the exit, I told the ranger about my &quot;savage&quot; camping in the conversation, and he didnt tic at all, so no stress. The rangers are very nice !<br /> Good trekk, easy to follow. One very good refuge in the valle Hermoso where fire is possible. a more open refuge/camping site by the east shore of Lago Verde. <br /> Many river crossing, all safe except one, before the Laguna Esmeralda. Strong current, and people choose many different way with different profundness. Better do it in the morning, being a glaciar river (I could effectively compare between late in the afternoon and the morning and it is very different).<br /> <br /> '''Last part, to Chile Chico by the mountain :''' Amazing views, totaly different climate, more dry and with only bushes. <br /> At the beginning of the Cross country after the 4x4 road, I would advise to go a few meters west from the GPS tracks, to the east side of the river. There is effectively a fence on the west ridge, and a good trail on the east ridge that can avoid you the difficult crossing of many bushes, and that goes directly to the puesto.<br /> Two puestos, The 135 of metal being used by the locals (real bed inside), so just putted the tent outside. The second one 134 is actually a real house. Two mens were here when I arrived, working with the animals. I could put the tent near the house and take water from the sink outside. Many dogs, all nice.<br /> <br /> * '''Mum, Sis and I / Southbound / 11 days '''<br /> <br /> Well. What an interesting and varied section. Also the longest walk I think we'd all done. It took us 11 days in the end with a couple of longer side trips. Interestingly, when we emerged from the park it was closed, there was martial law in effect, a curfew in place. Borders closed. Only a week to get back to Santiago to catch the last flights back to Australia... Anyway. We're heading back now. Got temperature tested as we reentered Chili Chico this morning. Waiting for the boat across the lake mañana in la mañana. No buses out of town. Enough rambling...<br /> <br /> As always, thanks to the others before us that have taken the time to comment and provide feedback. Here's my two cents.<br /> <br /> Firstly here are some landmarks to make it easier for others to orient themselves: <br /> <br /> El Ciprés<br /> http://ge0.me/oGvL0ey6_7/El_Ciprés<br /> ge0://oGvL0ey6_7/El_Ciprés<br /> Casa Piedra<br /> http://ge0.me/4GvJGSxqPH/Casa_Piedra_%28Stone_House%29<br /> ge0://4GvJGSxqPH/Casa_Piedra_%28Stone_House%29<br /> Westwind<br /> http://ge0.me/wGvC_gnJaX/Westwind<br /> ge0://wGvC_gnJaX/Westwind<br /> <br /> Camping in Chile Chico:<br /> El Carro is supposed to be the cheapest place to stay in town. Though if you want a hot shower it's the same as Kon-aiken next door. We stayed at neither so can't really comment, but there were a lot of people staying at Kon-aiken and next to none at El Carro which might be indicitive of value for money or just the fact they are a little closer to the centre of town.<br /> El Carro however was the only one willing to look after some things for us.<br /> We also visited a hostel, but the owner was unfortunately very rude.<br /> <br /> El carro<br /> 4k frío <br /> 5k caliente <br /> 1k por día por mochila <br /> <br /> Kon-aiken<br /> 5k pp / noche <br /> No baggage service <br /> <br /> Part 1: Chili Chico to Jeinemeni<br /> In the end we decided to cache things in the bushes just outside of town. Mum and my sister got a lift to the Bahía Jara cruz whist I was caching. Unfortunately I had to walk all the way to El Ciprés where my mum and sister had been enjoying a nice conversation with Orlando Vazquez who allowed us to pass but emphasised the dangers and didn't really recommend crossing. <br /> Passing through the gate a couple of utes were exiting. Apparently there is a new mine up in the mountains and they didn't really want us to walk up. They admitted they just worked there.<br /> Turn off the main rd that assumably heads to the mine about here: -46.57775, -71.82666<br /> Goucho Miguel Pacheco passed us on the way up herding some cattle and we talked to him at the puesto for a while. We also gave him one of the Australian coins we'd been carrying around. He seemed to believe it was everyone's right to pass. &quot;People pass through here all the time &quot;.&quot;Just yesterday a lad passed by &quot;.&quot;It's the shortest route across the mountains &quot;<br /> Anyway. We camped in the rocks just outside the park boundaries (as mentioned by??).<br /> We then camped two nights up on the windy plateau. Our side trip to Valle Lunes was amazing. I'd recommend it. But be careful with wind. Oh and did anyone mention the guanacos?<br /> Unfortunately I think the water wasn't very clean on this part. Sheep, cows, guanacos, birds... It's the first time in Chile I've wished I took my water filter along. We had some sore stomachs.<br /> Dropping down the other side we hit the mentioned fence (about here -46.72574, -71.90211). We crossed, but would recommend following it to the left until you get to a corner. I'm not sure where it starts, but there is a trail running on the outside of the fence to the puesto. We then followed a sheep trail that ran high on the left (east) of the valley. Very good but it bypassed Las Abutardas completely and seemed to be heading towards Laguna los Flamencos instead. We ended up cutting down to the road where León passed us heading into town, a little confused why we hadn't taken the 'proper trail'.<br /> We camped the night at the Río El Sucio camp. Not really recommended.<br /> We walked the road and stayed at Río Las Vacas for a bit which is at the border of the park and a nicer place to camp. (There is a good stream between the two).<br /> <br /> Part 2: Jeinemeni to Casa Piedra<br /> It was 8k to enter the park (for foreigners) and an additional 6k for camping in Valle Hermoso. The section to the refugio (-46.84092, -72.14078) was very nice. This is the only shelter still standing. The others included in the track files were not really enterable.<br /> Heading to the refugio (where everyone seems to camp) you cross the small ankle deep creek exiting Laguna Esmeralda and then the deeper river between Lago Verde and Jeinemeni. This might have been the trickiest but when we crossed it wasn't really bad. We then had two more smaller crossings before passing through Portezuela La Gloria (1100m) to cross Estero Ventisquero and the other river running down the main valley.<br /> The next day we did the popular side trip to the glacier in this valley: -46.80924, -72.20116<br /> We wondered if it was the same way Jan et al entered recently?<br /> From the refugio to Valle Avilés there are no compulsory river crossings if you stick to the somewhat scrubby trail to the left (south) of the valley. The first crossing we did was Río Avilés shortly followed by the tributary. So only 8 crossings (wet feet) on the RR. <br /> <br /> We walked from the refugio to Casa Piedra in a day. It was closed so we camped on the other side of the Rd.<br /> <br /> Part 3: Casa Piedra to Cochrane<br /> From casa piedra we took the aforementioned Sendero las Siete Lagunas. It is not it the track files but indeed very well marked with numbered markers every kilometre. I'll upload a kml with the markers I recorded as well as some of the water bodies I sketched.<br /> After the stream running into Lago Gutiérrez there wasn't much water until Lago la Pepa.<br /> You will briefly intersect with a road here: -47.14006, -72.37138. The road seems to run down to Puesto Tejuela coinciding with OH-TL-V@35-02F-#001 which I think is incorrectly labelled as TL. Part of RH-TL-I@35-99.0+30.0 too should be marked as MR. You'll intersect this road before taking it down to Lago Cochrane.<br /> We passed the occupied dwelling (Daniel Huemul?) but the man wearing a shirt emblazoned with Parque Patagonia seemed afraid to approach us (another hint the world had gone Corona crazy). He wouldn't let us take the RR so we followed the road for a bit before taking another newly made trail also not in the track files.<br /> Everything after that was very easy to follow.<br /> Everything was abandoned at the entrance and the gate locked. People avoided us on the streets and covered their face when passing us. <br /> We grabbed some needed food (we were very short after 11 days!) and got on the WiFi. Wow! How things had changed! Martial law in place and a curfew in place, we slept under a bridge with some Colombians and caught a bus back to Chili Chico in the morning. Waiting for the boat across the lake tomorrow now.<br /> <br /> Links to files :<br /> Kilometre markers: https://www.dropbox.com/s/fuzt4xacxjjvvg4/kms.kmz?dl=0<br /> Water bodies: https://www.dropbox.com/s/uz1ei95s1913xvb/water.bodies.kmz?dl=0<br /> Other planning: <br /> https://www.dropbox.com/s/uk9ym56gufwk4zq/planning.kmz?dl=0<br /> <br /> * '''2019 Dec / Olrik/ Northbound '''<br /> <br /> Amazing part of the GPT, from Cochrane ou enter in the Tamango national reserve and pay 6000CLP for the entrance. We took several trails to get to Valle Chacabuco : Las Aguilas, Las Lengasm Los Condores, Laguna Altas. Great views. We had a snow storm at the pass though. There you end up in a paid campground. From there we walked the dirt road to Casa Piedras in Valle Chacabuco, it was beautiful with lots of guanacos. Then we took the Las Aviles sendero. We camped near the first river crossing as it was late and waited for the morning to cross. It is normally not possible to wild camp in the park but the guardaparque told us to camp there if the river crossing is not sage. The rest of the trail is easy to follow next to the river. There is a pass then you descend to Valle Hermoso and to lago Jeinimeni. It was just gorgeous and easy to follow with great weather. Be aware of the numerous river crossings. In lago Jeinimeni there is a paid campground. From there you can hitchhike, walk, or pay a transportation at the entrance of the park (15000Clp pp) but I'm not sure if this is a regular thing. We ended up hitchhiking to get to Chile Chico.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Nov-28/ Lea Geibel, Kevin Moe/ 5.5days/ Northbound / Regular Hiking Route (Cochrane to Chile Chico) with OH-32-2-#003/'''<br /> <br /> This section might have been our favorite out of the whole Group H, where the diversity of the landscape was our favorite part (also including weather and trail conditions). The NP was entered at Tamango just outside of Cochrane. Registration is mandatory, the entrance fee is at 8000 CLP. The ranger asked us to explain our route and since the regular Hiking route did not seem familiar to them, they told us to take the optionals route going north over the pass to WestWinds campground and then do the road walk Eastwards. <br /> The pass had some snow patches on the Southern side but was easy to traverse. At the Valley Chacabuco (another entrance to the national park) we got asked for our permits and the route we plan on taking. We heard different information on if it is allowed to camp at the road or not (there were signs that told us not to do it but the ranger said it is okay). After the roadwalk, we passed another ranger station where we had to register and sign a responsibility form telling that we plan to leave at Lago Jeinimeni (and telling that we're only allowed to stay at designated campsites). The hike from there is extremely beautiful and super diverse, the trail well maintained. The rivers were at higher flow but all fords were doable. <br /> We camped next to the Refugio because we still weren't sure about the camping rules (other hikers we met said they were told that it's okay to camp everywhere along the river). Leaving the NP at Lago Jeinimeni was straightforward, but it's mandatory to check out at the rangers office. The cross-country section after the road walk was a bit slow on the way up due to many bushes and hilly terrain. We found a nice trail next to the fence leading up to the puesto when going up the ridge on the Eastern side. From the puesto we took a short steep uphill after which the terrain became more open and easier to travel on. It was very windy and snowy in the mountains, which made it difficult to walk at times and it felt like the temperatures were rather low.<br /> The lagoons on the way up are filled with exciting birds (flamingos!) and guanacos are running around on the whole plain. Once reaching the plateau we headed down in a pretty straight line which was easier than the uphill until we reached the road<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> *Chile Chico has two supermarkets. Sell gas.<br /> <br /> *Cochrane is a decently sized town with three mid-range supermarkets. The largest one, which is a grocery and department store, is located adjacent to the town square. There are many lodging and restaurant options. Be sure to withdraw an ample amount of money here because most of the businesses in the next town, Villa O’Higgins, only take cash and there is no ATM.<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> <br /> *2025 / MiaimZelt<br /> Buses (starting at Terminal de buses in Chile Chico) that enable you to skip the first 7-8km of Roadwalk when hiking SoBo: <br /> <br /> Turismo Tramal. Chile Chico - Bahia Jara. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday 8:30 &amp; 16:30. <br /> WhatsApp: +56 9 7538 0178<br /> <br /> Buses Interlagos from Chile Chico to Puerto Rio Tranquilo: Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday 9:00.<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> *2023-Mar-31 to 2023-Apr-06 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Option J / Martin &amp; Helena<br /> <br /> PN Patagonia closed some sectors on the first Monday in April, so we were the last ones to get a permission and do this section ‘legally’. Be prepared for this if you want to do this part in April or later. The problem is they close Casa Del Piedra and probably won’t let you pass to that sector from Lago Jeinemeni, where the entrance stays open for longer time. Sneaking around the guards house early in the morning or just not be specific about your plans might work if needed, its very unlikely you would meet anyone on the way from the main entrance.<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT35 - RN Lago Jeinimeni]]<br /> <br /> =Images=<br /> [[file:Greater Patagonian Trail (7).jpg|left|GPT35 - RN Lago Jeinimeni]]</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT35_(Parque_Patagonia)&diff=119651 2025-01-18T01:00:07Z

<p>MiaimZelt: /* Season 2024/25 */</p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;packrafting&quot;, as above):<br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD, WHAT IS ENCLOSED IN &lt;&gt; MAKES IT BLUE):<br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/nowiki&gt;.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Overview=<br /> <br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> *'''2025-Jan-13 to 2025-Jan-17 / 5 days Hiking / SOBO/ RR + Variant L / MiaimZelt'''<br /> <br /> I very much enjoyed this lovely section. Took the bus to skip the first 6.5km of Roadwalk. CC was indeed easy, on the way up i didn't follow the Track very closely. Crazy windy between km 19-30. Surprinsingly there were some small areas that had way less wind. Guess it should be possible to find a campspot somehow sheltered by the curves of the landscape, when you can't make it further. Camp {35} [32.6/1300] is exposed and has no shelter besides from the tiny stonewall. Camped here: -46.722612, -71.904105. Was sheltered by the valley and fits a 1 person tent, wind was ok. 100m below there is a spot which can fit a 2 person tent. While sitting in the tent 2 german GPT hikers arrived and took the spot below. I very much enjoyed their company. <br /> <br /> Day 2 i could follow animal trails very often. Walked 4km on the road until i got a hitch. Entrance fee was 11400 for foreigner. You have to pay online, but they have WiFi. Tons of black caterpillars everywhere, gets better after Laguna Verde. Trail was in very good shape. Ford {35} [67.0/877] was up to the knees. Stayed at Camp Valle Hermoso, which is very good sheltered by the forest. <br /> <br /> Day 3 i met no one, until i reached the camp. Trail was 99% in good shape, few meters overgrown with young beech trees. -46.89382, -72.161099 campspots with shelter from the forest. All fords were easy. Stayed at Camping Casa Piedra. 8000 per person, can pay cash or card. They have WiFi, Room to cook inside and a shower (not hot). Most campspots are sheltered by trees or buildings. Spots next to buildings were occupied by carcampers. Trees provided good protection, although 80km/h winds according to Windy. <br /> <br /> Sendero 7 Lagunas was mostly in good to ok shape, <br /> only in few parts the trail isn't visible at all. -47.094236, -72.286568 near pass has lots of flat space and is sheltered by the forest. Small stream here: -47.097866, -72.285581. Also flat areas nearby to create a makeshift campsite. Later the only sources for water were the lakes. Refuge, X {35} [119.1/716] is collapsed, but flat space protected by trees and bushes for one bigger tent. Water from the lake. Stayed at small flat space with very little wind here -47.140176, -72.372035 and listened to the birds. <br /> <br /> Day 5 was mostly straight forward. Saw 2 Huemuls near the Minor Road. Lago Cochrane is a real gem. Open and abandoned huts here: -47.198091, -72.457465. There was a sign, saying danger becaus of rodents. Maybe not good to sleep in, but would be a good shelter in heavy rain. 1km later i saw the first dayhikers. Lot's of steep ups and downs at Sendero Carpinteros, but very beautiful. Got a hitch to Cochrane after 1.5km on the paved road. <br /> <br /> *'&quot;GPT 35 SOBO RR // hiking, hitchhiking // 4 days 1-4.01.2025 Maks &amp; Gabi&quot;'<br /> <br /> Simply magical section with lots of guanacos, birds and beautiful landscapes. We hitchhiked the first 8 km and then from Casa de Piedra to Cochrane. <br /> CC parts were quite easy and visible, later on when entering the park by Lago Jeinimeni the trail is incredibly well maintained. You can buy a ticket by the entrance because the is a wi-fi.<br /> <br /> One thing that is worth taking into account when planning the hike, are insects - there are tons of mosquitos and quite a lot of horseflies. Furthermore the ranger (Jeinimeni entrance) warned us about black worms that are in the forests (not sure what is the name in eng). For that reason we did not sleep at the camping by the lake (see pictures), choosing a camp spot by the bridge at 50.0 km instead. It is better not to camp by the trees. <br /> If you have a spare moment we really recommend the visitors center near Casa de Piedra as they have a really nice museum. If you already bought a ticket to the park it is free of charge.<br /> <br /> About trail itself it's hard to say something new compare to the previous notes. There was no snow, all ford's easy to cross.<br /> <br /> *'''2024-Nov-08 to 2024-Nov-16 / 8.5 / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Jonas'''<br /> Day 01: 08.11.2024<br /> Arrived by ferry from Puerto Ibanez in Chile Chico at 1430. Started walking right away. Caught a ride for about 3 km. After street, needed to open fence and door.<br /> Dog kept following all day. Couldn't make him leave.<br /> Settlers (mother &amp; daughter) offered a ride but kept walking. Camp spot at 14.1 was too wet to stay there. Looked for another spot. Nothing was good, wanted to look after puesto at 15.8. settlers offered me mate and asked if I wanna pitch my tent here since it got late. Stayed close to their place. Same settler family who offered me a ride.<br /> <br /> Day 02: 09.11.2024<br /> Starting from the settlers puesto CC had light snow when packing my tent. Didn't follow the route exactly. On the way to the first pass, saw the first guanacos. Started snowing stronger. Didn't follow the track or the OSM path to avoid snowfields. Tried to follow the trails but not always possible. Stronger snow and windy. After the first pass went too far to the east to avoid snowfields, thought it'd be easy to come back to the trail but took a longer detour. At least saw the first flamingos! In the plateau it was crazy windy. Sometimes followed track, sometimes OSM. Often in between because of snowfields. Snowfields were not steep, just wanted to avoid them. More guanacos only on the way down. Camp at 32.6 was too wet. ~250 m further down found a protected spot close to a small river/creek.<br /> <br /> Day 03: 10.11.2024<br /> Woke up late. Water in pot was frozen about 1 cm thick. Walked down, saw a lot of bones. Followed not the OSM track. Crossed the fence relatively far to the west. CC walking was nice. Maybe as others mentioned there is a path sooner if you cross/stay further east. Hit the dirt road and walked to the main dirt road. Already afternoon. First Pick Up stopped and gave me a ride to the park entrance. Didn't book the ticket before. You can book it at the CONAF station with their WiFi for the same day. 11.400 CLP for the entrance. Camping is free. Walked to camp Raleigh (about two hours) and found a nice spot there.<br /> <br /> Day04: 11.11.2024<br /> Short day. Started late, trail easy to follow. In the beginning keep left if other trails are there. First fording section is well marked in the track files. Keep your shoes off until Ford Stop. Climb to pass is sometimes steep but easy. Climb down is ready with stunning view of Valle Hermoso. Some parts with some rock slides. After descend two rivers to ford. Until camp Valle Hermoso some stretches in wind protected first in the river bed, some stretches in open river bed. Easy to follow. Camp Valle Hermoso has two roofed areas.<br /> <br /> Day 05 12.11.2024<br /> Started from camp Valle Hermoso. If you keep south you can avoid all the fords. At least at this time of the year. <br /> Trail is easy walking, landscape is stunning! Did a detour to Laguna Escondida. Nice and windy up there. To get there keep close to the track files. <br /> Only needed to take the boots off for the ford at 79.3. The rest was easy to navigate around or enough rocks/trees in the river.<br /> Camped at refuge 81.0 at the broken down cabin.<br /> <br /> Day 06: 13.11.2024<br /> Easy walking all day. Trail was easy to follow. Needed to ford once.<br /> The bridge at 90.9 is something if you're afraid of heights.<br /> Arrived early at Casa Piedra. Could use the infrastructure including warmish water. Since I said I won't pass the ranger station it was fine without paying.<br /> <br /> Day 07: 14.11.2024<br /> Trail is easy to follow. Lago Gutierrez looks amazing and quite windy. Some beach walking off track is nice. After Lago Gutierrez the trail is mainly easy to follow. Checked the GPS every now and then. Climb to the pass takes some time. Filled water up at a stream at the end of Lago Gutierrez. There was on running stream in the middle of the stretch to the pass. Not sure if it has water all year. Way down is through a beautiful forest. Nice views of the valley along the way. Some trees on the path but easy enough to climb them or walk around them. <br /> Stayed at the collapsed refuge. Enough wind protection even though it was quite windy.<br /> <br /> Day 08: 15.11.2024<br /> Trail was easy to follow in the forest. Outside the forest check your GPS when you think you might be off trail. <br /> Water in the beginning mainly from the lakes, later streams existed as well. Took the MR on the RR easy fast walking, no GPS checking necessary. Settler at 138.7 wasn't there passed by his house and followed the RR on a horse trail. Camped at around 142 at Lago Cochrane. Beautiful lake with clear water.<br /> <br /> Day 09: 16.11.2024<br /> For the last 12 km it was easy to follow the trail. Quite some up and down. Nice views on the lake. Arrived the CONAF office at lunch time. Did a self checkout. Stayed in Cochrane for two nights before the next bus to Villa O'Higgins left.<br /> <br /> Really nice hike! Due to the time of the year I only met one other hiker. It snowed a bit in the first days but not too much. Trails were generally easy to follow. Fording was not too much, might be different at another time.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Dec-14 to 2024-Dec-18 / 4.5 / Hiking / SOBO/ RR + Variant J, L / Roman'''<br /> <br /> <br /> Route: Hitchhiked from Chile Chico to X {35} [8.1/505]. Hiked to X {35} [41.5/768]. Hitchhiked from there to Park Ranger {35} [53.0/843] and hiked from there to -47.244414, -72.529165 and hitchhiked from there to Cochrane.<br /> <br /> Started in the Morning in Chile Chico and and started hiking at X {35} [8.1/505]. It's a small easy hiking road up to Puesto {35} [15.8/1075]. It's easy CC. I camped at Camp {35} [32.6/1300]. The next day was a easy hike to X {35} [41.5/768]. I was waiting 25 minutes for the first car to come by which picked me up around 11:30 AM - so prepared to either walk or wait quite some time. At the Ranger Station (Park Ranger {35} [53.0/843]) is fesh water, a toilet. There you have free internet via starlink. I have heard multiple stories and read multiple prices for entry. I would recommend to just show up. You will scan the QR code and buy the ticket online. I said that I hike to &quot;Casa Piedra camping&quot;. I had to buy the ticket &quot;Parque Nacional Patagonia - Sector Chacabuco&quot; for 5.200 CLP. Link here: https://tickets.pasesparques.cl/events/parque-nacional-patagonia-sector-chacabuco . From there i hiked to Camped at Refuge {35} [69.0/867] there are multiple fordings (river bed walking) which had a few banks and tables and a shelter hut. The next day hiked to Camp $, Refuge {35} [99.8/379] (Casa dePiedra). The Camp has electricity and a warm (not hot ;)) shower and toilets and 3 rooms with benches and tables for cooking etc. I was staying there with 2 other people and the Ranger. Apparently the Ranger doesn't collect/want money - i/we didn't needed to pay. There is Apparently a lady coming from time to time to collect a fee - so we were lucky. The trail was maintained and easy to hike. At the beginning there was some fording.<br /> <br /> The next day I camped at Refuge {35} [131.2/556] which is only a emergency shelter but has some flat spots to pich a tent. The trail is not maintained and is sometimes very good or not visible at all - you need you GPS! Overall good easy to hike with some fallen trees. There is a bridge at -47.160823, -72.407796 also with water which makes the Refuge a great place to say. Picture of bridge https://imgur.com/a/ZydIQ7f and Refuge: https://imgur.com/a/NDMT0FP . After that it's a easy hike all the way to -47.244414, -72.529165 where I hitchhiked to Cochrane. I haven't camped there but this location looked like the best stay you could get in the trail here: https://imgur.com/a/rtak82Q. -47.198106, -72.457406 close to Camp {35} [138.4/173].<br /> <br /> Stayed at Camping, Refugio ,Cabaña y HostelCochrane which i can highly recommend (camping 7k, dorm 9k, laundry 5k and a supermarket across the street)<br /> <br /> Contact: https://linktr.ee/RundW<br /> <br /> * ''' 2024-Dec-13 to 2024-Dec-17 / 5 days / GPT35 SOBO RR / wiiiim<br /> Relatively uncomplicated &amp; fast section, lots of info exists so just a summary here. In essence it feels like 3 parts<br /> <br /> - part 1 Chile Chico to the park entrance: mostly cross country over a barren plateau with lots of animals. I arranged a taxi out of Chile Chico to skip the first 9km of road walk at 7am for an early start - Alexis +56 9 7971 5823. Surprisingly lots of water on this section.<br /> <br /> - part 2 Park entrance to Casa de Piedra, park fee is 11400, very easy going, well marked trail, lots of water<br /> <br /> - part 3 Casa de piedra to Cochrane, somewhat overgrown, less water, mostly from the lagunas so good to have a filter<br /> <br /> I took the bus from Cochrane to Villa O’Higgins, it runs every Monday, Wednesday &amp; Saturday at 8:30am (returning the next day), it’s a small publicly funded bus (8400 pesos) with about 25 seats, they typically want you to buy a ticket in person in Cochrane in the bus terminal upstairs (I believe the company is Gardy?), I got a ticket the afternoon before and it had 5 seats left.<br /> <br /> * ''' 2024-Dec-12 to 2024-Dec-14 / 3 days go and back / GPT35 SOBO option 1 by car and Regular Road with a little part of option D and OH-CC-A-{35-06} to the first laguna/ Julien Mamari <br /> <br /> All the way to the Releigh Camp is really easy and try with bridges.<br /> Into the Releigh Camp and the 3rd camp you have 2 rivers to cross with the Gloria pass but it's really easy with sandals... Water to the knees maximum (on my time)<br /> If you go to the first Laguna (option 6) on the right sise of valley better beguin on the left side for around 1km then you have obligation to cross and the best its to keep always on de right side, it's dry.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Nov-07 to 2024-Nov-10 / 4 days with one day of rest at home of Daniel “Huemul” / GPT35 Regular Route SOBO from Kilometer 100 to 150 / Sendero 7 Lagunas / Meylin Ubilla and Jan Dudeck'''<br /> <br /> This scenic route inside Parque Patagonia is officially closed due to lack of trail maintenance but still easily traversable. As we entered from the north we did not speak with any Conaf personnel and learned about the closure when exiting this route in Cochrane.<br /> <br /> The GPT track file 2024 precisely documents the official route of Sendero 7 Lagunas from Kilometer 37 to Kilometer 5 (GPT35 Regular Route) where the Regular Route connects on other trails to Cochrane. Note that the OSM data is in large parts incorrect. OSM is showing a now partially overgrown and less attractive routing on disused trails and minor roads. So all topographic maps based on OSM data are unreliable in this respect.<br /> <br /> About 30% of the trail is clearly visible, about 60% of the trail is vaguely visible and 10% of the trail are invisible as trail. There is just a trail mark every kilometer but no other visual aids to follow the official trail. This makes frequent GPS verifications essential. Without a GPS and without the correct tracks loaded to the GPS hikers get inevitably lost numerous times and it would be very time consuming to find the correct trail just based on visual references. But with a GPS it’s easy to stay on the trail.<br /> <br /> There was no snow left on the 1126 m high pass.<br /> <br /> In the forest numerous fallen trees block the trail but there is always an easy way around.<br /> <br /> There are no noteworthy river crossings and the trail is dry. Water can be obtained regularly at smaller streams or at the lakes.<br /> <br /> There are numerous potential camp sites except from the northern trail head and the 1126 m high pass. This northern end is mostly wind exposed with very little shelter to pitch a tent.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Nov-02 to 2024-Nov-05 / 4 days (but 50 km hitchhiked) / Hiking / SOBO / Option 4 (Ruta RP41 in Argentina) / Meylin Ubilla and Jan Dudeck'''<br /> <br /> This option provides an alternative to the weather-exposed regular route of GPT35. Therefore this option should be considered early or late in the season (October, November or April) or whenever poor weather makes the regular route of GPT35 unsafe. This option is east of the Andes main mountain chain in Argentina and the clouds that typically come from the west unload most snow and rain while crossing the higher peaks in Chile. Anyway, the maximum altitude of just under 1500 m should not be undermined. Up on the pass area, weather can become unpleasant all year around.<br /> <br /> This road walking option is certainly not as attractive as the regular route but the insignificant traffic and the scenic scenery makes it a worthwhile hiking choice. The landscape is that attractive that one tour company in Los Antiguos offers guided excursions along this route.<br /> <br /> This option connects back to regular route of GPT35 at the trailhead of “Sendero 7 Lagunas” that becomes also traversable early in the season (October or November).<br /> <br /> Route description:<br /> <br /> The border crossing from Chile to Argentina is a 13 km hike or hitchhike as there is not organized public transport. Argentines rarely check luggage of backpackers, therefore bringing all supplies from Chile should not cause problems. Don’t be surprised when Argentine border controls don’t stamp your passport on entry. It’s not any more a given, that all travelers with passports receive an entry stamp when crossing into Argentina.<br /> <br /> Before starting on RP41 consider a good meal in Los Antiguos.<br /> <br /> The first 43 km on RP41 from Los Antiguos to Estancia Los Alamos are wind-exposed and dry. We were lucky to ride most of this stretch on the back of a pickups truck. From the road we could only see one more reliable water source at kilometer 39.5. And descending 100 to 200 m into gorge of Rio Jenimeni just to refill water supplies seams an ordeal that should be avoided.<br /> <br /> The owners of Estancia Los Alamos are welcoming and helpful. We were invited for lunch and offered a bed for a night. But to get moving we opted to start hiking in the afternoon.<br /> <br /> Estancia La Frontera at kilometer 46 of RP41 just after the bridge over Rio Zaballos seams also to offer accommodation on request. And here starts the more scenic part with patches of forest and more regular water streams crossing the road.<br /> <br /> At kilometer 54 of RP41 by-passes are welcome to camp just next to Rio Lincoln. Here we spend our first night.<br /> <br /> At kilometer 64 of RP41 the last patches of forest are left behind and exposed but scenic landscape is crossed.<br /> <br /> The highest point of RP41 (“portezuelo”) is reached at kilometer 76 with just under 1500 m. The last snowmelt washed a part of road away stopping currently most transit traffic but hikers and bikers can cross this damaged road section without problems.<br /> <br /> While walking from Rio Lincoln up to the “portezuelo” the wind and the light snowfall increased. But compared to the weather in Chile at the same time our conditions where quite manageable. The lack of wind-sheltered places keep us moving to kilometer 79 of RP41. Here, an unlocked puesto with a wood stove provided a surprisingly convenient shelter for our second night en route. We just had to seal some gaps in the walls to reduce the wind and snow from entering our temporary refuge. When getting up on the next morning a thin layer of fresh snow covered everything around us.<br /> <br /> The descent to Paso Roballos at kilometer 96 of RP41 traverses open but scenic landscape with little natural shelter. <br /> <br /> The best places to camp after the pass are:<br /> Kilometer 79: unlocked puesto<br /> Kilometer 87: maybe near puesto at 47°06'47&quot;S 71°50'00&quot;W<br /> Kilometer 96: the crossing to Paso Roballos 2 km before the Argentine border control <br /> <br /> At the Argentine border control camping is not permitted.<br /> <br /> When exiting Argentina make sure to get an exit stamp. This stamp is required to enter into Chile.<br /> <br /> Another good option is the abandoned Chilean military post 4 km after the Argentine border control. Most buildings of this small compound are sealed closed but one shelter is open and one mostly closed veranda provided good shelter for us for one night while rain and snow made pitching a tent less pleasant.<br /> <br /> The Chilean border control is 11 km inland from the border.<br /> <br /> From the Chilean border control it’s another 26 km to the trail head of “Sendero 7 Lagunas” with a brilliant camp site halfway (“camping alto valle”).<br /> <br /> * '''Note:''' The RR was changed between Lago Jeinemeni and Lago Verge in October 2024, so numbering of options in the reports below might be slightly off.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> <br /> * '''2024 Mar 14 to 2024 Mar 19 / 5.5 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR / Maddi and Tom'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: Hiked out of Cochrane after lunch in light rain. Hiked up Sendero Las Aguilas then Las Lengas, easy trail and well defined. Rain got heavier as we approached Laguna El Cangrejo. Camped on the west side of the lake, started snowing lightly as we set up. One of the colder nights and we considered turning back and taking the lower route as we weren't sure how passable Laguna Altas would be in the snow.<br /> <br /> Day 2: Woke up to a snowy morning so decided to wait it out in the tent. Packed up once it stopped around 11am and followed Sendero Los Condores. Luckily had a bit of sun as we went over the pass but as we were coming down the other side the rain and wind picked up. Abandoned our plans to hike the Lagunas Altas circuit and instead followed it straight down to Westwind campsite. Sat there for a bit hoping to see a puma but only guanaco in sight. Hiked towards Valle Chacabuco hoping for a hitch but no cars came past. Kept walking along Paso Roballos trying for a hitch, eventually a couple from the UK picked us up and dropped us at Casa Piedra. Spent the night there and got a hot shower which was excellent after all the rain and snow. Didn't end up paying any entry fees for the park or the camping as noone asked.<br /> <br /> Day 3: Got up fairly early to overcast day but no rain. Followed the eastern branch of the Sendero Aviles which was clearly marked and easy to follow. The bridge over the canyon is fun to rejoin the west branch of the trail. Kept following the track along, easy going until you hit the river bed and then there are many crossings back and forth. We did a bit of dodgy scrambling up the banks to avoid getting wet feet. We were going to push on but it started raining lightly about 4pm so we set up camp in the trees along the river. Another group joined us later that night as it was raining heavily and it was the first flat and clear spot.<br /> <br /> Day 4: Started along the track, excellent views as you pass Cerro Jeinimeni. Fairly easy track down to the next river, followed by a lot of walking in the river bed. Gave in and just walked through the water to Lago Verde. Crossings were never really over ankle deep. Track around Lago Verde is fine to follow with excellent views. Very windy as we got over the pass and the path down is quite eroded (but manageable). Hiked around to Raleigh. There is a new suspension bridge over the river at Raleigh that connects to Sendero Laguna Esmerelda. It isn't marked on Gaia or Maps Me so a group behind us went around the other way and had to do a hip deep river crossing. Going via Raleigh and Sendero Esmerelda avoids all river crossings and is an easy track to follow. Hiked all the way to El Silencio for the night, noone there so didn't pay any fees.<br /> <br /> Day 5: Started the hike out along the road hoping for a hitch but no cars went by. Headed up the plateau following a minor road, then relying on GPS and animal tracks. Lots of guanaco. Kept hiking up the hill as the wind picked up. Found a camp spot somewhat out of the wind towards the top of the plateau with a small river passing by for water. Started snowing as we went to sleep.<br /> <br /> Day 6: Woke up to a few cms of snow on the ground and tent and started a very frosty walk up and over the plateau. Lots of guanaco around but not much else other than snow. Luckily the sun came out as we were coming back down the other side as it was freezing up the top and was difficult navigating with the snow cover. Once it cleared we had awesome views of the Torres de Avellano and the lake. The descent track is pretty eroded and very slippery in parts where mud is hidden under small stones. Eventually joined up to the minor road and followed it down to Ruta 265. I had a weird phenomenon with my shoes picking up enormous amounts of sticky mud on the minor road, making my feet a few kgs heavier and having to scrape it off every 100m. Got a hitch to Chile Chico from Ruta 265.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Mar-12 to 2024-Mar-17 / 4 + 2×0.5 = 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + OH D + F / Joscha'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: RR [0.0-16.7]<br /> <br /> I startet around 2 pm and did not try to hitch the first 8 km on the primary road. There is a good flowing stream at the water marker (km 12.2) and at the camp (km 14.1). The flat spot that is camp 14.1 is swampy and therefore not ideal for camping. I camped at -46.60658, -71.80980 which is at least a little bit wind protected. There is also a stream on the other side of the RR close to this spot. <br /> <br /> Day 2: RR [16.7-48.2]<br /> <br /> There was plenty of water. The RR was covered in snow from about km 23 to 28. I took a CC shortcut from km 40.8 to 42.7. I camped at -46.810258, -71.965073.<br /> <br /> Day 3: RR [48.2-59.1] + OSM trail to Laguna Verde + OH35-D + RR [62.4-88.9] + OH35-F + RR [70.3-78.9]<br /> <br /> The park gate at km 50.1 is open from 9 am to 5 pm. But the ranger didn't mind, that I entered before 9 am. I paid 17000 Pesos at the ranger station (km 53). This fee allows camping at all the Campgrounds in the park. I followed the official park trail which branches off at km 59,1 to Laguna Verde. From there it returns via OH35-D to the RR. All fords today were below my knees. After km 75.5 the RR was partially flooded and you had to walk through some branches. Therefore I sometimes walked in the river bed on the eastern side of Rio Aviles. I camped at km 78.9. Its an official campground of the park, but there is nothing. But its flat and wind protected.<br /> <br /> Day 4: RR [78.9-106.3]<br /> <br /> The roof of the refuge at km 93.9 is collapsed. Casa de Piedra is a real house with bathrooms and some common rooms to hang out and probably sleep. I camped on the lakeshore at -47.074614, -72.25701. I would not recommend this spot for windy nights.<br /> <br /> Day 5: RR [106.3-137.6]<br /> <br /> The next reliable water source after Lago Gutierrez (km 106.3) is a stream at km 113.8. Its possible to camp just south of the pass (km 110.8). I did a shortcut from km 129.1 to 130.3. I had to cross a small swampy area for that. Camping at km 137.6 is nice.<br /> <br /> Day 6: RR [137.6-150.4]<br /> <br /> Nice campsite at km 146.0 (RN Tamango) with sheltered tables and spots for camping. I stayed at camping calafate in Cochrane (-47.254013, -72.568419). It has a kitchen with common area (heated by wood oven), wifi and hot showers for 7000 pp.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-24 to 2024-Mar-01 / 6.5 days / &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / SOBO / RR+&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;RP&lt;/span&gt; / Lauren &amp; Seb'''<br /> <br /> Much has been said about this section, so we will share only our impressions.<br /> <br /> Day 1: After reaching wp Settler {35} [8.9/539] by taxi in the early evening, we hiked a short distance and camped at wp Camp {35} [14.1/923]. On a windy day it’s basically unprotected in a narrow valley. There was no wind that day, making it a spot with a great view.<br /> <br /> Day 2: Upon reaching the plateau, it felt like a guanaco/flamencos safari as previously described. To get up there, you have to CC on one manageable steep stretch. Follow the dotted line in OSM relatively far to the left and not the GPT files. We camped north of wp Water {35} [28.1/1579].<br /> <br /> Day 3: We headed across the pass and amazing views opened up before us. On the downhill, follow the GPT line until you reach a fence. Go through the fence on the left end and follow the fence line towards wp Puesto {35} [34.6/1191]. From the side of the puesto, you can easily follow well trodded horse tracks along the fence line until -46.75064, -71.89899. Follow the trails along the river towards the south until you hit the MR. We stopped for the night at wp Camp {35} [42.9+0.2/713].<br /> <br /> Day 4: Cars did not appear until after 10am but we eventually got a ride to the park entrance. From here, the more touristy part begins. Once inside the park we decided to walk the MR around Lago Jeinemeni and only inflated the packraft at Lago Verde. This was an absolutely great paddle on the most turquoise waters and we were lucky with the afternoon wind. We stayed the night at Refuge {35} [68.1/867]. <br /> <br /> Day 5: The next part has lots of fording so expect slow progress. We left our crocs on for the next 3 km. Well marked trail through the forest and across the pass. On the other side, however there is a new official route which starts here -46.87696, -72.17213 and requires more fording. The old trail still exists and no fording was necessary. Stick to the GPS here if you want to save time taking your shoes off! The rest of the way down the valley was enjoyable and we stayed the night just before wp Ford {35} [82.6/805].<br /> <br /> Day 6: Easy hiking down to Camp Piedra where we stayed and camped early.<br /> <br /> Day 7: We started paddling Rio Chacabuco the next morning, but I would advise packrafters against doing so (at least in the late season). Conditions of the river included low water levels with frequent ground contact and many trees in the water. The river splits often, making the already low water even lower and obstacles in the tightly winding corners become even more tricky. First time that we hit a tree since we are on the GPT. As if that wasn’t enough, wind picked up early and forced us out of the water. We decided to water-out here -47.05177, -72.29040 and hiked up the road, where a car took us towards Cochrane after 2 hours.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-27 to 2024-Mar-04 / 5.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR - {35-S} - {35-D} - RR - {35-J} - RR - {35-L} - RR / Lilian &amp; Rainbow '''<br /> <br /> Safari = GPT35, we saw foxes, bunny, flamingos, ostrich, owl, woodpecker, and more than 100 guanacos at this section!<br /> <br /> We standing at the end of town more than 1 hour and found that it is really difficult to hitch out by low traffic. So we go to tourist information ask for help maybe a ride, a man at there said he can take us to x[8.1/505] for 10k CLP, but lastly he just took us to the junction at km5.9, and said he don't want to drive on a non paved road, then don't wait us to respond and throw our backpacks out from his car immediately, and ask for the money.<br /> <br /> So, DON'T ask any ride in tourist information at Chile Chico, they cheated our trust.<br /> <br /> Km12 : flat spot (-46.57669, -71.82779) can fit some tents at other side of a stream, the stream is flowing good and dry feet crossable by rock hopping.<br /> <br /> Km12.75 : viewpoint(-46.58294, -71.82549) of a valley with sky blue colour, super beautiful, don't miss it!<br /> <br /> Camp[14.1/923] : grassland spot, a small stream is flowing low beside it.<br /> <br /> Km16.6 : flat spot(-46.60658, -71.80980), have some covers can stay away from the wind tunnel in valley at north.(wind from north)<br /> <br /> After this spot, no more camping spot or flat spot have wind protection until camp[32.6/1300]. Wind is crazy at the plateau.<br /> <br /> Camp[32.6/1300] : tiny wind protection from a rock wall, just fit 1 tent for it. Better wind protection nearby camp[42.9/713].<br /> <br /> Short cut CC from 38.2 to 42.7, it doesn't save much time, better follow GPX track, MR is completely finished and super easy to walk. It also walk beside some beautiful meadows that are nice to camp(no wind protection).<br /> <br /> Camp[42.9/713] : spots at a wet muddy road. Better spots nearby at (-46.79053, -71.91127), dry and 2-3 sides wind protection by bushes, can fit many tents there.<br /> <br /> Didn't see any cars going south at morning, so road walking all the way to entrance. 11k CLP for entrance fee, 6k CLP for camping fee, total 17k CLP, can pay by credit card.<br /> <br /> Camp,$,bridge,lake[53.3/852] : El Silencio campsite and Lago Jeinemeni. This campsite is a little bit crown with car camping, and the lake is amazing beautiful!<br /> <br /> HIGHLY RECOMMEND walking on the shore of lake from km56.65 - km57.75(from the junction of viewpoint, to the point that trail met the beach), easy, dry feet and excellent beautiful!<br /> <br /> Bridge[58.9/856] : after this bridge, follow south route ( {35-S} &amp; RP{35} ) to Lago Verde, then take the bridge(-46.86056, -72.07982) to cross the river. Lastly follow {35-D} rejoin RR. Dry feet.<br /> <br /> Lake [59.2/840] : Laguna Esmeralda. Didn't find any camping possibilities. Better views at trail.<br /> <br /> Refuge[61.7/856] : beside Laguna Esmeralda, a super blue lake. This refuge is not a cabin, just a shelter with 3 side wooden wall, good wind protection, but I'm not sure about heavy rain, because i saw many holes at the wall. Better camping spot with views beside the lake(not much wind protection).<br /> <br /> Ford start/end[63.4/896] : late season, all the way easy dry feet crossing, walking on log or rock hopping.<br /> <br /> Pass[64.5/1132] : no camping spot here, the spot shown on OSM, is already covered by many blowdowns. Nice viewpoint(-46.84093, -72.10324) of Lago Verde just SW of here.<br /> <br /> Ford[66.1/877] : better river crossing point at (-46.83741, -72.11991), there is a sign at another side of river. Below knee, easy.<br /> <br /> Ford[66.4/859] : river breaks into some parts, below knee, easy.<br /> <br /> Refuge[68.1/867] : shelter with 2 walls, nice weather protection. Refuge with 4 walls, but huge air tunnel at ceiling, so just wind protection. A sign book inside refuge too. Camping spots at here can fit lot of tents, mostly have some wind protection, but not much, because trees are too tall, and just 1 spot behind a blowdowns have well wind protection.<br /> <br /> Fords[68.4/869] - [71.6/905] : lot of river crossing, some trail can go around the river, but not much help and they are overgrown, so finally you need to be crossing and crossing then wet feet.<br /> <br /> Km74.7 : camping spot(-46.87204, -72.17630), can fit 3-4 tents with some weather protection by the forest. Have a shelter made by logs here, can squat 1-2 hiker inside for emergency, but not much help, because it is really small and too many holes on it.<br /> <br /> Km75.7 : camping spot(-46.87886, -72.16954), can fit 3-4 tents with some weather protection by the forest.<br /> <br /> Km78.9 :camping spot(-46.90498, -72.15591), and some more spots nearby, total can fit 4-6 tents with some weather protection by the forest.<br /> <br /> Ford[79.3/846] : Below knee, easy.<br /> <br /> Refuge[81.0/819] : no refuge, no shelter. Camping spot with views can fit 2 tents but no protection.<br /> <br /> Ford[82.6/805] : Below knee. Camping spot(-46.93485, -72.15869), can fit 2 tents with not much weather protection by the bushes, before the crossing.<br /> <br /> Km83.3 : camping spot(-46.94089, -72.15600), can fit 2-3 tents with some weather protection by some trees. Also one spot at south but not much protection.<br /> <br /> Km84.7 : camping spot(-46.95268, -72.15123), can fit 1 tent with some weather protection by some brushes.<br /> <br /> Km88.6 : camping spot(-46.98397, -72.15988), can fit 2 tents with weather protection by some trees and brushes. Flat area nearby can fit many tents with good views but no protection.<br /> <br /> Bridge[90.9/635] : classic bridge! Worth to take a look and walk on it!<br /> <br /> We took {35-J} instead RR here, because less puds, also walking on a plateau looks like more scenic.<br /> <br /> {35-J} Km5 : viewpoint(-47.03902, -72.19077) of the whole valley, very beautiful! Don't miss it!<br /> <br /> Camp,$,refuge[98.9/379] : Casa de Piedra campground. Have some shelters with picnic table for cooking, and a refuge with hot(warm) shower, toilet and some tables for meals. If you decide to camp here, please expect sleep late. This spot mostly are campers and tourists. They'll speaking and cooking until 10 or 11 or midnight.<br /> <br /> You can take a shuttle form here to Cochrane(30k CLP per person) or Camping Los West Wind(15k CLP per person)<br /> <br /> Time schedule: 9am Cochrane - 9.45am Museo, 10am Museo - 10.15am Camping Los West Wind, 10.30am Camping Los West Wind - 10.45am Museo, 12noon Museo - 1pm Camping Casa de Piedra, 4.30pm Camping Casa de Piedra - 5.15pm Museo, 5.30pm Museo - 6.30pm Cochrane<br /> <br /> Start from here, the trail is not maintained anymore, but still in good condition.<br /> <br /> Km103 : Lago Gutierrez, amazing beautiful lake, have some minutes i thought back to Norway again.<br /> <br /> Km103.85 : a small stream(-47.07911, -72.22738) flowing good with clear water, easy to collect.<br /> <br /> Pass[110.8/1126] : some fresh snow remain at here.<br /> <br /> Km112.45 : emergency camping spot(-47.10718, -72.28893), the ground is a little soft, but is flat and some wind protection, can fit many tents here.<br /> <br /> Km116.9 : Laguna Guagua. Camping spot(-47.13350, -72.30170), can fit 2-3 tents with some wind protection from west by bushes, SW of the spot have a side trail to lake. BUT, DON'T go for {35-02A} back to RR, it is completely CC and BB with spike plants, not fun. Better CC climbing up to RR from camping spot directly.<br /> <br /> Refuge,X[118.3/716] : no refuge, it is collapsed. The woods becomes a super small shelter here. If you lost your backpack, crawling inside maybe can save your life. Otherwise just for photos snapping function.<br /> <br /> From here to km125.0, you will walk beside 3 lakes, didn't see any wind protection camping spots there, but if you have good luck at a no wind night, you maybe find some spots at the last lake.<br /> <br /> Km125.0 : road walking start. Flat spot with some wind protection on the road can fit 1-2 tents at here too.<br /> <br /> Km125.9 : junction of RR and {35-L}, because the road is too easy to walk and follow, we completely miss this junction and walk a long time then realised RR is a different way, so we keep going on {35-L} and rejoin RR later.<br /> <br /> {35-L} km3.6 : a small stream(-47.17383, -72.37063) flowing good with clear water, easy to collect. Flat spot can fit 1-2 tents after the crossing.<br /> <br /> We walked the whole way{35-L} and rejoin RR at km130.8.<br /> <br /> RR Km132.4 : flat spot(-47.17220, -72.42231) can fit 1 tent at the end of lake. With some wind protection by forest.<br /> <br /> Camp[136.9/162] : can fit 2-4 tents with weather protection by forest, but if the wind is come from south, it is not much help. Excellent views on the beach.<br /> <br /> Camp[137.6/173] : can fit 2-3 tents with wind protection from east and north by trees. Excellent views on the beach. Just beside a port, looks like can take a boat to here.<br /> <br /> Km138.3 : camping spot(-47.20064, -72.46718), total can fit 3-5 tents at several stage, some spots have good wind protection by trees and bushes.<br /> <br /> From here to km146.0, lot of up and down beside some cliffs (maybe slippery in rain), but it is a trail with lot of amazing views, we are really enjoyed it.<br /> <br /> Km139.77 : a tiny stream(-47.20803, -72.47813) flowing good with clear water, easy to collect.<br /> <br /> Km141.73 : side trail to viewpoint(-47.21986, -72.49280) and cell service for Movistar.<br /> <br /> Km142.15 : flat grassland(-47.22231, -72.49623) can fit 4 tents just beside the beautiful lake, some wind protection by valley itself.<br /> <br /> X[143.9/244] : cell service for Entel(-47.23128, -72.50780)<br /> <br /> Km146.0 : RN Tamango campground, some shelters for cooking, large arae for camping, hot shower and trash can, 7k CLP per person.<br /> <br /> Km146.5 : the last flat spot(-47.24353, -72.53067) before Cochrane, some wind protection by brushes, can fit 1-3 tents with nice sunrise, you can arrive there by a clear trail beside ranger station, the trail is shown on OSM map.<br /> <br /> Cochrane : <br /> <br /> Lot of accommodation, markets and restaurants, and 2 outdoor gear shops.<br /> <br /> 230g gas canisters, power bank, chargers and tent stakes at Supermercado Melero(-47.25386, -72.57414).<br /> <br /> Sunglasses, micro spikes, snow shoes and some clothes at La Ruta 7 Patagonia(-47.25591, -72.57320).<br /> <br /> Sleeping bag, tents, boots(just 1 trail runner), socks, base layer, warm clothes and pants at Kalfu Patagonia(-47.25474, -72.57018).<br /> <br /> Clothes at Vansy(-47.25417, -72.57431), not a outdoor gear shop, but some sporty clothes and pants for a low price at here.<br /> <br /> Some campground and lot of indoor stays at Cochrane. The only hostel is Camping, Refugio ,Cabaña y Hostel(a long name) (-47.25446, -72.57497). And most of the rooms here include breakfast(without kitchen), 20k CLP per person. The only one we found with kitchen(but no breakfast) is Casa Raíces Hostal(-47.25113, -72.56848).<br /> <br /> Bus terminal to Coyhaique, Villa Cerro Castillo, Villa O' Higgins, Chile Chico, Puerto Rio Tranquilo and Tortel at (-47.25137, -72.57317).<br /> <br /> Tourist information(-47.25439, -72.57283).<br /> <br /> I recommend La Martica(-47.25112, -72.57266), local restaurant with nice food in a good price.<br /> <br /> * '''24-Feb-17 to 2024-Feb-22 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR, Variant L / Tomáš &amp; Natalie'''<br /> <br /> There were several hitchhiker groups out of Chile Chico so we took a taxi (990250968) to the settler at 8.9 for 10,000 CLP. Nobody was there, but there is a locked gate so it would not be possible to take a taxi further up. For pedestrians, there is an unlocked door. One can shortcut the first zigzag of the road thereafter and several others, it is open terrain. We camped in a dry lakebed (for windprotection) about 1 km after the first pass. Despite strong wind in Chile Chico and a forecast of wind gusts over 60km/hr, the night was largely peaceful with just one hour of wind. The plateau has terrain features and it seemed to us it is not that impossible to camp there, but maybe we were just lucky.<br /> <br /> The next day was like a safari, lots of animals and little wind. Pawprints on lake bed turned out to be a big dog and not a puma according to the rangers though. Going down from the plateau, it is possible to shortcut the GPX track to the SE and end near the puesto at 34.6. Trail starts above the puesto but is not so easy to follow and the GPX does not seem to be the most precise. It is advisable to take a CC shortcut to bridge at 42.7 as mentioned by Adrien Kunzli: about 1 km before the end of MR 38.2, veer right aiming for a black outcrop on the mountain on the other side of the valley and you will pop out above the bridge. We got lucky and got a ride at around 16:30 to the parkoffice. We paid 15000 CLP only for one person - they forget to charge the other one. They were friendly and told us the weather forecast. We did not get any receipt or pass though. Walked two hours to campsite Raleigh, there were two other foreign tents there. The new trail is technically the old &quot;laguna Esmeralda&quot; (RP 59.2) trail with a new bridge, so keep left to avoid fords, combined with variant D it seems preferable to RR even when not intending to camp [November 20224: this is not RR].<br /> <br /> From Raleigh, the first fords were possible to cross without fording thanks to logs and stones. The next valley is indeed beautiful, especially Lago Verde. There were about ten tents but no people near the refugio at 67.6. Tomáš tried to go around the second fords through the forest on the left and he eventually reached variant F, which exists but partially goes through a marsh and does not avoid fording anyway: it is pointless, just ford. Initially the start of the fords seem like a marsh, go around it from the right through the river, it is a nice riverbed thereafter. Rio Aviles was kneedeep and ok. Ford 71.2 is mighty - go downstream about 200 m, it splits and is easy there (there is a cairn in the middle). We camped at a camping site marked on OSM about 2 km further down from there. There is a place for one tent about 20 m from a creek. Very nice spot. Having a headstart to people starting from the park office, we only met three groups of foreigners all day.<br /> <br /> Variant J does not avoid any substabtial fords, water at 96.1 is easily jumpable and the river is bridged on both J and RR. <br /> Casa de Piedra is a nice spot with resident guanacos (and some tourists). Tomáš had a hot shower! We were asked for our passes - we explained we were not given them and it was ok. We went on. The Siete Lagunas trail is surprisingly in a rather good shape. It is little used but not much overgrown and generally easy to follow, needing a GPS only occasionally. Tomáš liked it tremendeously. Did not meet anyone on it.<br /> <br /> We slept near the pass next to a marsh. It rained most of the night but stopped before morning, luckily the trail was not too wet the next day. The first stream after the pass is very weak (not flowing if not raining?); it flows from the marsh by which we slept and is about 500 m after the pass waypoint. The next stream is about 1 km further down, it had more water. After that, water is only in the lakes. Tomáš cleaned a lot of the logs and branches from the trail, if you can spare a moment, please do likewise. We could not see any traces of option 02A or option K. We took option L near km 129.9 - we were confused by other reports because we thought people were taking the much longer part of L that follows a MR. RR leaves the Siete lagunas trail at the end of option L after 29 km. The trail probably goes to Valle Chacabuco. [OSM has Variant F and L marked as &quot;Sendero 7 Lagunas&quot;, this is wrong. Variant K looks to be indeed CC and variant L looks to be an unnecessary detour on a MR (overgrown and with logs at first when RR is on this MR - when you cross the MR again after four km on RR, it no longer looks that overgrown). November 2024: OSM has been corrected.] On L, one can easily take a CC shortcut from top of the hill to MR. We found two shortcutting trails to the MR. We met Daniel who was coming back from cutting invasive pines with his chainsaw, he had a friendly and humorous attitude. Camped at the lake at the wind protected camp.<br /> <br /> The night brought surprisingly strong wind and rain - try to camp deeper in the forest. We followed a faint trail tracing the shore of the lake instead of CC 137.6, in the middle of it there was an apple tree that will be ripe in March probably. Did not meet anybody until the viewpoint above the lake that says &quot;signal Movistar&quot; (we have Entel, which has a sign 2 km further on but it did not work, just wait one hour until Cochrane proper), from then on, there were daytrippers. CONAF had a lunch break so we passed unnoticed. Cochrane as a town is ok.<br /> <br /> Nat's Notes:<br /> The Bulk shop in Chile Chico (Güenta Emporio) is not open on weekends, they have weird hours and sometimes need to call before; Andrea +56 9 9540 1708. I recommend the hospedaje Rio Baker, 15mil pp which is the general price here. <br /> The plateau <br /> - Besides Descabezado, this area was one of the most visually interesting sections for me. I haven't had that much fun taking photos in a long time. At first the guanacos scared me a little, I felt like I was surrounded by ninjas, eventually I warmed up to them. A good place for a zoom camera.<br /> -For me the going was slow, besides being tired and equipped with rash-covered feet I found the navigation tricky. I kept aiming for the wrong pass because there are many rolling hills. However I found things got better near and after pass km28.8.<br /> - Water in the plateau is still frequent. If one wants to camp as close to the plateau as possible (SOBO) I suggest this spot:-46.62397, -71.81920. Also there is a nice grassy and fairly sheltered spot near water km23.9: -46.66437, -71.84393 and a big flat grass patch at water 30.6. There is a huge boulder for wind protection if needed here; -46.65469, -71.83997. In the valley bottom near the puesto, there are less/no camping spots. I did not like all the dogs at puesto 34.6, so I purposely avoided it. <br /> - When finishing the plateau section, I filled up on water at the last stream that wasn't the main river here: -46.72842, -71.89633, as I didn't think we would get a hitch to the park office.<br /> <br /> Sendero Avilés<br /> - The descent from pass km64.5 is nothing, just a bit of dirt dust that makes traction hard. The only part on this track that I would worry about safety-wise (apart from the two river crossings) is a new steep traverse 2ish kms after pass km74.1: -46.88996, -72.16428. I decided to throw my bag down 5m instead of walking down the &quot;free fall&quot;. (Alternatively you could ford rio Aviles twice.)<br /> - The series of mini river crossings were all fine, there is a nice water source before pass km74 in the forest once you finish all the fords, it comes from a waterfall not far away. <br /> - Near the end I took Variant J bcs I thought it avoided a river crossing (no rivers to cross but RR doesn't either). If you do this option I recommend still going to the hanging bridge at the X of J and RR bcs it is a fun and unique bridge!<br /> - Cassandra at Case Piedra was nice and easy to get along with.<br /> <br /> Siete Lagunas<br /> - The water we took from the marsh was probably the grossest water I have had to drink, lots of algae and oil, I filtered and boiled. (The second stream was much better.)<br /> - As noted the trail is not hard to follow at this moment, only a handful of times I lost it. That being said it could be because we were walking near the end of the season and therefore it was obvious where ppl had been walking (pushed down grass), I think it would be a lot harder at the beginning of the season. Another bonus was that most spikees were gone.<br /> - Near to camp 136.9, there is a water source. It is at the end of the beach, 200-300m west of camp. There are two or three more water sources on the first part of the trail but after the look-out, there are no more.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-6 to 2024-Feb-11 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + option L / Yannick &amp; Nolwenn &amp; Tess &amp; Lukas'''<br /> <br /> - Trail condition : really nice overall // the trail is sometimes overgrown and easy to loose from km 113,5 to km 122, so just keep an eye on the gps<br /> - Water : easy to find plenty of rivers and lagunas<br /> - Camping spot : we camped at km 32,6 and it was a bad idea, too exposed and we got snow and a lot of wind during the night, would really recommend to go down more // we camped near the lago Gutiérrez at km 106,15 there is place for 2 tents<br /> - Weather : windy, sunny, snow, rain <br /> - River crossing : easy<br /> - Resupply : in Chile Chico (a bulk shop just opened in front of the camping Nandu) // in Cochrane everything you need<br /> - Entrance fee : for park Patagonia 11 000 pesos per pp + 6 000 pesos for camping per pp<br /> - Overall : really nice section, we were happy to encounter 3 huemuls<br /> <br /> *'''2024-Jan- 18 to 2024-Jan-24/ 7 days/hiking/SOBO/ 35/ 35-02a( from 47.1567357S, 72.4154650W)/ 35-02 ( from S 47.12123, W 072.46099) /35-03 ( from S 47.11712 W072.48494)/35-03c ( from Laguna El Cangrejo)/35-03d/ 35 from Lago Cochrane/ Paulina'''<br /> Long, beautiful tour in Parque Patagonia, as I mixed different variants, it allowed me to see all the divercity of the park. Almost no people, a lot of guanacos, a really beautiful section!<br /> <br /> Day 1 The way from Chile Chico to Lago Jeinimeni. I was prepared to walk all the way, but as some cars stoped and it was a very hot day, I took a lift ( I have walked maybe 8 km in total ). I stopped at 46.7304997S, 71.7415019W, to do the loop of about 7 km in the first reserve of Jeinimeni. The entrance is paid 6000 CLP but the ticket is valid later, at the main entrance at Lago Jeinimeni ( the next 2 days). It's really worth to walk on this place. The rock formations are amasing. It takes about 3h and you can leave your backpack at the park reception After that, another car stoped and took me to the main entrance of Lago Jeinimeni. The views from the road are really scenic, it's a pity not to walk some parts of this road, lucky my car was old and slow so I could admire the views.<br /> <br /> Day 2 From Lago Jeinimeni to the refugio and camping at 46.8406732S, 72.1409082W. The first part of the trail to Portezuelo La Gloria is rather easy, it stays mostly in the valley, the ascent to the pass is not very difficult and rather short. On the way down from the pass there are some steeper moments and there are some places where the trail is distroyed by a kind of stone avalanche so you have to find your way thru the stones. Amasing views on Laguna Verde. Once you are down at Laguna, there are some fords, when I was there, the highest one was till knees.<br /> <br /> Day 3 A lot of fords all the way in Valle Hermoso, there were all easy to cross. Also, you can't clearly see the path but anyway, you have to follow the valley. Sometimes there are signes so you will always find the way. This day, the only a bit more difficult place you can find around S 46.89032 W 072.16461. Going SOBO it's a steep descent, it's very short but steep. Can be dangerous after the rain. Later the views on the canyon on Aviles river became really amasing, it was for me one of the most beautiful part in all the park.<br /> <br /> Day 4/5 I had 6 km till Casa de Piedra ( there was a tiny spot for one tent with a stream at this distance) and I started the part Siete Lagunas. At Casa de Piedra I asked the ranger if the trail was walkable and he confirmed that it was ok and I could go. But, as the others already mentioned , the trail is not maintained anymore. Till the end of Laguna Gutierrez it's rather easy to find the way without gps, but later, there are some places where the path is not at all visible. With trail on gps is not very difficult to find the way, but without this, can be very difficult to follow this trail. There are also a lot of fallen trees, some BB. If they do nothing, I think in 2 years the path will completely disapear. But it's a beautiful trail, wild, you meet nobody, a pure and intacked nature. Just take enough water, the first day of this sendero the water was at Lago Gutierrez and later about 1h after the pass.<br /> <br /> Day 6 Instead to continue on RR I went to Valle Chacabuco to discoverer also this sector. I started with the trail Lagunas Atlas. Well marked, beautiful, various views, it was the most frequented part of the park, but still I can't say it was crowded. Beautiful camp on Laguna el Cangrejo.<br /> <br /> Day 7 The views on Lago Cochrane are really amasing. The landscapes and the vegetation are in this part different than before.<br /> <br /> To conclude, I did not encontered really difficult places on this long hike. As I walked through all sections of the park, it allowed me to see all the divercity of the area. Except maybe 3 h in Valle Chacabuco, I did not really meet people in the park. It was a beautiful section! In Cochrane, you will find a lot of shops where you can find everything you need for next section. There are several campings ( I liked a lot Camping Lorenzo not crowded, nice place to cook with gaz, friendly owner, spots with twin protection<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-28 to 2024-Jan-04 / 8 days / RR / SOBO / Roshi'''<br /> <br /> I hitchhiked from Chile Chico to X{35}[8.1/505] and did not see the settler at El Ciprés. It was very windy and I decided to cross the plateau at midday which was maybe not the best idea. The cross country I found very challenging and the extreme head wind across the plateau was in relentless. Nevertheless I thoroughly enjoyed the amazing landscape and the challenge, although a less windy day or starting earlier would have made it more enjoyable. I camped close to Camp 32.6/1300 at a dry spot and the next day followed the fence down to the road and walked to the Park entrance at Jenimeni. The park rangers told me of an alternative route to the start of the Avilés trail to Casa de Piedra and gave me some maps and info, they were very friendly. I paid 3000 pesos for park entry. I camped at Valle Hermoso which lives up to its name and then did a day hike to the glacial lake leaving my tent at the Refugio Valle Hermoso and following Estero Ventisquero or part of OH-CC-A {35-06} After packing up I then hiked a couple of kms down to a next campsite (there are a couple of established places to set up your tent on the way to Casa de Piedra). From Casa de Piedra I followed the Site Laguna's trail which was overgrown and difficult to follow and navigate and for me probably my least favourite part. The kms are marked but you really have to follow the GPS me there aren't many places to pitch if you don't feel like hiking anymore. I think going down into Chacobuco (which I had done previously) would have been nicer. I loved the Lago Cochrane and Tamango reserve the views and colours were amazing and the trails very easy to follow and not very busy. I got a lift into Cochrane halfway from the entrance but the road walk is not long anyway and I was not actively hitching. <br /> <br /> Annoyances were horse flies but I got good advice to &quot;out Zen&quot; them and to be honest once you let it go and enjoy the views and being in nature generally they are easy to deal with. Just don't stop between 2 and 8 PM ;) <br /> And from Jenimeni to Casa de Piedra is lots of river crossings so just accept wet feet :) and try do river crossings in the morning especially on hot days ( esp Avilés) Be safe and sensible obviously!<br /> I would have maybe even liked to stay longer on this part of the trail, there were lots of little day hikes and alternative routes I'd have loved to explore, but I didn't have enough food. It's a beautiful part of the world, enjoy it! <br /> <br /> <br /> * '''From 2023-01-15 to 2023-01-19 // 5 days // Hiking // NOBO // VARIANT P + OPT3 + OPT3A + RR + VARIANT J + VARIANT I + VARIANT D + Sendero Laguna Esmeralda (no variant on that one yet) + RR // Quentin Clavel'''<br /> <br /> From Cochrane, I thought it was sad to go straight along the Lago Cochrane without checking what's going up there, and have a view over the vallee Chacabuco. So that's what I did. <br /> <br /> I just took the beginning of Variant P, you have to pass threw a gate saying &quot;no passar&quot; then you have to bifurcate to the option 3 (tamango) to reach the pass between vallée tamango and chacabuco. Very nice views. Then instead of going down into vallée Chacabuco, I went straight, and continue on the sendero de las siete lagunas, wich is an old track, sometimes hard to guess, so check the GPS, but mostly easy to folllow (you still have the mark every kilometers). <br /> <br /> Really loved the colours at the end of Lago guitterrez ! <br /> <br /> Main difficulties on the section are these horrible horseflies, and the no less terrible little spiky plants that stay sticks in your shoes and socks. <br /> <br /> Then you reach casa de piedras. I took the variant J to don't have to put my crocs for the river crossing (yeah, I'm a lazy walker aha). <br /> <br /> Then follow the river until the vallée hermoso, wich lives up to its name. And at this time it's just a mix between walking and crossing rivers. No need to ask, I putted my crocs on aha ! <br /> <br /> The pass up to Lago Verde was steep but the view so outstanding and the colours .. same amazing colours on Lago jeinemeni ! <br /> <br /> Didn't stayed at, but the Raleigh camp is very nice if you may choose a camp around ! <br /> <br /> Second part of NP was CC, and that was so cool ! Just have the directions and go straight to this point. Passing from mountains to others, surrounded by an unnumerable number of curious guanacos ! <br /> <br /> Hardest part is to deal with the strong wind during the ascend and at the highest point. And the descent is quite unstable, stay close to the GPX tracks, I tried to shorttrack but it led me down to slippery slopes, so I had to backtrack to find again the GPX. <br /> <br /> Then it's 15 km down to reach Chile Chico (8km on the asphalt). Settler wasn't angry against me and saluate me kindly when I passed threw his land.<br /> <br /> <br /> Very nice stretch. Very diversificate, great landscapes, wildlife. I loved it ! <br /> <br /> And about the entrance fees, It was not my intention, but I haven't paid for as I entered by variant P which is not a porper enter. And haven't seen any guardaparque at all. <br /> <br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''2023-Dec-30 / 1 day / Packrafting / SOBO / Option 10 C / Tom Pieper'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> <br /> I attempted this option as an alternative starting point for section 36G. Hitchhiked to the bridge of Carreterra Austral over Rio Chacabuco. I scouted rapid {35-10C} [2.3/121] from 100 m above and it looked feasible. This was not true when I approached on the river after entering just before the bridge. The rapid was impassable (late afternoon) which brought me into serious troubles. The canyon is pretty steep here and there is no way back. It was not fun to climb the steep slopes cliffs to escape the 100 m deep canyon. Its really dangerous. The rapid is pretty hard to investigate from above. I would recommend to only go later in the season and only in the morning or at least with company.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-21 / 8 day / Hiking + &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / SOBO / RR + Option 10 + Old and new tracks to Administration Parque Patagonia Valle Chacabuco / Tom Pieper'''<br /> <br /> Most have been described by Kris and Stina. The plateau and the entire track is awesome. After the kind Arriero at the puesto {35} [15.8/1075] (actually its his house) I found it a little bit tricky to find a good route first but then just ascended and found a nice cross country route. Camped before the plateau. There are nice spots just before 1400 m, after that its just rocky until you descend to the Water {35} [23.9/1586]. Camp {35} [32.6/1300] was a little bit swampy. Found a better spot 300 m south. Try to be early at the road if you want to hitchhike. I was lucky and got the last car passing at 14.00 to the park at day. On the 25/12 the park entrance (but only the entrance) is always closed! Keep in mind if you come around christmas. At the park entrance you must disinfect your packrafting gear due to Didymo algae. I could not packraft lago jenimeni and verde due to wind but its still stunning. Between Water {35} [75.5/937] and Ford {35} [79.3/846] there is a approx. 3-4 steep bluff. I felt really uncomfortable with my heavy backpack as a lot of erosion happened to the steep ‘steps’. Maybe exploring an additional bush bashing route is feasible here. The ford was rather deep and could be a problem for shorter persons but I crossed in the evening, so in the morning it should be fine. Collapsed Refuge {35} [81.0/819] makes a nice camp spot. The other forts were fine. Stayed one night at Casa Piedra were I met Tobi and Fangwen and spend dinner and breakfast together the next day. CONAF first denied to packraft Rio Chacabuco due to conservation reasons, but after I mentioned that I came along all the track with my gear and rangers et sector jenimeni they were fine with me going on that river. The river is a bit unspectacular. I left at the River Out {35} [119.8/277] and I followed the old trail/road to Park Ranger, Refuge, Camp {35} [123.2/263]. There is a new picknick hut and I spend the night in there with a spectacular view of the valle chacabuco to the rims of campo hielo norte. The next day I continued the old track right side of the river (not in the GPT track files) until the bridge {35-10} [4.7/265]. Track is still in good conditions and occasionally used by the horses and guanacos there. A wonderful hike with massive views. I than continued on the CONAF trail (also not in the GPT track files) to Park administracion at Lodging $$$ {35-03} [1.9/340]. Would not recommend the restaurant. 65 $ for a 3 course meal but nothing fancy. Better spend for dinner in Cochrane. But for a post hike drink at the bar it is a lovely place and staff is kind. Also liked the museum and stayed the night at the campsite approximately 2 km away. The puma still seems to be there occasionally. Next day I hitchhiked out to Cochrane.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-18 to 2023-Dec-23/ 5.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Stiina &amp; Kris'''<br /> <br /> Got a taxi for the first 8 kilometers of the roadwalk. Nobody present at the farm where the dirtroad starts to go uphill, gates easy to get through, friendly dog. We hiked just 6km and made camp by a stream.<br /> <br /> The next day passed the puesto at km15.8, owner seemed friendly and waved. Slowly climbed up to the plateau, lots of water everywhere, very few snowpatches en route. Perfect day - not much wind. Saw lots of guanacos, hares, flamingos. Moving cross-country was ok throughout. Climbed a few barbed-wire fences. Finally found the dirt road, hiked to camp at km42.9.<br /> <br /> In the morning hitched a ride to the park entry with a ranger. We had no online booking as we didn't know when we'd arrive, they had us make one on site. Super friendly guys, said that there is currently fewer visitors than normally at this time. The route between Rio San Antonio crossing and Camp Raleigh has been changed, partially new trail built; follows mainly the Lago Esmeralda trail. There is now a brand new hanging bridge over Rio San Antonio right next to Camp Raleigh, avoiding all the needless crossings.<br /> <br /> After the camp there trail seems new in places, but then resorts to many rivercrossings again. The way up and down the Puertozuela La Gloria is steep and loose. After Lago Verde there are a million more crossings until you turn South. Here the trail is not much maintained, lots of fallen trees. The next 25km to Casa Piedra the trail is a bit harder to see at first but then gets much better. The guy (not a ranger) at Casa Piedra informed us that the Siete Lagos trail is closed but couldn't say why. It's definitely overgrown in parts, lots of fallen trees - need to keep track on the gpx at all times. After settler at km135.2 the trail has been recently maintained and bushes cut.<br /> <br /> For photos and stories, you can follow us on Instagram: @smallfootprint_bigadventures<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Mar-31 to 2023-Apr-06 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Option J / Martin &amp; Helena'''<br /> <br /> We enjoyed this section a lot, especially with all the beautiful autumn colors in early April and basically without people until the last part before Cochrane. PN Patagonia closed some sectors on the first Monday in April, so we were the last ones to get a permission and do this section ‘legally’. Be prepared for this if you want to do this part in April or later. The problem is they close Casa Del Piedra and probably won’t let you pass to that sector from Lago Jeinemeni, where the entrance stays open for longer time. Sneaking around the guards house early in the morning or just not be specific about your plans might work if needed, its very unlikely you would meet anyone on the way from the main entrance.<br /> <br /> Just like others we found the plateau between km 20-28 very very windy. Definitely don’t count with camping there. We found a good spot right after the secound pass, aprox. 500m down the hill where you can find a wind protected place. The descent down is a little slow but with nice views, guanacos, horses.. simply amazing. Once back on the road, it’s not too far to the PN entrance where we met a guard, but fortunately were able to get a permission as described above. The trail from Lago Jeinemeni was one of our favorites. All the fords were easy, but expect quite slow progress in the CC parts. We camped in a forrest at km 81 where is a destroyed refugio but still a good spot for camping. The rest of the trail to Casa Del Piedra is again straightforward and the landscape is somehow more dry. We didn’t cross the first bridge but went with the J option which turned out to be a good decision as we met a xx of guanacos that let us come really close to them. Closed and locked refugio still provides a good shelter, but when open it must be a perfect stop in the middle of this long section. Water was turned off as well but there is a stream behind the house.<br /> <br /> We spent the next night on the beach of Lago Gutierrez where is enough space to build a tent - bushes around the trail are otherwise very thorny and sharp. After the ascent to the pass was a good stream of water, probably the last place to safely take unfiltered water for the next couple of kms. The trail from there leads around all the lakes and is nice and easy. We spent the night in a refugio at km 134. This one was the only one standing from what we have seen and its a good shelter when it rains, however we decided to stay in our tent anyway. You can make fire inside. Closest water is actually the one in a lake uphill, the stream on the other side of the path was very dirty and hard to gather anyway.<br /> <br /> From there its a one more day until the finish with a good pace. We haven’t met the settler Daniel, but he’s definitely still living there. Beautiful beach of Lago Cochrane and from there we started to meet more and more tourists, doing just a day hike or some circuit around the lake - might be a good option as well in this beautiful region. The last kms felt a little long for us as we were looking forward to have some rest and enjoy all the fun in town. At the official campsite were a few people but no one asked us about anything. There are nice toilets and shower. From there its around 30m to Cochrane. Good to remember they celebrate Easter holidays in Chile as well, but we still managed to find some shop and bakery open.<br /> <br /> Contact: @martin_hanzelka @helenneka<br /> <br /> * '''12/03/2023 - 18/03/2023 / RR SOBO / Jakub+Veronika:'''<br /> <br /> Doing section 35 was due to closure of the Patagonia NP caused by heavy rains with helicopter rescue of several tourists from Valle Hermoso quite complicated, we did walk all we could in Tamango reserve and later (when it was opened) in Chacabuco valley. Be sure not to miss the museum. It's really worth it. The northern part was opened as the last one, that's why we've skipped it and hitchhiked back to Caretera. All paths in great condition. When going from Tamango to Chacabuco there's one suggestion:<br /> <br /> It seems that on RR (35, km 141) ends new 11km long track ”Huemules” which starts at the parking in Chacabuco valley on RP (35, km 132.5). That trail might be a nice alternative to RR (mud road) leading over private land of settler David Huemul.<br /> <br /> *8.02. - 05.03.23 / Anna &amp; Christopher / SOBO, Chile Chico - Cochrane<br /> <br /> We started in Chile Chico around 5 pm walking the first km on the road. After a while we got a ride to the Bahía Jara cross and camped a few hundred meters further near the street (we carried water from Chile Chico).<br /> <br /> The ascent to the plateau is mostly easy dirtroad walking and the last CC part easy to navigate. The whole stretch on the plateau until the street at km 41.5 we had extreme wind, which made walking super tiring and nearly blew us away a few times. We found a tiny and steep, but wind protected place to set up our tent at around km 28 in the ridge dug by the river. We had to get a bit inventive to set it up and to be able to sleep properly there. There were almost no other places that were protected by the wind until you get off the plateau. As almost all previous entries say, it's better to camp off the plateau. But it's really worth doing it because you can see Guanacos and flamingos on it :)<br /> <br /> When we reached the street at km 41.5 we were lucky and a car passed by a few minutes later, which brought us to the entrance of Parque Patagonia. We payed 15k CLP p.p. and walked to the camp Raleigh at Lago verde. There are some sheltered places to set up the tent, with an unfamiliar amount of people for the GPT. Lago Verde is beautiful though.<br /> <br /> The next day involves lots of river- and stream crossings and it started to rain not particularly heavy, but after some hours we were completely wet. Therefore the rivercrossing at km 82.6 was really hard for Anna (1,63 m) but we managed by inertlocking our arms and doing it step by step slowly. After that the trails get really good and you can walk way faster. We camped at the unofficial camp site at km 84.7.<br /> <br /> We had good weather the next day and the trail was really good until Lago Gutierrez. Up to the pass the trail gets a bit worse with some navigation issues, but you always find a good path again. As the others wrote there are only some tiny streams within the first km after the pass until the next Laguna, so we filled up our bottles there and camped somewhere in the forest soon afterwards once it started to rain again.<br /> <br /> The next day there were still not too much water sources and we fetched the first water at the first Laguna which wasn't super easy to access. The trail until Lago Cochrane wasn't in bad condition neither. We also took Option L, which follows the 'regular' siete lagunas trail. The stretch from Lago Cochrane until the Conaf office at the end of the lake is absolutely amazing with great views of one of the clearest lakes in the world. We camped at km 145.7 and took a bath in the lake.<br /> <br /> The last 8 km to Cochrane went super fast on an easy trail until Conaf and 4 km road walking to the town, so happily we could escape from the starting rain.<br /> <br /> * '''20 to 24 of February 2023 / Silke &amp; Hans / Loop - Fachinal -&gt; Chile Chico'''<br /> <br /> We didn't do the regular route, but read about an intresting loop starting in Fachinal and entering the normal route at Valley Hermoso. We then continued along the regular route to the entrance at Laguna Jeinimeni, and back to Chile Chico. The first 3 days from Fachinal we didn't see any other hikers, but it was pretty clear why. The trail was completely overgrown, full of fallen trees and a lot of the time there is no trail at all. But we managed our way through pretty good, and is was an awesome alternative to enter the Park. We recorded our GPX for others, waypointed some POI's and added some photo's to it: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/114121493<br /> <br /> DAY 1 / 18km / +740m /<br /> Although we heard of a bus to Fachinal from Chile Chico, nobody really appeared to know any information about it.. In the terminal the people we spoke said there were none. So we started hitchhiking the following morning. But after 3-4h of no luck we went back to the terminal, and all of a sudden there was a bus leaving at 11:30. 10.000 pesos pp, a little expensive but being unsuccesfull hitchhiking we took it. We had lunch at the turnoff, and starting hiking around 13:00. The first part is on a clear double track, but soons turns into a clear singletrack. We took the wrong intersection twice (waypointed on our GPX). We camped right before the first big river crossing. There is one steel cable, so if you bring a harness you could tiroller across. <br /> <br /> DAY 2 / 22km / +1100m /<br /> First up, we crossed the river. The water level didn't seem a lot lower than the day before, and at the deepest part it was about halfway our thighs. After taking another wrong intersection and backtracking, we reach the second river crossing. Again a steel cable is provided but the crossing was pretty straightforward, and the water level was only slighty above our knees. Just across the river is a an old cabin, and then short after a very new refugio (locked, used by a trekking agency). The trail gets super dense after this, climbs steeply on the mountain side and dissapears completely on numerous occasions. After the climb it flattens out, opens up and you reach a laguna. After the laguna it's the easiest to just follow the river bed down to the open valley floor (possible sheltered campsite in the forest). Follow the valley floor to another amazing laguna where you can camp near a second locked refugio.<br /> <br /> DAY 3 / 14km / +440m /<br /> We started the day with a side-trip to a mirador looking over the glacier high above. Takes about 1,5-2 hours return. We then packed up camp and headed for Valley Hermoso. You pass another beautiful laguna and follow the river down to the main valley. Lots of river crossing here. We camped at the Refugio Valley Hermoso, arriving earlier than expected. <br /> <br /> DAY 4 / 15km / +200m /<br /> Very short and easy daytrip to another laguna. About 3 hours return. We just chilled the rest of the day.<br /> <br /> DAY 5 / 36km / +830m /<br /> Final day along the normal route to the entrance of Laguna Jeinimeni. The day started off with some heavy rain for a couple of hours, but all the river crossings were still very doable. We arrived at the entrance around 13:00, and there was no sign of anybody leaving soon. So we decided to continue hiking untill we could find a ride along the way. We ended up hiking an extra 19km before finally a car was willing to take us along. There is an established campsite at the entrance for 3000 pesos pp.<br /> <br /> * '''19 to 24 of February 2023 / Will / SOBO, regular route'''<br /> <br /> Not too much to add on this one. I had a good time but the section felt long.<br /> <br /> On the way up to the first plateau there were a few somewhat sheltered places to camp past the puesto. I camped around km 19, just before the last steep climb up to the plateau. Lots of streams around there.<br /> <br /> None of the river crossings went above my knees, after a dry week.<br /> <br /> I liked the detour up to the Lago Jeinemeni mirador. I also took variant I out and back to a glacier lake, I'm less sure whether that was worth it. I couldn't find any real trail, it was nice easy cross country walking through the woods followed by some open rocky ground. The glacial lake was cool, but not as spectacular as some of the ones I've seen in other sections.<br /> <br /> I camped at the casa de piedras and took a luxurious warm shower. The ranger said you're supposed to pay at the office in valle Chacabuco, but since our route doesn't go there she just let me stay for free. She also said that sendero de siete lagunas (our route) was closed, but that I could do it since I had my gps and satellite communicator. She made it sound tough/dangerous though it turned out to be fairly quick trail.<br /> <br /> Not much water or campsites along the siete lagunas. There's a nice campsite at the tip of the pencil lake just after the (still intact!) refugio at 133.9.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Feb-12-19 / NOBO / RR + Option 35-L / Ondrej and Bara / Cochrane - Chile Chico / 7.5 days'''<br /> <br /> We really enjoyed this section! We went from Cochrane to Chile Chico. Our favourite parts were the descent through Valle Hermoso and the descent on the cross country section to Chile Chico. We spent 7.5 days on this section, taking a relaxed pace and including a half day break.<br /> <br /> We only had to pay 9,000 CLP per person entrance fee at the Cochrane park gate (sector Tamango). We then showed the pass three days later to a ranger at Casa de Piedras and he let us go. The final checkpoint for us was the CONAF park exit/entrance at Lago Jeinemeni. The ranger there didn’t want to see our pass at all, he just asked from where we hiked (we said Casa de Piedras).<br /> <br /> Some details: - Starting from Cochrane, the trail is easy walking up until km 144.9. As you leave Lago Cochrane, the trail is harder to follow. Fortunately this lasts only up to km 138, where the trail becomes easy to follow again. We camped next to the refuge on km133.9. The refuge has a good roof and can serve as an emergency shelter. There is no good water next to it though - we needed to climb the hill to the laguna to refill. - From roughly km 125 to km 99, the RR follows the old Siete Lagunas trail, which is not maintained anymore. Expect some fallen trees and slightly overgrown parts but the trail is beautiful and easy to navigate in general. - We took Option L to cut some overgrown road walking as recommended by others. We really liked it. - We camped next to the destroyed refuge at Laguna Guagua (km 118.3) and really loved the place - there is an amazing pebble beach at the laguna. - If you don’t want to camp at Casa de Piedras, there is a place for a small tent and a stream at roughly km 97 (-47.07463, -72.20439). We camped there. - The river crossings in Valle Aviles and Vale Hermoso were maximum to our knees. The deepest one was at Lago Verde (km 66.1). However, the river levels can change rapidly when it rains the days before - do check the weather. - We camped at the eastern shore of Lago Verde (km 61.7; campsite Raleigh) and really loved it - it has picnic tables and a spacious cooking/eating shelter. - We hitchhiked the part on the road between km 53 and 41.5. Few cars go by but the hitch was easy - we stopped the first car. - The cross country section from km 41.5 is very different from the rest - semi-desert like and lots of animals. We saw llamas, flamimgos, condors and hares (among sheep, cows and horses). - Between km 38 and 33 the path goes along a fence. We had to get over the fence once (we scrambled below it without problems). - If you are going NOBO, expect stunning views of the General Carrera Lake and Torres del Avelano when coming from the last pass (km 20.8) down to Chile Chico.<br /> <br /> A ranger in Casa de Piedras wanted to prevent us to walk the RR NOBO from Casa de Piedras to Valle Hermoso. He claimed that route is closed now as the rivers are too high to cross. To avoid conflict, we said that we will only do the “loop trail” which is basically the RR from Casa de Piedras up until the bridge where the RR joins Option J. The Option J is then used to return back to Casa de Piedras. When doing the loop, we met several hikers in the opposite direction who confirmed that all river crossings are fine. In light of this we decided to continue on the RR and indeed the deepest ford was to our knees. Therefore if faced with a ranger claiming that the rivers are too high, we suggest to start with the loop trail (rangers should be okay with that) and get more info on the river levels from the hikers going the opposite direction.<br /> <br /> *2023 last week January NoBo (6 days but could have very easily been done in less) / Helen and Craig + (Caro, Ali and Gabby)<br /> <br /> &gt;Such lovely camp sites. Beautiful places to stay the night the whole way around<br /> <br /> &gt;Very very easy trails. River crossing section isn't bad at all and the Valle hermosa lives up to its name.<br /> <br /> &gt;1st and last camp site particularly lovely<br /> <br /> &gt;Keep eyes peeled for pumas! I would have easily missed the sighting if I hadn't been looking the right way at the right time. They were super close. 10m or less away. Two cubs outside the refugio at casa peidra. Not where they are commonly seen in the park at all Aparently around west winds camp they are more commenly seen.<br /> <br /> &gt;Museum in the middle of the section worth checking out. Very visual and quite hard hitting environmental museum<br /> <br /> &gt; Can hitch easy enough to Chile Chico but leave last camp early in the morning. There's often a driver with a 4x4 who drives hikers in to the park and will take you back for 10,000p/p. Hikers who were a few hours behind us had no luck hitching as demand can often overtake spaces.<br /> <br /> * '''27 of January to 1 of February 2023 / Véronica &amp; Zach / GPT35 RR SOBO / 5.5 days '''<br /> <br /> Route: Chile Chico - Lago Jeinimeni - Valle Hermoso - Casa de Piedra - Lago Cochrane - Cochrane <br /> <br /> What a beautiful and diverse stretch of the GPT! I hiked half of this section with Zach, up to Casa de Piedras at km 98.9. We were unable to get a hitch out of Chile Chico, so we ended up walking the road to where the trail begins. No navigation issues, but the entire cross-country section to Río de las Nieves (waypoint at 42.7 km) is very exposed and was very windy when we crossed. We ended up camping at the water at 23.9 km, but the wind blew very strongly all night and I was worried it might take my tent. If you can, it is better to camp off this plateau unless the weather is calm. Lots of guanaco trails to follow :) <br /> <br /> At the CONAF office at km 53.0, we each paid 9,000 clp for entry to the national park, plus 6,000 clp for passage/camping along the trail to Casa de Piedras in the Valles Hermoso and Aviles. Beautiful trail the whole way, popular and well-maintained, with cairns and markers to follow. There is an awesome shelter and camping area with picnic tables on the eastern shore of Lago Verde, at the end of Option D. In my opinion it was nicer than the popular refugio in Valle Hermoso (km 68.1) that everyone talks about. <br /> <br /> We had no issues with fords, except the one at km 82.6 which flows into Río Aviles. It was the end of a warm sunny day, so the flow was quite high and strong. Had I been on my own I would have camped on the north side and waited till morning to cross. However, this time I was able to cross by linking arms with Zach as he is much taller than me and was more stable in the current. <br /> <br /> At Casa de Piedras, Zach and I parted ways as he wanted to packraft down the Río Chacabuco. The ranger at the Casa told me the Sendero de las Siete Lagunas (which begins at km 99.5) was no longer maintained. This is true, there were stretches in the desertlike brush that were hard to follow, and I checked the GPS frequently. Generally it was better when the trail went into wooded areas. I also found this trail to be dry — the only water I found was the water from the lagunas and a tiny trickle about a kilometer south of the pass. Lots of spiky plants that get stuck in your socks and shoes. I took Option L to cut out some overgrown minor road walking. It's sad that this trail is being neglected and left to be swallowed up by nature, because otherwise it is quite scenic. <br /> <br /> The horse trail that goes from the puesto of Daniel Huemul (km 143.3) to Lago Cochrane was also rough and overgrown. Everything gets easier once you reach Lago Cochrane though, nice, maintained trails all the way to Cochrane with beautiful places to camp along the lake. <br /> <br /> * '''GPT35 / Yannic &amp; Mirjam / 2022-Dec-13'''<br /> <br /> Much is already detailed below, so we will keep it short <br /> <br /> 1 day: from Chile Chico to the entrance of the National Park. We camped one night before the pass at S 46.61639 W 71.81632. Water right next to the camp. Pass is very windy.<br /> <br /> 2 days: from the National Park to the Refugio. Nice refugio with small house where you can make a fire inside to dry things. From the Refugio to Casa Piedra is possible in one day. But it is a long day with many kilometres.<br /> <br /> 2.5 days: Casa Piedra to Cochrane. Leaving Casa Piedra, after a few hundred metres the trail leaves the Minor Road and enters the trail (where there is a large stone marker). The trail is officially closed and partly in bad condition. There are many fallen trees on the trail, some of it is overgrown and not completely clear. We therefore checked the GPS regularly. We took OH-TL-V{35-L}, which saves a few kilometres of (overgrown) minor road.<br /> We spent one night at Laguna Guagua (Refugio is completely destroyed) and one at Lago Cochrane.<br /> When we left the national park, no one was at the office. We therefore simply went through...<br /> <br /> * '''GPT35 Variant P, Option 3, 3C, 3D / Meylin Ubilla, Jan Dudeck / 2022-Dec-12 and 13 / 1.5 days'''<br /> <br /> While waiting in the village Cochrane for our friends to catch up, we did a little 1.5 day hike higher up next to Lago Cochrane that we visited at least 3 times by packraft in past years. For the first time this year we waked with a light backpack without packrafting gear.<br /> <br /> We took Variant P eastbound that slowly climbs on a gravel road to an altitude of 500 m and then continues as a panorama trail in this altitude.<br /> <br /> Apparently, this is not authorized access to Parque Patagonia (Sector Tamango) and two gates need to be climbed but there was nobody to be seen on this route. The normal access to the park is down next Rio Cochrane and Lago Cochrane.<br /> <br /> Nearly the entire route was scenic and worth the effort.<br /> <br /> The settler “El Húngaro” apparently sold the land and became part of the national park. There is an open building that might be used as a refuge in case of emergency but camping is probably more comfortable.<br /> <br /> The refuge at {35-P} [4.0/501] is collapsed but camping is pleasant on this pasture.<br /> <br /> The trail section OH-TL-V {35-03} [0.0+5.2] is not maintained for several years making this route inconvenient to walk. The route south of both lakes is easy walking.<br /> <br /> As long as Parque Patagonia does not challenge hikers to make a full traverse from Cochrane to Chile Chico it is prudent to take the official route which is the current regular route and pay the entrance fee near Cochrane when hiking northbound.<br /> <br /> But should longer multi-day traverses be denied, then it might be less bothersome to take Variant P which avoids the entrance.<br /> <br /> Packrafters can travel east and westbound on Lago Cochrane and will not pass any park entrance.<br /> <br /> * '''Alice &amp; Florian / 4 to 10 November-2022 / Regular Hiking Northbound'''<br /> <br /> Here's our story of our GPT35. We really enjoyed this section, it is really diverse, beautiful landscapes and we saw heaps of animals. <br /> <br /> As we wanted to do the trail in the northbound direction, we took the bus from chile chico to Cochrane, arriving in chile chico from argentina from the south (border o'higgins closed...). It tales 4 hours and leaves on sunday at 14 (return Monday 7 Am), Monday 16 (return Tuesday 7 AM),Wednesday and Friday 7 Am (return 16).<br /> <br /> We took the option north of Cochrane because we were not sure if they would allow us to sleep in the tamango reserve. But, indeed you have to pass a no entry sign, a gate and a sign saying that entering the park that way is prohibited so we do not recommend it when it is written on the conaf website that it is allowed to sleep in tamango section.<br /> <br /> We took the sendero de los huemules and slept at camp 1 waypoint. There was plenty of water at that time and a beautiful view.<br /> <br /> After that we took the option OH-TL-V 35-P to avoid going downhill. The entry of this trail is about 150m before what is indicated on the GPT so be aware. I don't think the trail is an official one from the park so you have to fight your way through some bushes. But apart from that, it is clear. Then we joined the regular route, which since the 2022 version does follow the siete lagunas trail. You will join the siete lagunas trail at the kilometer 11 more or less. We then camped around the km 13 of the 7 lagunas trail. <br /> <br /> We found water just before climbing at the pass at S47°06.0856' W072°17.592' and there is more at the top. However, it is true that it is drier on the other side of the pass, so if you are going Southbound, pack enough water from Lago Gutierrez to climb the pass. <br /> <br /> We spent the third night at casa de Piedra where you have all facilities (electricity, hot shower, kitchen). Unfortunately for us they were on strike so they wouldn't allow us to go further on the trail. We did anyway as going out to jeiminini or through the road to chacabuco would take the same time. <br /> By the way various national parks - including Torres del Paine were on strike at the moment. <br /> <br /> The second part in the aviles valley is really clear, the trail is really nice and easy and with a lot of water available. Exiting the casa de piedra you should take the option OH-TI-V 35-J instead of the regular route, it will save you 600 m and two river crossings, and the view is similar. Starting at km 20, you will have to reduce your pace because the trail is busy with a lot of fallen trees, bushes and rocks. Between the km 22 and 23 of the valle aviles trail, the trail has been swept away by the river this winter so you have to cross the river two more times to go around. The kilometers indications disappear more or less after the pass, at km 25. <br /> <br /> After that you enter the valle Hermoso. We camped at the waypoint 17/Camp Valle Hermoso but we do not recommend it. It was really small and close to the river, so if there is a sudden level rise because of heavy rain or a flooding because of a glaciar outburst (GLOF), you might get wet... Better sleep st the small caban near km23 if you don't think you will reach the refugio in valle Hermoso.<br /> <br /> Once you reach Lago Verde, follow the GPT track and not the trail that leads to the lake, or you will have to turn back. After the pass it's more river crossings but you can save some kilometers in the river bed by taking the option OH-TI-V 35-E and then OH-TI-V 35-D until the rio jeimenini (the first part of the option OH-TI-V 35-D does not exist anymore). We did not have any trouble to cross the Rio between the 2 lakes even though we were in the middle of the afternoon. It was about thigh deep for me but I'm tall. <br /> <br /> After that it's really easy to the Parc entrance. We went back to Chile Chico walking on the road instead of taking the cross country option, because0 there were still snow on the mountain. The first part is still pretty until the intersection, once you enter the valley of the Rio it is a bit more monotonous. Halfway there is an access to an annex of the national park, to go see the Cueva de las manos and valle lunar. <br /> <br /> * '''Adrien Kunzli / 31-Oct-2022-04-November-2022 / Regular Hiking Northbound'''<br /> <br /> All rivers crossing are easy to pass at this time of year. One tricky passage on the snow at the entrance of lago verde, very steep, but it was to avoid walking in the lake (frozen feet early in the morning). <br /> <br /> No guards at the entrance at Tamango so i didnt pay the fee but didnt get my pass. Tamara gently gave me one at the camping of casa del piedra (apparently if i didnt have this pass i could not be admitted at Jeinimeni.) At Jeinimeni pass, again, nobody. So i were to the houses near and finaly find the guy. He took my pass and i get no fee in this NOBO direction. <br /> Nice shortcut after the bridge of Rio de las Nieves (S 46° 47.274', W 071° 54.665') that can avoid you a little bit of the 4x4 unfinshing road and get you directly into the heart of this amazing and beautifull last part. So: <br /> In front of the end of the bridge, you go up the big hill and go diagonally (or directly if you feel better) to join the path (pretty wild) of the gps (S 46° 45.843', W 071° 54.359'). Small stretches of paths are drawn rather well along this shortcut. <br /> <br /> Not much good water between the bridge (brown water) and the puesto but the the puesto's water is of much better quality.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> * '''GPT 35: Parque Patagonia/ Exploration Route via Valle Maullín Grande/ 2022 March-12/ 4 days / Tobias Schorcht, Jonas Grünewald '''<br /> <br /> We hiked from Maullín Grande to Cochrane by chance. I always wanted to do the stretch from Chile Chico to Cochrane, but we had just 4 days left… When we hitchhiked northbounded from Villa O’Higgins, we luckily got picked up by Pascual Diaz, who is a experienced Mountain Guide (company Kalem) and took us all the way to his refugio in Maullín Grande. He also explained us, how to reach Cochrane on time while doing that crossing. The next day he took us to the end of the Road, where we started hiking around midday (-46,80390, -72,42001). It was a easy walk to the end of the Valley where we camped (-46,87872, -72,34138). The following day was hard, but we went up to the pass (1430m) in perfect sunshine. At (-46,87234, -72,30906) you will face a waterfall in a steep canyon. We recommend to walk on the left side (northwest) through the forest until you meet the riverbed again. The other side is also possible (we went there), but you have to climb higher in difficult terrain. From that point you can easily do a cross country walk up to the pass, where you have to cross the Glaciar (without cracks). It was absolutely stunning! Going down to the laguna is quite steep. I would not do it in bad weather conditions. When you meet the laguna, you can either walk on the left or right side. Both options are not easy. We crossed on the right (southern) side, which is ok in good weather conditions. There is one river crossing in between, which could be impossible with more water. Now we think it would have been easier to walk on the left (northern) side, although we would have had needed to cross the river before and after the laguna. Packrafting is an option as well, but since it only 1.5 km we don’t think it is worth it. Camped in a forest close to the regular trail dry and save. All in all we recommend this option to experienced hikers in good weather conditions. The hike to Cochrane was hard, because we had just 2 days for 80km. So we hitchhiked to the museum of Parque Patagonia and we even saw a puma at the Westwind Campsite! It seems like this puma shows up there regularly. I waited for that moment almost 5 months. My dream came true on my very last evening in nature. Thank you Patagonia for this great gift. 🙏<br /> <br /> * '''Christmas2021 / GPT 35, NOBO, participants Janna &amp; Matthias, dec 2021, duration 6 days from Cochrane to Conaf center at Lago Jeinimeni, then hitchhiked to Chile Chico'''<br /> <br /> As recommended by a friend we opted for the following route through the Parque Nacional de Patagonia which is highly recommendable (first two days mainly GPT variants and options, afterwards GPT regular routes. There are several marked senderos in the beginning as 5 Los Huemules, 8 los Pumas, 7 los Guanacos, sendero 9, sendero Lagunas Altas etc.) as you can see in our attached tracking file.<br /> <br /> All in all the trails were easy to find, some seemed to be still unhiked this year. To enter the park from Cochrane we had to pass a prohibition sign and climb over a no entrar gate. We didn't meet anyone on the first day, the settler didn't seem to be around. The following days we met two to three other hikers per day, but no rangers until the end at Conaf Center near Lago Jeinimeni, where we easily paid the park fees in arrears (8000 pp park entrance fee and an additional 6000 pp overnight stays in the park). We deliberately skipped the Conaf center in Valle Chacabuco on the advice of our friend.<br /> <br /> Good to know:<br /> - There is no water anymore at S 47.198557, W 72.474927 near the camping site but instead at S 47.203460, W 72.480747 and S 47.179332, W 72.465807<br /> - There were many lagoons on our day 3 that weren't visibly well marked neither on our apps nor on the Garmin GPS.<br /> - All the marked refugios along the trail are heavily damaged except Casa de Piedra<br /> (closed on the 24th of dec) and Refugio Valle Hermoso (where we could even dry our<br /> soaked shoes from the many river crossings next to the fireplace).<br /> - From the refugio Valle Hermoso we did a side trip to the first glacier lake in the Valle<br /> Estero Ventisquero without all the luggage.<br /> - The río Jeinimeni water level was up to our waists and strong (note it had rained the<br /> night before). According to others it was supposed to be knee-deep.<br /> - Hitchhiking from Conaf center Jeinimeni to Chile Chico is possible when camping or day guests are leaving. As we arrived later in the afternoon we spent an extra night there. <br /> - The supermercado sur in Chile Chico sells gas.<br /> <br /> Track files and waypoints: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-98Ou9jk0porCVRp7CSFZ-KciXQ2PBzD<br /> <br /> *'''30 Nov RR 5 days SOBO Frank'''<br /> <br /> From Chile Chico I got the Bahia Jara bus &amp; got off at the junction, saves a 6KM roadwalk. Walked 2KM up the road then on trail to the high plateau. The settler before the pass wasn't there but his dogs were a bit territorial so I avoided the puesto. I went across the high plateau &amp; camped a bit before the second puesto in one long day. Camp marked on track file below the pass was not very good (boggy &amp; sloping) so I continued down to camp near the stream. The second puesto is above the RR &amp; not visible from it. Camping on the high plateau definitely not recommended. It is very exposed &amp; the wind can &amp; will knock tents. On day 2 I got to CONAF, they said a puma had been there every day the week before. Continued with many river crossings to the hut. There are trails marked with ribbons on LHS of the river SOBO, they go in on small loops which avoid some of the river crossings. Nearing the hut there is a stream flowing into the lake. At the lake it was too deep to cross. Bush bashed for about 40 metres to reach the ford. Camped outside the hut. Several river crossings on the third day. The double crossing is the crux. I avoided it by going over the bluff on LHS of river with a bit of tree bashing but I don't recommend that. The bluff descent is cliffed off with only a narrow breach where you can downclimb on trees. The breach is not obvious from above. Better to ford the river - it was running high but I met several hikers who had crossed it. Got to Casa de Pidera in 1 long day from the hut. You can cook in the Casa (they have a gas stove, electricity &amp; showers) but have to camp outside. There are some trees to shelter from the wind. On the fourth day I started walking Sendero de Siete Lagunas (SSL) but I was using the 2019 track file which doesn't show the SSL. It had not been walked much recently &amp; the route was not obvious. At the lake I lost the SSL in guanaco tracks. I continued around the lake &amp; walked out about 2KM to the road. The descent to the road was cliffed off but I found a way down in a gully. Then I walked out the road past a meadow where hundreds of guanaco were grazing. Past the meadow I went in left on a side road to rejoin the RR. On the fifth day I walked past Daniel Huemul's puesto &amp; was lucky to meet Daniel who was riding out &amp; he showed me the way. He said the direct RR which goes right from the puesto is now overgrown &amp; disused. Instead we went out to the left. There is a small road which goes in a loop &amp; turns towards Lago Cochrane but with his directions I was able to shortcut it. I paid 15,000 CLP for entry &amp; camping at CONAF Lago Jeinemeni &amp; they didn't charge me anything at Casa de Piedra.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2020/21==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> <br /> *'''2020-Mar-18 , Tyler Wood, 7 Days Sobo'''<br /> <br /> Amazing section to end my season with. I got a couple short hitches on the way up past Chile Chico. Up past the last puesto are some great areas to camp along a big boulder field. Maybe 2 km more. Beautiful and surrounded by Guanacos. Plenty of water too. Up near the top of the pass was very cold, but very beautiful, and even saw a bunch of flamingoes in the lakes.<br /> <br /> On the way down the pass I tried to find the fore-mentioned route to the puesto to take the road the rest of the way down and didn’t really have any luck...found my way anyways and camped down by Rio sucio under a willow.<br /> <br /> Into Jenimeni I got another little hitch. Once you cross the deeper river by Laguna esmeralda just keep those water shoes on, you’ll be crossing many more times.<br /> <br /> I also was told by a ranger that sendero siete Lagunas wasn’t habilitado, but went for it anyways. Water is Not after Laguna Gutiérrez for a while, so make sure you fill up around there. After the pass there are a few more small<br /> Streams to fill up. <br /> <br /> The road walking to Tmango reserve seemed to take forever, but Walking/camping by Lago Cochrane was all worth it. At puesto Huemul Is when I got my first advice that the corona virus was a big deal. The woman told me there were 3 confirmed cases in Cochrane, I went there and booked my tickets straight home. Hasta le vista baby!!!<br /> <br /> * '''2020-February-08 / 7 days / Southbound'''<br /> <br /> Long and beautiful section. No major difficulties. Great diversity. Without hitchhiking, it took me 173 kilometers. <br /> <br /> 1st part / 2 days / Chile Chico to Div 217<br /> At the beginning of the cross country, valley full of Guanacos. I camped just after the puesto, about 2 kilometers after the beginning of the cross country, before the pass, where there are still rocks to protect from the wind.<br /> As related in previous reports, after camp 279, you will stumbled upon a fence. Go on the East along the fence, cross it, and you will find a trail to the next Puesto and then the trail goes down from the puesto to the dirt road. You will avoid cross country this way. <br /> <br /> 2nd part / 2,5 days to Casa de Piedra<br /> Popular part. Groups of hikers along the way. 8000CLP entrance fee + 6000 CLP for 2 nights sleeping inside the park. <br /> <br /> 3rd part / 2,5 days / Sendero de las 7 lagunas<br /> After Casa de Piedra, I followed the GPS regular route which took me to the beginning of the Sendero of 7 lagunas. CONAF said it was not &quot;habilitado&quot; but it is actually well marked. The good thing is that there will be no hikers on this part, except when you approach the end, along the lago Cochrane. The trail is very different from the GPS tracks but no difficulties to find it. So, don't worry not having the GPS tracks. <br /> At S 47º08.015' W 72º18.948', there is a nice place to camp and also, the trail will merge with the optional route OH-TL-V@35-02F-#001 You can then follow this track and then go back to the Regular Route to reach Cochrane.<br /> <br /> * Martin Lizondo / 28-Jan-2020 / Regular Hiking Southbound<br /> <br /> The section took me 6 days. Some tips:<br /> <br /> The first part from Chile Chico has a +20 km cross country walk. The wind is extremly strong and the route very high, with no forest protection. I recommend spending the first night behind the trees of El Ciprés (the settler Orlando Vazquez allows people to pass and is very kind) or near to the puesto at the end of the minor road at 46º 36' 5,3&quot; S, 71º 48' 45,05&quot; O (Miguel Pacheco is very kind too). Enough water all along the route.<br /> <br /> The Jeinimeni section of Parque Patagonia is very easy and well marked. Entrance to foreigners costs CLP 8000 plus 6000 if spending the night. There’s a shelter with place for fire and tents after 18 km.<br /> <br /> Valley Aviles to Casa de Piedra is also easy and beautifull, with many free camping spots. Casa de Piedra costs CLP 8000 per night.<br /> <br /> The rest of the gps track is very different from the actual trail, called “Sendero de las Siete Lagunas”. I recommend taking this route instead of the old gps track, as it’s very well maintained. At Lago la Pepa ( 47º 7' 45,19&quot; S, 72º 18' 41,54&quot; O ) the trail crosses an old overgrown minor road, which coincides with the gps track and takes to Puesto Huemul (47º 11' 25,31&quot; S, 72º 26' 6,98&quot; O). If going to the left, you’ll reach the puesto, if going up to the right you’ll end the official “Sendero de las Siete Lagunas” near to the main park center. Other hiking options are possible from that point, but the regular route to Puesto Huemul is the shortest.<br /> <br /> From Puesto Huemul, the trail goes down near to the lake Cochrane through Sendero “Coigües” and “Carpinteros”. Well marked and signed, this trails will take you to the start of Tamango section, very near to Cochrane.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-27 / GPT35 New Route: Lago General Carrera (Fachinal) to Parque Patagonia (Lago Jenimeni or “Casa de Piedra”) / 5 days / Meylin Meylin Elisabeth Ubilla González and Jan Dudeck'''<br /> <br /> Based on a recommendation from Tobias Hellwig W and Daniel Mahn Borkowsky we investigated a new route that I did no had on my radar until a few weeks ago. This route provides an alternative access from the southern coast of Lago General Carrera into the Parque Patagonia and is of interest for packrafters and hikers.<br /> <br /> The route is a traditional animal trail that was used by the settlers of Fachinal to drive cattle to a large summer pasture that is now part of Parque Patagonia (sector Jenimeni). With the enforcement of keeping domestic animals out of the protected park area a 5 km trail section inside Parque Patagonia lacks maintenance but is still quite well traversable for GPT standards. Apart from this short trail section most of the route is very scenic and nice to walk but practically unknown. Only one tourism company runs guided hiking trips along this route about once per months. Apart from this occasionally use the full traverse seams not to be done anymore.<br /> <br /> Due to lack of trail markings we spend about one extra day in searching and following the poorly maintained 5 km trail section but with our GPS record other hikers should struggle much less than we did and will be able to walk in 4 to 5 moderate hiking days from Fachinal at the southern shore of Lago General Carrera to “Casa de Piedra” in the center of Parque Patagonia in the Valle Chacabuco.<br /> <br /> We hiked the route northbound as we considered the option to cross Lago General Carretera at its shortest narrow by packraft. Here the lake is only 3.2 km wide but we finally did not cross this rather dangerous lake due to suboptimal wind conditions.<br /> <br /> Fachinal to Rio Aviles River Crossing: <br /> <br /> A well maintained “cattle highway” leads from Fachinal from the road bridge of Rio Aviles along the western/southern side of Rio Aviles to the limit of Parque Patagonia. This roughly 20 km long trail section gets regularly cleaned with chain saws to facilitate access to the pastures along Rio Aviles for free-rooming cattle. Most of the trees that have fallen on the trail have been cut to keep the trail easily traversable. Some hikers might find the “pointless up and down” annoying but this trail was created by men that move on horses that did not had to ascent and descent themself. About 1 km before crossing the Rio Aviles two signs indicate the limit of Parque Patagonia (Sector Jenimeni) and ban access for unauthorized people and domestic animals (without providing any clue who might be authorized and who not ;-). From the park limit the trail descents steep to Rio Aviles but remain well maintained to ford.<br /> <br /> This trail section requires two possibly demanding river crossings that can become impossible during snow melt in spring, after heavy rain or on the afternoon or evening of hot days (melting water from glaciers!). To keep the route traversable in such circlesumstances the tourism company has installed in both locations steel ropes (to cross these two rivers hooked up in harness to the steel rope without even touching the water).<br /> <br /> Rio Aviles River Crossing to the Pass (1150 m above Sea Level): <br /> <br /> After the river crossing the trail condition suddenly changes. Fallen trees don’t get cut anymore and undergrowth is not cleaned by machete. It’s mainly the remaining path on the ground that indicates the former animal trail. Advance is slow and in various locations care must be taken to not loose the trail. Here you will need to climb over fall trees and push occasionally through dense vegetation until reaching an altitude of 950 m. At this altitude the forest floor opens up (no dense undergrowth any more) and the trail disappears completely. Here walking becomes easy again. Walk the following kilometer through the open forest following roughly the GPS track until reaching the end of the forest and the small lake after the 1150 m high pass.<br /> <br /> An advise for northbound hikers: <br /> <br /> Finding the first signs of the trail in the open forest was a struggle as we had no information where exactly the trail starts to descent. I searched at least 3 or 4 hours in a 400 m wide and 1200 m long section of open forest till I found a first old machete mark on a tree that indicated the location of the trail. Carefully searching and following similar marks I finally found the descending trail.<br /> <br /> Searching northbound we lost the trail again when reaching Rio Aviles at the bottom of the valley and searched half a day for the correct continuation. A well visible and noticeably used trail next to Rio Aviles leads directly to an suitable river ford but from there a well maintained trail continues 1 km in the wrong direction (upstream). Only after bushbashing 1 km along the river shore downstream we recognized with surprise a second river ford (now the correct river ford) which connects to the well maintained trail section in the correct direction. In hindsight we understood that the well maintained trail simply continues upstream along Rio Aviles and that this trail crosses twice the Rio Aviles. Due to a partially not evident trail section on the other side of we did not recognize this when hitting this trail on the bottom of the valley and took the wrong direction to the wrong river ford.<br /> <br /> Now hikers with our GPS record and a GPS should not struggle to find and follow this trail as we did.<br /> <br /> Pass (1150 m above Sea Level) to Valle Hermoso Refugio: <br /> <br /> After leaving the forest at the 1150 m high pass the most scenic part of this route starts. A roughly 15 km long cross country route leads over pastures and river sediments past 3 lakes and two glaciers to the Refugio Valle Hermoso. Occasionally signs of a trail are visible but due to the open landscape a continuous trail neither exists nor is needed. <br /> <br /> Near the Refuge Valle Hermoso this route connects with regular route that leads along Valle Aviles (diffrent river with the same name!) to “Casa de Piedra” in the center of Parque Patagonia.<br /> <br /> Access to Trail Head at Fachinal:<br /> <br /> There are multiple buses per week from Chile Chico to Puerto Tranquilo on the Carretera Austral that pass Fachinal.<br /> <br /> Monday and Friday runs a subsidized bus from Chile Chico to Fachinal and back to Chile Chico (One round trip in the morning and a second one in the evening).<br /> 8:30 leaving Chile Chico<br /> 9:30 in Fachinal<br /> 11:00 returning to Chile Chico<br /> 17:30 leaving Chile Chico<br /> 18:30 in Fachinal<br /> 20:00 returning to Chile Chico<br /> <br /> If you wish to cross Lago General Carrera to continue hiking in the Cordillera Avellano North of the lake speak to Carloz Amoros in Fachinal (mobile: +56 9 76267029 / price around 30‘000 CLP) or Pascual Diaz de Mallin Grande.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-January 23 / Oreste Marquis/ Northbound : 8 days '''<br /> <br /> Going northbound. I followed the route until the second settler at the puesto Tejuela. From there, until the optional route @35-02e#001,<br /> I could not find the approximate trail in the files. I manage to find another one which is call siete Lagunas. It is really easy to follow and really beautiful! I find it near km 18 and keep walking on it until km 38. It is the end of it and is at the campground near Lago Gutiérrez. For more informations go reed Martin post in recent alerts and suggestion. I met him on the trail and he updated the wikiexplora before me. From the beginning to Casa Piedra took me 3 days. Then I hiked to the end of the reserve in an other 3 days. Lots of rivers to cross but felt pretty safe for all of them even the one higher between Lagos Jeinimeni and Verde. The cross country part the next day was my favorite of the hole trip! Awesome views, a lot of wildlife, just need to check a little bit more the gps! Last day, I headed to Chile Chico without any problem. Overall, I love it! Enjoyed it as much as GPT40.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-January / Matthieu / Northbound : 7.5 days &quot;tranquilito&quot;'''<br /> Incredible trekk, lots of different type of views and soil, my favorite since El Chalten. Money required for passing by the reserves !!<br /> I hitchhiked 10 km on the road to Casa Piedra, and 12 km between Jeinemini qnd the beginning of the trail that goes north in the mountain to join Chile Chico.<br /> <br /> '''1st part : Reserve Tamango''' : 6000 CLP the entry<br /> I took the old &quot;Huemul trail&quot; in the Tamango reserve, taking the left route at the &quot;Camp 284&quot; It is an old trail for 4x4, so very easy, and closed to vehicles now. <br /> <br /> '''2nd part : The road to Casa Piedra :''' the rangers I crossed were all agreed that it was not permitted to camp aside of the road (so the information is different that in Nov). One officiql camping at the end of Tamango reserve (WestWind) and one at Casa Piedra 26 km after. 8000 CLP each. At Westwind (not verified, only inforñqtions for guardaparques): no accomodations, only baño. At Casa Piedra . real big house, hot shower, electricity, place to cook. <br /> <br /> '''3rd part : Reserve Jenemeni :''' Entry 8000 CLP. For the camping, the ranger told me that it was permitted to camp wherever I wanted, so the information differs too from november. And at the exit, I told the ranger about my &quot;savage&quot; camping in the conversation, and he didnt tic at all, so no stress. The rangers are very nice !<br /> Good trekk, easy to follow. One very good refuge in the valle Hermoso where fire is possible. a more open refuge/camping site by the east shore of Lago Verde. <br /> Many river crossing, all safe except one, before the Laguna Esmeralda. Strong current, and people choose many different way with different profundness. Better do it in the morning, being a glaciar river (I could effectively compare between late in the afternoon and the morning and it is very different).<br /> <br /> '''Last part, to Chile Chico by the mountain :''' Amazing views, totaly different climate, more dry and with only bushes. <br /> At the beginning of the Cross country after the 4x4 road, I would advise to go a few meters west from the GPS tracks, to the east side of the river. There is effectively a fence on the west ridge, and a good trail on the east ridge that can avoid you the difficult crossing of many bushes, and that goes directly to the puesto.<br /> Two puestos, The 135 of metal being used by the locals (real bed inside), so just putted the tent outside. The second one 134 is actually a real house. Two mens were here when I arrived, working with the animals. I could put the tent near the house and take water from the sink outside. Many dogs, all nice.<br /> <br /> * '''Mum, Sis and I / Southbound / 11 days '''<br /> <br /> Well. What an interesting and varied section. Also the longest walk I think we'd all done. It took us 11 days in the end with a couple of longer side trips. Interestingly, when we emerged from the park it was closed, there was martial law in effect, a curfew in place. Borders closed. Only a week to get back to Santiago to catch the last flights back to Australia... Anyway. We're heading back now. Got temperature tested as we reentered Chili Chico this morning. Waiting for the boat across the lake mañana in la mañana. No buses out of town. Enough rambling...<br /> <br /> As always, thanks to the others before us that have taken the time to comment and provide feedback. Here's my two cents.<br /> <br /> Firstly here are some landmarks to make it easier for others to orient themselves: <br /> <br /> El Ciprés<br /> http://ge0.me/oGvL0ey6_7/El_Ciprés<br /> ge0://oGvL0ey6_7/El_Ciprés<br /> Casa Piedra<br /> http://ge0.me/4GvJGSxqPH/Casa_Piedra_%28Stone_House%29<br /> ge0://4GvJGSxqPH/Casa_Piedra_%28Stone_House%29<br /> Westwind<br /> http://ge0.me/wGvC_gnJaX/Westwind<br /> ge0://wGvC_gnJaX/Westwind<br /> <br /> Camping in Chile Chico:<br /> El Carro is supposed to be the cheapest place to stay in town. Though if you want a hot shower it's the same as Kon-aiken next door. We stayed at neither so can't really comment, but there were a lot of people staying at Kon-aiken and next to none at El Carro which might be indicitive of value for money or just the fact they are a little closer to the centre of town.<br /> El Carro however was the only one willing to look after some things for us.<br /> We also visited a hostel, but the owner was unfortunately very rude.<br /> <br /> El carro<br /> 4k frío <br /> 5k caliente <br /> 1k por día por mochila <br /> <br /> Kon-aiken<br /> 5k pp / noche <br /> No baggage service <br /> <br /> Part 1: Chili Chico to Jeinemeni<br /> In the end we decided to cache things in the bushes just outside of town. Mum and my sister got a lift to the Bahía Jara cruz whist I was caching. Unfortunately I had to walk all the way to El Ciprés where my mum and sister had been enjoying a nice conversation with Orlando Vazquez who allowed us to pass but emphasised the dangers and didn't really recommend crossing. <br /> Passing through the gate a couple of utes were exiting. Apparently there is a new mine up in the mountains and they didn't really want us to walk up. They admitted they just worked there.<br /> Turn off the main rd that assumably heads to the mine about here: -46.57775, -71.82666<br /> Goucho Miguel Pacheco passed us on the way up herding some cattle and we talked to him at the puesto for a while. We also gave him one of the Australian coins we'd been carrying around. He seemed to believe it was everyone's right to pass. &quot;People pass through here all the time &quot;.&quot;Just yesterday a lad passed by &quot;.&quot;It's the shortest route across the mountains &quot;<br /> Anyway. We camped in the rocks just outside the park boundaries (as mentioned by??).<br /> We then camped two nights up on the windy plateau. Our side trip to Valle Lunes was amazing. I'd recommend it. But be careful with wind. Oh and did anyone mention the guanacos?<br /> Unfortunately I think the water wasn't very clean on this part. Sheep, cows, guanacos, birds... It's the first time in Chile I've wished I took my water filter along. We had some sore stomachs.<br /> Dropping down the other side we hit the mentioned fence (about here -46.72574, -71.90211). We crossed, but would recommend following it to the left until you get to a corner. I'm not sure where it starts, but there is a trail running on the outside of the fence to the puesto. We then followed a sheep trail that ran high on the left (east) of the valley. Very good but it bypassed Las Abutardas completely and seemed to be heading towards Laguna los Flamencos instead. We ended up cutting down to the road where León passed us heading into town, a little confused why we hadn't taken the 'proper trail'.<br /> We camped the night at the Río El Sucio camp. Not really recommended.<br /> We walked the road and stayed at Río Las Vacas for a bit which is at the border of the park and a nicer place to camp. (There is a good stream between the two).<br /> <br /> Part 2: Jeinemeni to Casa Piedra<br /> It was 8k to enter the park (for foreigners) and an additional 6k for camping in Valle Hermoso. The section to the refugio (-46.84092, -72.14078) was very nice. This is the only shelter still standing. The others included in the track files were not really enterable.<br /> Heading to the refugio (where everyone seems to camp) you cross the small ankle deep creek exiting Laguna Esmeralda and then the deeper river between Lago Verde and Jeinemeni. This might have been the trickiest but when we crossed it wasn't really bad. We then had two more smaller crossings before passing through Portezuela La Gloria (1100m) to cross Estero Ventisquero and the other river running down the main valley.<br /> The next day we did the popular side trip to the glacier in this valley: -46.80924, -72.20116<br /> We wondered if it was the same way Jan et al entered recently?<br /> From the refugio to Valle Avilés there are no compulsory river crossings if you stick to the somewhat scrubby trail to the left (south) of the valley. The first crossing we did was Río Avilés shortly followed by the tributary. So only 8 crossings (wet feet) on the RR. <br /> <br /> We walked from the refugio to Casa Piedra in a day. It was closed so we camped on the other side of the Rd.<br /> <br /> Part 3: Casa Piedra to Cochrane<br /> From casa piedra we took the aforementioned Sendero las Siete Lagunas. It is not it the track files but indeed very well marked with numbered markers every kilometre. I'll upload a kml with the markers I recorded as well as some of the water bodies I sketched.<br /> After the stream running into Lago Gutiérrez there wasn't much water until Lago la Pepa.<br /> You will briefly intersect with a road here: -47.14006, -72.37138. The road seems to run down to Puesto Tejuela coinciding with OH-TL-V@35-02F-#001 which I think is incorrectly labelled as TL. Part of RH-TL-I@35-99.0+30.0 too should be marked as MR. You'll intersect this road before taking it down to Lago Cochrane.<br /> We passed the occupied dwelling (Daniel Huemul?) but the man wearing a shirt emblazoned with Parque Patagonia seemed afraid to approach us (another hint the world had gone Corona crazy). He wouldn't let us take the RR so we followed the road for a bit before taking another newly made trail also not in the track files.<br /> Everything after that was very easy to follow.<br /> Everything was abandoned at the entrance and the gate locked. People avoided us on the streets and covered their face when passing us. <br /> We grabbed some needed food (we were very short after 11 days!) and got on the WiFi. Wow! How things had changed! Martial law in place and a curfew in place, we slept under a bridge with some Colombians and caught a bus back to Chili Chico in the morning. Waiting for the boat across the lake tomorrow now.<br /> <br /> Links to files :<br /> Kilometre markers: https://www.dropbox.com/s/fuzt4xacxjjvvg4/kms.kmz?dl=0<br /> Water bodies: https://www.dropbox.com/s/uz1ei95s1913xvb/water.bodies.kmz?dl=0<br /> Other planning: <br /> https://www.dropbox.com/s/uk9ym56gufwk4zq/planning.kmz?dl=0<br /> <br /> * '''2019 Dec / Olrik/ Northbound '''<br /> <br /> Amazing part of the GPT, from Cochrane ou enter in the Tamango national reserve and pay 6000CLP for the entrance. We took several trails to get to Valle Chacabuco : Las Aguilas, Las Lengasm Los Condores, Laguna Altas. Great views. We had a snow storm at the pass though. There you end up in a paid campground. From there we walked the dirt road to Casa Piedras in Valle Chacabuco, it was beautiful with lots of guanacos. Then we took the Las Aviles sendero. We camped near the first river crossing as it was late and waited for the morning to cross. It is normally not possible to wild camp in the park but the guardaparque told us to camp there if the river crossing is not sage. The rest of the trail is easy to follow next to the river. There is a pass then you descend to Valle Hermoso and to lago Jeinimeni. It was just gorgeous and easy to follow with great weather. Be aware of the numerous river crossings. In lago Jeinimeni there is a paid campground. From there you can hitchhike, walk, or pay a transportation at the entrance of the park (15000Clp pp) but I'm not sure if this is a regular thing. We ended up hitchhiking to get to Chile Chico.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Nov-28/ Lea Geibel, Kevin Moe/ 5.5days/ Northbound / Regular Hiking Route (Cochrane to Chile Chico) with OH-32-2-#003/'''<br /> <br /> This section might have been our favorite out of the whole Group H, where the diversity of the landscape was our favorite part (also including weather and trail conditions). The NP was entered at Tamango just outside of Cochrane. Registration is mandatory, the entrance fee is at 8000 CLP. The ranger asked us to explain our route and since the regular Hiking route did not seem familiar to them, they told us to take the optionals route going north over the pass to WestWinds campground and then do the road walk Eastwards. <br /> The pass had some snow patches on the Southern side but was easy to traverse. At the Valley Chacabuco (another entrance to the national park) we got asked for our permits and the route we plan on taking. We heard different information on if it is allowed to camp at the road or not (there were signs that told us not to do it but the ranger said it is okay). After the roadwalk, we passed another ranger station where we had to register and sign a responsibility form telling that we plan to leave at Lago Jeinimeni (and telling that we're only allowed to stay at designated campsites). The hike from there is extremely beautiful and super diverse, the trail well maintained. The rivers were at higher flow but all fords were doable. <br /> We camped next to the Refugio because we still weren't sure about the camping rules (other hikers we met said they were told that it's okay to camp everywhere along the river). Leaving the NP at Lago Jeinimeni was straightforward, but it's mandatory to check out at the rangers office. The cross-country section after the road walk was a bit slow on the way up due to many bushes and hilly terrain. We found a nice trail next to the fence leading up to the puesto when going up the ridge on the Eastern side. From the puesto we took a short steep uphill after which the terrain became more open and easier to travel on. It was very windy and snowy in the mountains, which made it difficult to walk at times and it felt like the temperatures were rather low.<br /> The lagoons on the way up are filled with exciting birds (flamingos!) and guanacos are running around on the whole plain. Once reaching the plateau we headed down in a pretty straight line which was easier than the uphill until we reached the road<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> *Chile Chico has two supermarkets. Sell gas.<br /> <br /> *Cochrane is a decently sized town with three mid-range supermarkets. The largest one, which is a grocery and department store, is located adjacent to the town square. There are many lodging and restaurant options. Be sure to withdraw an ample amount of money here because most of the businesses in the next town, Villa O’Higgins, only take cash and there is no ATM.<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> <br /> *2025 / MiaimZelt<br /> Buses (starting at Terminal de buses in Chile Chico) that enable you to skip the first 7-8km of Roadwalk when hiking SoBo: <br /> <br /> Turismo Tramal. Chile Chico - Bahia Jara. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday 8:30 &amp; 16:30. <br /> WhatsApp: +56 9 7538 0178<br /> <br /> Buses Interlagos from Chile Chico to Puerto Rio Tranquilo: Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday 9:00.<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> *2023-Mar-31 to 2023-Apr-06 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Option J / Martin &amp; Helena<br /> <br /> PN Patagonia closed some sectors on the first Monday in April, so we were the last ones to get a permission and do this section ‘legally’. Be prepared for this if you want to do this part in April or later. The problem is they close Casa Del Piedra and probably won’t let you pass to that sector from Lago Jeinemeni, where the entrance stays open for longer time. Sneaking around the guards house early in the morning or just not be specific about your plans might work if needed, its very unlikely you would meet anyone on the way from the main entrance.<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT35 - RN Lago Jeinimeni]]<br /> <br /> =Images=<br /> [[file:Greater Patagonian Trail (7).jpg|left|GPT35 - RN Lago Jeinimeni]]</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT35_(Parque_Patagonia)&diff=119650 2025-01-18T00:59:33Z

<p>MiaimZelt: /* Season 2024/25 */</p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;packrafting&quot;, as above):<br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD, WHAT IS ENCLOSED IN &lt;&gt; MAKES IT BLUE):<br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/nowiki&gt;.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Overview=<br /> <br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> *'''2025-Jan-13 to 2025-Jan-17 / 5 days Hiking / SOBO/ RR + Variant L / MiaimZelt'''<br /> <br /> I very much enjoyed this lovely section. Took the bus to skip the first 6.5km of Roadwalk. CC was indeed easy, on the way up i didn't follow the Track very closely. Crazy windy between km 19-30. Surprinsingly there were some small areas that had way less wind. Guess it should be possible to find a campspot somehow sheltered by the curves of the landscape, when you can't make it further. Camp {35} [32.6/1300] is exposed and has no shelter besides from the tiny stonewall. Camped here: -46.722612, -71.904105. Was sheltered by the valley and fits a 1 person tent, wind was ok. 100m below there is a spot which can fit a 2 person tent. While sitting in the tent 2 german GPT hikers arrived and took the spot below. I very much enjoyed their company. <br /> <br /> Day 2 i could follow animal trails very often. Walked 4km on the road until i got a hitch. Entrance fee was 11400 for foreigner. You have to pay online, but they have WiFi. Tons of black caterpillars everywhere, gets better after Laguna Verde. Trail was in very good shape. Ford {35} [67.0/877] was up to the knees. Stayed at Camp Valle Hermoso, which is very good sheltered by the forest. <br /> <br /> Day 3 i met no one, until i reached the camp. Trail was 99% in good shape, few meters overgrown with young beech trees. -46.89382, -72.161099 campspots with shelter from the forest. All fords were easy. Stayed at Camping Casa Piedra. 8000 per person, can pay cash or card. They have WiFi, Room to cook inside and a shower (not hot). Most campspots are sheltered by trees or buildings. Spots next to buildings were occupied by carcampers. Trees provided good protection, although 80km/h winds according to Windy. <br /> <br /> Sendero 7 Lagunas was mostly in good to ok shape, <br /> only in few parts the trail isn't visible at all. -47.094236, -72.286568 near pass has lots of flat space and is sheltered by the forest. Small stream here: -47.097866, -72.285581. Also flat areas nearby to create a makeshift campsite. Later the only sources for water were the lakes. Refuge, X {35} [119.1/716] is collapsed, but flat space protected by trees and bushes for one bigger tent. Water from the lake. Stayed at small flat space with very little wind here -47.140176, -72.372035 and listened to the birds. <br /> <br /> Day 5 was mostly straight forward. Saw 2 Huemuls near the Minor Road. Lago Cochrane is a real gem. Open and abandoned huts here: -47.198091, -72.457465. There was a sign, saying danger becaus of rodents. Maybe not good to sleep in, but would be a good shelter in heavy rain. 1km later i saw the first dayhikers. Lot's of steep ups and downs at Sendero Carpinteros, but very beautiful. Got a hitch to Cochrane after 1.5km on the paved road. <br /> <br /> *&quot;&quot;GPT 35 SOBO RR // hiking, hitchhiking // 4 days 1-4.01.2025 Maks &amp; Gabi&quot;&quot;<br /> <br /> Simply magical section with lots of guanacos, birds and beautiful landscapes. We hitchhiked the first 8 km and then from Casa de Piedra to Cochrane. <br /> CC parts were quite easy and visible, later on when entering the park by Lago Jeinimeni the trail is incredibly well maintained. You can buy a ticket by the entrance because the is a wi-fi.<br /> <br /> One thing that is worth taking into account when planning the hike, are insects - there are tons of mosquitos and quite a lot of horseflies. Furthermore the ranger (Jeinimeni entrance) warned us about black worms that are in the forests (not sure what is the name in eng). For that reason we did not sleep at the camping by the lake (see pictures), choosing a camp spot by the bridge at 50.0 km instead. It is better not to camp by the trees. <br /> If you have a spare moment we really recommend the visitors center near Casa de Piedra as they have a really nice museum. If you already bought a ticket to the park it is free of charge.<br /> <br /> About trail itself it's hard to say something new compare to the previous notes. There was no snow, all ford's easy to cross.<br /> <br /> *'''2024-Nov-08 to 2024-Nov-16 / 8.5 / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Jonas'''<br /> Day 01: 08.11.2024<br /> Arrived by ferry from Puerto Ibanez in Chile Chico at 1430. Started walking right away. Caught a ride for about 3 km. After street, needed to open fence and door.<br /> Dog kept following all day. Couldn't make him leave.<br /> Settlers (mother &amp; daughter) offered a ride but kept walking. Camp spot at 14.1 was too wet to stay there. Looked for another spot. Nothing was good, wanted to look after puesto at 15.8. settlers offered me mate and asked if I wanna pitch my tent here since it got late. Stayed close to their place. Same settler family who offered me a ride.<br /> <br /> Day 02: 09.11.2024<br /> Starting from the settlers puesto CC had light snow when packing my tent. Didn't follow the route exactly. On the way to the first pass, saw the first guanacos. Started snowing stronger. Didn't follow the track or the OSM path to avoid snowfields. Tried to follow the trails but not always possible. Stronger snow and windy. After the first pass went too far to the east to avoid snowfields, thought it'd be easy to come back to the trail but took a longer detour. At least saw the first flamingos! In the plateau it was crazy windy. Sometimes followed track, sometimes OSM. Often in between because of snowfields. Snowfields were not steep, just wanted to avoid them. More guanacos only on the way down. Camp at 32.6 was too wet. ~250 m further down found a protected spot close to a small river/creek.<br /> <br /> Day 03: 10.11.2024<br /> Woke up late. Water in pot was frozen about 1 cm thick. Walked down, saw a lot of bones. Followed not the OSM track. Crossed the fence relatively far to the west. CC walking was nice. Maybe as others mentioned there is a path sooner if you cross/stay further east. Hit the dirt road and walked to the main dirt road. Already afternoon. First Pick Up stopped and gave me a ride to the park entrance. Didn't book the ticket before. You can book it at the CONAF station with their WiFi for the same day. 11.400 CLP for the entrance. Camping is free. Walked to camp Raleigh (about two hours) and found a nice spot there.<br /> <br /> Day04: 11.11.2024<br /> Short day. Started late, trail easy to follow. In the beginning keep left if other trails are there. First fording section is well marked in the track files. Keep your shoes off until Ford Stop. Climb to pass is sometimes steep but easy. Climb down is ready with stunning view of Valle Hermoso. Some parts with some rock slides. After descend two rivers to ford. Until camp Valle Hermoso some stretches in wind protected first in the river bed, some stretches in open river bed. Easy to follow. Camp Valle Hermoso has two roofed areas.<br /> <br /> Day 05 12.11.2024<br /> Started from camp Valle Hermoso. If you keep south you can avoid all the fords. At least at this time of the year. <br /> Trail is easy walking, landscape is stunning! Did a detour to Laguna Escondida. Nice and windy up there. To get there keep close to the track files. <br /> Only needed to take the boots off for the ford at 79.3. The rest was easy to navigate around or enough rocks/trees in the river.<br /> Camped at refuge 81.0 at the broken down cabin.<br /> <br /> Day 06: 13.11.2024<br /> Easy walking all day. Trail was easy to follow. Needed to ford once.<br /> The bridge at 90.9 is something if you're afraid of heights.<br /> Arrived early at Casa Piedra. Could use the infrastructure including warmish water. Since I said I won't pass the ranger station it was fine without paying.<br /> <br /> Day 07: 14.11.2024<br /> Trail is easy to follow. Lago Gutierrez looks amazing and quite windy. Some beach walking off track is nice. After Lago Gutierrez the trail is mainly easy to follow. Checked the GPS every now and then. Climb to the pass takes some time. Filled water up at a stream at the end of Lago Gutierrez. There was on running stream in the middle of the stretch to the pass. Not sure if it has water all year. Way down is through a beautiful forest. Nice views of the valley along the way. Some trees on the path but easy enough to climb them or walk around them. <br /> Stayed at the collapsed refuge. Enough wind protection even though it was quite windy.<br /> <br /> Day 08: 15.11.2024<br /> Trail was easy to follow in the forest. Outside the forest check your GPS when you think you might be off trail. <br /> Water in the beginning mainly from the lakes, later streams existed as well. Took the MR on the RR easy fast walking, no GPS checking necessary. Settler at 138.7 wasn't there passed by his house and followed the RR on a horse trail. Camped at around 142 at Lago Cochrane. Beautiful lake with clear water.<br /> <br /> Day 09: 16.11.2024<br /> For the last 12 km it was easy to follow the trail. Quite some up and down. Nice views on the lake. Arrived the CONAF office at lunch time. Did a self checkout. Stayed in Cochrane for two nights before the next bus to Villa O'Higgins left.<br /> <br /> Really nice hike! Due to the time of the year I only met one other hiker. It snowed a bit in the first days but not too much. Trails were generally easy to follow. Fording was not too much, might be different at another time.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Dec-14 to 2024-Dec-18 / 4.5 / Hiking / SOBO/ RR + Variant J, L / Roman'''<br /> <br /> <br /> Route: Hitchhiked from Chile Chico to X {35} [8.1/505]. Hiked to X {35} [41.5/768]. Hitchhiked from there to Park Ranger {35} [53.0/843] and hiked from there to -47.244414, -72.529165 and hitchhiked from there to Cochrane.<br /> <br /> Started in the Morning in Chile Chico and and started hiking at X {35} [8.1/505]. It's a small easy hiking road up to Puesto {35} [15.8/1075]. It's easy CC. I camped at Camp {35} [32.6/1300]. The next day was a easy hike to X {35} [41.5/768]. I was waiting 25 minutes for the first car to come by which picked me up around 11:30 AM - so prepared to either walk or wait quite some time. At the Ranger Station (Park Ranger {35} [53.0/843]) is fesh water, a toilet. There you have free internet via starlink. I have heard multiple stories and read multiple prices for entry. I would recommend to just show up. You will scan the QR code and buy the ticket online. I said that I hike to &quot;Casa Piedra camping&quot;. I had to buy the ticket &quot;Parque Nacional Patagonia - Sector Chacabuco&quot; for 5.200 CLP. Link here: https://tickets.pasesparques.cl/events/parque-nacional-patagonia-sector-chacabuco . From there i hiked to Camped at Refuge {35} [69.0/867] there are multiple fordings (river bed walking) which had a few banks and tables and a shelter hut. The next day hiked to Camp $, Refuge {35} [99.8/379] (Casa dePiedra). The Camp has electricity and a warm (not hot ;)) shower and toilets and 3 rooms with benches and tables for cooking etc. I was staying there with 2 other people and the Ranger. Apparently the Ranger doesn't collect/want money - i/we didn't needed to pay. There is Apparently a lady coming from time to time to collect a fee - so we were lucky. The trail was maintained and easy to hike. At the beginning there was some fording.<br /> <br /> The next day I camped at Refuge {35} [131.2/556] which is only a emergency shelter but has some flat spots to pich a tent. The trail is not maintained and is sometimes very good or not visible at all - you need you GPS! Overall good easy to hike with some fallen trees. There is a bridge at -47.160823, -72.407796 also with water which makes the Refuge a great place to say. Picture of bridge https://imgur.com/a/ZydIQ7f and Refuge: https://imgur.com/a/NDMT0FP . After that it's a easy hike all the way to -47.244414, -72.529165 where I hitchhiked to Cochrane. I haven't camped there but this location looked like the best stay you could get in the trail here: https://imgur.com/a/rtak82Q. -47.198106, -72.457406 close to Camp {35} [138.4/173].<br /> <br /> Stayed at Camping, Refugio ,Cabaña y HostelCochrane which i can highly recommend (camping 7k, dorm 9k, laundry 5k and a supermarket across the street)<br /> <br /> Contact: https://linktr.ee/RundW<br /> <br /> * ''' 2024-Dec-13 to 2024-Dec-17 / 5 days / GPT35 SOBO RR / wiiiim<br /> Relatively uncomplicated &amp; fast section, lots of info exists so just a summary here. In essence it feels like 3 parts<br /> <br /> - part 1 Chile Chico to the park entrance: mostly cross country over a barren plateau with lots of animals. I arranged a taxi out of Chile Chico to skip the first 9km of road walk at 7am for an early start - Alexis +56 9 7971 5823. Surprisingly lots of water on this section.<br /> <br /> - part 2 Park entrance to Casa de Piedra, park fee is 11400, very easy going, well marked trail, lots of water<br /> <br /> - part 3 Casa de piedra to Cochrane, somewhat overgrown, less water, mostly from the lagunas so good to have a filter<br /> <br /> I took the bus from Cochrane to Villa O’Higgins, it runs every Monday, Wednesday &amp; Saturday at 8:30am (returning the next day), it’s a small publicly funded bus (8400 pesos) with about 25 seats, they typically want you to buy a ticket in person in Cochrane in the bus terminal upstairs (I believe the company is Gardy?), I got a ticket the afternoon before and it had 5 seats left.<br /> <br /> * ''' 2024-Dec-12 to 2024-Dec-14 / 3 days go and back / GPT35 SOBO option 1 by car and Regular Road with a little part of option D and OH-CC-A-{35-06} to the first laguna/ Julien Mamari <br /> <br /> All the way to the Releigh Camp is really easy and try with bridges.<br /> Into the Releigh Camp and the 3rd camp you have 2 rivers to cross with the Gloria pass but it's really easy with sandals... Water to the knees maximum (on my time)<br /> If you go to the first Laguna (option 6) on the right sise of valley better beguin on the left side for around 1km then you have obligation to cross and the best its to keep always on de right side, it's dry.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Nov-07 to 2024-Nov-10 / 4 days with one day of rest at home of Daniel “Huemul” / GPT35 Regular Route SOBO from Kilometer 100 to 150 / Sendero 7 Lagunas / Meylin Ubilla and Jan Dudeck'''<br /> <br /> This scenic route inside Parque Patagonia is officially closed due to lack of trail maintenance but still easily traversable. As we entered from the north we did not speak with any Conaf personnel and learned about the closure when exiting this route in Cochrane.<br /> <br /> The GPT track file 2024 precisely documents the official route of Sendero 7 Lagunas from Kilometer 37 to Kilometer 5 (GPT35 Regular Route) where the Regular Route connects on other trails to Cochrane. Note that the OSM data is in large parts incorrect. OSM is showing a now partially overgrown and less attractive routing on disused trails and minor roads. So all topographic maps based on OSM data are unreliable in this respect.<br /> <br /> About 30% of the trail is clearly visible, about 60% of the trail is vaguely visible and 10% of the trail are invisible as trail. There is just a trail mark every kilometer but no other visual aids to follow the official trail. This makes frequent GPS verifications essential. Without a GPS and without the correct tracks loaded to the GPS hikers get inevitably lost numerous times and it would be very time consuming to find the correct trail just based on visual references. But with a GPS it’s easy to stay on the trail.<br /> <br /> There was no snow left on the 1126 m high pass.<br /> <br /> In the forest numerous fallen trees block the trail but there is always an easy way around.<br /> <br /> There are no noteworthy river crossings and the trail is dry. Water can be obtained regularly at smaller streams or at the lakes.<br /> <br /> There are numerous potential camp sites except from the northern trail head and the 1126 m high pass. This northern end is mostly wind exposed with very little shelter to pitch a tent.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Nov-02 to 2024-Nov-05 / 4 days (but 50 km hitchhiked) / Hiking / SOBO / Option 4 (Ruta RP41 in Argentina) / Meylin Ubilla and Jan Dudeck'''<br /> <br /> This option provides an alternative to the weather-exposed regular route of GPT35. Therefore this option should be considered early or late in the season (October, November or April) or whenever poor weather makes the regular route of GPT35 unsafe. This option is east of the Andes main mountain chain in Argentina and the clouds that typically come from the west unload most snow and rain while crossing the higher peaks in Chile. Anyway, the maximum altitude of just under 1500 m should not be undermined. Up on the pass area, weather can become unpleasant all year around.<br /> <br /> This road walking option is certainly not as attractive as the regular route but the insignificant traffic and the scenic scenery makes it a worthwhile hiking choice. The landscape is that attractive that one tour company in Los Antiguos offers guided excursions along this route.<br /> <br /> This option connects back to regular route of GPT35 at the trailhead of “Sendero 7 Lagunas” that becomes also traversable early in the season (October or November).<br /> <br /> Route description:<br /> <br /> The border crossing from Chile to Argentina is a 13 km hike or hitchhike as there is not organized public transport. Argentines rarely check luggage of backpackers, therefore bringing all supplies from Chile should not cause problems. Don’t be surprised when Argentine border controls don’t stamp your passport on entry. It’s not any more a given, that all travelers with passports receive an entry stamp when crossing into Argentina.<br /> <br /> Before starting on RP41 consider a good meal in Los Antiguos.<br /> <br /> The first 43 km on RP41 from Los Antiguos to Estancia Los Alamos are wind-exposed and dry. We were lucky to ride most of this stretch on the back of a pickups truck. From the road we could only see one more reliable water source at kilometer 39.5. And descending 100 to 200 m into gorge of Rio Jenimeni just to refill water supplies seams an ordeal that should be avoided.<br /> <br /> The owners of Estancia Los Alamos are welcoming and helpful. We were invited for lunch and offered a bed for a night. But to get moving we opted to start hiking in the afternoon.<br /> <br /> Estancia La Frontera at kilometer 46 of RP41 just after the bridge over Rio Zaballos seams also to offer accommodation on request. And here starts the more scenic part with patches of forest and more regular water streams crossing the road.<br /> <br /> At kilometer 54 of RP41 by-passes are welcome to camp just next to Rio Lincoln. Here we spend our first night.<br /> <br /> At kilometer 64 of RP41 the last patches of forest are left behind and exposed but scenic landscape is crossed.<br /> <br /> The highest point of RP41 (“portezuelo”) is reached at kilometer 76 with just under 1500 m. The last snowmelt washed a part of road away stopping currently most transit traffic but hikers and bikers can cross this damaged road section without problems.<br /> <br /> While walking from Rio Lincoln up to the “portezuelo” the wind and the light snowfall increased. But compared to the weather in Chile at the same time our conditions where quite manageable. The lack of wind-sheltered places keep us moving to kilometer 79 of RP41. Here, an unlocked puesto with a wood stove provided a surprisingly convenient shelter for our second night en route. We just had to seal some gaps in the walls to reduce the wind and snow from entering our temporary refuge. When getting up on the next morning a thin layer of fresh snow covered everything around us.<br /> <br /> The descent to Paso Roballos at kilometer 96 of RP41 traverses open but scenic landscape with little natural shelter. <br /> <br /> The best places to camp after the pass are:<br /> Kilometer 79: unlocked puesto<br /> Kilometer 87: maybe near puesto at 47°06'47&quot;S 71°50'00&quot;W<br /> Kilometer 96: the crossing to Paso Roballos 2 km before the Argentine border control <br /> <br /> At the Argentine border control camping is not permitted.<br /> <br /> When exiting Argentina make sure to get an exit stamp. This stamp is required to enter into Chile.<br /> <br /> Another good option is the abandoned Chilean military post 4 km after the Argentine border control. Most buildings of this small compound are sealed closed but one shelter is open and one mostly closed veranda provided good shelter for us for one night while rain and snow made pitching a tent less pleasant.<br /> <br /> The Chilean border control is 11 km inland from the border.<br /> <br /> From the Chilean border control it’s another 26 km to the trail head of “Sendero 7 Lagunas” with a brilliant camp site halfway (“camping alto valle”).<br /> <br /> * '''Note:''' The RR was changed between Lago Jeinemeni and Lago Verge in October 2024, so numbering of options in the reports below might be slightly off.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> <br /> * '''2024 Mar 14 to 2024 Mar 19 / 5.5 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR / Maddi and Tom'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: Hiked out of Cochrane after lunch in light rain. Hiked up Sendero Las Aguilas then Las Lengas, easy trail and well defined. Rain got heavier as we approached Laguna El Cangrejo. Camped on the west side of the lake, started snowing lightly as we set up. One of the colder nights and we considered turning back and taking the lower route as we weren't sure how passable Laguna Altas would be in the snow.<br /> <br /> Day 2: Woke up to a snowy morning so decided to wait it out in the tent. Packed up once it stopped around 11am and followed Sendero Los Condores. Luckily had a bit of sun as we went over the pass but as we were coming down the other side the rain and wind picked up. Abandoned our plans to hike the Lagunas Altas circuit and instead followed it straight down to Westwind campsite. Sat there for a bit hoping to see a puma but only guanaco in sight. Hiked towards Valle Chacabuco hoping for a hitch but no cars came past. Kept walking along Paso Roballos trying for a hitch, eventually a couple from the UK picked us up and dropped us at Casa Piedra. Spent the night there and got a hot shower which was excellent after all the rain and snow. Didn't end up paying any entry fees for the park or the camping as noone asked.<br /> <br /> Day 3: Got up fairly early to overcast day but no rain. Followed the eastern branch of the Sendero Aviles which was clearly marked and easy to follow. The bridge over the canyon is fun to rejoin the west branch of the trail. Kept following the track along, easy going until you hit the river bed and then there are many crossings back and forth. We did a bit of dodgy scrambling up the banks to avoid getting wet feet. We were going to push on but it started raining lightly about 4pm so we set up camp in the trees along the river. Another group joined us later that night as it was raining heavily and it was the first flat and clear spot.<br /> <br /> Day 4: Started along the track, excellent views as you pass Cerro Jeinimeni. Fairly easy track down to the next river, followed by a lot of walking in the river bed. Gave in and just walked through the water to Lago Verde. Crossings were never really over ankle deep. Track around Lago Verde is fine to follow with excellent views. Very windy as we got over the pass and the path down is quite eroded (but manageable). Hiked around to Raleigh. There is a new suspension bridge over the river at Raleigh that connects to Sendero Laguna Esmerelda. It isn't marked on Gaia or Maps Me so a group behind us went around the other way and had to do a hip deep river crossing. Going via Raleigh and Sendero Esmerelda avoids all river crossings and is an easy track to follow. Hiked all the way to El Silencio for the night, noone there so didn't pay any fees.<br /> <br /> Day 5: Started the hike out along the road hoping for a hitch but no cars went by. Headed up the plateau following a minor road, then relying on GPS and animal tracks. Lots of guanaco. Kept hiking up the hill as the wind picked up. Found a camp spot somewhat out of the wind towards the top of the plateau with a small river passing by for water. Started snowing as we went to sleep.<br /> <br /> Day 6: Woke up to a few cms of snow on the ground and tent and started a very frosty walk up and over the plateau. Lots of guanaco around but not much else other than snow. Luckily the sun came out as we were coming back down the other side as it was freezing up the top and was difficult navigating with the snow cover. Once it cleared we had awesome views of the Torres de Avellano and the lake. The descent track is pretty eroded and very slippery in parts where mud is hidden under small stones. Eventually joined up to the minor road and followed it down to Ruta 265. I had a weird phenomenon with my shoes picking up enormous amounts of sticky mud on the minor road, making my feet a few kgs heavier and having to scrape it off every 100m. Got a hitch to Chile Chico from Ruta 265.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Mar-12 to 2024-Mar-17 / 4 + 2×0.5 = 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + OH D + F / Joscha'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: RR [0.0-16.7]<br /> <br /> I startet around 2 pm and did not try to hitch the first 8 km on the primary road. There is a good flowing stream at the water marker (km 12.2) and at the camp (km 14.1). The flat spot that is camp 14.1 is swampy and therefore not ideal for camping. I camped at -46.60658, -71.80980 which is at least a little bit wind protected. There is also a stream on the other side of the RR close to this spot. <br /> <br /> Day 2: RR [16.7-48.2]<br /> <br /> There was plenty of water. The RR was covered in snow from about km 23 to 28. I took a CC shortcut from km 40.8 to 42.7. I camped at -46.810258, -71.965073.<br /> <br /> Day 3: RR [48.2-59.1] + OSM trail to Laguna Verde + OH35-D + RR [62.4-88.9] + OH35-F + RR [70.3-78.9]<br /> <br /> The park gate at km 50.1 is open from 9 am to 5 pm. But the ranger didn't mind, that I entered before 9 am. I paid 17000 Pesos at the ranger station (km 53). This fee allows camping at all the Campgrounds in the park. I followed the official park trail which branches off at km 59,1 to Laguna Verde. From there it returns via OH35-D to the RR. All fords today were below my knees. After km 75.5 the RR was partially flooded and you had to walk through some branches. Therefore I sometimes walked in the river bed on the eastern side of Rio Aviles. I camped at km 78.9. Its an official campground of the park, but there is nothing. But its flat and wind protected.<br /> <br /> Day 4: RR [78.9-106.3]<br /> <br /> The roof of the refuge at km 93.9 is collapsed. Casa de Piedra is a real house with bathrooms and some common rooms to hang out and probably sleep. I camped on the lakeshore at -47.074614, -72.25701. I would not recommend this spot for windy nights.<br /> <br /> Day 5: RR [106.3-137.6]<br /> <br /> The next reliable water source after Lago Gutierrez (km 106.3) is a stream at km 113.8. Its possible to camp just south of the pass (km 110.8). I did a shortcut from km 129.1 to 130.3. I had to cross a small swampy area for that. Camping at km 137.6 is nice.<br /> <br /> Day 6: RR [137.6-150.4]<br /> <br /> Nice campsite at km 146.0 (RN Tamango) with sheltered tables and spots for camping. I stayed at camping calafate in Cochrane (-47.254013, -72.568419). It has a kitchen with common area (heated by wood oven), wifi and hot showers for 7000 pp.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-24 to 2024-Mar-01 / 6.5 days / &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / SOBO / RR+&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;RP&lt;/span&gt; / Lauren &amp; Seb'''<br /> <br /> Much has been said about this section, so we will share only our impressions.<br /> <br /> Day 1: After reaching wp Settler {35} [8.9/539] by taxi in the early evening, we hiked a short distance and camped at wp Camp {35} [14.1/923]. On a windy day it’s basically unprotected in a narrow valley. There was no wind that day, making it a spot with a great view.<br /> <br /> Day 2: Upon reaching the plateau, it felt like a guanaco/flamencos safari as previously described. To get up there, you have to CC on one manageable steep stretch. Follow the dotted line in OSM relatively far to the left and not the GPT files. We camped north of wp Water {35} [28.1/1579].<br /> <br /> Day 3: We headed across the pass and amazing views opened up before us. On the downhill, follow the GPT line until you reach a fence. Go through the fence on the left end and follow the fence line towards wp Puesto {35} [34.6/1191]. From the side of the puesto, you can easily follow well trodded horse tracks along the fence line until -46.75064, -71.89899. Follow the trails along the river towards the south until you hit the MR. We stopped for the night at wp Camp {35} [42.9+0.2/713].<br /> <br /> Day 4: Cars did not appear until after 10am but we eventually got a ride to the park entrance. From here, the more touristy part begins. Once inside the park we decided to walk the MR around Lago Jeinemeni and only inflated the packraft at Lago Verde. This was an absolutely great paddle on the most turquoise waters and we were lucky with the afternoon wind. We stayed the night at Refuge {35} [68.1/867]. <br /> <br /> Day 5: The next part has lots of fording so expect slow progress. We left our crocs on for the next 3 km. Well marked trail through the forest and across the pass. On the other side, however there is a new official route which starts here -46.87696, -72.17213 and requires more fording. The old trail still exists and no fording was necessary. Stick to the GPS here if you want to save time taking your shoes off! The rest of the way down the valley was enjoyable and we stayed the night just before wp Ford {35} [82.6/805].<br /> <br /> Day 6: Easy hiking down to Camp Piedra where we stayed and camped early.<br /> <br /> Day 7: We started paddling Rio Chacabuco the next morning, but I would advise packrafters against doing so (at least in the late season). Conditions of the river included low water levels with frequent ground contact and many trees in the water. The river splits often, making the already low water even lower and obstacles in the tightly winding corners become even more tricky. First time that we hit a tree since we are on the GPT. As if that wasn’t enough, wind picked up early and forced us out of the water. We decided to water-out here -47.05177, -72.29040 and hiked up the road, where a car took us towards Cochrane after 2 hours.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-27 to 2024-Mar-04 / 5.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR - {35-S} - {35-D} - RR - {35-J} - RR - {35-L} - RR / Lilian &amp; Rainbow '''<br /> <br /> Safari = GPT35, we saw foxes, bunny, flamingos, ostrich, owl, woodpecker, and more than 100 guanacos at this section!<br /> <br /> We standing at the end of town more than 1 hour and found that it is really difficult to hitch out by low traffic. So we go to tourist information ask for help maybe a ride, a man at there said he can take us to x[8.1/505] for 10k CLP, but lastly he just took us to the junction at km5.9, and said he don't want to drive on a non paved road, then don't wait us to respond and throw our backpacks out from his car immediately, and ask for the money.<br /> <br /> So, DON'T ask any ride in tourist information at Chile Chico, they cheated our trust.<br /> <br /> Km12 : flat spot (-46.57669, -71.82779) can fit some tents at other side of a stream, the stream is flowing good and dry feet crossable by rock hopping.<br /> <br /> Km12.75 : viewpoint(-46.58294, -71.82549) of a valley with sky blue colour, super beautiful, don't miss it!<br /> <br /> Camp[14.1/923] : grassland spot, a small stream is flowing low beside it.<br /> <br /> Km16.6 : flat spot(-46.60658, -71.80980), have some covers can stay away from the wind tunnel in valley at north.(wind from north)<br /> <br /> After this spot, no more camping spot or flat spot have wind protection until camp[32.6/1300]. Wind is crazy at the plateau.<br /> <br /> Camp[32.6/1300] : tiny wind protection from a rock wall, just fit 1 tent for it. Better wind protection nearby camp[42.9/713].<br /> <br /> Short cut CC from 38.2 to 42.7, it doesn't save much time, better follow GPX track, MR is completely finished and super easy to walk. It also walk beside some beautiful meadows that are nice to camp(no wind protection).<br /> <br /> Camp[42.9/713] : spots at a wet muddy road. Better spots nearby at (-46.79053, -71.91127), dry and 2-3 sides wind protection by bushes, can fit many tents there.<br /> <br /> Didn't see any cars going south at morning, so road walking all the way to entrance. 11k CLP for entrance fee, 6k CLP for camping fee, total 17k CLP, can pay by credit card.<br /> <br /> Camp,$,bridge,lake[53.3/852] : El Silencio campsite and Lago Jeinemeni. This campsite is a little bit crown with car camping, and the lake is amazing beautiful!<br /> <br /> HIGHLY RECOMMEND walking on the shore of lake from km56.65 - km57.75(from the junction of viewpoint, to the point that trail met the beach), easy, dry feet and excellent beautiful!<br /> <br /> Bridge[58.9/856] : after this bridge, follow south route ( {35-S} &amp; RP{35} ) to Lago Verde, then take the bridge(-46.86056, -72.07982) to cross the river. Lastly follow {35-D} rejoin RR. Dry feet.<br /> <br /> Lake [59.2/840] : Laguna Esmeralda. Didn't find any camping possibilities. Better views at trail.<br /> <br /> Refuge[61.7/856] : beside Laguna Esmeralda, a super blue lake. This refuge is not a cabin, just a shelter with 3 side wooden wall, good wind protection, but I'm not sure about heavy rain, because i saw many holes at the wall. Better camping spot with views beside the lake(not much wind protection).<br /> <br /> Ford start/end[63.4/896] : late season, all the way easy dry feet crossing, walking on log or rock hopping.<br /> <br /> Pass[64.5/1132] : no camping spot here, the spot shown on OSM, is already covered by many blowdowns. Nice viewpoint(-46.84093, -72.10324) of Lago Verde just SW of here.<br /> <br /> Ford[66.1/877] : better river crossing point at (-46.83741, -72.11991), there is a sign at another side of river. Below knee, easy.<br /> <br /> Ford[66.4/859] : river breaks into some parts, below knee, easy.<br /> <br /> Refuge[68.1/867] : shelter with 2 walls, nice weather protection. Refuge with 4 walls, but huge air tunnel at ceiling, so just wind protection. A sign book inside refuge too. Camping spots at here can fit lot of tents, mostly have some wind protection, but not much, because trees are too tall, and just 1 spot behind a blowdowns have well wind protection.<br /> <br /> Fords[68.4/869] - [71.6/905] : lot of river crossing, some trail can go around the river, but not much help and they are overgrown, so finally you need to be crossing and crossing then wet feet.<br /> <br /> Km74.7 : camping spot(-46.87204, -72.17630), can fit 3-4 tents with some weather protection by the forest. Have a shelter made by logs here, can squat 1-2 hiker inside for emergency, but not much help, because it is really small and too many holes on it.<br /> <br /> Km75.7 : camping spot(-46.87886, -72.16954), can fit 3-4 tents with some weather protection by the forest.<br /> <br /> Km78.9 :camping spot(-46.90498, -72.15591), and some more spots nearby, total can fit 4-6 tents with some weather protection by the forest.<br /> <br /> Ford[79.3/846] : Below knee, easy.<br /> <br /> Refuge[81.0/819] : no refuge, no shelter. Camping spot with views can fit 2 tents but no protection.<br /> <br /> Ford[82.6/805] : Below knee. Camping spot(-46.93485, -72.15869), can fit 2 tents with not much weather protection by the bushes, before the crossing.<br /> <br /> Km83.3 : camping spot(-46.94089, -72.15600), can fit 2-3 tents with some weather protection by some trees. Also one spot at south but not much protection.<br /> <br /> Km84.7 : camping spot(-46.95268, -72.15123), can fit 1 tent with some weather protection by some brushes.<br /> <br /> Km88.6 : camping spot(-46.98397, -72.15988), can fit 2 tents with weather protection by some trees and brushes. Flat area nearby can fit many tents with good views but no protection.<br /> <br /> Bridge[90.9/635] : classic bridge! Worth to take a look and walk on it!<br /> <br /> We took {35-J} instead RR here, because less puds, also walking on a plateau looks like more scenic.<br /> <br /> {35-J} Km5 : viewpoint(-47.03902, -72.19077) of the whole valley, very beautiful! Don't miss it!<br /> <br /> Camp,$,refuge[98.9/379] : Casa de Piedra campground. Have some shelters with picnic table for cooking, and a refuge with hot(warm) shower, toilet and some tables for meals. If you decide to camp here, please expect sleep late. This spot mostly are campers and tourists. They'll speaking and cooking until 10 or 11 or midnight.<br /> <br /> You can take a shuttle form here to Cochrane(30k CLP per person) or Camping Los West Wind(15k CLP per person)<br /> <br /> Time schedule: 9am Cochrane - 9.45am Museo, 10am Museo - 10.15am Camping Los West Wind, 10.30am Camping Los West Wind - 10.45am Museo, 12noon Museo - 1pm Camping Casa de Piedra, 4.30pm Camping Casa de Piedra - 5.15pm Museo, 5.30pm Museo - 6.30pm Cochrane<br /> <br /> Start from here, the trail is not maintained anymore, but still in good condition.<br /> <br /> Km103 : Lago Gutierrez, amazing beautiful lake, have some minutes i thought back to Norway again.<br /> <br /> Km103.85 : a small stream(-47.07911, -72.22738) flowing good with clear water, easy to collect.<br /> <br /> Pass[110.8/1126] : some fresh snow remain at here.<br /> <br /> Km112.45 : emergency camping spot(-47.10718, -72.28893), the ground is a little soft, but is flat and some wind protection, can fit many tents here.<br /> <br /> Km116.9 : Laguna Guagua. Camping spot(-47.13350, -72.30170), can fit 2-3 tents with some wind protection from west by bushes, SW of the spot have a side trail to lake. BUT, DON'T go for {35-02A} back to RR, it is completely CC and BB with spike plants, not fun. Better CC climbing up to RR from camping spot directly.<br /> <br /> Refuge,X[118.3/716] : no refuge, it is collapsed. The woods becomes a super small shelter here. If you lost your backpack, crawling inside maybe can save your life. Otherwise just for photos snapping function.<br /> <br /> From here to km125.0, you will walk beside 3 lakes, didn't see any wind protection camping spots there, but if you have good luck at a no wind night, you maybe find some spots at the last lake.<br /> <br /> Km125.0 : road walking start. Flat spot with some wind protection on the road can fit 1-2 tents at here too.<br /> <br /> Km125.9 : junction of RR and {35-L}, because the road is too easy to walk and follow, we completely miss this junction and walk a long time then realised RR is a different way, so we keep going on {35-L} and rejoin RR later.<br /> <br /> {35-L} km3.6 : a small stream(-47.17383, -72.37063) flowing good with clear water, easy to collect. Flat spot can fit 1-2 tents after the crossing.<br /> <br /> We walked the whole way{35-L} and rejoin RR at km130.8.<br /> <br /> RR Km132.4 : flat spot(-47.17220, -72.42231) can fit 1 tent at the end of lake. With some wind protection by forest.<br /> <br /> Camp[136.9/162] : can fit 2-4 tents with weather protection by forest, but if the wind is come from south, it is not much help. Excellent views on the beach.<br /> <br /> Camp[137.6/173] : can fit 2-3 tents with wind protection from east and north by trees. Excellent views on the beach. Just beside a port, looks like can take a boat to here.<br /> <br /> Km138.3 : camping spot(-47.20064, -72.46718), total can fit 3-5 tents at several stage, some spots have good wind protection by trees and bushes.<br /> <br /> From here to km146.0, lot of up and down beside some cliffs (maybe slippery in rain), but it is a trail with lot of amazing views, we are really enjoyed it.<br /> <br /> Km139.77 : a tiny stream(-47.20803, -72.47813) flowing good with clear water, easy to collect.<br /> <br /> Km141.73 : side trail to viewpoint(-47.21986, -72.49280) and cell service for Movistar.<br /> <br /> Km142.15 : flat grassland(-47.22231, -72.49623) can fit 4 tents just beside the beautiful lake, some wind protection by valley itself.<br /> <br /> X[143.9/244] : cell service for Entel(-47.23128, -72.50780)<br /> <br /> Km146.0 : RN Tamango campground, some shelters for cooking, large arae for camping, hot shower and trash can, 7k CLP per person.<br /> <br /> Km146.5 : the last flat spot(-47.24353, -72.53067) before Cochrane, some wind protection by brushes, can fit 1-3 tents with nice sunrise, you can arrive there by a clear trail beside ranger station, the trail is shown on OSM map.<br /> <br /> Cochrane : <br /> <br /> Lot of accommodation, markets and restaurants, and 2 outdoor gear shops.<br /> <br /> 230g gas canisters, power bank, chargers and tent stakes at Supermercado Melero(-47.25386, -72.57414).<br /> <br /> Sunglasses, micro spikes, snow shoes and some clothes at La Ruta 7 Patagonia(-47.25591, -72.57320).<br /> <br /> Sleeping bag, tents, boots(just 1 trail runner), socks, base layer, warm clothes and pants at Kalfu Patagonia(-47.25474, -72.57018).<br /> <br /> Clothes at Vansy(-47.25417, -72.57431), not a outdoor gear shop, but some sporty clothes and pants for a low price at here.<br /> <br /> Some campground and lot of indoor stays at Cochrane. The only hostel is Camping, Refugio ,Cabaña y Hostel(a long name) (-47.25446, -72.57497). And most of the rooms here include breakfast(without kitchen), 20k CLP per person. The only one we found with kitchen(but no breakfast) is Casa Raíces Hostal(-47.25113, -72.56848).<br /> <br /> Bus terminal to Coyhaique, Villa Cerro Castillo, Villa O' Higgins, Chile Chico, Puerto Rio Tranquilo and Tortel at (-47.25137, -72.57317).<br /> <br /> Tourist information(-47.25439, -72.57283).<br /> <br /> I recommend La Martica(-47.25112, -72.57266), local restaurant with nice food in a good price.<br /> <br /> * '''24-Feb-17 to 2024-Feb-22 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR, Variant L / Tomáš &amp; Natalie'''<br /> <br /> There were several hitchhiker groups out of Chile Chico so we took a taxi (990250968) to the settler at 8.9 for 10,000 CLP. Nobody was there, but there is a locked gate so it would not be possible to take a taxi further up. For pedestrians, there is an unlocked door. One can shortcut the first zigzag of the road thereafter and several others, it is open terrain. We camped in a dry lakebed (for windprotection) about 1 km after the first pass. Despite strong wind in Chile Chico and a forecast of wind gusts over 60km/hr, the night was largely peaceful with just one hour of wind. The plateau has terrain features and it seemed to us it is not that impossible to camp there, but maybe we were just lucky.<br /> <br /> The next day was like a safari, lots of animals and little wind. Pawprints on lake bed turned out to be a big dog and not a puma according to the rangers though. Going down from the plateau, it is possible to shortcut the GPX track to the SE and end near the puesto at 34.6. Trail starts above the puesto but is not so easy to follow and the GPX does not seem to be the most precise. It is advisable to take a CC shortcut to bridge at 42.7 as mentioned by Adrien Kunzli: about 1 km before the end of MR 38.2, veer right aiming for a black outcrop on the mountain on the other side of the valley and you will pop out above the bridge. We got lucky and got a ride at around 16:30 to the parkoffice. We paid 15000 CLP only for one person - they forget to charge the other one. They were friendly and told us the weather forecast. We did not get any receipt or pass though. Walked two hours to campsite Raleigh, there were two other foreign tents there. The new trail is technically the old &quot;laguna Esmeralda&quot; (RP 59.2) trail with a new bridge, so keep left to avoid fords, combined with variant D it seems preferable to RR even when not intending to camp [November 20224: this is not RR].<br /> <br /> From Raleigh, the first fords were possible to cross without fording thanks to logs and stones. The next valley is indeed beautiful, especially Lago Verde. There were about ten tents but no people near the refugio at 67.6. Tomáš tried to go around the second fords through the forest on the left and he eventually reached variant F, which exists but partially goes through a marsh and does not avoid fording anyway: it is pointless, just ford. Initially the start of the fords seem like a marsh, go around it from the right through the river, it is a nice riverbed thereafter. Rio Aviles was kneedeep and ok. Ford 71.2 is mighty - go downstream about 200 m, it splits and is easy there (there is a cairn in the middle). We camped at a camping site marked on OSM about 2 km further down from there. There is a place for one tent about 20 m from a creek. Very nice spot. Having a headstart to people starting from the park office, we only met three groups of foreigners all day.<br /> <br /> Variant J does not avoid any substabtial fords, water at 96.1 is easily jumpable and the river is bridged on both J and RR. <br /> Casa de Piedra is a nice spot with resident guanacos (and some tourists). Tomáš had a hot shower! We were asked for our passes - we explained we were not given them and it was ok. We went on. The Siete Lagunas trail is surprisingly in a rather good shape. It is little used but not much overgrown and generally easy to follow, needing a GPS only occasionally. Tomáš liked it tremendeously. Did not meet anyone on it.<br /> <br /> We slept near the pass next to a marsh. It rained most of the night but stopped before morning, luckily the trail was not too wet the next day. The first stream after the pass is very weak (not flowing if not raining?); it flows from the marsh by which we slept and is about 500 m after the pass waypoint. The next stream is about 1 km further down, it had more water. After that, water is only in the lakes. Tomáš cleaned a lot of the logs and branches from the trail, if you can spare a moment, please do likewise. We could not see any traces of option 02A or option K. We took option L near km 129.9 - we were confused by other reports because we thought people were taking the much longer part of L that follows a MR. RR leaves the Siete lagunas trail at the end of option L after 29 km. The trail probably goes to Valle Chacabuco. [OSM has Variant F and L marked as &quot;Sendero 7 Lagunas&quot;, this is wrong. Variant K looks to be indeed CC and variant L looks to be an unnecessary detour on a MR (overgrown and with logs at first when RR is on this MR - when you cross the MR again after four km on RR, it no longer looks that overgrown). November 2024: OSM has been corrected.] On L, one can easily take a CC shortcut from top of the hill to MR. We found two shortcutting trails to the MR. We met Daniel who was coming back from cutting invasive pines with his chainsaw, he had a friendly and humorous attitude. Camped at the lake at the wind protected camp.<br /> <br /> The night brought surprisingly strong wind and rain - try to camp deeper in the forest. We followed a faint trail tracing the shore of the lake instead of CC 137.6, in the middle of it there was an apple tree that will be ripe in March probably. Did not meet anybody until the viewpoint above the lake that says &quot;signal Movistar&quot; (we have Entel, which has a sign 2 km further on but it did not work, just wait one hour until Cochrane proper), from then on, there were daytrippers. CONAF had a lunch break so we passed unnoticed. Cochrane as a town is ok.<br /> <br /> Nat's Notes:<br /> The Bulk shop in Chile Chico (Güenta Emporio) is not open on weekends, they have weird hours and sometimes need to call before; Andrea +56 9 9540 1708. I recommend the hospedaje Rio Baker, 15mil pp which is the general price here. <br /> The plateau <br /> - Besides Descabezado, this area was one of the most visually interesting sections for me. I haven't had that much fun taking photos in a long time. At first the guanacos scared me a little, I felt like I was surrounded by ninjas, eventually I warmed up to them. A good place for a zoom camera.<br /> -For me the going was slow, besides being tired and equipped with rash-covered feet I found the navigation tricky. I kept aiming for the wrong pass because there are many rolling hills. However I found things got better near and after pass km28.8.<br /> - Water in the plateau is still frequent. If one wants to camp as close to the plateau as possible (SOBO) I suggest this spot:-46.62397, -71.81920. Also there is a nice grassy and fairly sheltered spot near water km23.9: -46.66437, -71.84393 and a big flat grass patch at water 30.6. There is a huge boulder for wind protection if needed here; -46.65469, -71.83997. In the valley bottom near the puesto, there are less/no camping spots. I did not like all the dogs at puesto 34.6, so I purposely avoided it. <br /> - When finishing the plateau section, I filled up on water at the last stream that wasn't the main river here: -46.72842, -71.89633, as I didn't think we would get a hitch to the park office.<br /> <br /> Sendero Avilés<br /> - The descent from pass km64.5 is nothing, just a bit of dirt dust that makes traction hard. The only part on this track that I would worry about safety-wise (apart from the two river crossings) is a new steep traverse 2ish kms after pass km74.1: -46.88996, -72.16428. I decided to throw my bag down 5m instead of walking down the &quot;free fall&quot;. (Alternatively you could ford rio Aviles twice.)<br /> - The series of mini river crossings were all fine, there is a nice water source before pass km74 in the forest once you finish all the fords, it comes from a waterfall not far away. <br /> - Near the end I took Variant J bcs I thought it avoided a river crossing (no rivers to cross but RR doesn't either). If you do this option I recommend still going to the hanging bridge at the X of J and RR bcs it is a fun and unique bridge!<br /> - Cassandra at Case Piedra was nice and easy to get along with.<br /> <br /> Siete Lagunas<br /> - The water we took from the marsh was probably the grossest water I have had to drink, lots of algae and oil, I filtered and boiled. (The second stream was much better.)<br /> - As noted the trail is not hard to follow at this moment, only a handful of times I lost it. That being said it could be because we were walking near the end of the season and therefore it was obvious where ppl had been walking (pushed down grass), I think it would be a lot harder at the beginning of the season. Another bonus was that most spikees were gone.<br /> - Near to camp 136.9, there is a water source. It is at the end of the beach, 200-300m west of camp. There are two or three more water sources on the first part of the trail but after the look-out, there are no more.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-6 to 2024-Feb-11 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + option L / Yannick &amp; Nolwenn &amp; Tess &amp; Lukas'''<br /> <br /> - Trail condition : really nice overall // the trail is sometimes overgrown and easy to loose from km 113,5 to km 122, so just keep an eye on the gps<br /> - Water : easy to find plenty of rivers and lagunas<br /> - Camping spot : we camped at km 32,6 and it was a bad idea, too exposed and we got snow and a lot of wind during the night, would really recommend to go down more // we camped near the lago Gutiérrez at km 106,15 there is place for 2 tents<br /> - Weather : windy, sunny, snow, rain <br /> - River crossing : easy<br /> - Resupply : in Chile Chico (a bulk shop just opened in front of the camping Nandu) // in Cochrane everything you need<br /> - Entrance fee : for park Patagonia 11 000 pesos per pp + 6 000 pesos for camping per pp<br /> - Overall : really nice section, we were happy to encounter 3 huemuls<br /> <br /> *'''2024-Jan- 18 to 2024-Jan-24/ 7 days/hiking/SOBO/ 35/ 35-02a( from 47.1567357S, 72.4154650W)/ 35-02 ( from S 47.12123, W 072.46099) /35-03 ( from S 47.11712 W072.48494)/35-03c ( from Laguna El Cangrejo)/35-03d/ 35 from Lago Cochrane/ Paulina'''<br /> Long, beautiful tour in Parque Patagonia, as I mixed different variants, it allowed me to see all the divercity of the park. Almost no people, a lot of guanacos, a really beautiful section!<br /> <br /> Day 1 The way from Chile Chico to Lago Jeinimeni. I was prepared to walk all the way, but as some cars stoped and it was a very hot day, I took a lift ( I have walked maybe 8 km in total ). I stopped at 46.7304997S, 71.7415019W, to do the loop of about 7 km in the first reserve of Jeinimeni. The entrance is paid 6000 CLP but the ticket is valid later, at the main entrance at Lago Jeinimeni ( the next 2 days). It's really worth to walk on this place. The rock formations are amasing. It takes about 3h and you can leave your backpack at the park reception After that, another car stoped and took me to the main entrance of Lago Jeinimeni. The views from the road are really scenic, it's a pity not to walk some parts of this road, lucky my car was old and slow so I could admire the views.<br /> <br /> Day 2 From Lago Jeinimeni to the refugio and camping at 46.8406732S, 72.1409082W. The first part of the trail to Portezuelo La Gloria is rather easy, it stays mostly in the valley, the ascent to the pass is not very difficult and rather short. On the way down from the pass there are some steeper moments and there are some places where the trail is distroyed by a kind of stone avalanche so you have to find your way thru the stones. Amasing views on Laguna Verde. Once you are down at Laguna, there are some fords, when I was there, the highest one was till knees.<br /> <br /> Day 3 A lot of fords all the way in Valle Hermoso, there were all easy to cross. Also, you can't clearly see the path but anyway, you have to follow the valley. Sometimes there are signes so you will always find the way. This day, the only a bit more difficult place you can find around S 46.89032 W 072.16461. Going SOBO it's a steep descent, it's very short but steep. Can be dangerous after the rain. Later the views on the canyon on Aviles river became really amasing, it was for me one of the most beautiful part in all the park.<br /> <br /> Day 4/5 I had 6 km till Casa de Piedra ( there was a tiny spot for one tent with a stream at this distance) and I started the part Siete Lagunas. At Casa de Piedra I asked the ranger if the trail was walkable and he confirmed that it was ok and I could go. But, as the others already mentioned , the trail is not maintained anymore. Till the end of Laguna Gutierrez it's rather easy to find the way without gps, but later, there are some places where the path is not at all visible. With trail on gps is not very difficult to find the way, but without this, can be very difficult to follow this trail. There are also a lot of fallen trees, some BB. If they do nothing, I think in 2 years the path will completely disapear. But it's a beautiful trail, wild, you meet nobody, a pure and intacked nature. Just take enough water, the first day of this sendero the water was at Lago Gutierrez and later about 1h after the pass.<br /> <br /> Day 6 Instead to continue on RR I went to Valle Chacabuco to discoverer also this sector. I started with the trail Lagunas Atlas. Well marked, beautiful, various views, it was the most frequented part of the park, but still I can't say it was crowded. Beautiful camp on Laguna el Cangrejo.<br /> <br /> Day 7 The views on Lago Cochrane are really amasing. The landscapes and the vegetation are in this part different than before.<br /> <br /> To conclude, I did not encontered really difficult places on this long hike. As I walked through all sections of the park, it allowed me to see all the divercity of the area. Except maybe 3 h in Valle Chacabuco, I did not really meet people in the park. It was a beautiful section! In Cochrane, you will find a lot of shops where you can find everything you need for next section. There are several campings ( I liked a lot Camping Lorenzo not crowded, nice place to cook with gaz, friendly owner, spots with twin protection<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-28 to 2024-Jan-04 / 8 days / RR / SOBO / Roshi'''<br /> <br /> I hitchhiked from Chile Chico to X{35}[8.1/505] and did not see the settler at El Ciprés. It was very windy and I decided to cross the plateau at midday which was maybe not the best idea. The cross country I found very challenging and the extreme head wind across the plateau was in relentless. Nevertheless I thoroughly enjoyed the amazing landscape and the challenge, although a less windy day or starting earlier would have made it more enjoyable. I camped close to Camp 32.6/1300 at a dry spot and the next day followed the fence down to the road and walked to the Park entrance at Jenimeni. The park rangers told me of an alternative route to the start of the Avilés trail to Casa de Piedra and gave me some maps and info, they were very friendly. I paid 3000 pesos for park entry. I camped at Valle Hermoso which lives up to its name and then did a day hike to the glacial lake leaving my tent at the Refugio Valle Hermoso and following Estero Ventisquero or part of OH-CC-A {35-06} After packing up I then hiked a couple of kms down to a next campsite (there are a couple of established places to set up your tent on the way to Casa de Piedra). From Casa de Piedra I followed the Site Laguna's trail which was overgrown and difficult to follow and navigate and for me probably my least favourite part. The kms are marked but you really have to follow the GPS me there aren't many places to pitch if you don't feel like hiking anymore. I think going down into Chacobuco (which I had done previously) would have been nicer. I loved the Lago Cochrane and Tamango reserve the views and colours were amazing and the trails very easy to follow and not very busy. I got a lift into Cochrane halfway from the entrance but the road walk is not long anyway and I was not actively hitching. <br /> <br /> Annoyances were horse flies but I got good advice to &quot;out Zen&quot; them and to be honest once you let it go and enjoy the views and being in nature generally they are easy to deal with. Just don't stop between 2 and 8 PM ;) <br /> And from Jenimeni to Casa de Piedra is lots of river crossings so just accept wet feet :) and try do river crossings in the morning especially on hot days ( esp Avilés) Be safe and sensible obviously!<br /> I would have maybe even liked to stay longer on this part of the trail, there were lots of little day hikes and alternative routes I'd have loved to explore, but I didn't have enough food. It's a beautiful part of the world, enjoy it! <br /> <br /> <br /> * '''From 2023-01-15 to 2023-01-19 // 5 days // Hiking // NOBO // VARIANT P + OPT3 + OPT3A + RR + VARIANT J + VARIANT I + VARIANT D + Sendero Laguna Esmeralda (no variant on that one yet) + RR // Quentin Clavel'''<br /> <br /> From Cochrane, I thought it was sad to go straight along the Lago Cochrane without checking what's going up there, and have a view over the vallee Chacabuco. So that's what I did. <br /> <br /> I just took the beginning of Variant P, you have to pass threw a gate saying &quot;no passar&quot; then you have to bifurcate to the option 3 (tamango) to reach the pass between vallée tamango and chacabuco. Very nice views. Then instead of going down into vallée Chacabuco, I went straight, and continue on the sendero de las siete lagunas, wich is an old track, sometimes hard to guess, so check the GPS, but mostly easy to folllow (you still have the mark every kilometers). <br /> <br /> Really loved the colours at the end of Lago guitterrez ! <br /> <br /> Main difficulties on the section are these horrible horseflies, and the no less terrible little spiky plants that stay sticks in your shoes and socks. <br /> <br /> Then you reach casa de piedras. I took the variant J to don't have to put my crocs for the river crossing (yeah, I'm a lazy walker aha). <br /> <br /> Then follow the river until the vallée hermoso, wich lives up to its name. And at this time it's just a mix between walking and crossing rivers. No need to ask, I putted my crocs on aha ! <br /> <br /> The pass up to Lago Verde was steep but the view so outstanding and the colours .. same amazing colours on Lago jeinemeni ! <br /> <br /> Didn't stayed at, but the Raleigh camp is very nice if you may choose a camp around ! <br /> <br /> Second part of NP was CC, and that was so cool ! Just have the directions and go straight to this point. Passing from mountains to others, surrounded by an unnumerable number of curious guanacos ! <br /> <br /> Hardest part is to deal with the strong wind during the ascend and at the highest point. And the descent is quite unstable, stay close to the GPX tracks, I tried to shorttrack but it led me down to slippery slopes, so I had to backtrack to find again the GPX. <br /> <br /> Then it's 15 km down to reach Chile Chico (8km on the asphalt). Settler wasn't angry against me and saluate me kindly when I passed threw his land.<br /> <br /> <br /> Very nice stretch. Very diversificate, great landscapes, wildlife. I loved it ! <br /> <br /> And about the entrance fees, It was not my intention, but I haven't paid for as I entered by variant P which is not a porper enter. And haven't seen any guardaparque at all. <br /> <br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''2023-Dec-30 / 1 day / Packrafting / SOBO / Option 10 C / Tom Pieper'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> <br /> I attempted this option as an alternative starting point for section 36G. Hitchhiked to the bridge of Carreterra Austral over Rio Chacabuco. I scouted rapid {35-10C} [2.3/121] from 100 m above and it looked feasible. This was not true when I approached on the river after entering just before the bridge. The rapid was impassable (late afternoon) which brought me into serious troubles. The canyon is pretty steep here and there is no way back. It was not fun to climb the steep slopes cliffs to escape the 100 m deep canyon. Its really dangerous. The rapid is pretty hard to investigate from above. I would recommend to only go later in the season and only in the morning or at least with company.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-21 / 8 day / Hiking + &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / SOBO / RR + Option 10 + Old and new tracks to Administration Parque Patagonia Valle Chacabuco / Tom Pieper'''<br /> <br /> Most have been described by Kris and Stina. The plateau and the entire track is awesome. After the kind Arriero at the puesto {35} [15.8/1075] (actually its his house) I found it a little bit tricky to find a good route first but then just ascended and found a nice cross country route. Camped before the plateau. There are nice spots just before 1400 m, after that its just rocky until you descend to the Water {35} [23.9/1586]. Camp {35} [32.6/1300] was a little bit swampy. Found a better spot 300 m south. Try to be early at the road if you want to hitchhike. I was lucky and got the last car passing at 14.00 to the park at day. On the 25/12 the park entrance (but only the entrance) is always closed! Keep in mind if you come around christmas. At the park entrance you must disinfect your packrafting gear due to Didymo algae. I could not packraft lago jenimeni and verde due to wind but its still stunning. Between Water {35} [75.5/937] and Ford {35} [79.3/846] there is a approx. 3-4 steep bluff. I felt really uncomfortable with my heavy backpack as a lot of erosion happened to the steep ‘steps’. Maybe exploring an additional bush bashing route is feasible here. The ford was rather deep and could be a problem for shorter persons but I crossed in the evening, so in the morning it should be fine. Collapsed Refuge {35} [81.0/819] makes a nice camp spot. The other forts were fine. Stayed one night at Casa Piedra were I met Tobi and Fangwen and spend dinner and breakfast together the next day. CONAF first denied to packraft Rio Chacabuco due to conservation reasons, but after I mentioned that I came along all the track with my gear and rangers et sector jenimeni they were fine with me going on that river. The river is a bit unspectacular. I left at the River Out {35} [119.8/277] and I followed the old trail/road to Park Ranger, Refuge, Camp {35} [123.2/263]. There is a new picknick hut and I spend the night in there with a spectacular view of the valle chacabuco to the rims of campo hielo norte. The next day I continued the old track right side of the river (not in the GPT track files) until the bridge {35-10} [4.7/265]. Track is still in good conditions and occasionally used by the horses and guanacos there. A wonderful hike with massive views. I than continued on the CONAF trail (also not in the GPT track files) to Park administracion at Lodging $$$ {35-03} [1.9/340]. Would not recommend the restaurant. 65 $ for a 3 course meal but nothing fancy. Better spend for dinner in Cochrane. But for a post hike drink at the bar it is a lovely place and staff is kind. Also liked the museum and stayed the night at the campsite approximately 2 km away. The puma still seems to be there occasionally. Next day I hitchhiked out to Cochrane.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-18 to 2023-Dec-23/ 5.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Stiina &amp; Kris'''<br /> <br /> Got a taxi for the first 8 kilometers of the roadwalk. Nobody present at the farm where the dirtroad starts to go uphill, gates easy to get through, friendly dog. We hiked just 6km and made camp by a stream.<br /> <br /> The next day passed the puesto at km15.8, owner seemed friendly and waved. Slowly climbed up to the plateau, lots of water everywhere, very few snowpatches en route. Perfect day - not much wind. Saw lots of guanacos, hares, flamingos. Moving cross-country was ok throughout. Climbed a few barbed-wire fences. Finally found the dirt road, hiked to camp at km42.9.<br /> <br /> In the morning hitched a ride to the park entry with a ranger. We had no online booking as we didn't know when we'd arrive, they had us make one on site. Super friendly guys, said that there is currently fewer visitors than normally at this time. The route between Rio San Antonio crossing and Camp Raleigh has been changed, partially new trail built; follows mainly the Lago Esmeralda trail. There is now a brand new hanging bridge over Rio San Antonio right next to Camp Raleigh, avoiding all the needless crossings.<br /> <br /> After the camp there trail seems new in places, but then resorts to many rivercrossings again. The way up and down the Puertozuela La Gloria is steep and loose. After Lago Verde there are a million more crossings until you turn South. Here the trail is not much maintained, lots of fallen trees. The next 25km to Casa Piedra the trail is a bit harder to see at first but then gets much better. The guy (not a ranger) at Casa Piedra informed us that the Siete Lagos trail is closed but couldn't say why. It's definitely overgrown in parts, lots of fallen trees - need to keep track on the gpx at all times. After settler at km135.2 the trail has been recently maintained and bushes cut.<br /> <br /> For photos and stories, you can follow us on Instagram: @smallfootprint_bigadventures<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Mar-31 to 2023-Apr-06 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Option J / Martin &amp; Helena'''<br /> <br /> We enjoyed this section a lot, especially with all the beautiful autumn colors in early April and basically without people until the last part before Cochrane. PN Patagonia closed some sectors on the first Monday in April, so we were the last ones to get a permission and do this section ‘legally’. Be prepared for this if you want to do this part in April or later. The problem is they close Casa Del Piedra and probably won’t let you pass to that sector from Lago Jeinemeni, where the entrance stays open for longer time. Sneaking around the guards house early in the morning or just not be specific about your plans might work if needed, its very unlikely you would meet anyone on the way from the main entrance.<br /> <br /> Just like others we found the plateau between km 20-28 very very windy. Definitely don’t count with camping there. We found a good spot right after the secound pass, aprox. 500m down the hill where you can find a wind protected place. The descent down is a little slow but with nice views, guanacos, horses.. simply amazing. Once back on the road, it’s not too far to the PN entrance where we met a guard, but fortunately were able to get a permission as described above. The trail from Lago Jeinemeni was one of our favorites. All the fords were easy, but expect quite slow progress in the CC parts. We camped in a forrest at km 81 where is a destroyed refugio but still a good spot for camping. The rest of the trail to Casa Del Piedra is again straightforward and the landscape is somehow more dry. We didn’t cross the first bridge but went with the J option which turned out to be a good decision as we met a xx of guanacos that let us come really close to them. Closed and locked refugio still provides a good shelter, but when open it must be a perfect stop in the middle of this long section. Water was turned off as well but there is a stream behind the house.<br /> <br /> We spent the next night on the beach of Lago Gutierrez where is enough space to build a tent - bushes around the trail are otherwise very thorny and sharp. After the ascent to the pass was a good stream of water, probably the last place to safely take unfiltered water for the next couple of kms. The trail from there leads around all the lakes and is nice and easy. We spent the night in a refugio at km 134. This one was the only one standing from what we have seen and its a good shelter when it rains, however we decided to stay in our tent anyway. You can make fire inside. Closest water is actually the one in a lake uphill, the stream on the other side of the path was very dirty and hard to gather anyway.<br /> <br /> From there its a one more day until the finish with a good pace. We haven’t met the settler Daniel, but he’s definitely still living there. Beautiful beach of Lago Cochrane and from there we started to meet more and more tourists, doing just a day hike or some circuit around the lake - might be a good option as well in this beautiful region. The last kms felt a little long for us as we were looking forward to have some rest and enjoy all the fun in town. At the official campsite were a few people but no one asked us about anything. There are nice toilets and shower. From there its around 30m to Cochrane. Good to remember they celebrate Easter holidays in Chile as well, but we still managed to find some shop and bakery open.<br /> <br /> Contact: @martin_hanzelka @helenneka<br /> <br /> * '''12/03/2023 - 18/03/2023 / RR SOBO / Jakub+Veronika:'''<br /> <br /> Doing section 35 was due to closure of the Patagonia NP caused by heavy rains with helicopter rescue of several tourists from Valle Hermoso quite complicated, we did walk all we could in Tamango reserve and later (when it was opened) in Chacabuco valley. Be sure not to miss the museum. It's really worth it. The northern part was opened as the last one, that's why we've skipped it and hitchhiked back to Caretera. All paths in great condition. When going from Tamango to Chacabuco there's one suggestion:<br /> <br /> It seems that on RR (35, km 141) ends new 11km long track ”Huemules” which starts at the parking in Chacabuco valley on RP (35, km 132.5). That trail might be a nice alternative to RR (mud road) leading over private land of settler David Huemul.<br /> <br /> *8.02. - 05.03.23 / Anna &amp; Christopher / SOBO, Chile Chico - Cochrane<br /> <br /> We started in Chile Chico around 5 pm walking the first km on the road. After a while we got a ride to the Bahía Jara cross and camped a few hundred meters further near the street (we carried water from Chile Chico).<br /> <br /> The ascent to the plateau is mostly easy dirtroad walking and the last CC part easy to navigate. The whole stretch on the plateau until the street at km 41.5 we had extreme wind, which made walking super tiring and nearly blew us away a few times. We found a tiny and steep, but wind protected place to set up our tent at around km 28 in the ridge dug by the river. We had to get a bit inventive to set it up and to be able to sleep properly there. There were almost no other places that were protected by the wind until you get off the plateau. As almost all previous entries say, it's better to camp off the plateau. But it's really worth doing it because you can see Guanacos and flamingos on it :)<br /> <br /> When we reached the street at km 41.5 we were lucky and a car passed by a few minutes later, which brought us to the entrance of Parque Patagonia. We payed 15k CLP p.p. and walked to the camp Raleigh at Lago verde. There are some sheltered places to set up the tent, with an unfamiliar amount of people for the GPT. Lago Verde is beautiful though.<br /> <br /> The next day involves lots of river- and stream crossings and it started to rain not particularly heavy, but after some hours we were completely wet. Therefore the rivercrossing at km 82.6 was really hard for Anna (1,63 m) but we managed by inertlocking our arms and doing it step by step slowly. After that the trails get really good and you can walk way faster. We camped at the unofficial camp site at km 84.7.<br /> <br /> We had good weather the next day and the trail was really good until Lago Gutierrez. Up to the pass the trail gets a bit worse with some navigation issues, but you always find a good path again. As the others wrote there are only some tiny streams within the first km after the pass until the next Laguna, so we filled up our bottles there and camped somewhere in the forest soon afterwards once it started to rain again.<br /> <br /> The next day there were still not too much water sources and we fetched the first water at the first Laguna which wasn't super easy to access. The trail until Lago Cochrane wasn't in bad condition neither. We also took Option L, which follows the 'regular' siete lagunas trail. The stretch from Lago Cochrane until the Conaf office at the end of the lake is absolutely amazing with great views of one of the clearest lakes in the world. We camped at km 145.7 and took a bath in the lake.<br /> <br /> The last 8 km to Cochrane went super fast on an easy trail until Conaf and 4 km road walking to the town, so happily we could escape from the starting rain.<br /> <br /> * '''20 to 24 of February 2023 / Silke &amp; Hans / Loop - Fachinal -&gt; Chile Chico'''<br /> <br /> We didn't do the regular route, but read about an intresting loop starting in Fachinal and entering the normal route at Valley Hermoso. We then continued along the regular route to the entrance at Laguna Jeinimeni, and back to Chile Chico. The first 3 days from Fachinal we didn't see any other hikers, but it was pretty clear why. The trail was completely overgrown, full of fallen trees and a lot of the time there is no trail at all. But we managed our way through pretty good, and is was an awesome alternative to enter the Park. We recorded our GPX for others, waypointed some POI's and added some photo's to it: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/114121493<br /> <br /> DAY 1 / 18km / +740m /<br /> Although we heard of a bus to Fachinal from Chile Chico, nobody really appeared to know any information about it.. In the terminal the people we spoke said there were none. So we started hitchhiking the following morning. But after 3-4h of no luck we went back to the terminal, and all of a sudden there was a bus leaving at 11:30. 10.000 pesos pp, a little expensive but being unsuccesfull hitchhiking we took it. We had lunch at the turnoff, and starting hiking around 13:00. The first part is on a clear double track, but soons turns into a clear singletrack. We took the wrong intersection twice (waypointed on our GPX). We camped right before the first big river crossing. There is one steel cable, so if you bring a harness you could tiroller across. <br /> <br /> DAY 2 / 22km / +1100m /<br /> First up, we crossed the river. The water level didn't seem a lot lower than the day before, and at the deepest part it was about halfway our thighs. After taking another wrong intersection and backtracking, we reach the second river crossing. Again a steel cable is provided but the crossing was pretty straightforward, and the water level was only slighty above our knees. Just across the river is a an old cabin, and then short after a very new refugio (locked, used by a trekking agency). The trail gets super dense after this, climbs steeply on the mountain side and dissapears completely on numerous occasions. After the climb it flattens out, opens up and you reach a laguna. After the laguna it's the easiest to just follow the river bed down to the open valley floor (possible sheltered campsite in the forest). Follow the valley floor to another amazing laguna where you can camp near a second locked refugio.<br /> <br /> DAY 3 / 14km / +440m /<br /> We started the day with a side-trip to a mirador looking over the glacier high above. Takes about 1,5-2 hours return. We then packed up camp and headed for Valley Hermoso. You pass another beautiful laguna and follow the river down to the main valley. Lots of river crossing here. We camped at the Refugio Valley Hermoso, arriving earlier than expected. <br /> <br /> DAY 4 / 15km / +200m /<br /> Very short and easy daytrip to another laguna. About 3 hours return. We just chilled the rest of the day.<br /> <br /> DAY 5 / 36km / +830m /<br /> Final day along the normal route to the entrance of Laguna Jeinimeni. The day started off with some heavy rain for a couple of hours, but all the river crossings were still very doable. We arrived at the entrance around 13:00, and there was no sign of anybody leaving soon. So we decided to continue hiking untill we could find a ride along the way. We ended up hiking an extra 19km before finally a car was willing to take us along. There is an established campsite at the entrance for 3000 pesos pp.<br /> <br /> * '''19 to 24 of February 2023 / Will / SOBO, regular route'''<br /> <br /> Not too much to add on this one. I had a good time but the section felt long.<br /> <br /> On the way up to the first plateau there were a few somewhat sheltered places to camp past the puesto. I camped around km 19, just before the last steep climb up to the plateau. Lots of streams around there.<br /> <br /> None of the river crossings went above my knees, after a dry week.<br /> <br /> I liked the detour up to the Lago Jeinemeni mirador. I also took variant I out and back to a glacier lake, I'm less sure whether that was worth it. I couldn't find any real trail, it was nice easy cross country walking through the woods followed by some open rocky ground. The glacial lake was cool, but not as spectacular as some of the ones I've seen in other sections.<br /> <br /> I camped at the casa de piedras and took a luxurious warm shower. The ranger said you're supposed to pay at the office in valle Chacabuco, but since our route doesn't go there she just let me stay for free. She also said that sendero de siete lagunas (our route) was closed, but that I could do it since I had my gps and satellite communicator. She made it sound tough/dangerous though it turned out to be fairly quick trail.<br /> <br /> Not much water or campsites along the siete lagunas. There's a nice campsite at the tip of the pencil lake just after the (still intact!) refugio at 133.9.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Feb-12-19 / NOBO / RR + Option 35-L / Ondrej and Bara / Cochrane - Chile Chico / 7.5 days'''<br /> <br /> We really enjoyed this section! We went from Cochrane to Chile Chico. Our favourite parts were the descent through Valle Hermoso and the descent on the cross country section to Chile Chico. We spent 7.5 days on this section, taking a relaxed pace and including a half day break.<br /> <br /> We only had to pay 9,000 CLP per person entrance fee at the Cochrane park gate (sector Tamango). We then showed the pass three days later to a ranger at Casa de Piedras and he let us go. The final checkpoint for us was the CONAF park exit/entrance at Lago Jeinemeni. The ranger there didn’t want to see our pass at all, he just asked from where we hiked (we said Casa de Piedras).<br /> <br /> Some details: - Starting from Cochrane, the trail is easy walking up until km 144.9. As you leave Lago Cochrane, the trail is harder to follow. Fortunately this lasts only up to km 138, where the trail becomes easy to follow again. We camped next to the refuge on km133.9. The refuge has a good roof and can serve as an emergency shelter. There is no good water next to it though - we needed to climb the hill to the laguna to refill. - From roughly km 125 to km 99, the RR follows the old Siete Lagunas trail, which is not maintained anymore. Expect some fallen trees and slightly overgrown parts but the trail is beautiful and easy to navigate in general. - We took Option L to cut some overgrown road walking as recommended by others. We really liked it. - We camped next to the destroyed refuge at Laguna Guagua (km 118.3) and really loved the place - there is an amazing pebble beach at the laguna. - If you don’t want to camp at Casa de Piedras, there is a place for a small tent and a stream at roughly km 97 (-47.07463, -72.20439). We camped there. - The river crossings in Valle Aviles and Vale Hermoso were maximum to our knees. The deepest one was at Lago Verde (km 66.1). However, the river levels can change rapidly when it rains the days before - do check the weather. - We camped at the eastern shore of Lago Verde (km 61.7; campsite Raleigh) and really loved it - it has picnic tables and a spacious cooking/eating shelter. - We hitchhiked the part on the road between km 53 and 41.5. Few cars go by but the hitch was easy - we stopped the first car. - The cross country section from km 41.5 is very different from the rest - semi-desert like and lots of animals. We saw llamas, flamimgos, condors and hares (among sheep, cows and horses). - Between km 38 and 33 the path goes along a fence. We had to get over the fence once (we scrambled below it without problems). - If you are going NOBO, expect stunning views of the General Carrera Lake and Torres del Avelano when coming from the last pass (km 20.8) down to Chile Chico.<br /> <br /> A ranger in Casa de Piedras wanted to prevent us to walk the RR NOBO from Casa de Piedras to Valle Hermoso. He claimed that route is closed now as the rivers are too high to cross. To avoid conflict, we said that we will only do the “loop trail” which is basically the RR from Casa de Piedras up until the bridge where the RR joins Option J. The Option J is then used to return back to Casa de Piedras. When doing the loop, we met several hikers in the opposite direction who confirmed that all river crossings are fine. In light of this we decided to continue on the RR and indeed the deepest ford was to our knees. Therefore if faced with a ranger claiming that the rivers are too high, we suggest to start with the loop trail (rangers should be okay with that) and get more info on the river levels from the hikers going the opposite direction.<br /> <br /> *2023 last week January NoBo (6 days but could have very easily been done in less) / Helen and Craig + (Caro, Ali and Gabby)<br /> <br /> &gt;Such lovely camp sites. Beautiful places to stay the night the whole way around<br /> <br /> &gt;Very very easy trails. River crossing section isn't bad at all and the Valle hermosa lives up to its name.<br /> <br /> &gt;1st and last camp site particularly lovely<br /> <br /> &gt;Keep eyes peeled for pumas! I would have easily missed the sighting if I hadn't been looking the right way at the right time. They were super close. 10m or less away. Two cubs outside the refugio at casa peidra. Not where they are commonly seen in the park at all Aparently around west winds camp they are more commenly seen.<br /> <br /> &gt;Museum in the middle of the section worth checking out. Very visual and quite hard hitting environmental museum<br /> <br /> &gt; Can hitch easy enough to Chile Chico but leave last camp early in the morning. There's often a driver with a 4x4 who drives hikers in to the park and will take you back for 10,000p/p. Hikers who were a few hours behind us had no luck hitching as demand can often overtake spaces.<br /> <br /> * '''27 of January to 1 of February 2023 / Véronica &amp; Zach / GPT35 RR SOBO / 5.5 days '''<br /> <br /> Route: Chile Chico - Lago Jeinimeni - Valle Hermoso - Casa de Piedra - Lago Cochrane - Cochrane <br /> <br /> What a beautiful and diverse stretch of the GPT! I hiked half of this section with Zach, up to Casa de Piedras at km 98.9. We were unable to get a hitch out of Chile Chico, so we ended up walking the road to where the trail begins. No navigation issues, but the entire cross-country section to Río de las Nieves (waypoint at 42.7 km) is very exposed and was very windy when we crossed. We ended up camping at the water at 23.9 km, but the wind blew very strongly all night and I was worried it might take my tent. If you can, it is better to camp off this plateau unless the weather is calm. Lots of guanaco trails to follow :) <br /> <br /> At the CONAF office at km 53.0, we each paid 9,000 clp for entry to the national park, plus 6,000 clp for passage/camping along the trail to Casa de Piedras in the Valles Hermoso and Aviles. Beautiful trail the whole way, popular and well-maintained, with cairns and markers to follow. There is an awesome shelter and camping area with picnic tables on the eastern shore of Lago Verde, at the end of Option D. In my opinion it was nicer than the popular refugio in Valle Hermoso (km 68.1) that everyone talks about. <br /> <br /> We had no issues with fords, except the one at km 82.6 which flows into Río Aviles. It was the end of a warm sunny day, so the flow was quite high and strong. Had I been on my own I would have camped on the north side and waited till morning to cross. However, this time I was able to cross by linking arms with Zach as he is much taller than me and was more stable in the current. <br /> <br /> At Casa de Piedras, Zach and I parted ways as he wanted to packraft down the Río Chacabuco. The ranger at the Casa told me the Sendero de las Siete Lagunas (which begins at km 99.5) was no longer maintained. This is true, there were stretches in the desertlike brush that were hard to follow, and I checked the GPS frequently. Generally it was better when the trail went into wooded areas. I also found this trail to be dry — the only water I found was the water from the lagunas and a tiny trickle about a kilometer south of the pass. Lots of spiky plants that get stuck in your socks and shoes. I took Option L to cut out some overgrown minor road walking. It's sad that this trail is being neglected and left to be swallowed up by nature, because otherwise it is quite scenic. <br /> <br /> The horse trail that goes from the puesto of Daniel Huemul (km 143.3) to Lago Cochrane was also rough and overgrown. Everything gets easier once you reach Lago Cochrane though, nice, maintained trails all the way to Cochrane with beautiful places to camp along the lake. <br /> <br /> * '''GPT35 / Yannic &amp; Mirjam / 2022-Dec-13'''<br /> <br /> Much is already detailed below, so we will keep it short <br /> <br /> 1 day: from Chile Chico to the entrance of the National Park. We camped one night before the pass at S 46.61639 W 71.81632. Water right next to the camp. Pass is very windy.<br /> <br /> 2 days: from the National Park to the Refugio. Nice refugio with small house where you can make a fire inside to dry things. From the Refugio to Casa Piedra is possible in one day. But it is a long day with many kilometres.<br /> <br /> 2.5 days: Casa Piedra to Cochrane. Leaving Casa Piedra, after a few hundred metres the trail leaves the Minor Road and enters the trail (where there is a large stone marker). The trail is officially closed and partly in bad condition. There are many fallen trees on the trail, some of it is overgrown and not completely clear. We therefore checked the GPS regularly. We took OH-TL-V{35-L}, which saves a few kilometres of (overgrown) minor road.<br /> We spent one night at Laguna Guagua (Refugio is completely destroyed) and one at Lago Cochrane.<br /> When we left the national park, no one was at the office. We therefore simply went through...<br /> <br /> * '''GPT35 Variant P, Option 3, 3C, 3D / Meylin Ubilla, Jan Dudeck / 2022-Dec-12 and 13 / 1.5 days'''<br /> <br /> While waiting in the village Cochrane for our friends to catch up, we did a little 1.5 day hike higher up next to Lago Cochrane that we visited at least 3 times by packraft in past years. For the first time this year we waked with a light backpack without packrafting gear.<br /> <br /> We took Variant P eastbound that slowly climbs on a gravel road to an altitude of 500 m and then continues as a panorama trail in this altitude.<br /> <br /> Apparently, this is not authorized access to Parque Patagonia (Sector Tamango) and two gates need to be climbed but there was nobody to be seen on this route. The normal access to the park is down next Rio Cochrane and Lago Cochrane.<br /> <br /> Nearly the entire route was scenic and worth the effort.<br /> <br /> The settler “El Húngaro” apparently sold the land and became part of the national park. There is an open building that might be used as a refuge in case of emergency but camping is probably more comfortable.<br /> <br /> The refuge at {35-P} [4.0/501] is collapsed but camping is pleasant on this pasture.<br /> <br /> The trail section OH-TL-V {35-03} [0.0+5.2] is not maintained for several years making this route inconvenient to walk. The route south of both lakes is easy walking.<br /> <br /> As long as Parque Patagonia does not challenge hikers to make a full traverse from Cochrane to Chile Chico it is prudent to take the official route which is the current regular route and pay the entrance fee near Cochrane when hiking northbound.<br /> <br /> But should longer multi-day traverses be denied, then it might be less bothersome to take Variant P which avoids the entrance.<br /> <br /> Packrafters can travel east and westbound on Lago Cochrane and will not pass any park entrance.<br /> <br /> * '''Alice &amp; Florian / 4 to 10 November-2022 / Regular Hiking Northbound'''<br /> <br /> Here's our story of our GPT35. We really enjoyed this section, it is really diverse, beautiful landscapes and we saw heaps of animals. <br /> <br /> As we wanted to do the trail in the northbound direction, we took the bus from chile chico to Cochrane, arriving in chile chico from argentina from the south (border o'higgins closed...). It tales 4 hours and leaves on sunday at 14 (return Monday 7 Am), Monday 16 (return Tuesday 7 AM),Wednesday and Friday 7 Am (return 16).<br /> <br /> We took the option north of Cochrane because we were not sure if they would allow us to sleep in the tamango reserve. But, indeed you have to pass a no entry sign, a gate and a sign saying that entering the park that way is prohibited so we do not recommend it when it is written on the conaf website that it is allowed to sleep in tamango section.<br /> <br /> We took the sendero de los huemules and slept at camp 1 waypoint. There was plenty of water at that time and a beautiful view.<br /> <br /> After that we took the option OH-TL-V 35-P to avoid going downhill. The entry of this trail is about 150m before what is indicated on the GPT so be aware. I don't think the trail is an official one from the park so you have to fight your way through some bushes. But apart from that, it is clear. Then we joined the regular route, which since the 2022 version does follow the siete lagunas trail. You will join the siete lagunas trail at the kilometer 11 more or less. We then camped around the km 13 of the 7 lagunas trail. <br /> <br /> We found water just before climbing at the pass at S47°06.0856' W072°17.592' and there is more at the top. However, it is true that it is drier on the other side of the pass, so if you are going Southbound, pack enough water from Lago Gutierrez to climb the pass. <br /> <br /> We spent the third night at casa de Piedra where you have all facilities (electricity, hot shower, kitchen). Unfortunately for us they were on strike so they wouldn't allow us to go further on the trail. We did anyway as going out to jeiminini or through the road to chacabuco would take the same time. <br /> By the way various national parks - including Torres del Paine were on strike at the moment. <br /> <br /> The second part in the aviles valley is really clear, the trail is really nice and easy and with a lot of water available. Exiting the casa de piedra you should take the option OH-TI-V 35-J instead of the regular route, it will save you 600 m and two river crossings, and the view is similar. Starting at km 20, you will have to reduce your pace because the trail is busy with a lot of fallen trees, bushes and rocks. Between the km 22 and 23 of the valle aviles trail, the trail has been swept away by the river this winter so you have to cross the river two more times to go around. The kilometers indications disappear more or less after the pass, at km 25. <br /> <br /> After that you enter the valle Hermoso. We camped at the waypoint 17/Camp Valle Hermoso but we do not recommend it. It was really small and close to the river, so if there is a sudden level rise because of heavy rain or a flooding because of a glaciar outburst (GLOF), you might get wet... Better sleep st the small caban near km23 if you don't think you will reach the refugio in valle Hermoso.<br /> <br /> Once you reach Lago Verde, follow the GPT track and not the trail that leads to the lake, or you will have to turn back. After the pass it's more river crossings but you can save some kilometers in the river bed by taking the option OH-TI-V 35-E and then OH-TI-V 35-D until the rio jeimenini (the first part of the option OH-TI-V 35-D does not exist anymore). We did not have any trouble to cross the Rio between the 2 lakes even though we were in the middle of the afternoon. It was about thigh deep for me but I'm tall. <br /> <br /> After that it's really easy to the Parc entrance. We went back to Chile Chico walking on the road instead of taking the cross country option, because0 there were still snow on the mountain. The first part is still pretty until the intersection, once you enter the valley of the Rio it is a bit more monotonous. Halfway there is an access to an annex of the national park, to go see the Cueva de las manos and valle lunar. <br /> <br /> * '''Adrien Kunzli / 31-Oct-2022-04-November-2022 / Regular Hiking Northbound'''<br /> <br /> All rivers crossing are easy to pass at this time of year. One tricky passage on the snow at the entrance of lago verde, very steep, but it was to avoid walking in the lake (frozen feet early in the morning). <br /> <br /> No guards at the entrance at Tamango so i didnt pay the fee but didnt get my pass. Tamara gently gave me one at the camping of casa del piedra (apparently if i didnt have this pass i could not be admitted at Jeinimeni.) At Jeinimeni pass, again, nobody. So i were to the houses near and finaly find the guy. He took my pass and i get no fee in this NOBO direction. <br /> Nice shortcut after the bridge of Rio de las Nieves (S 46° 47.274', W 071° 54.665') that can avoid you a little bit of the 4x4 unfinshing road and get you directly into the heart of this amazing and beautifull last part. So: <br /> In front of the end of the bridge, you go up the big hill and go diagonally (or directly if you feel better) to join the path (pretty wild) of the gps (S 46° 45.843', W 071° 54.359'). Small stretches of paths are drawn rather well along this shortcut. <br /> <br /> Not much good water between the bridge (brown water) and the puesto but the the puesto's water is of much better quality.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> * '''GPT 35: Parque Patagonia/ Exploration Route via Valle Maullín Grande/ 2022 March-12/ 4 days / Tobias Schorcht, Jonas Grünewald '''<br /> <br /> We hiked from Maullín Grande to Cochrane by chance. I always wanted to do the stretch from Chile Chico to Cochrane, but we had just 4 days left… When we hitchhiked northbounded from Villa O’Higgins, we luckily got picked up by Pascual Diaz, who is a experienced Mountain Guide (company Kalem) and took us all the way to his refugio in Maullín Grande. He also explained us, how to reach Cochrane on time while doing that crossing. The next day he took us to the end of the Road, where we started hiking around midday (-46,80390, -72,42001). It was a easy walk to the end of the Valley where we camped (-46,87872, -72,34138). The following day was hard, but we went up to the pass (1430m) in perfect sunshine. At (-46,87234, -72,30906) you will face a waterfall in a steep canyon. We recommend to walk on the left side (northwest) through the forest until you meet the riverbed again. The other side is also possible (we went there), but you have to climb higher in difficult terrain. From that point you can easily do a cross country walk up to the pass, where you have to cross the Glaciar (without cracks). It was absolutely stunning! Going down to the laguna is quite steep. I would not do it in bad weather conditions. When you meet the laguna, you can either walk on the left or right side. Both options are not easy. We crossed on the right (southern) side, which is ok in good weather conditions. There is one river crossing in between, which could be impossible with more water. Now we think it would have been easier to walk on the left (northern) side, although we would have had needed to cross the river before and after the laguna. Packrafting is an option as well, but since it only 1.5 km we don’t think it is worth it. Camped in a forest close to the regular trail dry and save. All in all we recommend this option to experienced hikers in good weather conditions. The hike to Cochrane was hard, because we had just 2 days for 80km. So we hitchhiked to the museum of Parque Patagonia and we even saw a puma at the Westwind Campsite! It seems like this puma shows up there regularly. I waited for that moment almost 5 months. My dream came true on my very last evening in nature. Thank you Patagonia for this great gift. 🙏<br /> <br /> * '''Christmas2021 / GPT 35, NOBO, participants Janna &amp; Matthias, dec 2021, duration 6 days from Cochrane to Conaf center at Lago Jeinimeni, then hitchhiked to Chile Chico'''<br /> <br /> As recommended by a friend we opted for the following route through the Parque Nacional de Patagonia which is highly recommendable (first two days mainly GPT variants and options, afterwards GPT regular routes. There are several marked senderos in the beginning as 5 Los Huemules, 8 los Pumas, 7 los Guanacos, sendero 9, sendero Lagunas Altas etc.) as you can see in our attached tracking file.<br /> <br /> All in all the trails were easy to find, some seemed to be still unhiked this year. To enter the park from Cochrane we had to pass a prohibition sign and climb over a no entrar gate. We didn't meet anyone on the first day, the settler didn't seem to be around. The following days we met two to three other hikers per day, but no rangers until the end at Conaf Center near Lago Jeinimeni, where we easily paid the park fees in arrears (8000 pp park entrance fee and an additional 6000 pp overnight stays in the park). We deliberately skipped the Conaf center in Valle Chacabuco on the advice of our friend.<br /> <br /> Good to know:<br /> - There is no water anymore at S 47.198557, W 72.474927 near the camping site but instead at S 47.203460, W 72.480747 and S 47.179332, W 72.465807<br /> - There were many lagoons on our day 3 that weren't visibly well marked neither on our apps nor on the Garmin GPS.<br /> - All the marked refugios along the trail are heavily damaged except Casa de Piedra<br /> (closed on the 24th of dec) and Refugio Valle Hermoso (where we could even dry our<br /> soaked shoes from the many river crossings next to the fireplace).<br /> - From the refugio Valle Hermoso we did a side trip to the first glacier lake in the Valle<br /> Estero Ventisquero without all the luggage.<br /> - The río Jeinimeni water level was up to our waists and strong (note it had rained the<br /> night before). According to others it was supposed to be knee-deep.<br /> - Hitchhiking from Conaf center Jeinimeni to Chile Chico is possible when camping or day guests are leaving. As we arrived later in the afternoon we spent an extra night there. <br /> - The supermercado sur in Chile Chico sells gas.<br /> <br /> Track files and waypoints: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-98Ou9jk0porCVRp7CSFZ-KciXQ2PBzD<br /> <br /> *'''30 Nov RR 5 days SOBO Frank'''<br /> <br /> From Chile Chico I got the Bahia Jara bus &amp; got off at the junction, saves a 6KM roadwalk. Walked 2KM up the road then on trail to the high plateau. The settler before the pass wasn't there but his dogs were a bit territorial so I avoided the puesto. I went across the high plateau &amp; camped a bit before the second puesto in one long day. Camp marked on track file below the pass was not very good (boggy &amp; sloping) so I continued down to camp near the stream. The second puesto is above the RR &amp; not visible from it. Camping on the high plateau definitely not recommended. It is very exposed &amp; the wind can &amp; will knock tents. On day 2 I got to CONAF, they said a puma had been there every day the week before. Continued with many river crossings to the hut. There are trails marked with ribbons on LHS of the river SOBO, they go in on small loops which avoid some of the river crossings. Nearing the hut there is a stream flowing into the lake. At the lake it was too deep to cross. Bush bashed for about 40 metres to reach the ford. Camped outside the hut. Several river crossings on the third day. The double crossing is the crux. I avoided it by going over the bluff on LHS of river with a bit of tree bashing but I don't recommend that. The bluff descent is cliffed off with only a narrow breach where you can downclimb on trees. The breach is not obvious from above. Better to ford the river - it was running high but I met several hikers who had crossed it. Got to Casa de Pidera in 1 long day from the hut. You can cook in the Casa (they have a gas stove, electricity &amp; showers) but have to camp outside. There are some trees to shelter from the wind. On the fourth day I started walking Sendero de Siete Lagunas (SSL) but I was using the 2019 track file which doesn't show the SSL. It had not been walked much recently &amp; the route was not obvious. At the lake I lost the SSL in guanaco tracks. I continued around the lake &amp; walked out about 2KM to the road. The descent to the road was cliffed off but I found a way down in a gully. Then I walked out the road past a meadow where hundreds of guanaco were grazing. Past the meadow I went in left on a side road to rejoin the RR. On the fifth day I walked past Daniel Huemul's puesto &amp; was lucky to meet Daniel who was riding out &amp; he showed me the way. He said the direct RR which goes right from the puesto is now overgrown &amp; disused. Instead we went out to the left. There is a small road which goes in a loop &amp; turns towards Lago Cochrane but with his directions I was able to shortcut it. I paid 15,000 CLP for entry &amp; camping at CONAF Lago Jeinemeni &amp; they didn't charge me anything at Casa de Piedra.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2020/21==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> <br /> *'''2020-Mar-18 , Tyler Wood, 7 Days Sobo'''<br /> <br /> Amazing section to end my season with. I got a couple short hitches on the way up past Chile Chico. Up past the last puesto are some great areas to camp along a big boulder field. Maybe 2 km more. Beautiful and surrounded by Guanacos. Plenty of water too. Up near the top of the pass was very cold, but very beautiful, and even saw a bunch of flamingoes in the lakes.<br /> <br /> On the way down the pass I tried to find the fore-mentioned route to the puesto to take the road the rest of the way down and didn’t really have any luck...found my way anyways and camped down by Rio sucio under a willow.<br /> <br /> Into Jenimeni I got another little hitch. Once you cross the deeper river by Laguna esmeralda just keep those water shoes on, you’ll be crossing many more times.<br /> <br /> I also was told by a ranger that sendero siete Lagunas wasn’t habilitado, but went for it anyways. Water is Not after Laguna Gutiérrez for a while, so make sure you fill up around there. After the pass there are a few more small<br /> Streams to fill up. <br /> <br /> The road walking to Tmango reserve seemed to take forever, but Walking/camping by Lago Cochrane was all worth it. At puesto Huemul Is when I got my first advice that the corona virus was a big deal. The woman told me there were 3 confirmed cases in Cochrane, I went there and booked my tickets straight home. Hasta le vista baby!!!<br /> <br /> * '''2020-February-08 / 7 days / Southbound'''<br /> <br /> Long and beautiful section. No major difficulties. Great diversity. Without hitchhiking, it took me 173 kilometers. <br /> <br /> 1st part / 2 days / Chile Chico to Div 217<br /> At the beginning of the cross country, valley full of Guanacos. I camped just after the puesto, about 2 kilometers after the beginning of the cross country, before the pass, where there are still rocks to protect from the wind.<br /> As related in previous reports, after camp 279, you will stumbled upon a fence. Go on the East along the fence, cross it, and you will find a trail to the next Puesto and then the trail goes down from the puesto to the dirt road. You will avoid cross country this way. <br /> <br /> 2nd part / 2,5 days to Casa de Piedra<br /> Popular part. Groups of hikers along the way. 8000CLP entrance fee + 6000 CLP for 2 nights sleeping inside the park. <br /> <br /> 3rd part / 2,5 days / Sendero de las 7 lagunas<br /> After Casa de Piedra, I followed the GPS regular route which took me to the beginning of the Sendero of 7 lagunas. CONAF said it was not &quot;habilitado&quot; but it is actually well marked. The good thing is that there will be no hikers on this part, except when you approach the end, along the lago Cochrane. The trail is very different from the GPS tracks but no difficulties to find it. So, don't worry not having the GPS tracks. <br /> At S 47º08.015' W 72º18.948', there is a nice place to camp and also, the trail will merge with the optional route OH-TL-V@35-02F-#001 You can then follow this track and then go back to the Regular Route to reach Cochrane.<br /> <br /> * Martin Lizondo / 28-Jan-2020 / Regular Hiking Southbound<br /> <br /> The section took me 6 days. Some tips:<br /> <br /> The first part from Chile Chico has a +20 km cross country walk. The wind is extremly strong and the route very high, with no forest protection. I recommend spending the first night behind the trees of El Ciprés (the settler Orlando Vazquez allows people to pass and is very kind) or near to the puesto at the end of the minor road at 46º 36' 5,3&quot; S, 71º 48' 45,05&quot; O (Miguel Pacheco is very kind too). Enough water all along the route.<br /> <br /> The Jeinimeni section of Parque Patagonia is very easy and well marked. Entrance to foreigners costs CLP 8000 plus 6000 if spending the night. There’s a shelter with place for fire and tents after 18 km.<br /> <br /> Valley Aviles to Casa de Piedra is also easy and beautifull, with many free camping spots. Casa de Piedra costs CLP 8000 per night.<br /> <br /> The rest of the gps track is very different from the actual trail, called “Sendero de las Siete Lagunas”. I recommend taking this route instead of the old gps track, as it’s very well maintained. At Lago la Pepa ( 47º 7' 45,19&quot; S, 72º 18' 41,54&quot; O ) the trail crosses an old overgrown minor road, which coincides with the gps track and takes to Puesto Huemul (47º 11' 25,31&quot; S, 72º 26' 6,98&quot; O). If going to the left, you’ll reach the puesto, if going up to the right you’ll end the official “Sendero de las Siete Lagunas” near to the main park center. Other hiking options are possible from that point, but the regular route to Puesto Huemul is the shortest.<br /> <br /> From Puesto Huemul, the trail goes down near to the lake Cochrane through Sendero “Coigües” and “Carpinteros”. Well marked and signed, this trails will take you to the start of Tamango section, very near to Cochrane.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-27 / GPT35 New Route: Lago General Carrera (Fachinal) to Parque Patagonia (Lago Jenimeni or “Casa de Piedra”) / 5 days / Meylin Meylin Elisabeth Ubilla González and Jan Dudeck'''<br /> <br /> Based on a recommendation from Tobias Hellwig W and Daniel Mahn Borkowsky we investigated a new route that I did no had on my radar until a few weeks ago. This route provides an alternative access from the southern coast of Lago General Carrera into the Parque Patagonia and is of interest for packrafters and hikers.<br /> <br /> The route is a traditional animal trail that was used by the settlers of Fachinal to drive cattle to a large summer pasture that is now part of Parque Patagonia (sector Jenimeni). With the enforcement of keeping domestic animals out of the protected park area a 5 km trail section inside Parque Patagonia lacks maintenance but is still quite well traversable for GPT standards. Apart from this short trail section most of the route is very scenic and nice to walk but practically unknown. Only one tourism company runs guided hiking trips along this route about once per months. Apart from this occasionally use the full traverse seams not to be done anymore.<br /> <br /> Due to lack of trail markings we spend about one extra day in searching and following the poorly maintained 5 km trail section but with our GPS record other hikers should struggle much less than we did and will be able to walk in 4 to 5 moderate hiking days from Fachinal at the southern shore of Lago General Carrera to “Casa de Piedra” in the center of Parque Patagonia in the Valle Chacabuco.<br /> <br /> We hiked the route northbound as we considered the option to cross Lago General Carretera at its shortest narrow by packraft. Here the lake is only 3.2 km wide but we finally did not cross this rather dangerous lake due to suboptimal wind conditions.<br /> <br /> Fachinal to Rio Aviles River Crossing: <br /> <br /> A well maintained “cattle highway” leads from Fachinal from the road bridge of Rio Aviles along the western/southern side of Rio Aviles to the limit of Parque Patagonia. This roughly 20 km long trail section gets regularly cleaned with chain saws to facilitate access to the pastures along Rio Aviles for free-rooming cattle. Most of the trees that have fallen on the trail have been cut to keep the trail easily traversable. Some hikers might find the “pointless up and down” annoying but this trail was created by men that move on horses that did not had to ascent and descent themself. About 1 km before crossing the Rio Aviles two signs indicate the limit of Parque Patagonia (Sector Jenimeni) and ban access for unauthorized people and domestic animals (without providing any clue who might be authorized and who not ;-). From the park limit the trail descents steep to Rio Aviles but remain well maintained to ford.<br /> <br /> This trail section requires two possibly demanding river crossings that can become impossible during snow melt in spring, after heavy rain or on the afternoon or evening of hot days (melting water from glaciers!). To keep the route traversable in such circlesumstances the tourism company has installed in both locations steel ropes (to cross these two rivers hooked up in harness to the steel rope without even touching the water).<br /> <br /> Rio Aviles River Crossing to the Pass (1150 m above Sea Level): <br /> <br /> After the river crossing the trail condition suddenly changes. Fallen trees don’t get cut anymore and undergrowth is not cleaned by machete. It’s mainly the remaining path on the ground that indicates the former animal trail. Advance is slow and in various locations care must be taken to not loose the trail. Here you will need to climb over fall trees and push occasionally through dense vegetation until reaching an altitude of 950 m. At this altitude the forest floor opens up (no dense undergrowth any more) and the trail disappears completely. Here walking becomes easy again. Walk the following kilometer through the open forest following roughly the GPS track until reaching the end of the forest and the small lake after the 1150 m high pass.<br /> <br /> An advise for northbound hikers: <br /> <br /> Finding the first signs of the trail in the open forest was a struggle as we had no information where exactly the trail starts to descent. I searched at least 3 or 4 hours in a 400 m wide and 1200 m long section of open forest till I found a first old machete mark on a tree that indicated the location of the trail. Carefully searching and following similar marks I finally found the descending trail.<br /> <br /> Searching northbound we lost the trail again when reaching Rio Aviles at the bottom of the valley and searched half a day for the correct continuation. A well visible and noticeably used trail next to Rio Aviles leads directly to an suitable river ford but from there a well maintained trail continues 1 km in the wrong direction (upstream). Only after bushbashing 1 km along the river shore downstream we recognized with surprise a second river ford (now the correct river ford) which connects to the well maintained trail section in the correct direction. In hindsight we understood that the well maintained trail simply continues upstream along Rio Aviles and that this trail crosses twice the Rio Aviles. Due to a partially not evident trail section on the other side of we did not recognize this when hitting this trail on the bottom of the valley and took the wrong direction to the wrong river ford.<br /> <br /> Now hikers with our GPS record and a GPS should not struggle to find and follow this trail as we did.<br /> <br /> Pass (1150 m above Sea Level) to Valle Hermoso Refugio: <br /> <br /> After leaving the forest at the 1150 m high pass the most scenic part of this route starts. A roughly 15 km long cross country route leads over pastures and river sediments past 3 lakes and two glaciers to the Refugio Valle Hermoso. Occasionally signs of a trail are visible but due to the open landscape a continuous trail neither exists nor is needed. <br /> <br /> Near the Refuge Valle Hermoso this route connects with regular route that leads along Valle Aviles (diffrent river with the same name!) to “Casa de Piedra” in the center of Parque Patagonia.<br /> <br /> Access to Trail Head at Fachinal:<br /> <br /> There are multiple buses per week from Chile Chico to Puerto Tranquilo on the Carretera Austral that pass Fachinal.<br /> <br /> Monday and Friday runs a subsidized bus from Chile Chico to Fachinal and back to Chile Chico (One round trip in the morning and a second one in the evening).<br /> 8:30 leaving Chile Chico<br /> 9:30 in Fachinal<br /> 11:00 returning to Chile Chico<br /> 17:30 leaving Chile Chico<br /> 18:30 in Fachinal<br /> 20:00 returning to Chile Chico<br /> <br /> If you wish to cross Lago General Carrera to continue hiking in the Cordillera Avellano North of the lake speak to Carloz Amoros in Fachinal (mobile: +56 9 76267029 / price around 30‘000 CLP) or Pascual Diaz de Mallin Grande.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-January 23 / Oreste Marquis/ Northbound : 8 days '''<br /> <br /> Going northbound. I followed the route until the second settler at the puesto Tejuela. From there, until the optional route @35-02e#001,<br /> I could not find the approximate trail in the files. I manage to find another one which is call siete Lagunas. It is really easy to follow and really beautiful! I find it near km 18 and keep walking on it until km 38. It is the end of it and is at the campground near Lago Gutiérrez. For more informations go reed Martin post in recent alerts and suggestion. I met him on the trail and he updated the wikiexplora before me. From the beginning to Casa Piedra took me 3 days. Then I hiked to the end of the reserve in an other 3 days. Lots of rivers to cross but felt pretty safe for all of them even the one higher between Lagos Jeinimeni and Verde. The cross country part the next day was my favorite of the hole trip! Awesome views, a lot of wildlife, just need to check a little bit more the gps! Last day, I headed to Chile Chico without any problem. Overall, I love it! Enjoyed it as much as GPT40.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-January / Matthieu / Northbound : 7.5 days &quot;tranquilito&quot;'''<br /> Incredible trekk, lots of different type of views and soil, my favorite since El Chalten. Money required for passing by the reserves !!<br /> I hitchhiked 10 km on the road to Casa Piedra, and 12 km between Jeinemini qnd the beginning of the trail that goes north in the mountain to join Chile Chico.<br /> <br /> '''1st part : Reserve Tamango''' : 6000 CLP the entry<br /> I took the old &quot;Huemul trail&quot; in the Tamango reserve, taking the left route at the &quot;Camp 284&quot; It is an old trail for 4x4, so very easy, and closed to vehicles now. <br /> <br /> '''2nd part : The road to Casa Piedra :''' the rangers I crossed were all agreed that it was not permitted to camp aside of the road (so the information is different that in Nov). One officiql camping at the end of Tamango reserve (WestWind) and one at Casa Piedra 26 km after. 8000 CLP each. At Westwind (not verified, only inforñqtions for guardaparques): no accomodations, only baño. At Casa Piedra . real big house, hot shower, electricity, place to cook. <br /> <br /> '''3rd part : Reserve Jenemeni :''' Entry 8000 CLP. For the camping, the ranger told me that it was permitted to camp wherever I wanted, so the information differs too from november. And at the exit, I told the ranger about my &quot;savage&quot; camping in the conversation, and he didnt tic at all, so no stress. The rangers are very nice !<br /> Good trekk, easy to follow. One very good refuge in the valle Hermoso where fire is possible. a more open refuge/camping site by the east shore of Lago Verde. <br /> Many river crossing, all safe except one, before the Laguna Esmeralda. Strong current, and people choose many different way with different profundness. Better do it in the morning, being a glaciar river (I could effectively compare between late in the afternoon and the morning and it is very different).<br /> <br /> '''Last part, to Chile Chico by the mountain :''' Amazing views, totaly different climate, more dry and with only bushes. <br /> At the beginning of the Cross country after the 4x4 road, I would advise to go a few meters west from the GPS tracks, to the east side of the river. There is effectively a fence on the west ridge, and a good trail on the east ridge that can avoid you the difficult crossing of many bushes, and that goes directly to the puesto.<br /> Two puestos, The 135 of metal being used by the locals (real bed inside), so just putted the tent outside. The second one 134 is actually a real house. Two mens were here when I arrived, working with the animals. I could put the tent near the house and take water from the sink outside. Many dogs, all nice.<br /> <br /> * '''Mum, Sis and I / Southbound / 11 days '''<br /> <br /> Well. What an interesting and varied section. Also the longest walk I think we'd all done. It took us 11 days in the end with a couple of longer side trips. Interestingly, when we emerged from the park it was closed, there was martial law in effect, a curfew in place. Borders closed. Only a week to get back to Santiago to catch the last flights back to Australia... Anyway. We're heading back now. Got temperature tested as we reentered Chili Chico this morning. Waiting for the boat across the lake mañana in la mañana. No buses out of town. Enough rambling...<br /> <br /> As always, thanks to the others before us that have taken the time to comment and provide feedback. Here's my two cents.<br /> <br /> Firstly here are some landmarks to make it easier for others to orient themselves: <br /> <br /> El Ciprés<br /> http://ge0.me/oGvL0ey6_7/El_Ciprés<br /> ge0://oGvL0ey6_7/El_Ciprés<br /> Casa Piedra<br /> http://ge0.me/4GvJGSxqPH/Casa_Piedra_%28Stone_House%29<br /> ge0://4GvJGSxqPH/Casa_Piedra_%28Stone_House%29<br /> Westwind<br /> http://ge0.me/wGvC_gnJaX/Westwind<br /> ge0://wGvC_gnJaX/Westwind<br /> <br /> Camping in Chile Chico:<br /> El Carro is supposed to be the cheapest place to stay in town. Though if you want a hot shower it's the same as Kon-aiken next door. We stayed at neither so can't really comment, but there were a lot of people staying at Kon-aiken and next to none at El Carro which might be indicitive of value for money or just the fact they are a little closer to the centre of town.<br /> El Carro however was the only one willing to look after some things for us.<br /> We also visited a hostel, but the owner was unfortunately very rude.<br /> <br /> El carro<br /> 4k frío <br /> 5k caliente <br /> 1k por día por mochila <br /> <br /> Kon-aiken<br /> 5k pp / noche <br /> No baggage service <br /> <br /> Part 1: Chili Chico to Jeinemeni<br /> In the end we decided to cache things in the bushes just outside of town. Mum and my sister got a lift to the Bahía Jara cruz whist I was caching. Unfortunately I had to walk all the way to El Ciprés where my mum and sister had been enjoying a nice conversation with Orlando Vazquez who allowed us to pass but emphasised the dangers and didn't really recommend crossing. <br /> Passing through the gate a couple of utes were exiting. Apparently there is a new mine up in the mountains and they didn't really want us to walk up. They admitted they just worked there.<br /> Turn off the main rd that assumably heads to the mine about here: -46.57775, -71.82666<br /> Goucho Miguel Pacheco passed us on the way up herding some cattle and we talked to him at the puesto for a while. We also gave him one of the Australian coins we'd been carrying around. He seemed to believe it was everyone's right to pass. &quot;People pass through here all the time &quot;.&quot;Just yesterday a lad passed by &quot;.&quot;It's the shortest route across the mountains &quot;<br /> Anyway. We camped in the rocks just outside the park boundaries (as mentioned by??).<br /> We then camped two nights up on the windy plateau. Our side trip to Valle Lunes was amazing. I'd recommend it. But be careful with wind. Oh and did anyone mention the guanacos?<br /> Unfortunately I think the water wasn't very clean on this part. Sheep, cows, guanacos, birds... It's the first time in Chile I've wished I took my water filter along. We had some sore stomachs.<br /> Dropping down the other side we hit the mentioned fence (about here -46.72574, -71.90211). We crossed, but would recommend following it to the left until you get to a corner. I'm not sure where it starts, but there is a trail running on the outside of the fence to the puesto. We then followed a sheep trail that ran high on the left (east) of the valley. Very good but it bypassed Las Abutardas completely and seemed to be heading towards Laguna los Flamencos instead. We ended up cutting down to the road where León passed us heading into town, a little confused why we hadn't taken the 'proper trail'.<br /> We camped the night at the Río El Sucio camp. Not really recommended.<br /> We walked the road and stayed at Río Las Vacas for a bit which is at the border of the park and a nicer place to camp. (There is a good stream between the two).<br /> <br /> Part 2: Jeinemeni to Casa Piedra<br /> It was 8k to enter the park (for foreigners) and an additional 6k for camping in Valle Hermoso. The section to the refugio (-46.84092, -72.14078) was very nice. This is the only shelter still standing. The others included in the track files were not really enterable.<br /> Heading to the refugio (where everyone seems to camp) you cross the small ankle deep creek exiting Laguna Esmeralda and then the deeper river between Lago Verde and Jeinemeni. This might have been the trickiest but when we crossed it wasn't really bad. We then had two more smaller crossings before passing through Portezuela La Gloria (1100m) to cross Estero Ventisquero and the other river running down the main valley.<br /> The next day we did the popular side trip to the glacier in this valley: -46.80924, -72.20116<br /> We wondered if it was the same way Jan et al entered recently?<br /> From the refugio to Valle Avilés there are no compulsory river crossings if you stick to the somewhat scrubby trail to the left (south) of the valley. The first crossing we did was Río Avilés shortly followed by the tributary. So only 8 crossings (wet feet) on the RR. <br /> <br /> We walked from the refugio to Casa Piedra in a day. It was closed so we camped on the other side of the Rd.<br /> <br /> Part 3: Casa Piedra to Cochrane<br /> From casa piedra we took the aforementioned Sendero las Siete Lagunas. It is not it the track files but indeed very well marked with numbered markers every kilometre. I'll upload a kml with the markers I recorded as well as some of the water bodies I sketched.<br /> After the stream running into Lago Gutiérrez there wasn't much water until Lago la Pepa.<br /> You will briefly intersect with a road here: -47.14006, -72.37138. The road seems to run down to Puesto Tejuela coinciding with OH-TL-V@35-02F-#001 which I think is incorrectly labelled as TL. Part of RH-TL-I@35-99.0+30.0 too should be marked as MR. You'll intersect this road before taking it down to Lago Cochrane.<br /> We passed the occupied dwelling (Daniel Huemul?) but the man wearing a shirt emblazoned with Parque Patagonia seemed afraid to approach us (another hint the world had gone Corona crazy). He wouldn't let us take the RR so we followed the road for a bit before taking another newly made trail also not in the track files.<br /> Everything after that was very easy to follow.<br /> Everything was abandoned at the entrance and the gate locked. People avoided us on the streets and covered their face when passing us. <br /> We grabbed some needed food (we were very short after 11 days!) and got on the WiFi. Wow! How things had changed! Martial law in place and a curfew in place, we slept under a bridge with some Colombians and caught a bus back to Chili Chico in the morning. Waiting for the boat across the lake tomorrow now.<br /> <br /> Links to files :<br /> Kilometre markers: https://www.dropbox.com/s/fuzt4xacxjjvvg4/kms.kmz?dl=0<br /> Water bodies: https://www.dropbox.com/s/uz1ei95s1913xvb/water.bodies.kmz?dl=0<br /> Other planning: <br /> https://www.dropbox.com/s/uk9ym56gufwk4zq/planning.kmz?dl=0<br /> <br /> * '''2019 Dec / Olrik/ Northbound '''<br /> <br /> Amazing part of the GPT, from Cochrane ou enter in the Tamango national reserve and pay 6000CLP for the entrance. We took several trails to get to Valle Chacabuco : Las Aguilas, Las Lengasm Los Condores, Laguna Altas. Great views. We had a snow storm at the pass though. There you end up in a paid campground. From there we walked the dirt road to Casa Piedras in Valle Chacabuco, it was beautiful with lots of guanacos. Then we took the Las Aviles sendero. We camped near the first river crossing as it was late and waited for the morning to cross. It is normally not possible to wild camp in the park but the guardaparque told us to camp there if the river crossing is not sage. The rest of the trail is easy to follow next to the river. There is a pass then you descend to Valle Hermoso and to lago Jeinimeni. It was just gorgeous and easy to follow with great weather. Be aware of the numerous river crossings. In lago Jeinimeni there is a paid campground. From there you can hitchhike, walk, or pay a transportation at the entrance of the park (15000Clp pp) but I'm not sure if this is a regular thing. We ended up hitchhiking to get to Chile Chico.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Nov-28/ Lea Geibel, Kevin Moe/ 5.5days/ Northbound / Regular Hiking Route (Cochrane to Chile Chico) with OH-32-2-#003/'''<br /> <br /> This section might have been our favorite out of the whole Group H, where the diversity of the landscape was our favorite part (also including weather and trail conditions). The NP was entered at Tamango just outside of Cochrane. Registration is mandatory, the entrance fee is at 8000 CLP. The ranger asked us to explain our route and since the regular Hiking route did not seem familiar to them, they told us to take the optionals route going north over the pass to WestWinds campground and then do the road walk Eastwards. <br /> The pass had some snow patches on the Southern side but was easy to traverse. At the Valley Chacabuco (another entrance to the national park) we got asked for our permits and the route we plan on taking. We heard different information on if it is allowed to camp at the road or not (there were signs that told us not to do it but the ranger said it is okay). After the roadwalk, we passed another ranger station where we had to register and sign a responsibility form telling that we plan to leave at Lago Jeinimeni (and telling that we're only allowed to stay at designated campsites). The hike from there is extremely beautiful and super diverse, the trail well maintained. The rivers were at higher flow but all fords were doable. <br /> We camped next to the Refugio because we still weren't sure about the camping rules (other hikers we met said they were told that it's okay to camp everywhere along the river). Leaving the NP at Lago Jeinimeni was straightforward, but it's mandatory to check out at the rangers office. The cross-country section after the road walk was a bit slow on the way up due to many bushes and hilly terrain. We found a nice trail next to the fence leading up to the puesto when going up the ridge on the Eastern side. From the puesto we took a short steep uphill after which the terrain became more open and easier to travel on. It was very windy and snowy in the mountains, which made it difficult to walk at times and it felt like the temperatures were rather low.<br /> The lagoons on the way up are filled with exciting birds (flamingos!) and guanacos are running around on the whole plain. Once reaching the plateau we headed down in a pretty straight line which was easier than the uphill until we reached the road<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> *Chile Chico has two supermarkets. Sell gas.<br /> <br /> *Cochrane is a decently sized town with three mid-range supermarkets. The largest one, which is a grocery and department store, is located adjacent to the town square. There are many lodging and restaurant options. Be sure to withdraw an ample amount of money here because most of the businesses in the next town, Villa O’Higgins, only take cash and there is no ATM.<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> <br /> *2025 / MiaimZelt<br /> Buses (starting at Terminal de buses in Chile Chico) that enable you to skip the first 7-8km of Roadwalk when hiking SoBo: <br /> <br /> Turismo Tramal. Chile Chico - Bahia Jara. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday 8:30 &amp; 16:30. <br /> WhatsApp: +56 9 7538 0178<br /> <br /> Buses Interlagos from Chile Chico to Puerto Rio Tranquilo: Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday 9:00.<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> *2023-Mar-31 to 2023-Apr-06 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Option J / Martin &amp; Helena<br /> <br /> PN Patagonia closed some sectors on the first Monday in April, so we were the last ones to get a permission and do this section ‘legally’. Be prepared for this if you want to do this part in April or later. The problem is they close Casa Del Piedra and probably won’t let you pass to that sector from Lago Jeinemeni, where the entrance stays open for longer time. Sneaking around the guards house early in the morning or just not be specific about your plans might work if needed, its very unlikely you would meet anyone on the way from the main entrance.<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT35 - RN Lago Jeinimeni]]<br /> <br /> =Images=<br /> [[file:Greater Patagonian Trail (7).jpg|left|GPT35 - RN Lago Jeinimeni]]</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT35_(Parque_Patagonia)&diff=119649 2025-01-18T00:59:19Z

<p>MiaimZelt: /* Season 2024/25 */</p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;packrafting&quot;, as above):<br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD, WHAT IS ENCLOSED IN &lt;&gt; MAKES IT BLUE):<br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/nowiki&gt;.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Overview=<br /> <br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> *''''2025-Jan-13 to 2025-Jan-17 / 5 days Hiking / SOBO/ RR + Variant L / MiaimZelt''''<br /> <br /> I very much enjoyed this lovely section. Took the bus to skip the first 6.5km of Roadwalk. CC was indeed easy, on the way up i didn't follow the Track very closely. Crazy windy between km 19-30. Surprinsingly there were some small areas that had way less wind. Guess it should be possible to find a campspot somehow sheltered by the curves of the landscape, when you can't make it further. Camp {35} [32.6/1300] is exposed and has no shelter besides from the tiny stonewall. Camped here: -46.722612, -71.904105. Was sheltered by the valley and fits a 1 person tent, wind was ok. 100m below there is a spot which can fit a 2 person tent. While sitting in the tent 2 german GPT hikers arrived and took the spot below. I very much enjoyed their company. <br /> <br /> Day 2 i could follow animal trails very often. Walked 4km on the road until i got a hitch. Entrance fee was 11400 for foreigner. You have to pay online, but they have WiFi. Tons of black caterpillars everywhere, gets better after Laguna Verde. Trail was in very good shape. Ford {35} [67.0/877] was up to the knees. Stayed at Camp Valle Hermoso, which is very good sheltered by the forest. <br /> <br /> Day 3 i met no one, until i reached the camp. Trail was 99% in good shape, few meters overgrown with young beech trees. -46.89382, -72.161099 campspots with shelter from the forest. All fords were easy. Stayed at Camping Casa Piedra. 8000 per person, can pay cash or card. They have WiFi, Room to cook inside and a shower (not hot). Most campspots are sheltered by trees or buildings. Spots next to buildings were occupied by carcampers. Trees provided good protection, although 80km/h winds according to Windy. <br /> <br /> Sendero 7 Lagunas was mostly in good to ok shape, <br /> only in few parts the trail isn't visible at all. -47.094236, -72.286568 near pass has lots of flat space and is sheltered by the forest. Small stream here: -47.097866, -72.285581. Also flat areas nearby to create a makeshift campsite. Later the only sources for water were the lakes. Refuge, X {35} [119.1/716] is collapsed, but flat space protected by trees and bushes for one bigger tent. Water from the lake. Stayed at small flat space with very little wind here -47.140176, -72.372035 and listened to the birds. <br /> <br /> Day 5 was mostly straight forward. Saw 2 Huemuls near the Minor Road. Lago Cochrane is a real gem. Open and abandoned huts here: -47.198091, -72.457465. There was a sign, saying danger becaus of rodents. Maybe not good to sleep in, but would be a good shelter in heavy rain. 1km later i saw the first dayhikers. Lot's of steep ups and downs at Sendero Carpinteros, but very beautiful. Got a hitch to Cochrane after 1.5km on the paved road. <br /> <br /> *&quot;&quot;GPT 35 SOBO RR // hiking, hitchhiking // 4 days 1-4.01.2025 Maks &amp; Gabi&quot;&quot;<br /> <br /> Simply magical section with lots of guanacos, birds and beautiful landscapes. We hitchhiked the first 8 km and then from Casa de Piedra to Cochrane. <br /> CC parts were quite easy and visible, later on when entering the park by Lago Jeinimeni the trail is incredibly well maintained. You can buy a ticket by the entrance because the is a wi-fi.<br /> <br /> One thing that is worth taking into account when planning the hike, are insects - there are tons of mosquitos and quite a lot of horseflies. Furthermore the ranger (Jeinimeni entrance) warned us about black worms that are in the forests (not sure what is the name in eng). For that reason we did not sleep at the camping by the lake (see pictures), choosing a camp spot by the bridge at 50.0 km instead. It is better not to camp by the trees. <br /> If you have a spare moment we really recommend the visitors center near Casa de Piedra as they have a really nice museum. If you already bought a ticket to the park it is free of charge.<br /> <br /> About trail itself it's hard to say something new compare to the previous notes. There was no snow, all ford's easy to cross.<br /> <br /> *'''2024-Nov-08 to 2024-Nov-16 / 8.5 / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Jonas'''<br /> Day 01: 08.11.2024<br /> Arrived by ferry from Puerto Ibanez in Chile Chico at 1430. Started walking right away. Caught a ride for about 3 km. After street, needed to open fence and door.<br /> Dog kept following all day. Couldn't make him leave.<br /> Settlers (mother &amp; daughter) offered a ride but kept walking. Camp spot at 14.1 was too wet to stay there. Looked for another spot. Nothing was good, wanted to look after puesto at 15.8. settlers offered me mate and asked if I wanna pitch my tent here since it got late. Stayed close to their place. Same settler family who offered me a ride.<br /> <br /> Day 02: 09.11.2024<br /> Starting from the settlers puesto CC had light snow when packing my tent. Didn't follow the route exactly. On the way to the first pass, saw the first guanacos. Started snowing stronger. Didn't follow the track or the OSM path to avoid snowfields. Tried to follow the trails but not always possible. Stronger snow and windy. After the first pass went too far to the east to avoid snowfields, thought it'd be easy to come back to the trail but took a longer detour. At least saw the first flamingos! In the plateau it was crazy windy. Sometimes followed track, sometimes OSM. Often in between because of snowfields. Snowfields were not steep, just wanted to avoid them. More guanacos only on the way down. Camp at 32.6 was too wet. ~250 m further down found a protected spot close to a small river/creek.<br /> <br /> Day 03: 10.11.2024<br /> Woke up late. Water in pot was frozen about 1 cm thick. Walked down, saw a lot of bones. Followed not the OSM track. Crossed the fence relatively far to the west. CC walking was nice. Maybe as others mentioned there is a path sooner if you cross/stay further east. Hit the dirt road and walked to the main dirt road. Already afternoon. First Pick Up stopped and gave me a ride to the park entrance. Didn't book the ticket before. You can book it at the CONAF station with their WiFi for the same day. 11.400 CLP for the entrance. Camping is free. Walked to camp Raleigh (about two hours) and found a nice spot there.<br /> <br /> Day04: 11.11.2024<br /> Short day. Started late, trail easy to follow. In the beginning keep left if other trails are there. First fording section is well marked in the track files. Keep your shoes off until Ford Stop. Climb to pass is sometimes steep but easy. Climb down is ready with stunning view of Valle Hermoso. Some parts with some rock slides. After descend two rivers to ford. Until camp Valle Hermoso some stretches in wind protected first in the river bed, some stretches in open river bed. Easy to follow. Camp Valle Hermoso has two roofed areas.<br /> <br /> Day 05 12.11.2024<br /> Started from camp Valle Hermoso. If you keep south you can avoid all the fords. At least at this time of the year. <br /> Trail is easy walking, landscape is stunning! Did a detour to Laguna Escondida. Nice and windy up there. To get there keep close to the track files. <br /> Only needed to take the boots off for the ford at 79.3. The rest was easy to navigate around or enough rocks/trees in the river.<br /> Camped at refuge 81.0 at the broken down cabin.<br /> <br /> Day 06: 13.11.2024<br /> Easy walking all day. Trail was easy to follow. Needed to ford once.<br /> The bridge at 90.9 is something if you're afraid of heights.<br /> Arrived early at Casa Piedra. Could use the infrastructure including warmish water. Since I said I won't pass the ranger station it was fine without paying.<br /> <br /> Day 07: 14.11.2024<br /> Trail is easy to follow. Lago Gutierrez looks amazing and quite windy. Some beach walking off track is nice. After Lago Gutierrez the trail is mainly easy to follow. Checked the GPS every now and then. Climb to the pass takes some time. Filled water up at a stream at the end of Lago Gutierrez. There was on running stream in the middle of the stretch to the pass. Not sure if it has water all year. Way down is through a beautiful forest. Nice views of the valley along the way. Some trees on the path but easy enough to climb them or walk around them. <br /> Stayed at the collapsed refuge. Enough wind protection even though it was quite windy.<br /> <br /> Day 08: 15.11.2024<br /> Trail was easy to follow in the forest. Outside the forest check your GPS when you think you might be off trail. <br /> Water in the beginning mainly from the lakes, later streams existed as well. Took the MR on the RR easy fast walking, no GPS checking necessary. Settler at 138.7 wasn't there passed by his house and followed the RR on a horse trail. Camped at around 142 at Lago Cochrane. Beautiful lake with clear water.<br /> <br /> Day 09: 16.11.2024<br /> For the last 12 km it was easy to follow the trail. Quite some up and down. Nice views on the lake. Arrived the CONAF office at lunch time. Did a self checkout. Stayed in Cochrane for two nights before the next bus to Villa O'Higgins left.<br /> <br /> Really nice hike! Due to the time of the year I only met one other hiker. It snowed a bit in the first days but not too much. Trails were generally easy to follow. Fording was not too much, might be different at another time.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Dec-14 to 2024-Dec-18 / 4.5 / Hiking / SOBO/ RR + Variant J, L / Roman'''<br /> <br /> <br /> Route: Hitchhiked from Chile Chico to X {35} [8.1/505]. Hiked to X {35} [41.5/768]. Hitchhiked from there to Park Ranger {35} [53.0/843] and hiked from there to -47.244414, -72.529165 and hitchhiked from there to Cochrane.<br /> <br /> Started in the Morning in Chile Chico and and started hiking at X {35} [8.1/505]. It's a small easy hiking road up to Puesto {35} [15.8/1075]. It's easy CC. I camped at Camp {35} [32.6/1300]. The next day was a easy hike to X {35} [41.5/768]. I was waiting 25 minutes for the first car to come by which picked me up around 11:30 AM - so prepared to either walk or wait quite some time. At the Ranger Station (Park Ranger {35} [53.0/843]) is fesh water, a toilet. There you have free internet via starlink. I have heard multiple stories and read multiple prices for entry. I would recommend to just show up. You will scan the QR code and buy the ticket online. I said that I hike to &quot;Casa Piedra camping&quot;. I had to buy the ticket &quot;Parque Nacional Patagonia - Sector Chacabuco&quot; for 5.200 CLP. Link here: https://tickets.pasesparques.cl/events/parque-nacional-patagonia-sector-chacabuco . From there i hiked to Camped at Refuge {35} [69.0/867] there are multiple fordings (river bed walking) which had a few banks and tables and a shelter hut. The next day hiked to Camp $, Refuge {35} [99.8/379] (Casa dePiedra). The Camp has electricity and a warm (not hot ;)) shower and toilets and 3 rooms with benches and tables for cooking etc. I was staying there with 2 other people and the Ranger. Apparently the Ranger doesn't collect/want money - i/we didn't needed to pay. There is Apparently a lady coming from time to time to collect a fee - so we were lucky. The trail was maintained and easy to hike. At the beginning there was some fording.<br /> <br /> The next day I camped at Refuge {35} [131.2/556] which is only a emergency shelter but has some flat spots to pich a tent. The trail is not maintained and is sometimes very good or not visible at all - you need you GPS! Overall good easy to hike with some fallen trees. There is a bridge at -47.160823, -72.407796 also with water which makes the Refuge a great place to say. Picture of bridge https://imgur.com/a/ZydIQ7f and Refuge: https://imgur.com/a/NDMT0FP . After that it's a easy hike all the way to -47.244414, -72.529165 where I hitchhiked to Cochrane. I haven't camped there but this location looked like the best stay you could get in the trail here: https://imgur.com/a/rtak82Q. -47.198106, -72.457406 close to Camp {35} [138.4/173].<br /> <br /> Stayed at Camping, Refugio ,Cabaña y HostelCochrane which i can highly recommend (camping 7k, dorm 9k, laundry 5k and a supermarket across the street)<br /> <br /> Contact: https://linktr.ee/RundW<br /> <br /> * ''' 2024-Dec-13 to 2024-Dec-17 / 5 days / GPT35 SOBO RR / wiiiim<br /> Relatively uncomplicated &amp; fast section, lots of info exists so just a summary here. In essence it feels like 3 parts<br /> <br /> - part 1 Chile Chico to the park entrance: mostly cross country over a barren plateau with lots of animals. I arranged a taxi out of Chile Chico to skip the first 9km of road walk at 7am for an early start - Alexis +56 9 7971 5823. Surprisingly lots of water on this section.<br /> <br /> - part 2 Park entrance to Casa de Piedra, park fee is 11400, very easy going, well marked trail, lots of water<br /> <br /> - part 3 Casa de piedra to Cochrane, somewhat overgrown, less water, mostly from the lagunas so good to have a filter<br /> <br /> I took the bus from Cochrane to Villa O’Higgins, it runs every Monday, Wednesday &amp; Saturday at 8:30am (returning the next day), it’s a small publicly funded bus (8400 pesos) with about 25 seats, they typically want you to buy a ticket in person in Cochrane in the bus terminal upstairs (I believe the company is Gardy?), I got a ticket the afternoon before and it had 5 seats left.<br /> <br /> * ''' 2024-Dec-12 to 2024-Dec-14 / 3 days go and back / GPT35 SOBO option 1 by car and Regular Road with a little part of option D and OH-CC-A-{35-06} to the first laguna/ Julien Mamari <br /> <br /> All the way to the Releigh Camp is really easy and try with bridges.<br /> Into the Releigh Camp and the 3rd camp you have 2 rivers to cross with the Gloria pass but it's really easy with sandals... Water to the knees maximum (on my time)<br /> If you go to the first Laguna (option 6) on the right sise of valley better beguin on the left side for around 1km then you have obligation to cross and the best its to keep always on de right side, it's dry.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Nov-07 to 2024-Nov-10 / 4 days with one day of rest at home of Daniel “Huemul” / GPT35 Regular Route SOBO from Kilometer 100 to 150 / Sendero 7 Lagunas / Meylin Ubilla and Jan Dudeck'''<br /> <br /> This scenic route inside Parque Patagonia is officially closed due to lack of trail maintenance but still easily traversable. As we entered from the north we did not speak with any Conaf personnel and learned about the closure when exiting this route in Cochrane.<br /> <br /> The GPT track file 2024 precisely documents the official route of Sendero 7 Lagunas from Kilometer 37 to Kilometer 5 (GPT35 Regular Route) where the Regular Route connects on other trails to Cochrane. Note that the OSM data is in large parts incorrect. OSM is showing a now partially overgrown and less attractive routing on disused trails and minor roads. So all topographic maps based on OSM data are unreliable in this respect.<br /> <br /> About 30% of the trail is clearly visible, about 60% of the trail is vaguely visible and 10% of the trail are invisible as trail. There is just a trail mark every kilometer but no other visual aids to follow the official trail. This makes frequent GPS verifications essential. Without a GPS and without the correct tracks loaded to the GPS hikers get inevitably lost numerous times and it would be very time consuming to find the correct trail just based on visual references. But with a GPS it’s easy to stay on the trail.<br /> <br /> There was no snow left on the 1126 m high pass.<br /> <br /> In the forest numerous fallen trees block the trail but there is always an easy way around.<br /> <br /> There are no noteworthy river crossings and the trail is dry. Water can be obtained regularly at smaller streams or at the lakes.<br /> <br /> There are numerous potential camp sites except from the northern trail head and the 1126 m high pass. This northern end is mostly wind exposed with very little shelter to pitch a tent.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Nov-02 to 2024-Nov-05 / 4 days (but 50 km hitchhiked) / Hiking / SOBO / Option 4 (Ruta RP41 in Argentina) / Meylin Ubilla and Jan Dudeck'''<br /> <br /> This option provides an alternative to the weather-exposed regular route of GPT35. Therefore this option should be considered early or late in the season (October, November or April) or whenever poor weather makes the regular route of GPT35 unsafe. This option is east of the Andes main mountain chain in Argentina and the clouds that typically come from the west unload most snow and rain while crossing the higher peaks in Chile. Anyway, the maximum altitude of just under 1500 m should not be undermined. Up on the pass area, weather can become unpleasant all year around.<br /> <br /> This road walking option is certainly not as attractive as the regular route but the insignificant traffic and the scenic scenery makes it a worthwhile hiking choice. The landscape is that attractive that one tour company in Los Antiguos offers guided excursions along this route.<br /> <br /> This option connects back to regular route of GPT35 at the trailhead of “Sendero 7 Lagunas” that becomes also traversable early in the season (October or November).<br /> <br /> Route description:<br /> <br /> The border crossing from Chile to Argentina is a 13 km hike or hitchhike as there is not organized public transport. Argentines rarely check luggage of backpackers, therefore bringing all supplies from Chile should not cause problems. Don’t be surprised when Argentine border controls don’t stamp your passport on entry. It’s not any more a given, that all travelers with passports receive an entry stamp when crossing into Argentina.<br /> <br /> Before starting on RP41 consider a good meal in Los Antiguos.<br /> <br /> The first 43 km on RP41 from Los Antiguos to Estancia Los Alamos are wind-exposed and dry. We were lucky to ride most of this stretch on the back of a pickups truck. From the road we could only see one more reliable water source at kilometer 39.5. And descending 100 to 200 m into gorge of Rio Jenimeni just to refill water supplies seams an ordeal that should be avoided.<br /> <br /> The owners of Estancia Los Alamos are welcoming and helpful. We were invited for lunch and offered a bed for a night. But to get moving we opted to start hiking in the afternoon.<br /> <br /> Estancia La Frontera at kilometer 46 of RP41 just after the bridge over Rio Zaballos seams also to offer accommodation on request. And here starts the more scenic part with patches of forest and more regular water streams crossing the road.<br /> <br /> At kilometer 54 of RP41 by-passes are welcome to camp just next to Rio Lincoln. Here we spend our first night.<br /> <br /> At kilometer 64 of RP41 the last patches of forest are left behind and exposed but scenic landscape is crossed.<br /> <br /> The highest point of RP41 (“portezuelo”) is reached at kilometer 76 with just under 1500 m. The last snowmelt washed a part of road away stopping currently most transit traffic but hikers and bikers can cross this damaged road section without problems.<br /> <br /> While walking from Rio Lincoln up to the “portezuelo” the wind and the light snowfall increased. But compared to the weather in Chile at the same time our conditions where quite manageable. The lack of wind-sheltered places keep us moving to kilometer 79 of RP41. Here, an unlocked puesto with a wood stove provided a surprisingly convenient shelter for our second night en route. We just had to seal some gaps in the walls to reduce the wind and snow from entering our temporary refuge. When getting up on the next morning a thin layer of fresh snow covered everything around us.<br /> <br /> The descent to Paso Roballos at kilometer 96 of RP41 traverses open but scenic landscape with little natural shelter. <br /> <br /> The best places to camp after the pass are:<br /> Kilometer 79: unlocked puesto<br /> Kilometer 87: maybe near puesto at 47°06'47&quot;S 71°50'00&quot;W<br /> Kilometer 96: the crossing to Paso Roballos 2 km before the Argentine border control <br /> <br /> At the Argentine border control camping is not permitted.<br /> <br /> When exiting Argentina make sure to get an exit stamp. This stamp is required to enter into Chile.<br /> <br /> Another good option is the abandoned Chilean military post 4 km after the Argentine border control. Most buildings of this small compound are sealed closed but one shelter is open and one mostly closed veranda provided good shelter for us for one night while rain and snow made pitching a tent less pleasant.<br /> <br /> The Chilean border control is 11 km inland from the border.<br /> <br /> From the Chilean border control it’s another 26 km to the trail head of “Sendero 7 Lagunas” with a brilliant camp site halfway (“camping alto valle”).<br /> <br /> * '''Note:''' The RR was changed between Lago Jeinemeni and Lago Verge in October 2024, so numbering of options in the reports below might be slightly off.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> <br /> * '''2024 Mar 14 to 2024 Mar 19 / 5.5 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR / Maddi and Tom'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: Hiked out of Cochrane after lunch in light rain. Hiked up Sendero Las Aguilas then Las Lengas, easy trail and well defined. Rain got heavier as we approached Laguna El Cangrejo. Camped on the west side of the lake, started snowing lightly as we set up. One of the colder nights and we considered turning back and taking the lower route as we weren't sure how passable Laguna Altas would be in the snow.<br /> <br /> Day 2: Woke up to a snowy morning so decided to wait it out in the tent. Packed up once it stopped around 11am and followed Sendero Los Condores. Luckily had a bit of sun as we went over the pass but as we were coming down the other side the rain and wind picked up. Abandoned our plans to hike the Lagunas Altas circuit and instead followed it straight down to Westwind campsite. Sat there for a bit hoping to see a puma but only guanaco in sight. Hiked towards Valle Chacabuco hoping for a hitch but no cars came past. Kept walking along Paso Roballos trying for a hitch, eventually a couple from the UK picked us up and dropped us at Casa Piedra. Spent the night there and got a hot shower which was excellent after all the rain and snow. Didn't end up paying any entry fees for the park or the camping as noone asked.<br /> <br /> Day 3: Got up fairly early to overcast day but no rain. Followed the eastern branch of the Sendero Aviles which was clearly marked and easy to follow. The bridge over the canyon is fun to rejoin the west branch of the trail. Kept following the track along, easy going until you hit the river bed and then there are many crossings back and forth. We did a bit of dodgy scrambling up the banks to avoid getting wet feet. We were going to push on but it started raining lightly about 4pm so we set up camp in the trees along the river. Another group joined us later that night as it was raining heavily and it was the first flat and clear spot.<br /> <br /> Day 4: Started along the track, excellent views as you pass Cerro Jeinimeni. Fairly easy track down to the next river, followed by a lot of walking in the river bed. Gave in and just walked through the water to Lago Verde. Crossings were never really over ankle deep. Track around Lago Verde is fine to follow with excellent views. Very windy as we got over the pass and the path down is quite eroded (but manageable). Hiked around to Raleigh. There is a new suspension bridge over the river at Raleigh that connects to Sendero Laguna Esmerelda. It isn't marked on Gaia or Maps Me so a group behind us went around the other way and had to do a hip deep river crossing. Going via Raleigh and Sendero Esmerelda avoids all river crossings and is an easy track to follow. Hiked all the way to El Silencio for the night, noone there so didn't pay any fees.<br /> <br /> Day 5: Started the hike out along the road hoping for a hitch but no cars went by. Headed up the plateau following a minor road, then relying on GPS and animal tracks. Lots of guanaco. Kept hiking up the hill as the wind picked up. Found a camp spot somewhat out of the wind towards the top of the plateau with a small river passing by for water. Started snowing as we went to sleep.<br /> <br /> Day 6: Woke up to a few cms of snow on the ground and tent and started a very frosty walk up and over the plateau. Lots of guanaco around but not much else other than snow. Luckily the sun came out as we were coming back down the other side as it was freezing up the top and was difficult navigating with the snow cover. Once it cleared we had awesome views of the Torres de Avellano and the lake. The descent track is pretty eroded and very slippery in parts where mud is hidden under small stones. Eventually joined up to the minor road and followed it down to Ruta 265. I had a weird phenomenon with my shoes picking up enormous amounts of sticky mud on the minor road, making my feet a few kgs heavier and having to scrape it off every 100m. Got a hitch to Chile Chico from Ruta 265.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Mar-12 to 2024-Mar-17 / 4 + 2×0.5 = 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + OH D + F / Joscha'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: RR [0.0-16.7]<br /> <br /> I startet around 2 pm and did not try to hitch the first 8 km on the primary road. There is a good flowing stream at the water marker (km 12.2) and at the camp (km 14.1). The flat spot that is camp 14.1 is swampy and therefore not ideal for camping. I camped at -46.60658, -71.80980 which is at least a little bit wind protected. There is also a stream on the other side of the RR close to this spot. <br /> <br /> Day 2: RR [16.7-48.2]<br /> <br /> There was plenty of water. The RR was covered in snow from about km 23 to 28. I took a CC shortcut from km 40.8 to 42.7. I camped at -46.810258, -71.965073.<br /> <br /> Day 3: RR [48.2-59.1] + OSM trail to Laguna Verde + OH35-D + RR [62.4-88.9] + OH35-F + RR [70.3-78.9]<br /> <br /> The park gate at km 50.1 is open from 9 am to 5 pm. But the ranger didn't mind, that I entered before 9 am. I paid 17000 Pesos at the ranger station (km 53). This fee allows camping at all the Campgrounds in the park. I followed the official park trail which branches off at km 59,1 to Laguna Verde. From there it returns via OH35-D to the RR. All fords today were below my knees. After km 75.5 the RR was partially flooded and you had to walk through some branches. Therefore I sometimes walked in the river bed on the eastern side of Rio Aviles. I camped at km 78.9. Its an official campground of the park, but there is nothing. But its flat and wind protected.<br /> <br /> Day 4: RR [78.9-106.3]<br /> <br /> The roof of the refuge at km 93.9 is collapsed. Casa de Piedra is a real house with bathrooms and some common rooms to hang out and probably sleep. I camped on the lakeshore at -47.074614, -72.25701. I would not recommend this spot for windy nights.<br /> <br /> Day 5: RR [106.3-137.6]<br /> <br /> The next reliable water source after Lago Gutierrez (km 106.3) is a stream at km 113.8. Its possible to camp just south of the pass (km 110.8). I did a shortcut from km 129.1 to 130.3. I had to cross a small swampy area for that. Camping at km 137.6 is nice.<br /> <br /> Day 6: RR [137.6-150.4]<br /> <br /> Nice campsite at km 146.0 (RN Tamango) with sheltered tables and spots for camping. I stayed at camping calafate in Cochrane (-47.254013, -72.568419). It has a kitchen with common area (heated by wood oven), wifi and hot showers for 7000 pp.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-24 to 2024-Mar-01 / 6.5 days / &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / SOBO / RR+&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;RP&lt;/span&gt; / Lauren &amp; Seb'''<br /> <br /> Much has been said about this section, so we will share only our impressions.<br /> <br /> Day 1: After reaching wp Settler {35} [8.9/539] by taxi in the early evening, we hiked a short distance and camped at wp Camp {35} [14.1/923]. On a windy day it’s basically unprotected in a narrow valley. There was no wind that day, making it a spot with a great view.<br /> <br /> Day 2: Upon reaching the plateau, it felt like a guanaco/flamencos safari as previously described. To get up there, you have to CC on one manageable steep stretch. Follow the dotted line in OSM relatively far to the left and not the GPT files. We camped north of wp Water {35} [28.1/1579].<br /> <br /> Day 3: We headed across the pass and amazing views opened up before us. On the downhill, follow the GPT line until you reach a fence. Go through the fence on the left end and follow the fence line towards wp Puesto {35} [34.6/1191]. From the side of the puesto, you can easily follow well trodded horse tracks along the fence line until -46.75064, -71.89899. Follow the trails along the river towards the south until you hit the MR. We stopped for the night at wp Camp {35} [42.9+0.2/713].<br /> <br /> Day 4: Cars did not appear until after 10am but we eventually got a ride to the park entrance. From here, the more touristy part begins. Once inside the park we decided to walk the MR around Lago Jeinemeni and only inflated the packraft at Lago Verde. This was an absolutely great paddle on the most turquoise waters and we were lucky with the afternoon wind. We stayed the night at Refuge {35} [68.1/867]. <br /> <br /> Day 5: The next part has lots of fording so expect slow progress. We left our crocs on for the next 3 km. Well marked trail through the forest and across the pass. On the other side, however there is a new official route which starts here -46.87696, -72.17213 and requires more fording. The old trail still exists and no fording was necessary. Stick to the GPS here if you want to save time taking your shoes off! The rest of the way down the valley was enjoyable and we stayed the night just before wp Ford {35} [82.6/805].<br /> <br /> Day 6: Easy hiking down to Camp Piedra where we stayed and camped early.<br /> <br /> Day 7: We started paddling Rio Chacabuco the next morning, but I would advise packrafters against doing so (at least in the late season). Conditions of the river included low water levels with frequent ground contact and many trees in the water. The river splits often, making the already low water even lower and obstacles in the tightly winding corners become even more tricky. First time that we hit a tree since we are on the GPT. As if that wasn’t enough, wind picked up early and forced us out of the water. We decided to water-out here -47.05177, -72.29040 and hiked up the road, where a car took us towards Cochrane after 2 hours.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-27 to 2024-Mar-04 / 5.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR - {35-S} - {35-D} - RR - {35-J} - RR - {35-L} - RR / Lilian &amp; Rainbow '''<br /> <br /> Safari = GPT35, we saw foxes, bunny, flamingos, ostrich, owl, woodpecker, and more than 100 guanacos at this section!<br /> <br /> We standing at the end of town more than 1 hour and found that it is really difficult to hitch out by low traffic. So we go to tourist information ask for help maybe a ride, a man at there said he can take us to x[8.1/505] for 10k CLP, but lastly he just took us to the junction at km5.9, and said he don't want to drive on a non paved road, then don't wait us to respond and throw our backpacks out from his car immediately, and ask for the money.<br /> <br /> So, DON'T ask any ride in tourist information at Chile Chico, they cheated our trust.<br /> <br /> Km12 : flat spot (-46.57669, -71.82779) can fit some tents at other side of a stream, the stream is flowing good and dry feet crossable by rock hopping.<br /> <br /> Km12.75 : viewpoint(-46.58294, -71.82549) of a valley with sky blue colour, super beautiful, don't miss it!<br /> <br /> Camp[14.1/923] : grassland spot, a small stream is flowing low beside it.<br /> <br /> Km16.6 : flat spot(-46.60658, -71.80980), have some covers can stay away from the wind tunnel in valley at north.(wind from north)<br /> <br /> After this spot, no more camping spot or flat spot have wind protection until camp[32.6/1300]. Wind is crazy at the plateau.<br /> <br /> Camp[32.6/1300] : tiny wind protection from a rock wall, just fit 1 tent for it. Better wind protection nearby camp[42.9/713].<br /> <br /> Short cut CC from 38.2 to 42.7, it doesn't save much time, better follow GPX track, MR is completely finished and super easy to walk. It also walk beside some beautiful meadows that are nice to camp(no wind protection).<br /> <br /> Camp[42.9/713] : spots at a wet muddy road. Better spots nearby at (-46.79053, -71.91127), dry and 2-3 sides wind protection by bushes, can fit many tents there.<br /> <br /> Didn't see any cars going south at morning, so road walking all the way to entrance. 11k CLP for entrance fee, 6k CLP for camping fee, total 17k CLP, can pay by credit card.<br /> <br /> Camp,$,bridge,lake[53.3/852] : El Silencio campsite and Lago Jeinemeni. This campsite is a little bit crown with car camping, and the lake is amazing beautiful!<br /> <br /> HIGHLY RECOMMEND walking on the shore of lake from km56.65 - km57.75(from the junction of viewpoint, to the point that trail met the beach), easy, dry feet and excellent beautiful!<br /> <br /> Bridge[58.9/856] : after this bridge, follow south route ( {35-S} &amp; RP{35} ) to Lago Verde, then take the bridge(-46.86056, -72.07982) to cross the river. Lastly follow {35-D} rejoin RR. Dry feet.<br /> <br /> Lake [59.2/840] : Laguna Esmeralda. Didn't find any camping possibilities. Better views at trail.<br /> <br /> Refuge[61.7/856] : beside Laguna Esmeralda, a super blue lake. This refuge is not a cabin, just a shelter with 3 side wooden wall, good wind protection, but I'm not sure about heavy rain, because i saw many holes at the wall. Better camping spot with views beside the lake(not much wind protection).<br /> <br /> Ford start/end[63.4/896] : late season, all the way easy dry feet crossing, walking on log or rock hopping.<br /> <br /> Pass[64.5/1132] : no camping spot here, the spot shown on OSM, is already covered by many blowdowns. Nice viewpoint(-46.84093, -72.10324) of Lago Verde just SW of here.<br /> <br /> Ford[66.1/877] : better river crossing point at (-46.83741, -72.11991), there is a sign at another side of river. Below knee, easy.<br /> <br /> Ford[66.4/859] : river breaks into some parts, below knee, easy.<br /> <br /> Refuge[68.1/867] : shelter with 2 walls, nice weather protection. Refuge with 4 walls, but huge air tunnel at ceiling, so just wind protection. A sign book inside refuge too. Camping spots at here can fit lot of tents, mostly have some wind protection, but not much, because trees are too tall, and just 1 spot behind a blowdowns have well wind protection.<br /> <br /> Fords[68.4/869] - [71.6/905] : lot of river crossing, some trail can go around the river, but not much help and they are overgrown, so finally you need to be crossing and crossing then wet feet.<br /> <br /> Km74.7 : camping spot(-46.87204, -72.17630), can fit 3-4 tents with some weather protection by the forest. Have a shelter made by logs here, can squat 1-2 hiker inside for emergency, but not much help, because it is really small and too many holes on it.<br /> <br /> Km75.7 : camping spot(-46.87886, -72.16954), can fit 3-4 tents with some weather protection by the forest.<br /> <br /> Km78.9 :camping spot(-46.90498, -72.15591), and some more spots nearby, total can fit 4-6 tents with some weather protection by the forest.<br /> <br /> Ford[79.3/846] : Below knee, easy.<br /> <br /> Refuge[81.0/819] : no refuge, no shelter. Camping spot with views can fit 2 tents but no protection.<br /> <br /> Ford[82.6/805] : Below knee. Camping spot(-46.93485, -72.15869), can fit 2 tents with not much weather protection by the bushes, before the crossing.<br /> <br /> Km83.3 : camping spot(-46.94089, -72.15600), can fit 2-3 tents with some weather protection by some trees. Also one spot at south but not much protection.<br /> <br /> Km84.7 : camping spot(-46.95268, -72.15123), can fit 1 tent with some weather protection by some brushes.<br /> <br /> Km88.6 : camping spot(-46.98397, -72.15988), can fit 2 tents with weather protection by some trees and brushes. Flat area nearby can fit many tents with good views but no protection.<br /> <br /> Bridge[90.9/635] : classic bridge! Worth to take a look and walk on it!<br /> <br /> We took {35-J} instead RR here, because less puds, also walking on a plateau looks like more scenic.<br /> <br /> {35-J} Km5 : viewpoint(-47.03902, -72.19077) of the whole valley, very beautiful! Don't miss it!<br /> <br /> Camp,$,refuge[98.9/379] : Casa de Piedra campground. Have some shelters with picnic table for cooking, and a refuge with hot(warm) shower, toilet and some tables for meals. If you decide to camp here, please expect sleep late. This spot mostly are campers and tourists. They'll speaking and cooking until 10 or 11 or midnight.<br /> <br /> You can take a shuttle form here to Cochrane(30k CLP per person) or Camping Los West Wind(15k CLP per person)<br /> <br /> Time schedule: 9am Cochrane - 9.45am Museo, 10am Museo - 10.15am Camping Los West Wind, 10.30am Camping Los West Wind - 10.45am Museo, 12noon Museo - 1pm Camping Casa de Piedra, 4.30pm Camping Casa de Piedra - 5.15pm Museo, 5.30pm Museo - 6.30pm Cochrane<br /> <br /> Start from here, the trail is not maintained anymore, but still in good condition.<br /> <br /> Km103 : Lago Gutierrez, amazing beautiful lake, have some minutes i thought back to Norway again.<br /> <br /> Km103.85 : a small stream(-47.07911, -72.22738) flowing good with clear water, easy to collect.<br /> <br /> Pass[110.8/1126] : some fresh snow remain at here.<br /> <br /> Km112.45 : emergency camping spot(-47.10718, -72.28893), the ground is a little soft, but is flat and some wind protection, can fit many tents here.<br /> <br /> Km116.9 : Laguna Guagua. Camping spot(-47.13350, -72.30170), can fit 2-3 tents with some wind protection from west by bushes, SW of the spot have a side trail to lake. BUT, DON'T go for {35-02A} back to RR, it is completely CC and BB with spike plants, not fun. Better CC climbing up to RR from camping spot directly.<br /> <br /> Refuge,X[118.3/716] : no refuge, it is collapsed. The woods becomes a super small shelter here. If you lost your backpack, crawling inside maybe can save your life. Otherwise just for photos snapping function.<br /> <br /> From here to km125.0, you will walk beside 3 lakes, didn't see any wind protection camping spots there, but if you have good luck at a no wind night, you maybe find some spots at the last lake.<br /> <br /> Km125.0 : road walking start. Flat spot with some wind protection on the road can fit 1-2 tents at here too.<br /> <br /> Km125.9 : junction of RR and {35-L}, because the road is too easy to walk and follow, we completely miss this junction and walk a long time then realised RR is a different way, so we keep going on {35-L} and rejoin RR later.<br /> <br /> {35-L} km3.6 : a small stream(-47.17383, -72.37063) flowing good with clear water, easy to collect. Flat spot can fit 1-2 tents after the crossing.<br /> <br /> We walked the whole way{35-L} and rejoin RR at km130.8.<br /> <br /> RR Km132.4 : flat spot(-47.17220, -72.42231) can fit 1 tent at the end of lake. With some wind protection by forest.<br /> <br /> Camp[136.9/162] : can fit 2-4 tents with weather protection by forest, but if the wind is come from south, it is not much help. Excellent views on the beach.<br /> <br /> Camp[137.6/173] : can fit 2-3 tents with wind protection from east and north by trees. Excellent views on the beach. Just beside a port, looks like can take a boat to here.<br /> <br /> Km138.3 : camping spot(-47.20064, -72.46718), total can fit 3-5 tents at several stage, some spots have good wind protection by trees and bushes.<br /> <br /> From here to km146.0, lot of up and down beside some cliffs (maybe slippery in rain), but it is a trail with lot of amazing views, we are really enjoyed it.<br /> <br /> Km139.77 : a tiny stream(-47.20803, -72.47813) flowing good with clear water, easy to collect.<br /> <br /> Km141.73 : side trail to viewpoint(-47.21986, -72.49280) and cell service for Movistar.<br /> <br /> Km142.15 : flat grassland(-47.22231, -72.49623) can fit 4 tents just beside the beautiful lake, some wind protection by valley itself.<br /> <br /> X[143.9/244] : cell service for Entel(-47.23128, -72.50780)<br /> <br /> Km146.0 : RN Tamango campground, some shelters for cooking, large arae for camping, hot shower and trash can, 7k CLP per person.<br /> <br /> Km146.5 : the last flat spot(-47.24353, -72.53067) before Cochrane, some wind protection by brushes, can fit 1-3 tents with nice sunrise, you can arrive there by a clear trail beside ranger station, the trail is shown on OSM map.<br /> <br /> Cochrane : <br /> <br /> Lot of accommodation, markets and restaurants, and 2 outdoor gear shops.<br /> <br /> 230g gas canisters, power bank, chargers and tent stakes at Supermercado Melero(-47.25386, -72.57414).<br /> <br /> Sunglasses, micro spikes, snow shoes and some clothes at La Ruta 7 Patagonia(-47.25591, -72.57320).<br /> <br /> Sleeping bag, tents, boots(just 1 trail runner), socks, base layer, warm clothes and pants at Kalfu Patagonia(-47.25474, -72.57018).<br /> <br /> Clothes at Vansy(-47.25417, -72.57431), not a outdoor gear shop, but some sporty clothes and pants for a low price at here.<br /> <br /> Some campground and lot of indoor stays at Cochrane. The only hostel is Camping, Refugio ,Cabaña y Hostel(a long name) (-47.25446, -72.57497). And most of the rooms here include breakfast(without kitchen), 20k CLP per person. The only one we found with kitchen(but no breakfast) is Casa Raíces Hostal(-47.25113, -72.56848).<br /> <br /> Bus terminal to Coyhaique, Villa Cerro Castillo, Villa O' Higgins, Chile Chico, Puerto Rio Tranquilo and Tortel at (-47.25137, -72.57317).<br /> <br /> Tourist information(-47.25439, -72.57283).<br /> <br /> I recommend La Martica(-47.25112, -72.57266), local restaurant with nice food in a good price.<br /> <br /> * '''24-Feb-17 to 2024-Feb-22 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR, Variant L / Tomáš &amp; Natalie'''<br /> <br /> There were several hitchhiker groups out of Chile Chico so we took a taxi (990250968) to the settler at 8.9 for 10,000 CLP. Nobody was there, but there is a locked gate so it would not be possible to take a taxi further up. For pedestrians, there is an unlocked door. One can shortcut the first zigzag of the road thereafter and several others, it is open terrain. We camped in a dry lakebed (for windprotection) about 1 km after the first pass. Despite strong wind in Chile Chico and a forecast of wind gusts over 60km/hr, the night was largely peaceful with just one hour of wind. The plateau has terrain features and it seemed to us it is not that impossible to camp there, but maybe we were just lucky.<br /> <br /> The next day was like a safari, lots of animals and little wind. Pawprints on lake bed turned out to be a big dog and not a puma according to the rangers though. Going down from the plateau, it is possible to shortcut the GPX track to the SE and end near the puesto at 34.6. Trail starts above the puesto but is not so easy to follow and the GPX does not seem to be the most precise. It is advisable to take a CC shortcut to bridge at 42.7 as mentioned by Adrien Kunzli: about 1 km before the end of MR 38.2, veer right aiming for a black outcrop on the mountain on the other side of the valley and you will pop out above the bridge. We got lucky and got a ride at around 16:30 to the parkoffice. We paid 15000 CLP only for one person - they forget to charge the other one. They were friendly and told us the weather forecast. We did not get any receipt or pass though. Walked two hours to campsite Raleigh, there were two other foreign tents there. The new trail is technically the old &quot;laguna Esmeralda&quot; (RP 59.2) trail with a new bridge, so keep left to avoid fords, combined with variant D it seems preferable to RR even when not intending to camp [November 20224: this is not RR].<br /> <br /> From Raleigh, the first fords were possible to cross without fording thanks to logs and stones. The next valley is indeed beautiful, especially Lago Verde. There were about ten tents but no people near the refugio at 67.6. Tomáš tried to go around the second fords through the forest on the left and he eventually reached variant F, which exists but partially goes through a marsh and does not avoid fording anyway: it is pointless, just ford. Initially the start of the fords seem like a marsh, go around it from the right through the river, it is a nice riverbed thereafter. Rio Aviles was kneedeep and ok. Ford 71.2 is mighty - go downstream about 200 m, it splits and is easy there (there is a cairn in the middle). We camped at a camping site marked on OSM about 2 km further down from there. There is a place for one tent about 20 m from a creek. Very nice spot. Having a headstart to people starting from the park office, we only met three groups of foreigners all day.<br /> <br /> Variant J does not avoid any substabtial fords, water at 96.1 is easily jumpable and the river is bridged on both J and RR. <br /> Casa de Piedra is a nice spot with resident guanacos (and some tourists). Tomáš had a hot shower! We were asked for our passes - we explained we were not given them and it was ok. We went on. The Siete Lagunas trail is surprisingly in a rather good shape. It is little used but not much overgrown and generally easy to follow, needing a GPS only occasionally. Tomáš liked it tremendeously. Did not meet anyone on it.<br /> <br /> We slept near the pass next to a marsh. It rained most of the night but stopped before morning, luckily the trail was not too wet the next day. The first stream after the pass is very weak (not flowing if not raining?); it flows from the marsh by which we slept and is about 500 m after the pass waypoint. The next stream is about 1 km further down, it had more water. After that, water is only in the lakes. Tomáš cleaned a lot of the logs and branches from the trail, if you can spare a moment, please do likewise. We could not see any traces of option 02A or option K. We took option L near km 129.9 - we were confused by other reports because we thought people were taking the much longer part of L that follows a MR. RR leaves the Siete lagunas trail at the end of option L after 29 km. The trail probably goes to Valle Chacabuco. [OSM has Variant F and L marked as &quot;Sendero 7 Lagunas&quot;, this is wrong. Variant K looks to be indeed CC and variant L looks to be an unnecessary detour on a MR (overgrown and with logs at first when RR is on this MR - when you cross the MR again after four km on RR, it no longer looks that overgrown). November 2024: OSM has been corrected.] On L, one can easily take a CC shortcut from top of the hill to MR. We found two shortcutting trails to the MR. We met Daniel who was coming back from cutting invasive pines with his chainsaw, he had a friendly and humorous attitude. Camped at the lake at the wind protected camp.<br /> <br /> The night brought surprisingly strong wind and rain - try to camp deeper in the forest. We followed a faint trail tracing the shore of the lake instead of CC 137.6, in the middle of it there was an apple tree that will be ripe in March probably. Did not meet anybody until the viewpoint above the lake that says &quot;signal Movistar&quot; (we have Entel, which has a sign 2 km further on but it did not work, just wait one hour until Cochrane proper), from then on, there were daytrippers. CONAF had a lunch break so we passed unnoticed. Cochrane as a town is ok.<br /> <br /> Nat's Notes:<br /> The Bulk shop in Chile Chico (Güenta Emporio) is not open on weekends, they have weird hours and sometimes need to call before; Andrea +56 9 9540 1708. I recommend the hospedaje Rio Baker, 15mil pp which is the general price here. <br /> The plateau <br /> - Besides Descabezado, this area was one of the most visually interesting sections for me. I haven't had that much fun taking photos in a long time. At first the guanacos scared me a little, I felt like I was surrounded by ninjas, eventually I warmed up to them. A good place for a zoom camera.<br /> -For me the going was slow, besides being tired and equipped with rash-covered feet I found the navigation tricky. I kept aiming for the wrong pass because there are many rolling hills. However I found things got better near and after pass km28.8.<br /> - Water in the plateau is still frequent. If one wants to camp as close to the plateau as possible (SOBO) I suggest this spot:-46.62397, -71.81920. Also there is a nice grassy and fairly sheltered spot near water km23.9: -46.66437, -71.84393 and a big flat grass patch at water 30.6. There is a huge boulder for wind protection if needed here; -46.65469, -71.83997. In the valley bottom near the puesto, there are less/no camping spots. I did not like all the dogs at puesto 34.6, so I purposely avoided it. <br /> - When finishing the plateau section, I filled up on water at the last stream that wasn't the main river here: -46.72842, -71.89633, as I didn't think we would get a hitch to the park office.<br /> <br /> Sendero Avilés<br /> - The descent from pass km64.5 is nothing, just a bit of dirt dust that makes traction hard. The only part on this track that I would worry about safety-wise (apart from the two river crossings) is a new steep traverse 2ish kms after pass km74.1: -46.88996, -72.16428. I decided to throw my bag down 5m instead of walking down the &quot;free fall&quot;. (Alternatively you could ford rio Aviles twice.)<br /> - The series of mini river crossings were all fine, there is a nice water source before pass km74 in the forest once you finish all the fords, it comes from a waterfall not far away. <br /> - Near the end I took Variant J bcs I thought it avoided a river crossing (no rivers to cross but RR doesn't either). If you do this option I recommend still going to the hanging bridge at the X of J and RR bcs it is a fun and unique bridge!<br /> - Cassandra at Case Piedra was nice and easy to get along with.<br /> <br /> Siete Lagunas<br /> - The water we took from the marsh was probably the grossest water I have had to drink, lots of algae and oil, I filtered and boiled. (The second stream was much better.)<br /> - As noted the trail is not hard to follow at this moment, only a handful of times I lost it. That being said it could be because we were walking near the end of the season and therefore it was obvious where ppl had been walking (pushed down grass), I think it would be a lot harder at the beginning of the season. Another bonus was that most spikees were gone.<br /> - Near to camp 136.9, there is a water source. It is at the end of the beach, 200-300m west of camp. There are two or three more water sources on the first part of the trail but after the look-out, there are no more.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-6 to 2024-Feb-11 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + option L / Yannick &amp; Nolwenn &amp; Tess &amp; Lukas'''<br /> <br /> - Trail condition : really nice overall // the trail is sometimes overgrown and easy to loose from km 113,5 to km 122, so just keep an eye on the gps<br /> - Water : easy to find plenty of rivers and lagunas<br /> - Camping spot : we camped at km 32,6 and it was a bad idea, too exposed and we got snow and a lot of wind during the night, would really recommend to go down more // we camped near the lago Gutiérrez at km 106,15 there is place for 2 tents<br /> - Weather : windy, sunny, snow, rain <br /> - River crossing : easy<br /> - Resupply : in Chile Chico (a bulk shop just opened in front of the camping Nandu) // in Cochrane everything you need<br /> - Entrance fee : for park Patagonia 11 000 pesos per pp + 6 000 pesos for camping per pp<br /> - Overall : really nice section, we were happy to encounter 3 huemuls<br /> <br /> *'''2024-Jan- 18 to 2024-Jan-24/ 7 days/hiking/SOBO/ 35/ 35-02a( from 47.1567357S, 72.4154650W)/ 35-02 ( from S 47.12123, W 072.46099) /35-03 ( from S 47.11712 W072.48494)/35-03c ( from Laguna El Cangrejo)/35-03d/ 35 from Lago Cochrane/ Paulina'''<br /> Long, beautiful tour in Parque Patagonia, as I mixed different variants, it allowed me to see all the divercity of the park. Almost no people, a lot of guanacos, a really beautiful section!<br /> <br /> Day 1 The way from Chile Chico to Lago Jeinimeni. I was prepared to walk all the way, but as some cars stoped and it was a very hot day, I took a lift ( I have walked maybe 8 km in total ). I stopped at 46.7304997S, 71.7415019W, to do the loop of about 7 km in the first reserve of Jeinimeni. The entrance is paid 6000 CLP but the ticket is valid later, at the main entrance at Lago Jeinimeni ( the next 2 days). It's really worth to walk on this place. The rock formations are amasing. It takes about 3h and you can leave your backpack at the park reception After that, another car stoped and took me to the main entrance of Lago Jeinimeni. The views from the road are really scenic, it's a pity not to walk some parts of this road, lucky my car was old and slow so I could admire the views.<br /> <br /> Day 2 From Lago Jeinimeni to the refugio and camping at 46.8406732S, 72.1409082W. The first part of the trail to Portezuelo La Gloria is rather easy, it stays mostly in the valley, the ascent to the pass is not very difficult and rather short. On the way down from the pass there are some steeper moments and there are some places where the trail is distroyed by a kind of stone avalanche so you have to find your way thru the stones. Amasing views on Laguna Verde. Once you are down at Laguna, there are some fords, when I was there, the highest one was till knees.<br /> <br /> Day 3 A lot of fords all the way in Valle Hermoso, there were all easy to cross. Also, you can't clearly see the path but anyway, you have to follow the valley. Sometimes there are signes so you will always find the way. This day, the only a bit more difficult place you can find around S 46.89032 W 072.16461. Going SOBO it's a steep descent, it's very short but steep. Can be dangerous after the rain. Later the views on the canyon on Aviles river became really amasing, it was for me one of the most beautiful part in all the park.<br /> <br /> Day 4/5 I had 6 km till Casa de Piedra ( there was a tiny spot for one tent with a stream at this distance) and I started the part Siete Lagunas. At Casa de Piedra I asked the ranger if the trail was walkable and he confirmed that it was ok and I could go. But, as the others already mentioned , the trail is not maintained anymore. Till the end of Laguna Gutierrez it's rather easy to find the way without gps, but later, there are some places where the path is not at all visible. With trail on gps is not very difficult to find the way, but without this, can be very difficult to follow this trail. There are also a lot of fallen trees, some BB. If they do nothing, I think in 2 years the path will completely disapear. But it's a beautiful trail, wild, you meet nobody, a pure and intacked nature. Just take enough water, the first day of this sendero the water was at Lago Gutierrez and later about 1h after the pass.<br /> <br /> Day 6 Instead to continue on RR I went to Valle Chacabuco to discoverer also this sector. I started with the trail Lagunas Atlas. Well marked, beautiful, various views, it was the most frequented part of the park, but still I can't say it was crowded. Beautiful camp on Laguna el Cangrejo.<br /> <br /> Day 7 The views on Lago Cochrane are really amasing. The landscapes and the vegetation are in this part different than before.<br /> <br /> To conclude, I did not encontered really difficult places on this long hike. As I walked through all sections of the park, it allowed me to see all the divercity of the area. Except maybe 3 h in Valle Chacabuco, I did not really meet people in the park. It was a beautiful section! In Cochrane, you will find a lot of shops where you can find everything you need for next section. There are several campings ( I liked a lot Camping Lorenzo not crowded, nice place to cook with gaz, friendly owner, spots with twin protection<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-28 to 2024-Jan-04 / 8 days / RR / SOBO / Roshi'''<br /> <br /> I hitchhiked from Chile Chico to X{35}[8.1/505] and did not see the settler at El Ciprés. It was very windy and I decided to cross the plateau at midday which was maybe not the best idea. The cross country I found very challenging and the extreme head wind across the plateau was in relentless. Nevertheless I thoroughly enjoyed the amazing landscape and the challenge, although a less windy day or starting earlier would have made it more enjoyable. I camped close to Camp 32.6/1300 at a dry spot and the next day followed the fence down to the road and walked to the Park entrance at Jenimeni. The park rangers told me of an alternative route to the start of the Avilés trail to Casa de Piedra and gave me some maps and info, they were very friendly. I paid 3000 pesos for park entry. I camped at Valle Hermoso which lives up to its name and then did a day hike to the glacial lake leaving my tent at the Refugio Valle Hermoso and following Estero Ventisquero or part of OH-CC-A {35-06} After packing up I then hiked a couple of kms down to a next campsite (there are a couple of established places to set up your tent on the way to Casa de Piedra). From Casa de Piedra I followed the Site Laguna's trail which was overgrown and difficult to follow and navigate and for me probably my least favourite part. The kms are marked but you really have to follow the GPS me there aren't many places to pitch if you don't feel like hiking anymore. I think going down into Chacobuco (which I had done previously) would have been nicer. I loved the Lago Cochrane and Tamango reserve the views and colours were amazing and the trails very easy to follow and not very busy. I got a lift into Cochrane halfway from the entrance but the road walk is not long anyway and I was not actively hitching. <br /> <br /> Annoyances were horse flies but I got good advice to &quot;out Zen&quot; them and to be honest once you let it go and enjoy the views and being in nature generally they are easy to deal with. Just don't stop between 2 and 8 PM ;) <br /> And from Jenimeni to Casa de Piedra is lots of river crossings so just accept wet feet :) and try do river crossings in the morning especially on hot days ( esp Avilés) Be safe and sensible obviously!<br /> I would have maybe even liked to stay longer on this part of the trail, there were lots of little day hikes and alternative routes I'd have loved to explore, but I didn't have enough food. It's a beautiful part of the world, enjoy it! <br /> <br /> <br /> * '''From 2023-01-15 to 2023-01-19 // 5 days // Hiking // NOBO // VARIANT P + OPT3 + OPT3A + RR + VARIANT J + VARIANT I + VARIANT D + Sendero Laguna Esmeralda (no variant on that one yet) + RR // Quentin Clavel'''<br /> <br /> From Cochrane, I thought it was sad to go straight along the Lago Cochrane without checking what's going up there, and have a view over the vallee Chacabuco. So that's what I did. <br /> <br /> I just took the beginning of Variant P, you have to pass threw a gate saying &quot;no passar&quot; then you have to bifurcate to the option 3 (tamango) to reach the pass between vallée tamango and chacabuco. Very nice views. Then instead of going down into vallée Chacabuco, I went straight, and continue on the sendero de las siete lagunas, wich is an old track, sometimes hard to guess, so check the GPS, but mostly easy to folllow (you still have the mark every kilometers). <br /> <br /> Really loved the colours at the end of Lago guitterrez ! <br /> <br /> Main difficulties on the section are these horrible horseflies, and the no less terrible little spiky plants that stay sticks in your shoes and socks. <br /> <br /> Then you reach casa de piedras. I took the variant J to don't have to put my crocs for the river crossing (yeah, I'm a lazy walker aha). <br /> <br /> Then follow the river until the vallée hermoso, wich lives up to its name. And at this time it's just a mix between walking and crossing rivers. No need to ask, I putted my crocs on aha ! <br /> <br /> The pass up to Lago Verde was steep but the view so outstanding and the colours .. same amazing colours on Lago jeinemeni ! <br /> <br /> Didn't stayed at, but the Raleigh camp is very nice if you may choose a camp around ! <br /> <br /> Second part of NP was CC, and that was so cool ! Just have the directions and go straight to this point. Passing from mountains to others, surrounded by an unnumerable number of curious guanacos ! <br /> <br /> Hardest part is to deal with the strong wind during the ascend and at the highest point. And the descent is quite unstable, stay close to the GPX tracks, I tried to shorttrack but it led me down to slippery slopes, so I had to backtrack to find again the GPX. <br /> <br /> Then it's 15 km down to reach Chile Chico (8km on the asphalt). Settler wasn't angry against me and saluate me kindly when I passed threw his land.<br /> <br /> <br /> Very nice stretch. Very diversificate, great landscapes, wildlife. I loved it ! <br /> <br /> And about the entrance fees, It was not my intention, but I haven't paid for as I entered by variant P which is not a porper enter. And haven't seen any guardaparque at all. <br /> <br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''2023-Dec-30 / 1 day / Packrafting / SOBO / Option 10 C / Tom Pieper'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> <br /> I attempted this option as an alternative starting point for section 36G. Hitchhiked to the bridge of Carreterra Austral over Rio Chacabuco. I scouted rapid {35-10C} [2.3/121] from 100 m above and it looked feasible. This was not true when I approached on the river after entering just before the bridge. The rapid was impassable (late afternoon) which brought me into serious troubles. The canyon is pretty steep here and there is no way back. It was not fun to climb the steep slopes cliffs to escape the 100 m deep canyon. Its really dangerous. The rapid is pretty hard to investigate from above. I would recommend to only go later in the season and only in the morning or at least with company.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-21 / 8 day / Hiking + &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / SOBO / RR + Option 10 + Old and new tracks to Administration Parque Patagonia Valle Chacabuco / Tom Pieper'''<br /> <br /> Most have been described by Kris and Stina. The plateau and the entire track is awesome. After the kind Arriero at the puesto {35} [15.8/1075] (actually its his house) I found it a little bit tricky to find a good route first but then just ascended and found a nice cross country route. Camped before the plateau. There are nice spots just before 1400 m, after that its just rocky until you descend to the Water {35} [23.9/1586]. Camp {35} [32.6/1300] was a little bit swampy. Found a better spot 300 m south. Try to be early at the road if you want to hitchhike. I was lucky and got the last car passing at 14.00 to the park at day. On the 25/12 the park entrance (but only the entrance) is always closed! Keep in mind if you come around christmas. At the park entrance you must disinfect your packrafting gear due to Didymo algae. I could not packraft lago jenimeni and verde due to wind but its still stunning. Between Water {35} [75.5/937] and Ford {35} [79.3/846] there is a approx. 3-4 steep bluff. I felt really uncomfortable with my heavy backpack as a lot of erosion happened to the steep ‘steps’. Maybe exploring an additional bush bashing route is feasible here. The ford was rather deep and could be a problem for shorter persons but I crossed in the evening, so in the morning it should be fine. Collapsed Refuge {35} [81.0/819] makes a nice camp spot. The other forts were fine. Stayed one night at Casa Piedra were I met Tobi and Fangwen and spend dinner and breakfast together the next day. CONAF first denied to packraft Rio Chacabuco due to conservation reasons, but after I mentioned that I came along all the track with my gear and rangers et sector jenimeni they were fine with me going on that river. The river is a bit unspectacular. I left at the River Out {35} [119.8/277] and I followed the old trail/road to Park Ranger, Refuge, Camp {35} [123.2/263]. There is a new picknick hut and I spend the night in there with a spectacular view of the valle chacabuco to the rims of campo hielo norte. The next day I continued the old track right side of the river (not in the GPT track files) until the bridge {35-10} [4.7/265]. Track is still in good conditions and occasionally used by the horses and guanacos there. A wonderful hike with massive views. I than continued on the CONAF trail (also not in the GPT track files) to Park administracion at Lodging $$$ {35-03} [1.9/340]. Would not recommend the restaurant. 65 $ for a 3 course meal but nothing fancy. Better spend for dinner in Cochrane. But for a post hike drink at the bar it is a lovely place and staff is kind. Also liked the museum and stayed the night at the campsite approximately 2 km away. The puma still seems to be there occasionally. Next day I hitchhiked out to Cochrane.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-18 to 2023-Dec-23/ 5.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Stiina &amp; Kris'''<br /> <br /> Got a taxi for the first 8 kilometers of the roadwalk. Nobody present at the farm where the dirtroad starts to go uphill, gates easy to get through, friendly dog. We hiked just 6km and made camp by a stream.<br /> <br /> The next day passed the puesto at km15.8, owner seemed friendly and waved. Slowly climbed up to the plateau, lots of water everywhere, very few snowpatches en route. Perfect day - not much wind. Saw lots of guanacos, hares, flamingos. Moving cross-country was ok throughout. Climbed a few barbed-wire fences. Finally found the dirt road, hiked to camp at km42.9.<br /> <br /> In the morning hitched a ride to the park entry with a ranger. We had no online booking as we didn't know when we'd arrive, they had us make one on site. Super friendly guys, said that there is currently fewer visitors than normally at this time. The route between Rio San Antonio crossing and Camp Raleigh has been changed, partially new trail built; follows mainly the Lago Esmeralda trail. There is now a brand new hanging bridge over Rio San Antonio right next to Camp Raleigh, avoiding all the needless crossings.<br /> <br /> After the camp there trail seems new in places, but then resorts to many rivercrossings again. The way up and down the Puertozuela La Gloria is steep and loose. After Lago Verde there are a million more crossings until you turn South. Here the trail is not much maintained, lots of fallen trees. The next 25km to Casa Piedra the trail is a bit harder to see at first but then gets much better. The guy (not a ranger) at Casa Piedra informed us that the Siete Lagos trail is closed but couldn't say why. It's definitely overgrown in parts, lots of fallen trees - need to keep track on the gpx at all times. After settler at km135.2 the trail has been recently maintained and bushes cut.<br /> <br /> For photos and stories, you can follow us on Instagram: @smallfootprint_bigadventures<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Mar-31 to 2023-Apr-06 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Option J / Martin &amp; Helena'''<br /> <br /> We enjoyed this section a lot, especially with all the beautiful autumn colors in early April and basically without people until the last part before Cochrane. PN Patagonia closed some sectors on the first Monday in April, so we were the last ones to get a permission and do this section ‘legally’. Be prepared for this if you want to do this part in April or later. The problem is they close Casa Del Piedra and probably won’t let you pass to that sector from Lago Jeinemeni, where the entrance stays open for longer time. Sneaking around the guards house early in the morning or just not be specific about your plans might work if needed, its very unlikely you would meet anyone on the way from the main entrance.<br /> <br /> Just like others we found the plateau between km 20-28 very very windy. Definitely don’t count with camping there. We found a good spot right after the secound pass, aprox. 500m down the hill where you can find a wind protected place. The descent down is a little slow but with nice views, guanacos, horses.. simply amazing. Once back on the road, it’s not too far to the PN entrance where we met a guard, but fortunately were able to get a permission as described above. The trail from Lago Jeinemeni was one of our favorites. All the fords were easy, but expect quite slow progress in the CC parts. We camped in a forrest at km 81 where is a destroyed refugio but still a good spot for camping. The rest of the trail to Casa Del Piedra is again straightforward and the landscape is somehow more dry. We didn’t cross the first bridge but went with the J option which turned out to be a good decision as we met a xx of guanacos that let us come really close to them. Closed and locked refugio still provides a good shelter, but when open it must be a perfect stop in the middle of this long section. Water was turned off as well but there is a stream behind the house.<br /> <br /> We spent the next night on the beach of Lago Gutierrez where is enough space to build a tent - bushes around the trail are otherwise very thorny and sharp. After the ascent to the pass was a good stream of water, probably the last place to safely take unfiltered water for the next couple of kms. The trail from there leads around all the lakes and is nice and easy. We spent the night in a refugio at km 134. This one was the only one standing from what we have seen and its a good shelter when it rains, however we decided to stay in our tent anyway. You can make fire inside. Closest water is actually the one in a lake uphill, the stream on the other side of the path was very dirty and hard to gather anyway.<br /> <br /> From there its a one more day until the finish with a good pace. We haven’t met the settler Daniel, but he’s definitely still living there. Beautiful beach of Lago Cochrane and from there we started to meet more and more tourists, doing just a day hike or some circuit around the lake - might be a good option as well in this beautiful region. The last kms felt a little long for us as we were looking forward to have some rest and enjoy all the fun in town. At the official campsite were a few people but no one asked us about anything. There are nice toilets and shower. From there its around 30m to Cochrane. Good to remember they celebrate Easter holidays in Chile as well, but we still managed to find some shop and bakery open.<br /> <br /> Contact: @martin_hanzelka @helenneka<br /> <br /> * '''12/03/2023 - 18/03/2023 / RR SOBO / Jakub+Veronika:'''<br /> <br /> Doing section 35 was due to closure of the Patagonia NP caused by heavy rains with helicopter rescue of several tourists from Valle Hermoso quite complicated, we did walk all we could in Tamango reserve and later (when it was opened) in Chacabuco valley. Be sure not to miss the museum. It's really worth it. The northern part was opened as the last one, that's why we've skipped it and hitchhiked back to Caretera. All paths in great condition. When going from Tamango to Chacabuco there's one suggestion:<br /> <br /> It seems that on RR (35, km 141) ends new 11km long track ”Huemules” which starts at the parking in Chacabuco valley on RP (35, km 132.5). That trail might be a nice alternative to RR (mud road) leading over private land of settler David Huemul.<br /> <br /> *8.02. - 05.03.23 / Anna &amp; Christopher / SOBO, Chile Chico - Cochrane<br /> <br /> We started in Chile Chico around 5 pm walking the first km on the road. After a while we got a ride to the Bahía Jara cross and camped a few hundred meters further near the street (we carried water from Chile Chico).<br /> <br /> The ascent to the plateau is mostly easy dirtroad walking and the last CC part easy to navigate. The whole stretch on the plateau until the street at km 41.5 we had extreme wind, which made walking super tiring and nearly blew us away a few times. We found a tiny and steep, but wind protected place to set up our tent at around km 28 in the ridge dug by the river. We had to get a bit inventive to set it up and to be able to sleep properly there. There were almost no other places that were protected by the wind until you get off the plateau. As almost all previous entries say, it's better to camp off the plateau. But it's really worth doing it because you can see Guanacos and flamingos on it :)<br /> <br /> When we reached the street at km 41.5 we were lucky and a car passed by a few minutes later, which brought us to the entrance of Parque Patagonia. We payed 15k CLP p.p. and walked to the camp Raleigh at Lago verde. There are some sheltered places to set up the tent, with an unfamiliar amount of people for the GPT. Lago Verde is beautiful though.<br /> <br /> The next day involves lots of river- and stream crossings and it started to rain not particularly heavy, but after some hours we were completely wet. Therefore the rivercrossing at km 82.6 was really hard for Anna (1,63 m) but we managed by inertlocking our arms and doing it step by step slowly. After that the trails get really good and you can walk way faster. We camped at the unofficial camp site at km 84.7.<br /> <br /> We had good weather the next day and the trail was really good until Lago Gutierrez. Up to the pass the trail gets a bit worse with some navigation issues, but you always find a good path again. As the others wrote there are only some tiny streams within the first km after the pass until the next Laguna, so we filled up our bottles there and camped somewhere in the forest soon afterwards once it started to rain again.<br /> <br /> The next day there were still not too much water sources and we fetched the first water at the first Laguna which wasn't super easy to access. The trail until Lago Cochrane wasn't in bad condition neither. We also took Option L, which follows the 'regular' siete lagunas trail. The stretch from Lago Cochrane until the Conaf office at the end of the lake is absolutely amazing with great views of one of the clearest lakes in the world. We camped at km 145.7 and took a bath in the lake.<br /> <br /> The last 8 km to Cochrane went super fast on an easy trail until Conaf and 4 km road walking to the town, so happily we could escape from the starting rain.<br /> <br /> * '''20 to 24 of February 2023 / Silke &amp; Hans / Loop - Fachinal -&gt; Chile Chico'''<br /> <br /> We didn't do the regular route, but read about an intresting loop starting in Fachinal and entering the normal route at Valley Hermoso. We then continued along the regular route to the entrance at Laguna Jeinimeni, and back to Chile Chico. The first 3 days from Fachinal we didn't see any other hikers, but it was pretty clear why. The trail was completely overgrown, full of fallen trees and a lot of the time there is no trail at all. But we managed our way through pretty good, and is was an awesome alternative to enter the Park. We recorded our GPX for others, waypointed some POI's and added some photo's to it: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/114121493<br /> <br /> DAY 1 / 18km / +740m /<br /> Although we heard of a bus to Fachinal from Chile Chico, nobody really appeared to know any information about it.. In the terminal the people we spoke said there were none. So we started hitchhiking the following morning. But after 3-4h of no luck we went back to the terminal, and all of a sudden there was a bus leaving at 11:30. 10.000 pesos pp, a little expensive but being unsuccesfull hitchhiking we took it. We had lunch at the turnoff, and starting hiking around 13:00. The first part is on a clear double track, but soons turns into a clear singletrack. We took the wrong intersection twice (waypointed on our GPX). We camped right before the first big river crossing. There is one steel cable, so if you bring a harness you could tiroller across. <br /> <br /> DAY 2 / 22km / +1100m /<br /> First up, we crossed the river. The water level didn't seem a lot lower than the day before, and at the deepest part it was about halfway our thighs. After taking another wrong intersection and backtracking, we reach the second river crossing. Again a steel cable is provided but the crossing was pretty straightforward, and the water level was only slighty above our knees. Just across the river is a an old cabin, and then short after a very new refugio (locked, used by a trekking agency). The trail gets super dense after this, climbs steeply on the mountain side and dissapears completely on numerous occasions. After the climb it flattens out, opens up and you reach a laguna. After the laguna it's the easiest to just follow the river bed down to the open valley floor (possible sheltered campsite in the forest). Follow the valley floor to another amazing laguna where you can camp near a second locked refugio.<br /> <br /> DAY 3 / 14km / +440m /<br /> We started the day with a side-trip to a mirador looking over the glacier high above. Takes about 1,5-2 hours return. We then packed up camp and headed for Valley Hermoso. You pass another beautiful laguna and follow the river down to the main valley. Lots of river crossing here. We camped at the Refugio Valley Hermoso, arriving earlier than expected. <br /> <br /> DAY 4 / 15km / +200m /<br /> Very short and easy daytrip to another laguna. About 3 hours return. We just chilled the rest of the day.<br /> <br /> DAY 5 / 36km / +830m /<br /> Final day along the normal route to the entrance of Laguna Jeinimeni. The day started off with some heavy rain for a couple of hours, but all the river crossings were still very doable. We arrived at the entrance around 13:00, and there was no sign of anybody leaving soon. So we decided to continue hiking untill we could find a ride along the way. We ended up hiking an extra 19km before finally a car was willing to take us along. There is an established campsite at the entrance for 3000 pesos pp.<br /> <br /> * '''19 to 24 of February 2023 / Will / SOBO, regular route'''<br /> <br /> Not too much to add on this one. I had a good time but the section felt long.<br /> <br /> On the way up to the first plateau there were a few somewhat sheltered places to camp past the puesto. I camped around km 19, just before the last steep climb up to the plateau. Lots of streams around there.<br /> <br /> None of the river crossings went above my knees, after a dry week.<br /> <br /> I liked the detour up to the Lago Jeinemeni mirador. I also took variant I out and back to a glacier lake, I'm less sure whether that was worth it. I couldn't find any real trail, it was nice easy cross country walking through the woods followed by some open rocky ground. The glacial lake was cool, but not as spectacular as some of the ones I've seen in other sections.<br /> <br /> I camped at the casa de piedras and took a luxurious warm shower. The ranger said you're supposed to pay at the office in valle Chacabuco, but since our route doesn't go there she just let me stay for free. She also said that sendero de siete lagunas (our route) was closed, but that I could do it since I had my gps and satellite communicator. She made it sound tough/dangerous though it turned out to be fairly quick trail.<br /> <br /> Not much water or campsites along the siete lagunas. There's a nice campsite at the tip of the pencil lake just after the (still intact!) refugio at 133.9.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Feb-12-19 / NOBO / RR + Option 35-L / Ondrej and Bara / Cochrane - Chile Chico / 7.5 days'''<br /> <br /> We really enjoyed this section! We went from Cochrane to Chile Chico. Our favourite parts were the descent through Valle Hermoso and the descent on the cross country section to Chile Chico. We spent 7.5 days on this section, taking a relaxed pace and including a half day break.<br /> <br /> We only had to pay 9,000 CLP per person entrance fee at the Cochrane park gate (sector Tamango). We then showed the pass three days later to a ranger at Casa de Piedras and he let us go. The final checkpoint for us was the CONAF park exit/entrance at Lago Jeinemeni. The ranger there didn’t want to see our pass at all, he just asked from where we hiked (we said Casa de Piedras).<br /> <br /> Some details: - Starting from Cochrane, the trail is easy walking up until km 144.9. As you leave Lago Cochrane, the trail is harder to follow. Fortunately this lasts only up to km 138, where the trail becomes easy to follow again. We camped next to the refuge on km133.9. The refuge has a good roof and can serve as an emergency shelter. There is no good water next to it though - we needed to climb the hill to the laguna to refill. - From roughly km 125 to km 99, the RR follows the old Siete Lagunas trail, which is not maintained anymore. Expect some fallen trees and slightly overgrown parts but the trail is beautiful and easy to navigate in general. - We took Option L to cut some overgrown road walking as recommended by others. We really liked it. - We camped next to the destroyed refuge at Laguna Guagua (km 118.3) and really loved the place - there is an amazing pebble beach at the laguna. - If you don’t want to camp at Casa de Piedras, there is a place for a small tent and a stream at roughly km 97 (-47.07463, -72.20439). We camped there. - The river crossings in Valle Aviles and Vale Hermoso were maximum to our knees. The deepest one was at Lago Verde (km 66.1). However, the river levels can change rapidly when it rains the days before - do check the weather. - We camped at the eastern shore of Lago Verde (km 61.7; campsite Raleigh) and really loved it - it has picnic tables and a spacious cooking/eating shelter. - We hitchhiked the part on the road between km 53 and 41.5. Few cars go by but the hitch was easy - we stopped the first car. - The cross country section from km 41.5 is very different from the rest - semi-desert like and lots of animals. We saw llamas, flamimgos, condors and hares (among sheep, cows and horses). - Between km 38 and 33 the path goes along a fence. We had to get over the fence once (we scrambled below it without problems). - If you are going NOBO, expect stunning views of the General Carrera Lake and Torres del Avelano when coming from the last pass (km 20.8) down to Chile Chico.<br /> <br /> A ranger in Casa de Piedras wanted to prevent us to walk the RR NOBO from Casa de Piedras to Valle Hermoso. He claimed that route is closed now as the rivers are too high to cross. To avoid conflict, we said that we will only do the “loop trail” which is basically the RR from Casa de Piedras up until the bridge where the RR joins Option J. The Option J is then used to return back to Casa de Piedras. When doing the loop, we met several hikers in the opposite direction who confirmed that all river crossings are fine. In light of this we decided to continue on the RR and indeed the deepest ford was to our knees. Therefore if faced with a ranger claiming that the rivers are too high, we suggest to start with the loop trail (rangers should be okay with that) and get more info on the river levels from the hikers going the opposite direction.<br /> <br /> *2023 last week January NoBo (6 days but could have very easily been done in less) / Helen and Craig + (Caro, Ali and Gabby)<br /> <br /> &gt;Such lovely camp sites. Beautiful places to stay the night the whole way around<br /> <br /> &gt;Very very easy trails. River crossing section isn't bad at all and the Valle hermosa lives up to its name.<br /> <br /> &gt;1st and last camp site particularly lovely<br /> <br /> &gt;Keep eyes peeled for pumas! I would have easily missed the sighting if I hadn't been looking the right way at the right time. They were super close. 10m or less away. Two cubs outside the refugio at casa peidra. Not where they are commonly seen in the park at all Aparently around west winds camp they are more commenly seen.<br /> <br /> &gt;Museum in the middle of the section worth checking out. Very visual and quite hard hitting environmental museum<br /> <br /> &gt; Can hitch easy enough to Chile Chico but leave last camp early in the morning. There's often a driver with a 4x4 who drives hikers in to the park and will take you back for 10,000p/p. Hikers who were a few hours behind us had no luck hitching as demand can often overtake spaces.<br /> <br /> * '''27 of January to 1 of February 2023 / Véronica &amp; Zach / GPT35 RR SOBO / 5.5 days '''<br /> <br /> Route: Chile Chico - Lago Jeinimeni - Valle Hermoso - Casa de Piedra - Lago Cochrane - Cochrane <br /> <br /> What a beautiful and diverse stretch of the GPT! I hiked half of this section with Zach, up to Casa de Piedras at km 98.9. We were unable to get a hitch out of Chile Chico, so we ended up walking the road to where the trail begins. No navigation issues, but the entire cross-country section to Río de las Nieves (waypoint at 42.7 km) is very exposed and was very windy when we crossed. We ended up camping at the water at 23.9 km, but the wind blew very strongly all night and I was worried it might take my tent. If you can, it is better to camp off this plateau unless the weather is calm. Lots of guanaco trails to follow :) <br /> <br /> At the CONAF office at km 53.0, we each paid 9,000 clp for entry to the national park, plus 6,000 clp for passage/camping along the trail to Casa de Piedras in the Valles Hermoso and Aviles. Beautiful trail the whole way, popular and well-maintained, with cairns and markers to follow. There is an awesome shelter and camping area with picnic tables on the eastern shore of Lago Verde, at the end of Option D. In my opinion it was nicer than the popular refugio in Valle Hermoso (km 68.1) that everyone talks about. <br /> <br /> We had no issues with fords, except the one at km 82.6 which flows into Río Aviles. It was the end of a warm sunny day, so the flow was quite high and strong. Had I been on my own I would have camped on the north side and waited till morning to cross. However, this time I was able to cross by linking arms with Zach as he is much taller than me and was more stable in the current. <br /> <br /> At Casa de Piedras, Zach and I parted ways as he wanted to packraft down the Río Chacabuco. The ranger at the Casa told me the Sendero de las Siete Lagunas (which begins at km 99.5) was no longer maintained. This is true, there were stretches in the desertlike brush that were hard to follow, and I checked the GPS frequently. Generally it was better when the trail went into wooded areas. I also found this trail to be dry — the only water I found was the water from the lagunas and a tiny trickle about a kilometer south of the pass. Lots of spiky plants that get stuck in your socks and shoes. I took Option L to cut out some overgrown minor road walking. It's sad that this trail is being neglected and left to be swallowed up by nature, because otherwise it is quite scenic. <br /> <br /> The horse trail that goes from the puesto of Daniel Huemul (km 143.3) to Lago Cochrane was also rough and overgrown. Everything gets easier once you reach Lago Cochrane though, nice, maintained trails all the way to Cochrane with beautiful places to camp along the lake. <br /> <br /> * '''GPT35 / Yannic &amp; Mirjam / 2022-Dec-13'''<br /> <br /> Much is already detailed below, so we will keep it short <br /> <br /> 1 day: from Chile Chico to the entrance of the National Park. We camped one night before the pass at S 46.61639 W 71.81632. Water right next to the camp. Pass is very windy.<br /> <br /> 2 days: from the National Park to the Refugio. Nice refugio with small house where you can make a fire inside to dry things. From the Refugio to Casa Piedra is possible in one day. But it is a long day with many kilometres.<br /> <br /> 2.5 days: Casa Piedra to Cochrane. Leaving Casa Piedra, after a few hundred metres the trail leaves the Minor Road and enters the trail (where there is a large stone marker). The trail is officially closed and partly in bad condition. There are many fallen trees on the trail, some of it is overgrown and not completely clear. We therefore checked the GPS regularly. We took OH-TL-V{35-L}, which saves a few kilometres of (overgrown) minor road.<br /> We spent one night at Laguna Guagua (Refugio is completely destroyed) and one at Lago Cochrane.<br /> When we left the national park, no one was at the office. We therefore simply went through...<br /> <br /> * '''GPT35 Variant P, Option 3, 3C, 3D / Meylin Ubilla, Jan Dudeck / 2022-Dec-12 and 13 / 1.5 days'''<br /> <br /> While waiting in the village Cochrane for our friends to catch up, we did a little 1.5 day hike higher up next to Lago Cochrane that we visited at least 3 times by packraft in past years. For the first time this year we waked with a light backpack without packrafting gear.<br /> <br /> We took Variant P eastbound that slowly climbs on a gravel road to an altitude of 500 m and then continues as a panorama trail in this altitude.<br /> <br /> Apparently, this is not authorized access to Parque Patagonia (Sector Tamango) and two gates need to be climbed but there was nobody to be seen on this route. The normal access to the park is down next Rio Cochrane and Lago Cochrane.<br /> <br /> Nearly the entire route was scenic and worth the effort.<br /> <br /> The settler “El Húngaro” apparently sold the land and became part of the national park. There is an open building that might be used as a refuge in case of emergency but camping is probably more comfortable.<br /> <br /> The refuge at {35-P} [4.0/501] is collapsed but camping is pleasant on this pasture.<br /> <br /> The trail section OH-TL-V {35-03} [0.0+5.2] is not maintained for several years making this route inconvenient to walk. The route south of both lakes is easy walking.<br /> <br /> As long as Parque Patagonia does not challenge hikers to make a full traverse from Cochrane to Chile Chico it is prudent to take the official route which is the current regular route and pay the entrance fee near Cochrane when hiking northbound.<br /> <br /> But should longer multi-day traverses be denied, then it might be less bothersome to take Variant P which avoids the entrance.<br /> <br /> Packrafters can travel east and westbound on Lago Cochrane and will not pass any park entrance.<br /> <br /> * '''Alice &amp; Florian / 4 to 10 November-2022 / Regular Hiking Northbound'''<br /> <br /> Here's our story of our GPT35. We really enjoyed this section, it is really diverse, beautiful landscapes and we saw heaps of animals. <br /> <br /> As we wanted to do the trail in the northbound direction, we took the bus from chile chico to Cochrane, arriving in chile chico from argentina from the south (border o'higgins closed...). It tales 4 hours and leaves on sunday at 14 (return Monday 7 Am), Monday 16 (return Tuesday 7 AM),Wednesday and Friday 7 Am (return 16).<br /> <br /> We took the option north of Cochrane because we were not sure if they would allow us to sleep in the tamango reserve. But, indeed you have to pass a no entry sign, a gate and a sign saying that entering the park that way is prohibited so we do not recommend it when it is written on the conaf website that it is allowed to sleep in tamango section.<br /> <br /> We took the sendero de los huemules and slept at camp 1 waypoint. There was plenty of water at that time and a beautiful view.<br /> <br /> After that we took the option OH-TL-V 35-P to avoid going downhill. The entry of this trail is about 150m before what is indicated on the GPT so be aware. I don't think the trail is an official one from the park so you have to fight your way through some bushes. But apart from that, it is clear. Then we joined the regular route, which since the 2022 version does follow the siete lagunas trail. You will join the siete lagunas trail at the kilometer 11 more or less. We then camped around the km 13 of the 7 lagunas trail. <br /> <br /> We found water just before climbing at the pass at S47°06.0856' W072°17.592' and there is more at the top. However, it is true that it is drier on the other side of the pass, so if you are going Southbound, pack enough water from Lago Gutierrez to climb the pass. <br /> <br /> We spent the third night at casa de Piedra where you have all facilities (electricity, hot shower, kitchen). Unfortunately for us they were on strike so they wouldn't allow us to go further on the trail. We did anyway as going out to jeiminini or through the road to chacabuco would take the same time. <br /> By the way various national parks - including Torres del Paine were on strike at the moment. <br /> <br /> The second part in the aviles valley is really clear, the trail is really nice and easy and with a lot of water available. Exiting the casa de piedra you should take the option OH-TI-V 35-J instead of the regular route, it will save you 600 m and two river crossings, and the view is similar. Starting at km 20, you will have to reduce your pace because the trail is busy with a lot of fallen trees, bushes and rocks. Between the km 22 and 23 of the valle aviles trail, the trail has been swept away by the river this winter so you have to cross the river two more times to go around. The kilometers indications disappear more or less after the pass, at km 25. <br /> <br /> After that you enter the valle Hermoso. We camped at the waypoint 17/Camp Valle Hermoso but we do not recommend it. It was really small and close to the river, so if there is a sudden level rise because of heavy rain or a flooding because of a glaciar outburst (GLOF), you might get wet... Better sleep st the small caban near km23 if you don't think you will reach the refugio in valle Hermoso.<br /> <br /> Once you reach Lago Verde, follow the GPT track and not the trail that leads to the lake, or you will have to turn back. After the pass it's more river crossings but you can save some kilometers in the river bed by taking the option OH-TI-V 35-E and then OH-TI-V 35-D until the rio jeimenini (the first part of the option OH-TI-V 35-D does not exist anymore). We did not have any trouble to cross the Rio between the 2 lakes even though we were in the middle of the afternoon. It was about thigh deep for me but I'm tall. <br /> <br /> After that it's really easy to the Parc entrance. We went back to Chile Chico walking on the road instead of taking the cross country option, because0 there were still snow on the mountain. The first part is still pretty until the intersection, once you enter the valley of the Rio it is a bit more monotonous. Halfway there is an access to an annex of the national park, to go see the Cueva de las manos and valle lunar. <br /> <br /> * '''Adrien Kunzli / 31-Oct-2022-04-November-2022 / Regular Hiking Northbound'''<br /> <br /> All rivers crossing are easy to pass at this time of year. One tricky passage on the snow at the entrance of lago verde, very steep, but it was to avoid walking in the lake (frozen feet early in the morning). <br /> <br /> No guards at the entrance at Tamango so i didnt pay the fee but didnt get my pass. Tamara gently gave me one at the camping of casa del piedra (apparently if i didnt have this pass i could not be admitted at Jeinimeni.) At Jeinimeni pass, again, nobody. So i were to the houses near and finaly find the guy. He took my pass and i get no fee in this NOBO direction. <br /> Nice shortcut after the bridge of Rio de las Nieves (S 46° 47.274', W 071° 54.665') that can avoid you a little bit of the 4x4 unfinshing road and get you directly into the heart of this amazing and beautifull last part. So: <br /> In front of the end of the bridge, you go up the big hill and go diagonally (or directly if you feel better) to join the path (pretty wild) of the gps (S 46° 45.843', W 071° 54.359'). Small stretches of paths are drawn rather well along this shortcut. <br /> <br /> Not much good water between the bridge (brown water) and the puesto but the the puesto's water is of much better quality.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> * '''GPT 35: Parque Patagonia/ Exploration Route via Valle Maullín Grande/ 2022 March-12/ 4 days / Tobias Schorcht, Jonas Grünewald '''<br /> <br /> We hiked from Maullín Grande to Cochrane by chance. I always wanted to do the stretch from Chile Chico to Cochrane, but we had just 4 days left… When we hitchhiked northbounded from Villa O’Higgins, we luckily got picked up by Pascual Diaz, who is a experienced Mountain Guide (company Kalem) and took us all the way to his refugio in Maullín Grande. He also explained us, how to reach Cochrane on time while doing that crossing. The next day he took us to the end of the Road, where we started hiking around midday (-46,80390, -72,42001). It was a easy walk to the end of the Valley where we camped (-46,87872, -72,34138). The following day was hard, but we went up to the pass (1430m) in perfect sunshine. At (-46,87234, -72,30906) you will face a waterfall in a steep canyon. We recommend to walk on the left side (northwest) through the forest until you meet the riverbed again. The other side is also possible (we went there), but you have to climb higher in difficult terrain. From that point you can easily do a cross country walk up to the pass, where you have to cross the Glaciar (without cracks). It was absolutely stunning! Going down to the laguna is quite steep. I would not do it in bad weather conditions. When you meet the laguna, you can either walk on the left or right side. Both options are not easy. We crossed on the right (southern) side, which is ok in good weather conditions. There is one river crossing in between, which could be impossible with more water. Now we think it would have been easier to walk on the left (northern) side, although we would have had needed to cross the river before and after the laguna. Packrafting is an option as well, but since it only 1.5 km we don’t think it is worth it. Camped in a forest close to the regular trail dry and save. All in all we recommend this option to experienced hikers in good weather conditions. The hike to Cochrane was hard, because we had just 2 days for 80km. So we hitchhiked to the museum of Parque Patagonia and we even saw a puma at the Westwind Campsite! It seems like this puma shows up there regularly. I waited for that moment almost 5 months. My dream came true on my very last evening in nature. Thank you Patagonia for this great gift. 🙏<br /> <br /> * '''Christmas2021 / GPT 35, NOBO, participants Janna &amp; Matthias, dec 2021, duration 6 days from Cochrane to Conaf center at Lago Jeinimeni, then hitchhiked to Chile Chico'''<br /> <br /> As recommended by a friend we opted for the following route through the Parque Nacional de Patagonia which is highly recommendable (first two days mainly GPT variants and options, afterwards GPT regular routes. There are several marked senderos in the beginning as 5 Los Huemules, 8 los Pumas, 7 los Guanacos, sendero 9, sendero Lagunas Altas etc.) as you can see in our attached tracking file.<br /> <br /> All in all the trails were easy to find, some seemed to be still unhiked this year. To enter the park from Cochrane we had to pass a prohibition sign and climb over a no entrar gate. We didn't meet anyone on the first day, the settler didn't seem to be around. The following days we met two to three other hikers per day, but no rangers until the end at Conaf Center near Lago Jeinimeni, where we easily paid the park fees in arrears (8000 pp park entrance fee and an additional 6000 pp overnight stays in the park). We deliberately skipped the Conaf center in Valle Chacabuco on the advice of our friend.<br /> <br /> Good to know:<br /> - There is no water anymore at S 47.198557, W 72.474927 near the camping site but instead at S 47.203460, W 72.480747 and S 47.179332, W 72.465807<br /> - There were many lagoons on our day 3 that weren't visibly well marked neither on our apps nor on the Garmin GPS.<br /> - All the marked refugios along the trail are heavily damaged except Casa de Piedra<br /> (closed on the 24th of dec) and Refugio Valle Hermoso (where we could even dry our<br /> soaked shoes from the many river crossings next to the fireplace).<br /> - From the refugio Valle Hermoso we did a side trip to the first glacier lake in the Valle<br /> Estero Ventisquero without all the luggage.<br /> - The río Jeinimeni water level was up to our waists and strong (note it had rained the<br /> night before). According to others it was supposed to be knee-deep.<br /> - Hitchhiking from Conaf center Jeinimeni to Chile Chico is possible when camping or day guests are leaving. As we arrived later in the afternoon we spent an extra night there. <br /> - The supermercado sur in Chile Chico sells gas.<br /> <br /> Track files and waypoints: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-98Ou9jk0porCVRp7CSFZ-KciXQ2PBzD<br /> <br /> *'''30 Nov RR 5 days SOBO Frank'''<br /> <br /> From Chile Chico I got the Bahia Jara bus &amp; got off at the junction, saves a 6KM roadwalk. Walked 2KM up the road then on trail to the high plateau. The settler before the pass wasn't there but his dogs were a bit territorial so I avoided the puesto. I went across the high plateau &amp; camped a bit before the second puesto in one long day. Camp marked on track file below the pass was not very good (boggy &amp; sloping) so I continued down to camp near the stream. The second puesto is above the RR &amp; not visible from it. Camping on the high plateau definitely not recommended. It is very exposed &amp; the wind can &amp; will knock tents. On day 2 I got to CONAF, they said a puma had been there every day the week before. Continued with many river crossings to the hut. There are trails marked with ribbons on LHS of the river SOBO, they go in on small loops which avoid some of the river crossings. Nearing the hut there is a stream flowing into the lake. At the lake it was too deep to cross. Bush bashed for about 40 metres to reach the ford. Camped outside the hut. Several river crossings on the third day. The double crossing is the crux. I avoided it by going over the bluff on LHS of river with a bit of tree bashing but I don't recommend that. The bluff descent is cliffed off with only a narrow breach where you can downclimb on trees. The breach is not obvious from above. Better to ford the river - it was running high but I met several hikers who had crossed it. Got to Casa de Pidera in 1 long day from the hut. You can cook in the Casa (they have a gas stove, electricity &amp; showers) but have to camp outside. There are some trees to shelter from the wind. On the fourth day I started walking Sendero de Siete Lagunas (SSL) but I was using the 2019 track file which doesn't show the SSL. It had not been walked much recently &amp; the route was not obvious. At the lake I lost the SSL in guanaco tracks. I continued around the lake &amp; walked out about 2KM to the road. The descent to the road was cliffed off but I found a way down in a gully. Then I walked out the road past a meadow where hundreds of guanaco were grazing. Past the meadow I went in left on a side road to rejoin the RR. On the fifth day I walked past Daniel Huemul's puesto &amp; was lucky to meet Daniel who was riding out &amp; he showed me the way. He said the direct RR which goes right from the puesto is now overgrown &amp; disused. Instead we went out to the left. There is a small road which goes in a loop &amp; turns towards Lago Cochrane but with his directions I was able to shortcut it. I paid 15,000 CLP for entry &amp; camping at CONAF Lago Jeinemeni &amp; they didn't charge me anything at Casa de Piedra.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2020/21==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> <br /> *'''2020-Mar-18 , Tyler Wood, 7 Days Sobo'''<br /> <br /> Amazing section to end my season with. I got a couple short hitches on the way up past Chile Chico. Up past the last puesto are some great areas to camp along a big boulder field. Maybe 2 km more. Beautiful and surrounded by Guanacos. Plenty of water too. Up near the top of the pass was very cold, but very beautiful, and even saw a bunch of flamingoes in the lakes.<br /> <br /> On the way down the pass I tried to find the fore-mentioned route to the puesto to take the road the rest of the way down and didn’t really have any luck...found my way anyways and camped down by Rio sucio under a willow.<br /> <br /> Into Jenimeni I got another little hitch. Once you cross the deeper river by Laguna esmeralda just keep those water shoes on, you’ll be crossing many more times.<br /> <br /> I also was told by a ranger that sendero siete Lagunas wasn’t habilitado, but went for it anyways. Water is Not after Laguna Gutiérrez for a while, so make sure you fill up around there. After the pass there are a few more small<br /> Streams to fill up. <br /> <br /> The road walking to Tmango reserve seemed to take forever, but Walking/camping by Lago Cochrane was all worth it. At puesto Huemul Is when I got my first advice that the corona virus was a big deal. The woman told me there were 3 confirmed cases in Cochrane, I went there and booked my tickets straight home. Hasta le vista baby!!!<br /> <br /> * '''2020-February-08 / 7 days / Southbound'''<br /> <br /> Long and beautiful section. No major difficulties. Great diversity. Without hitchhiking, it took me 173 kilometers. <br /> <br /> 1st part / 2 days / Chile Chico to Div 217<br /> At the beginning of the cross country, valley full of Guanacos. I camped just after the puesto, about 2 kilometers after the beginning of the cross country, before the pass, where there are still rocks to protect from the wind.<br /> As related in previous reports, after camp 279, you will stumbled upon a fence. Go on the East along the fence, cross it, and you will find a trail to the next Puesto and then the trail goes down from the puesto to the dirt road. You will avoid cross country this way. <br /> <br /> 2nd part / 2,5 days to Casa de Piedra<br /> Popular part. Groups of hikers along the way. 8000CLP entrance fee + 6000 CLP for 2 nights sleeping inside the park. <br /> <br /> 3rd part / 2,5 days / Sendero de las 7 lagunas<br /> After Casa de Piedra, I followed the GPS regular route which took me to the beginning of the Sendero of 7 lagunas. CONAF said it was not &quot;habilitado&quot; but it is actually well marked. The good thing is that there will be no hikers on this part, except when you approach the end, along the lago Cochrane. The trail is very different from the GPS tracks but no difficulties to find it. So, don't worry not having the GPS tracks. <br /> At S 47º08.015' W 72º18.948', there is a nice place to camp and also, the trail will merge with the optional route OH-TL-V@35-02F-#001 You can then follow this track and then go back to the Regular Route to reach Cochrane.<br /> <br /> * Martin Lizondo / 28-Jan-2020 / Regular Hiking Southbound<br /> <br /> The section took me 6 days. Some tips:<br /> <br /> The first part from Chile Chico has a +20 km cross country walk. The wind is extremly strong and the route very high, with no forest protection. I recommend spending the first night behind the trees of El Ciprés (the settler Orlando Vazquez allows people to pass and is very kind) or near to the puesto at the end of the minor road at 46º 36' 5,3&quot; S, 71º 48' 45,05&quot; O (Miguel Pacheco is very kind too). Enough water all along the route.<br /> <br /> The Jeinimeni section of Parque Patagonia is very easy and well marked. Entrance to foreigners costs CLP 8000 plus 6000 if spending the night. There’s a shelter with place for fire and tents after 18 km.<br /> <br /> Valley Aviles to Casa de Piedra is also easy and beautifull, with many free camping spots. Casa de Piedra costs CLP 8000 per night.<br /> <br /> The rest of the gps track is very different from the actual trail, called “Sendero de las Siete Lagunas”. I recommend taking this route instead of the old gps track, as it’s very well maintained. At Lago la Pepa ( 47º 7' 45,19&quot; S, 72º 18' 41,54&quot; O ) the trail crosses an old overgrown minor road, which coincides with the gps track and takes to Puesto Huemul (47º 11' 25,31&quot; S, 72º 26' 6,98&quot; O). If going to the left, you’ll reach the puesto, if going up to the right you’ll end the official “Sendero de las Siete Lagunas” near to the main park center. Other hiking options are possible from that point, but the regular route to Puesto Huemul is the shortest.<br /> <br /> From Puesto Huemul, the trail goes down near to the lake Cochrane through Sendero “Coigües” and “Carpinteros”. Well marked and signed, this trails will take you to the start of Tamango section, very near to Cochrane.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-27 / GPT35 New Route: Lago General Carrera (Fachinal) to Parque Patagonia (Lago Jenimeni or “Casa de Piedra”) / 5 days / Meylin Meylin Elisabeth Ubilla González and Jan Dudeck'''<br /> <br /> Based on a recommendation from Tobias Hellwig W and Daniel Mahn Borkowsky we investigated a new route that I did no had on my radar until a few weeks ago. This route provides an alternative access from the southern coast of Lago General Carrera into the Parque Patagonia and is of interest for packrafters and hikers.<br /> <br /> The route is a traditional animal trail that was used by the settlers of Fachinal to drive cattle to a large summer pasture that is now part of Parque Patagonia (sector Jenimeni). With the enforcement of keeping domestic animals out of the protected park area a 5 km trail section inside Parque Patagonia lacks maintenance but is still quite well traversable for GPT standards. Apart from this short trail section most of the route is very scenic and nice to walk but practically unknown. Only one tourism company runs guided hiking trips along this route about once per months. Apart from this occasionally use the full traverse seams not to be done anymore.<br /> <br /> Due to lack of trail markings we spend about one extra day in searching and following the poorly maintained 5 km trail section but with our GPS record other hikers should struggle much less than we did and will be able to walk in 4 to 5 moderate hiking days from Fachinal at the southern shore of Lago General Carrera to “Casa de Piedra” in the center of Parque Patagonia in the Valle Chacabuco.<br /> <br /> We hiked the route northbound as we considered the option to cross Lago General Carretera at its shortest narrow by packraft. Here the lake is only 3.2 km wide but we finally did not cross this rather dangerous lake due to suboptimal wind conditions.<br /> <br /> Fachinal to Rio Aviles River Crossing: <br /> <br /> A well maintained “cattle highway” leads from Fachinal from the road bridge of Rio Aviles along the western/southern side of Rio Aviles to the limit of Parque Patagonia. This roughly 20 km long trail section gets regularly cleaned with chain saws to facilitate access to the pastures along Rio Aviles for free-rooming cattle. Most of the trees that have fallen on the trail have been cut to keep the trail easily traversable. Some hikers might find the “pointless up and down” annoying but this trail was created by men that move on horses that did not had to ascent and descent themself. About 1 km before crossing the Rio Aviles two signs indicate the limit of Parque Patagonia (Sector Jenimeni) and ban access for unauthorized people and domestic animals (without providing any clue who might be authorized and who not ;-). From the park limit the trail descents steep to Rio Aviles but remain well maintained to ford.<br /> <br /> This trail section requires two possibly demanding river crossings that can become impossible during snow melt in spring, after heavy rain or on the afternoon or evening of hot days (melting water from glaciers!). To keep the route traversable in such circlesumstances the tourism company has installed in both locations steel ropes (to cross these two rivers hooked up in harness to the steel rope without even touching the water).<br /> <br /> Rio Aviles River Crossing to the Pass (1150 m above Sea Level): <br /> <br /> After the river crossing the trail condition suddenly changes. Fallen trees don’t get cut anymore and undergrowth is not cleaned by machete. It’s mainly the remaining path on the ground that indicates the former animal trail. Advance is slow and in various locations care must be taken to not loose the trail. Here you will need to climb over fall trees and push occasionally through dense vegetation until reaching an altitude of 950 m. At this altitude the forest floor opens up (no dense undergrowth any more) and the trail disappears completely. Here walking becomes easy again. Walk the following kilometer through the open forest following roughly the GPS track until reaching the end of the forest and the small lake after the 1150 m high pass.<br /> <br /> An advise for northbound hikers: <br /> <br /> Finding the first signs of the trail in the open forest was a struggle as we had no information where exactly the trail starts to descent. I searched at least 3 or 4 hours in a 400 m wide and 1200 m long section of open forest till I found a first old machete mark on a tree that indicated the location of the trail. Carefully searching and following similar marks I finally found the descending trail.<br /> <br /> Searching northbound we lost the trail again when reaching Rio Aviles at the bottom of the valley and searched half a day for the correct continuation. A well visible and noticeably used trail next to Rio Aviles leads directly to an suitable river ford but from there a well maintained trail continues 1 km in the wrong direction (upstream). Only after bushbashing 1 km along the river shore downstream we recognized with surprise a second river ford (now the correct river ford) which connects to the well maintained trail section in the correct direction. In hindsight we understood that the well maintained trail simply continues upstream along Rio Aviles and that this trail crosses twice the Rio Aviles. Due to a partially not evident trail section on the other side of we did not recognize this when hitting this trail on the bottom of the valley and took the wrong direction to the wrong river ford.<br /> <br /> Now hikers with our GPS record and a GPS should not struggle to find and follow this trail as we did.<br /> <br /> Pass (1150 m above Sea Level) to Valle Hermoso Refugio: <br /> <br /> After leaving the forest at the 1150 m high pass the most scenic part of this route starts. A roughly 15 km long cross country route leads over pastures and river sediments past 3 lakes and two glaciers to the Refugio Valle Hermoso. Occasionally signs of a trail are visible but due to the open landscape a continuous trail neither exists nor is needed. <br /> <br /> Near the Refuge Valle Hermoso this route connects with regular route that leads along Valle Aviles (diffrent river with the same name!) to “Casa de Piedra” in the center of Parque Patagonia.<br /> <br /> Access to Trail Head at Fachinal:<br /> <br /> There are multiple buses per week from Chile Chico to Puerto Tranquilo on the Carretera Austral that pass Fachinal.<br /> <br /> Monday and Friday runs a subsidized bus from Chile Chico to Fachinal and back to Chile Chico (One round trip in the morning and a second one in the evening).<br /> 8:30 leaving Chile Chico<br /> 9:30 in Fachinal<br /> 11:00 returning to Chile Chico<br /> 17:30 leaving Chile Chico<br /> 18:30 in Fachinal<br /> 20:00 returning to Chile Chico<br /> <br /> If you wish to cross Lago General Carrera to continue hiking in the Cordillera Avellano North of the lake speak to Carloz Amoros in Fachinal (mobile: +56 9 76267029 / price around 30‘000 CLP) or Pascual Diaz de Mallin Grande.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-January 23 / Oreste Marquis/ Northbound : 8 days '''<br /> <br /> Going northbound. I followed the route until the second settler at the puesto Tejuela. From there, until the optional route @35-02e#001,<br /> I could not find the approximate trail in the files. I manage to find another one which is call siete Lagunas. It is really easy to follow and really beautiful! I find it near km 18 and keep walking on it until km 38. It is the end of it and is at the campground near Lago Gutiérrez. For more informations go reed Martin post in recent alerts and suggestion. I met him on the trail and he updated the wikiexplora before me. From the beginning to Casa Piedra took me 3 days. Then I hiked to the end of the reserve in an other 3 days. Lots of rivers to cross but felt pretty safe for all of them even the one higher between Lagos Jeinimeni and Verde. The cross country part the next day was my favorite of the hole trip! Awesome views, a lot of wildlife, just need to check a little bit more the gps! Last day, I headed to Chile Chico without any problem. Overall, I love it! Enjoyed it as much as GPT40.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-January / Matthieu / Northbound : 7.5 days &quot;tranquilito&quot;'''<br /> Incredible trekk, lots of different type of views and soil, my favorite since El Chalten. Money required for passing by the reserves !!<br /> I hitchhiked 10 km on the road to Casa Piedra, and 12 km between Jeinemini qnd the beginning of the trail that goes north in the mountain to join Chile Chico.<br /> <br /> '''1st part : Reserve Tamango''' : 6000 CLP the entry<br /> I took the old &quot;Huemul trail&quot; in the Tamango reserve, taking the left route at the &quot;Camp 284&quot; It is an old trail for 4x4, so very easy, and closed to vehicles now. <br /> <br /> '''2nd part : The road to Casa Piedra :''' the rangers I crossed were all agreed that it was not permitted to camp aside of the road (so the information is different that in Nov). One officiql camping at the end of Tamango reserve (WestWind) and one at Casa Piedra 26 km after. 8000 CLP each. At Westwind (not verified, only inforñqtions for guardaparques): no accomodations, only baño. At Casa Piedra . real big house, hot shower, electricity, place to cook. <br /> <br /> '''3rd part : Reserve Jenemeni :''' Entry 8000 CLP. For the camping, the ranger told me that it was permitted to camp wherever I wanted, so the information differs too from november. And at the exit, I told the ranger about my &quot;savage&quot; camping in the conversation, and he didnt tic at all, so no stress. The rangers are very nice !<br /> Good trekk, easy to follow. One very good refuge in the valle Hermoso where fire is possible. a more open refuge/camping site by the east shore of Lago Verde. <br /> Many river crossing, all safe except one, before the Laguna Esmeralda. Strong current, and people choose many different way with different profundness. Better do it in the morning, being a glaciar river (I could effectively compare between late in the afternoon and the morning and it is very different).<br /> <br /> '''Last part, to Chile Chico by the mountain :''' Amazing views, totaly different climate, more dry and with only bushes. <br /> At the beginning of the Cross country after the 4x4 road, I would advise to go a few meters west from the GPS tracks, to the east side of the river. There is effectively a fence on the west ridge, and a good trail on the east ridge that can avoid you the difficult crossing of many bushes, and that goes directly to the puesto.<br /> Two puestos, The 135 of metal being used by the locals (real bed inside), so just putted the tent outside. The second one 134 is actually a real house. Two mens were here when I arrived, working with the animals. I could put the tent near the house and take water from the sink outside. Many dogs, all nice.<br /> <br /> * '''Mum, Sis and I / Southbound / 11 days '''<br /> <br /> Well. What an interesting and varied section. Also the longest walk I think we'd all done. It took us 11 days in the end with a couple of longer side trips. Interestingly, when we emerged from the park it was closed, there was martial law in effect, a curfew in place. Borders closed. Only a week to get back to Santiago to catch the last flights back to Australia... Anyway. We're heading back now. Got temperature tested as we reentered Chili Chico this morning. Waiting for the boat across the lake mañana in la mañana. No buses out of town. Enough rambling...<br /> <br /> As always, thanks to the others before us that have taken the time to comment and provide feedback. Here's my two cents.<br /> <br /> Firstly here are some landmarks to make it easier for others to orient themselves: <br /> <br /> El Ciprés<br /> http://ge0.me/oGvL0ey6_7/El_Ciprés<br /> ge0://oGvL0ey6_7/El_Ciprés<br /> Casa Piedra<br /> http://ge0.me/4GvJGSxqPH/Casa_Piedra_%28Stone_House%29<br /> ge0://4GvJGSxqPH/Casa_Piedra_%28Stone_House%29<br /> Westwind<br /> http://ge0.me/wGvC_gnJaX/Westwind<br /> ge0://wGvC_gnJaX/Westwind<br /> <br /> Camping in Chile Chico:<br /> El Carro is supposed to be the cheapest place to stay in town. Though if you want a hot shower it's the same as Kon-aiken next door. We stayed at neither so can't really comment, but there were a lot of people staying at Kon-aiken and next to none at El Carro which might be indicitive of value for money or just the fact they are a little closer to the centre of town.<br /> El Carro however was the only one willing to look after some things for us.<br /> We also visited a hostel, but the owner was unfortunately very rude.<br /> <br /> El carro<br /> 4k frío <br /> 5k caliente <br /> 1k por día por mochila <br /> <br /> Kon-aiken<br /> 5k pp / noche <br /> No baggage service <br /> <br /> Part 1: Chili Chico to Jeinemeni<br /> In the end we decided to cache things in the bushes just outside of town. Mum and my sister got a lift to the Bahía Jara cruz whist I was caching. Unfortunately I had to walk all the way to El Ciprés where my mum and sister had been enjoying a nice conversation with Orlando Vazquez who allowed us to pass but emphasised the dangers and didn't really recommend crossing. <br /> Passing through the gate a couple of utes were exiting. Apparently there is a new mine up in the mountains and they didn't really want us to walk up. They admitted they just worked there.<br /> Turn off the main rd that assumably heads to the mine about here: -46.57775, -71.82666<br /> Goucho Miguel Pacheco passed us on the way up herding some cattle and we talked to him at the puesto for a while. We also gave him one of the Australian coins we'd been carrying around. He seemed to believe it was everyone's right to pass. &quot;People pass through here all the time &quot;.&quot;Just yesterday a lad passed by &quot;.&quot;It's the shortest route across the mountains &quot;<br /> Anyway. We camped in the rocks just outside the park boundaries (as mentioned by??).<br /> We then camped two nights up on the windy plateau. Our side trip to Valle Lunes was amazing. I'd recommend it. But be careful with wind. Oh and did anyone mention the guanacos?<br /> Unfortunately I think the water wasn't very clean on this part. Sheep, cows, guanacos, birds... It's the first time in Chile I've wished I took my water filter along. We had some sore stomachs.<br /> Dropping down the other side we hit the mentioned fence (about here -46.72574, -71.90211). We crossed, but would recommend following it to the left until you get to a corner. I'm not sure where it starts, but there is a trail running on the outside of the fence to the puesto. We then followed a sheep trail that ran high on the left (east) of the valley. Very good but it bypassed Las Abutardas completely and seemed to be heading towards Laguna los Flamencos instead. We ended up cutting down to the road where León passed us heading into town, a little confused why we hadn't taken the 'proper trail'.<br /> We camped the night at the Río El Sucio camp. Not really recommended.<br /> We walked the road and stayed at Río Las Vacas for a bit which is at the border of the park and a nicer place to camp. (There is a good stream between the two).<br /> <br /> Part 2: Jeinemeni to Casa Piedra<br /> It was 8k to enter the park (for foreigners) and an additional 6k for camping in Valle Hermoso. The section to the refugio (-46.84092, -72.14078) was very nice. This is the only shelter still standing. The others included in the track files were not really enterable.<br /> Heading to the refugio (where everyone seems to camp) you cross the small ankle deep creek exiting Laguna Esmeralda and then the deeper river between Lago Verde and Jeinemeni. This might have been the trickiest but when we crossed it wasn't really bad. We then had two more smaller crossings before passing through Portezuela La Gloria (1100m) to cross Estero Ventisquero and the other river running down the main valley.<br /> The next day we did the popular side trip to the glacier in this valley: -46.80924, -72.20116<br /> We wondered if it was the same way Jan et al entered recently?<br /> From the refugio to Valle Avilés there are no compulsory river crossings if you stick to the somewhat scrubby trail to the left (south) of the valley. The first crossing we did was Río Avilés shortly followed by the tributary. So only 8 crossings (wet feet) on the RR. <br /> <br /> We walked from the refugio to Casa Piedra in a day. It was closed so we camped on the other side of the Rd.<br /> <br /> Part 3: Casa Piedra to Cochrane<br /> From casa piedra we took the aforementioned Sendero las Siete Lagunas. It is not it the track files but indeed very well marked with numbered markers every kilometre. I'll upload a kml with the markers I recorded as well as some of the water bodies I sketched.<br /> After the stream running into Lago Gutiérrez there wasn't much water until Lago la Pepa.<br /> You will briefly intersect with a road here: -47.14006, -72.37138. The road seems to run down to Puesto Tejuela coinciding with OH-TL-V@35-02F-#001 which I think is incorrectly labelled as TL. Part of RH-TL-I@35-99.0+30.0 too should be marked as MR. You'll intersect this road before taking it down to Lago Cochrane.<br /> We passed the occupied dwelling (Daniel Huemul?) but the man wearing a shirt emblazoned with Parque Patagonia seemed afraid to approach us (another hint the world had gone Corona crazy). He wouldn't let us take the RR so we followed the road for a bit before taking another newly made trail also not in the track files.<br /> Everything after that was very easy to follow.<br /> Everything was abandoned at the entrance and the gate locked. People avoided us on the streets and covered their face when passing us. <br /> We grabbed some needed food (we were very short after 11 days!) and got on the WiFi. Wow! How things had changed! Martial law in place and a curfew in place, we slept under a bridge with some Colombians and caught a bus back to Chili Chico in the morning. Waiting for the boat across the lake tomorrow now.<br /> <br /> Links to files :<br /> Kilometre markers: https://www.dropbox.com/s/fuzt4xacxjjvvg4/kms.kmz?dl=0<br /> Water bodies: https://www.dropbox.com/s/uz1ei95s1913xvb/water.bodies.kmz?dl=0<br /> Other planning: <br /> https://www.dropbox.com/s/uk9ym56gufwk4zq/planning.kmz?dl=0<br /> <br /> * '''2019 Dec / Olrik/ Northbound '''<br /> <br /> Amazing part of the GPT, from Cochrane ou enter in the Tamango national reserve and pay 6000CLP for the entrance. We took several trails to get to Valle Chacabuco : Las Aguilas, Las Lengasm Los Condores, Laguna Altas. Great views. We had a snow storm at the pass though. There you end up in a paid campground. From there we walked the dirt road to Casa Piedras in Valle Chacabuco, it was beautiful with lots of guanacos. Then we took the Las Aviles sendero. We camped near the first river crossing as it was late and waited for the morning to cross. It is normally not possible to wild camp in the park but the guardaparque told us to camp there if the river crossing is not sage. The rest of the trail is easy to follow next to the river. There is a pass then you descend to Valle Hermoso and to lago Jeinimeni. It was just gorgeous and easy to follow with great weather. Be aware of the numerous river crossings. In lago Jeinimeni there is a paid campground. From there you can hitchhike, walk, or pay a transportation at the entrance of the park (15000Clp pp) but I'm not sure if this is a regular thing. We ended up hitchhiking to get to Chile Chico.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Nov-28/ Lea Geibel, Kevin Moe/ 5.5days/ Northbound / Regular Hiking Route (Cochrane to Chile Chico) with OH-32-2-#003/'''<br /> <br /> This section might have been our favorite out of the whole Group H, where the diversity of the landscape was our favorite part (also including weather and trail conditions). The NP was entered at Tamango just outside of Cochrane. Registration is mandatory, the entrance fee is at 8000 CLP. The ranger asked us to explain our route and since the regular Hiking route did not seem familiar to them, they told us to take the optionals route going north over the pass to WestWinds campground and then do the road walk Eastwards. <br /> The pass had some snow patches on the Southern side but was easy to traverse. At the Valley Chacabuco (another entrance to the national park) we got asked for our permits and the route we plan on taking. We heard different information on if it is allowed to camp at the road or not (there were signs that told us not to do it but the ranger said it is okay). After the roadwalk, we passed another ranger station where we had to register and sign a responsibility form telling that we plan to leave at Lago Jeinimeni (and telling that we're only allowed to stay at designated campsites). The hike from there is extremely beautiful and super diverse, the trail well maintained. The rivers were at higher flow but all fords were doable. <br /> We camped next to the Refugio because we still weren't sure about the camping rules (other hikers we met said they were told that it's okay to camp everywhere along the river). Leaving the NP at Lago Jeinimeni was straightforward, but it's mandatory to check out at the rangers office. The cross-country section after the road walk was a bit slow on the way up due to many bushes and hilly terrain. We found a nice trail next to the fence leading up to the puesto when going up the ridge on the Eastern side. From the puesto we took a short steep uphill after which the terrain became more open and easier to travel on. It was very windy and snowy in the mountains, which made it difficult to walk at times and it felt like the temperatures were rather low.<br /> The lagoons on the way up are filled with exciting birds (flamingos!) and guanacos are running around on the whole plain. Once reaching the plateau we headed down in a pretty straight line which was easier than the uphill until we reached the road<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> *Chile Chico has two supermarkets. Sell gas.<br /> <br /> *Cochrane is a decently sized town with three mid-range supermarkets. The largest one, which is a grocery and department store, is located adjacent to the town square. There are many lodging and restaurant options. Be sure to withdraw an ample amount of money here because most of the businesses in the next town, Villa O’Higgins, only take cash and there is no ATM.<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> <br /> *2025 / MiaimZelt<br /> Buses (starting at Terminal de buses in Chile Chico) that enable you to skip the first 7-8km of Roadwalk when hiking SoBo: <br /> <br /> Turismo Tramal. Chile Chico - Bahia Jara. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday 8:30 &amp; 16:30. <br /> WhatsApp: +56 9 7538 0178<br /> <br /> Buses Interlagos from Chile Chico to Puerto Rio Tranquilo: Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday 9:00.<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> *2023-Mar-31 to 2023-Apr-06 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Option J / Martin &amp; Helena<br /> <br /> PN Patagonia closed some sectors on the first Monday in April, so we were the last ones to get a permission and do this section ‘legally’. Be prepared for this if you want to do this part in April or later. The problem is they close Casa Del Piedra and probably won’t let you pass to that sector from Lago Jeinemeni, where the entrance stays open for longer time. Sneaking around the guards house early in the morning or just not be specific about your plans might work if needed, its very unlikely you would meet anyone on the way from the main entrance.<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT35 - RN Lago Jeinimeni]]<br /> <br /> =Images=<br /> [[file:Greater Patagonian Trail (7).jpg|left|GPT35 - RN Lago Jeinimeni]]</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT35_(Parque_Patagonia)&diff=119541 2025-01-12T21:00:44Z

<p>MiaimZelt: /* Transport to and from Route */</p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;packrafting&quot;, as above):<br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD, WHAT IS ENCLOSED IN &lt;&gt; MAKES IT BLUE):<br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/nowiki&gt;.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Overview=<br /> <br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> *'''2024-Nov-08 to 2024-Nov-16 / 8.5 / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Jonas'''<br /> Day 01: 08.11.2024<br /> Arrived by ferry from Puerto Ibanez in Chile Chico at 1430. Started walking right away. Caught a ride for about 3 km. After street, needed to open fence and door.<br /> Dog kept following all day. Couldn't make him leave.<br /> Settlers (mother &amp; daughter) offered a ride but kept walking. Camp spot at 14.1 was too wet to stay there. Looked for another spot. Nothing was good, wanted to look after puesto at 15.8. settlers offered me mate and asked if I wanna pitch my tent here since it got late. Stayed close to their place. Same settler family who offered me a ride.<br /> <br /> Day 02: 09.11.2024<br /> Starting from the settlers puesto CC had light snow when packing my tent. Didn't follow the route exactly. On the way to the first pass, saw the first guanacos. Started snowing stronger. Didn't follow the track or the OSM path to avoid snowfields. Tried to follow the trails but not always possible. Stronger snow and windy. After the first pass went too far to the east to avoid snowfields, thought it'd be easy to come back to the trail but took a longer detour. At least saw the first flamingos! In the plateau it was crazy windy. Sometimes followed track, sometimes OSM. Often in between because of snowfields. Snowfields were not steep, just wanted to avoid them. More guanacos only on the way down. Camp at 32.6 was too wet. ~250 m further down found a protected spot close to a small river/creek.<br /> <br /> Day 03: 10.11.2024<br /> Woke up late. Water in pot was frozen about 1 cm thick. Walked down, saw a lot of bones. Followed not the OSM track. Crossed the fence relatively far to the west. CC walking was nice. Maybe as others mentioned there is a path sooner if you cross/stay further east. Hit the dirt road and walked to the main dirt road. Already afternoon. First Pick Up stopped and gave me a ride to the park entrance. Didn't book the ticket before. You can book it at the CONAF station with their WiFi for the same day. 11.400 CLP for the entrance. Camping is free. Walked to camp Raleigh (about two hours) and found a nice spot there.<br /> <br /> Day04: 11.11.2024<br /> Short day. Started late, trail easy to follow. In the beginning keep left if other trails are there. First fording section is well marked in the track files. Keep your shoes off until Ford Stop. Climb to pass is sometimes steep but easy. Climb down is ready with stunning view of Valle Hermoso. Some parts with some rock slides. After descend two rivers to ford. Until camp Valle Hermoso some stretches in wind protected first in the river bed, some stretches in open river bed. Easy to follow. Camp Valle Hermoso has two roofed areas.<br /> <br /> Day 05 12.11.2024<br /> Started from camp Valle Hermoso. If you keep south you can avoid all the fords. At least at this time of the year. <br /> Trail is easy walking, landscape is stunning! Did a detour to Laguna Escondida. Nice and windy up there. To get there keep close to the track files. <br /> Only needed to take the boots off for the ford at 79.3. The rest was easy to navigate around or enough rocks/trees in the river.<br /> Camped at refuge 81.0 at the broken down cabin.<br /> <br /> Day 06: 13.11.2024<br /> Easy walking all day. Trail was easy to follow. Needed to ford once.<br /> The bridge at 90.9 is something if you're afraid of heights.<br /> Arrived early at Casa Piedra. Could use the infrastructure including warmish water. Since I said I won't pass the ranger station it was fine without paying.<br /> <br /> Day 07: 14.11.2024<br /> Trail is easy to follow. Lago Gutierrez looks amazing and quite windy. Some beach walking off track is nice. After Lago Gutierrez the trail is mainly easy to follow. Checked the GPS every now and then. Climb to the pass takes some time. Filled water up at a stream at the end of Lago Gutierrez. There was on running stream in the middle of the stretch to the pass. Not sure if it has water all year. Way down is through a beautiful forest. Nice views of the valley along the way. Some trees on the path but easy enough to climb them or walk around them. <br /> Stayed at the collapsed refuge. Enough wind protection even though it was quite windy.<br /> <br /> Day 08: 15.11.2024<br /> Trail was easy to follow in the forest. Outside the forest check your GPS when you think you might be off trail. <br /> Water in the beginning mainly from the lakes, later streams existed as well. Took the MR on the RR easy fast walking, no GPS checking necessary. Settler at 138.7 wasn't there passed by his house and followed the RR on a horse trail. Camped at around 142 at Lago Cochrane. Beautiful lake with clear water.<br /> <br /> Day 09: 16.11.2024<br /> For the last 12 km it was easy to follow the trail. Quite some up and down. Nice views on the lake. Arrived the CONAF office at lunch time. Did a self checkout. Stayed in Cochrane for two nights before the next bus to Villa O'Higgins left.<br /> <br /> Really nice hike! Due to the time of the year I only met one other hiker. It snowed a bit in the first days but not too much. Trails were generally easy to follow. Fording was not too much, might be different at another time.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Dec-14 to 2024-Dec-18 / 4.5 / Hiking / SOBO/ RR + Variant J, L / Roman'''<br /> <br /> <br /> Route: Hitchhiked from Chile Chico to X {35} [8.1/505]. Hiked to X {35} [41.5/768]. Hitchhiked from there to Park Ranger {35} [53.0/843] and hiked from there to -47.244414, -72.529165 and hitchhiked from there to Cochrane.<br /> <br /> Started in the Morning in Chile Chico and and started hiking at X {35} [8.1/505]. It's a small easy hiking road up to Puesto {35} [15.8/1075]. It's easy CC. I camped at Camp {35} [32.6/1300]. The next day was a easy hike to X {35} [41.5/768]. I was waiting 25 minutes for the first car to come by which picked me up around 11:30 AM - so prepared to either walk or wait quite some time. At the Ranger Station (Park Ranger {35} [53.0/843]) is fesh water, a toilet. There you have free internet via starlink. I have heard multiple stories and read multiple prices for entry. I would recommend to just show up. You will scan the QR code and buy the ticket online. I said that I hike to &quot;Casa Piedra camping&quot;. I had to buy the ticket &quot;Parque Nacional Patagonia - Sector Chacabuco&quot; for 5.200 CLP. Link here: https://tickets.pasesparques.cl/events/parque-nacional-patagonia-sector-chacabuco . From there i hiked to Camped at Refuge {35} [69.0/867] there are multiple fordings (river bed walking) which had a few banks and tables and a shelter hut. The next day hiked to Camp $, Refuge {35} [99.8/379] (Casa dePiedra). The Camp has electricity and a warm (not hot ;)) shower and toilets and 3 rooms with benches and tables for cooking etc. I was staying there with 2 other people and the Ranger. Apparently the Ranger doesn't collect/want money - i/we didn't needed to pay. There is Apparently a lady coming from time to time to collect a fee - so we were lucky. The trail was maintained and easy to hike. At the beginning there was some fording.<br /> <br /> The next day I camped at Refuge {35} [131.2/556] which is only a emergency shelter but has some flat spots to pich a tent. The trail is not maintained and is sometimes very good or not visible at all - you need you GPS! Overall good easy to hike with some fallen trees. There is a bridge at -47.160823, -72.407796 also with water which makes the Refuge a great place to say. Picture of bridge https://imgur.com/a/ZydIQ7f and Refuge: https://imgur.com/a/NDMT0FP . After that it's a easy hike all the way to -47.244414, -72.529165 where I hitchhiked to Cochrane. I haven't camped there but this location looked like the best stay you could get in the trail here: https://imgur.com/a/rtak82Q. -47.198106, -72.457406 close to Camp {35} [138.4/173].<br /> <br /> Stayed at Camping, Refugio ,Cabaña y HostelCochrane which i can highly recommend (camping 7k, dorm 9k, laundry 5k and a supermarket across the street)<br /> <br /> Contact: https://linktr.ee/RundW<br /> <br /> * ''' 2024-Dec-13 to 2024-Dec-17 / 5 days / GPT35 SOBO RR / wiiiim<br /> Relatively uncomplicated &amp; fast section, lots of info exists so just a summary here. In essence it feels like 3 parts<br /> <br /> - part 1 Chile Chico to the park entrance: mostly cross country over a barren plateau with lots of animals. I arranged a taxi out of Chile Chico to skip the first 9km of road walk at 7am for an early start - Alexis +56 9 7971 5823. Surprisingly lots of water on this section.<br /> <br /> - part 2 Park entrance to Casa de Piedra, park fee is 11400, very easy going, well marked trail, lots of water<br /> <br /> - part 3 Casa de piedra to Cochrane, somewhat overgrown, less water, mostly from the lagunas so good to have a filter<br /> <br /> I took the bus from Cochrane to Villa O’Higgins, it runs every Monday, Wednesday &amp; Saturday at 8:30am (returning the next day), it’s a small publicly funded bus (8400 pesos) with about 25 seats, they typically want you to buy a ticket in person in Cochrane in the bus terminal upstairs (I believe the company is Gardy?), I got a ticket the afternoon before and it had 5 seats left.<br /> <br /> * ''' 2024-Dec-12 to 2024-Dec-14 / 3 days go and back / GPT35 SOBO option 1 by car and Regular Road with a little part of option D and OH-CC-A-{35-06} to the first laguna/ Julien Mamari <br /> <br /> All the way to the Releigh Camp is really easy and try with bridges.<br /> Into the Releigh Camp and the 3rd camp you have 2 rivers to cross with the Gloria pass but it's really easy with sandals... Water to the knees maximum (on my time)<br /> If you go to the first Laguna (option 6) on the right sise of valley better beguin on the left side for around 1km then you have obligation to cross and the best its to keep always on de right side, it's dry.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Nov-07 to 2024-Nov-10 / 4 days with one day of rest at home of Daniel “Huemul” / GPT35 Regular Route SOBO from Kilometer 100 to 150 / Sendero 7 Lagunas / Meylin Ubilla and Jan Dudeck'''<br /> <br /> This scenic route inside Parque Patagonia is officially closed due to lack of trail maintenance but still easily traversable. As we entered from the north we did not speak with any Conaf personnel and learned about the closure when exiting this route in Cochrane.<br /> <br /> The GPT track file 2024 precisely documents the official route of Sendero 7 Lagunas from Kilometer 37 to Kilometer 5 (GPT35 Regular Route) where the Regular Route connects on other trails to Cochrane. Note that the OSM data is in large parts incorrect. OSM is showing a now partially overgrown and less attractive routing on disused trails and minor roads. So all topographic maps based on OSM data are unreliable in this respect.<br /> <br /> About 30% of the trail is clearly visible, about 60% of the trail is vaguely visible and 10% of the trail are invisible as trail. There is just a trail mark every kilometer but no other visual aids to follow the official trail. This makes frequent GPS verifications essential. Without a GPS and without the correct tracks loaded to the GPS hikers get inevitably lost numerous times and it would be very time consuming to find the correct trail just based on visual references. But with a GPS it’s easy to stay on the trail.<br /> <br /> There was no snow left on the 1126 m high pass.<br /> <br /> In the forest numerous fallen trees block the trail but there is always an easy way around.<br /> <br /> There are no noteworthy river crossings and the trail is dry. Water can be obtained regularly at smaller streams or at the lakes.<br /> <br /> There are numerous potential camp sites except from the northern trail head and the 1126 m high pass. This northern end is mostly wind exposed with very little shelter to pitch a tent.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Nov-02 to 2024-Nov-05 / 4 days (but 50 km hitchhiked) / Hiking / SOBO / Option 4 (Ruta RP41 in Argentina) / Meylin Ubilla and Jan Dudeck'''<br /> <br /> This option provides an alternative to the weather-exposed regular route of GPT35. Therefore this option should be considered early or late in the season (October, November or April) or whenever poor weather makes the regular route of GPT35 unsafe. This option is east of the Andes main mountain chain in Argentina and the clouds that typically come from the west unload most snow and rain while crossing the higher peaks in Chile. Anyway, the maximum altitude of just under 1500 m should not be undermined. Up on the pass area, weather can become unpleasant all year around.<br /> <br /> This road walking option is certainly not as attractive as the regular route but the insignificant traffic and the scenic scenery makes it a worthwhile hiking choice. The landscape is that attractive that one tour company in Los Antiguos offers guided excursions along this route.<br /> <br /> This option connects back to regular route of GPT35 at the trailhead of “Sendero 7 Lagunas” that becomes also traversable early in the season (October or November).<br /> <br /> Route description:<br /> <br /> The border crossing from Chile to Argentina is a 13 km hike or hitchhike as there is not organized public transport. Argentines rarely check luggage of backpackers, therefore bringing all supplies from Chile should not cause problems. Don’t be surprised when Argentine border controls don’t stamp your passport on entry. It’s not any more a given, that all travelers with passports receive an entry stamp when crossing into Argentina.<br /> <br /> Before starting on RP41 consider a good meal in Los Antiguos.<br /> <br /> The first 43 km on RP41 from Los Antiguos to Estancia Los Alamos are wind-exposed and dry. We were lucky to ride most of this stretch on the back of a pickups truck. From the road we could only see one more reliable water source at kilometer 39.5. And descending 100 to 200 m into gorge of Rio Jenimeni just to refill water supplies seams an ordeal that should be avoided.<br /> <br /> The owners of Estancia Los Alamos are welcoming and helpful. We were invited for lunch and offered a bed for a night. But to get moving we opted to start hiking in the afternoon.<br /> <br /> Estancia La Frontera at kilometer 46 of RP41 just after the bridge over Rio Zaballos seams also to offer accommodation on request. And here starts the more scenic part with patches of forest and more regular water streams crossing the road.<br /> <br /> At kilometer 54 of RP41 by-passes are welcome to camp just next to Rio Lincoln. Here we spend our first night.<br /> <br /> At kilometer 64 of RP41 the last patches of forest are left behind and exposed but scenic landscape is crossed.<br /> <br /> The highest point of RP41 (“portezuelo”) is reached at kilometer 76 with just under 1500 m. The last snowmelt washed a part of road away stopping currently most transit traffic but hikers and bikers can cross this damaged road section without problems.<br /> <br /> While walking from Rio Lincoln up to the “portezuelo” the wind and the light snowfall increased. But compared to the weather in Chile at the same time our conditions where quite manageable. The lack of wind-sheltered places keep us moving to kilometer 79 of RP41. Here, an unlocked puesto with a wood stove provided a surprisingly convenient shelter for our second night en route. We just had to seal some gaps in the walls to reduce the wind and snow from entering our temporary refuge. When getting up on the next morning a thin layer of fresh snow covered everything around us.<br /> <br /> The descent to Paso Roballos at kilometer 96 of RP41 traverses open but scenic landscape with little natural shelter. <br /> <br /> The best places to camp after the pass are:<br /> Kilometer 79: unlocked puesto<br /> Kilometer 87: maybe near puesto at 47°06'47&quot;S 71°50'00&quot;W<br /> Kilometer 96: the crossing to Paso Roballos 2 km before the Argentine border control <br /> <br /> At the Argentine border control camping is not permitted.<br /> <br /> When exiting Argentina make sure to get an exit stamp. This stamp is required to enter into Chile.<br /> <br /> Another good option is the abandoned Chilean military post 4 km after the Argentine border control. Most buildings of this small compound are sealed closed but one shelter is open and one mostly closed veranda provided good shelter for us for one night while rain and snow made pitching a tent less pleasant.<br /> <br /> The Chilean border control is 11 km inland from the border.<br /> <br /> From the Chilean border control it’s another 26 km to the trail head of “Sendero 7 Lagunas” with a brilliant camp site halfway (“camping alto valle”).<br /> <br /> * '''Note:''' The RR was changed between Lago Jeinemeni and Lago Verge in October 2024, so numbering of options in the reports below might be slightly off.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> <br /> * '''2024 Mar 14 to 2024 Mar 19 / 5.5 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR / Maddi and Tom'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: Hiked out of Cochrane after lunch in light rain. Hiked up Sendero Las Aguilas then Las Lengas, easy trail and well defined. Rain got heavier as we approached Laguna El Cangrejo. Camped on the west side of the lake, started snowing lightly as we set up. One of the colder nights and we considered turning back and taking the lower route as we weren't sure how passable Laguna Altas would be in the snow.<br /> <br /> Day 2: Woke up to a snowy morning so decided to wait it out in the tent. Packed up once it stopped around 11am and followed Sendero Los Condores. Luckily had a bit of sun as we went over the pass but as we were coming down the other side the rain and wind picked up. Abandoned our plans to hike the Lagunas Altas circuit and instead followed it straight down to Westwind campsite. Sat there for a bit hoping to see a puma but only guanaco in sight. Hiked towards Valle Chacabuco hoping for a hitch but no cars came past. Kept walking along Paso Roballos trying for a hitch, eventually a couple from the UK picked us up and dropped us at Casa Piedra. Spent the night there and got a hot shower which was excellent after all the rain and snow. Didn't end up paying any entry fees for the park or the camping as noone asked.<br /> <br /> Day 3: Got up fairly early to overcast day but no rain. Followed the eastern branch of the Sendero Aviles which was clearly marked and easy to follow. The bridge over the canyon is fun to rejoin the west branch of the trail. Kept following the track along, easy going until you hit the river bed and then there are many crossings back and forth. We did a bit of dodgy scrambling up the banks to avoid getting wet feet. We were going to push on but it started raining lightly about 4pm so we set up camp in the trees along the river. Another group joined us later that night as it was raining heavily and it was the first flat and clear spot.<br /> <br /> Day 4: Started along the track, excellent views as you pass Cerro Jeinimeni. Fairly easy track down to the next river, followed by a lot of walking in the river bed. Gave in and just walked through the water to Lago Verde. Crossings were never really over ankle deep. Track around Lago Verde is fine to follow with excellent views. Very windy as we got over the pass and the path down is quite eroded (but manageable). Hiked around to Raleigh. There is a new suspension bridge over the river at Raleigh that connects to Sendero Laguna Esmerelda. It isn't marked on Gaia or Maps Me so a group behind us went around the other way and had to do a hip deep river crossing. Going via Raleigh and Sendero Esmerelda avoids all river crossings and is an easy track to follow. Hiked all the way to El Silencio for the night, noone there so didn't pay any fees.<br /> <br /> Day 5: Started the hike out along the road hoping for a hitch but no cars went by. Headed up the plateau following a minor road, then relying on GPS and animal tracks. Lots of guanaco. Kept hiking up the hill as the wind picked up. Found a camp spot somewhat out of the wind towards the top of the plateau with a small river passing by for water. Started snowing as we went to sleep.<br /> <br /> Day 6: Woke up to a few cms of snow on the ground and tent and started a very frosty walk up and over the plateau. Lots of guanaco around but not much else other than snow. Luckily the sun came out as we were coming back down the other side as it was freezing up the top and was difficult navigating with the snow cover. Once it cleared we had awesome views of the Torres de Avellano and the lake. The descent track is pretty eroded and very slippery in parts where mud is hidden under small stones. Eventually joined up to the minor road and followed it down to Ruta 265. I had a weird phenomenon with my shoes picking up enormous amounts of sticky mud on the minor road, making my feet a few kgs heavier and having to scrape it off every 100m. Got a hitch to Chile Chico from Ruta 265.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Mar-12 to 2024-Mar-17 / 4 + 2×0.5 = 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + OH D + F / Joscha'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: RR [0.0-16.7]<br /> <br /> I startet around 2 pm and did not try to hitch the first 8 km on the primary road. There is a good flowing stream at the water marker (km 12.2) and at the camp (km 14.1). The flat spot that is camp 14.1 is swampy and therefore not ideal for camping. I camped at -46.60658, -71.80980 which is at least a little bit wind protected. There is also a stream on the other side of the RR close to this spot. <br /> <br /> Day 2: RR [16.7-48.2]<br /> <br /> There was plenty of water. The RR was covered in snow from about km 23 to 28. I took a CC shortcut from km 40.8 to 42.7. I camped at -46.810258, -71.965073.<br /> <br /> Day 3: RR [48.2-59.1] + OSM trail to Laguna Verde + OH35-D + RR [62.4-88.9] + OH35-F + RR [70.3-78.9]<br /> <br /> The park gate at km 50.1 is open from 9 am to 5 pm. But the ranger didn't mind, that I entered before 9 am. I paid 17000 Pesos at the ranger station (km 53). This fee allows camping at all the Campgrounds in the park. I followed the official park trail which branches off at km 59,1 to Laguna Verde. From there it returns via OH35-D to the RR. All fords today were below my knees. After km 75.5 the RR was partially flooded and you had to walk through some branches. Therefore I sometimes walked in the river bed on the eastern side of Rio Aviles. I camped at km 78.9. Its an official campground of the park, but there is nothing. But its flat and wind protected.<br /> <br /> Day 4: RR [78.9-106.3]<br /> <br /> The roof of the refuge at km 93.9 is collapsed. Casa de Piedra is a real house with bathrooms and some common rooms to hang out and probably sleep. I camped on the lakeshore at -47.074614, -72.25701. I would not recommend this spot for windy nights.<br /> <br /> Day 5: RR [106.3-137.6]<br /> <br /> The next reliable water source after Lago Gutierrez (km 106.3) is a stream at km 113.8. Its possible to camp just south of the pass (km 110.8). I did a shortcut from km 129.1 to 130.3. I had to cross a small swampy area for that. Camping at km 137.6 is nice.<br /> <br /> Day 6: RR [137.6-150.4]<br /> <br /> Nice campsite at km 146.0 (RN Tamango) with sheltered tables and spots for camping. I stayed at camping calafate in Cochrane (-47.254013, -72.568419). It has a kitchen with common area (heated by wood oven), wifi and hot showers for 7000 pp.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-24 to 2024-Mar-01 / 6.5 days / &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / SOBO / RR+&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;RP&lt;/span&gt; / Lauren &amp; Seb'''<br /> <br /> Much has been said about this section, so we will share only our impressions.<br /> <br /> Day 1: After reaching wp Settler {35} [8.9/539] by taxi in the early evening, we hiked a short distance and camped at wp Camp {35} [14.1/923]. On a windy day it’s basically unprotected in a narrow valley. There was no wind that day, making it a spot with a great view.<br /> <br /> Day 2: Upon reaching the plateau, it felt like a guanaco/flamencos safari as previously described. To get up there, you have to CC on one manageable steep stretch. Follow the dotted line in OSM relatively far to the left and not the GPT files. We camped north of wp Water {35} [28.1/1579].<br /> <br /> Day 3: We headed across the pass and amazing views opened up before us. On the downhill, follow the GPT line until you reach a fence. Go through the fence on the left end and follow the fence line towards wp Puesto {35} [34.6/1191]. From the side of the puesto, you can easily follow well trodded horse tracks along the fence line until -46.75064, -71.89899. Follow the trails along the river towards the south until you hit the MR. We stopped for the night at wp Camp {35} [42.9+0.2/713].<br /> <br /> Day 4: Cars did not appear until after 10am but we eventually got a ride to the park entrance. From here, the more touristy part begins. Once inside the park we decided to walk the MR around Lago Jeinemeni and only inflated the packraft at Lago Verde. This was an absolutely great paddle on the most turquoise waters and we were lucky with the afternoon wind. We stayed the night at Refuge {35} [68.1/867]. <br /> <br /> Day 5: The next part has lots of fording so expect slow progress. We left our crocs on for the next 3 km. Well marked trail through the forest and across the pass. On the other side, however there is a new official route which starts here -46.87696, -72.17213 and requires more fording. The old trail still exists and no fording was necessary. Stick to the GPS here if you want to save time taking your shoes off! The rest of the way down the valley was enjoyable and we stayed the night just before wp Ford {35} [82.6/805].<br /> <br /> Day 6: Easy hiking down to Camp Piedra where we stayed and camped early.<br /> <br /> Day 7: We started paddling Rio Chacabuco the next morning, but I would advise packrafters against doing so (at least in the late season). Conditions of the river included low water levels with frequent ground contact and many trees in the water. The river splits often, making the already low water even lower and obstacles in the tightly winding corners become even more tricky. First time that we hit a tree since we are on the GPT. As if that wasn’t enough, wind picked up early and forced us out of the water. We decided to water-out here -47.05177, -72.29040 and hiked up the road, where a car took us towards Cochrane after 2 hours.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-27 to 2024-Mar-04 / 5.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR - {35-S} - {35-D} - RR - {35-J} - RR - {35-L} - RR / Lilian &amp; Rainbow '''<br /> <br /> Safari = GPT35, we saw foxes, bunny, flamingos, ostrich, owl, woodpecker, and more than 100 guanacos at this section!<br /> <br /> We standing at the end of town more than 1 hour and found that it is really difficult to hitch out by low traffic. So we go to tourist information ask for help maybe a ride, a man at there said he can take us to x[8.1/505] for 10k CLP, but lastly he just took us to the junction at km5.9, and said he don't want to drive on a non paved road, then don't wait us to respond and throw our backpacks out from his car immediately, and ask for the money.<br /> <br /> So, DON'T ask any ride in tourist information at Chile Chico, they cheated our trust.<br /> <br /> Km12 : flat spot (-46.57669, -71.82779) can fit some tents at other side of a stream, the stream is flowing good and dry feet crossable by rock hopping.<br /> <br /> Km12.75 : viewpoint(-46.58294, -71.82549) of a valley with sky blue colour, super beautiful, don't miss it!<br /> <br /> Camp[14.1/923] : grassland spot, a small stream is flowing low beside it.<br /> <br /> Km16.6 : flat spot(-46.60658, -71.80980), have some covers can stay away from the wind tunnel in valley at north.(wind from north)<br /> <br /> After this spot, no more camping spot or flat spot have wind protection until camp[32.6/1300]. Wind is crazy at the plateau.<br /> <br /> Camp[32.6/1300] : tiny wind protection from a rock wall, just fit 1 tent for it. Better wind protection nearby camp[42.9/713].<br /> <br /> Short cut CC from 38.2 to 42.7, it doesn't save much time, better follow GPX track, MR is completely finished and super easy to walk. It also walk beside some beautiful meadows that are nice to camp(no wind protection).<br /> <br /> Camp[42.9/713] : spots at a wet muddy road. Better spots nearby at (-46.79053, -71.91127), dry and 2-3 sides wind protection by bushes, can fit many tents there.<br /> <br /> Didn't see any cars going south at morning, so road walking all the way to entrance. 11k CLP for entrance fee, 6k CLP for camping fee, total 17k CLP, can pay by credit card.<br /> <br /> Camp,$,bridge,lake[53.3/852] : El Silencio campsite and Lago Jeinemeni. This campsite is a little bit crown with car camping, and the lake is amazing beautiful!<br /> <br /> HIGHLY RECOMMEND walking on the shore of lake from km56.65 - km57.75(from the junction of viewpoint, to the point that trail met the beach), easy, dry feet and excellent beautiful!<br /> <br /> Bridge[58.9/856] : after this bridge, follow south route ( {35-S} &amp; RP{35} ) to Lago Verde, then take the bridge(-46.86056, -72.07982) to cross the river. Lastly follow {35-D} rejoin RR. Dry feet.<br /> <br /> Lake [59.2/840] : Laguna Esmeralda. Didn't find any camping possibilities. Better views at trail.<br /> <br /> Refuge[61.7/856] : beside Laguna Esmeralda, a super blue lake. This refuge is not a cabin, just a shelter with 3 side wooden wall, good wind protection, but I'm not sure about heavy rain, because i saw many holes at the wall. Better camping spot with views beside the lake(not much wind protection).<br /> <br /> Ford start/end[63.4/896] : late season, all the way easy dry feet crossing, walking on log or rock hopping.<br /> <br /> Pass[64.5/1132] : no camping spot here, the spot shown on OSM, is already covered by many blowdowns. Nice viewpoint(-46.84093, -72.10324) of Lago Verde just SW of here.<br /> <br /> Ford[66.1/877] : better river crossing point at (-46.83741, -72.11991), there is a sign at another side of river. Below knee, easy.<br /> <br /> Ford[66.4/859] : river breaks into some parts, below knee, easy.<br /> <br /> Refuge[68.1/867] : shelter with 2 walls, nice weather protection. Refuge with 4 walls, but huge air tunnel at ceiling, so just wind protection. A sign book inside refuge too. Camping spots at here can fit lot of tents, mostly have some wind protection, but not much, because trees are too tall, and just 1 spot behind a blowdowns have well wind protection.<br /> <br /> Fords[68.4/869] - [71.6/905] : lot of river crossing, some trail can go around the river, but not much help and they are overgrown, so finally you need to be crossing and crossing then wet feet.<br /> <br /> Km74.7 : camping spot(-46.87204, -72.17630), can fit 3-4 tents with some weather protection by the forest. Have a shelter made by logs here, can squat 1-2 hiker inside for emergency, but not much help, because it is really small and too many holes on it.<br /> <br /> Km75.7 : camping spot(-46.87886, -72.16954), can fit 3-4 tents with some weather protection by the forest.<br /> <br /> Km78.9 :camping spot(-46.90498, -72.15591), and some more spots nearby, total can fit 4-6 tents with some weather protection by the forest.<br /> <br /> Ford[79.3/846] : Below knee, easy.<br /> <br /> Refuge[81.0/819] : no refuge, no shelter. Camping spot with views can fit 2 tents but no protection.<br /> <br /> Ford[82.6/805] : Below knee. Camping spot(-46.93485, -72.15869), can fit 2 tents with not much weather protection by the bushes, before the crossing.<br /> <br /> Km83.3 : camping spot(-46.94089, -72.15600), can fit 2-3 tents with some weather protection by some trees. Also one spot at south but not much protection.<br /> <br /> Km84.7 : camping spot(-46.95268, -72.15123), can fit 1 tent with some weather protection by some brushes.<br /> <br /> Km88.6 : camping spot(-46.98397, -72.15988), can fit 2 tents with weather protection by some trees and brushes. Flat area nearby can fit many tents with good views but no protection.<br /> <br /> Bridge[90.9/635] : classic bridge! Worth to take a look and walk on it!<br /> <br /> We took {35-J} instead RR here, because less puds, also walking on a plateau looks like more scenic.<br /> <br /> {35-J} Km5 : viewpoint(-47.03902, -72.19077) of the whole valley, very beautiful! Don't miss it!<br /> <br /> Camp,$,refuge[98.9/379] : Casa de Piedra campground. Have some shelters with picnic table for cooking, and a refuge with hot(warm) shower, toilet and some tables for meals. If you decide to camp here, please expect sleep late. This spot mostly are campers and tourists. They'll speaking and cooking until 10 or 11 or midnight.<br /> <br /> You can take a shuttle form here to Cochrane(30k CLP per person) or Camping Los West Wind(15k CLP per person)<br /> <br /> Time schedule: 9am Cochrane - 9.45am Museo, 10am Museo - 10.15am Camping Los West Wind, 10.30am Camping Los West Wind - 10.45am Museo, 12noon Museo - 1pm Camping Casa de Piedra, 4.30pm Camping Casa de Piedra - 5.15pm Museo, 5.30pm Museo - 6.30pm Cochrane<br /> <br /> Start from here, the trail is not maintained anymore, but still in good condition.<br /> <br /> Km103 : Lago Gutierrez, amazing beautiful lake, have some minutes i thought back to Norway again.<br /> <br /> Km103.85 : a small stream(-47.07911, -72.22738) flowing good with clear water, easy to collect.<br /> <br /> Pass[110.8/1126] : some fresh snow remain at here.<br /> <br /> Km112.45 : emergency camping spot(-47.10718, -72.28893), the ground is a little soft, but is flat and some wind protection, can fit many tents here.<br /> <br /> Km116.9 : Laguna Guagua. Camping spot(-47.13350, -72.30170), can fit 2-3 tents with some wind protection from west by bushes, SW of the spot have a side trail to lake. BUT, DON'T go for {35-02A} back to RR, it is completely CC and BB with spike plants, not fun. Better CC climbing up to RR from camping spot directly.<br /> <br /> Refuge,X[118.3/716] : no refuge, it is collapsed. The woods becomes a super small shelter here. If you lost your backpack, crawling inside maybe can save your life. Otherwise just for photos snapping function.<br /> <br /> From here to km125.0, you will walk beside 3 lakes, didn't see any wind protection camping spots there, but if you have good luck at a no wind night, you maybe find some spots at the last lake.<br /> <br /> Km125.0 : road walking start. Flat spot with some wind protection on the road can fit 1-2 tents at here too.<br /> <br /> Km125.9 : junction of RR and {35-L}, because the road is too easy to walk and follow, we completely miss this junction and walk a long time then realised RR is a different way, so we keep going on {35-L} and rejoin RR later.<br /> <br /> {35-L} km3.6 : a small stream(-47.17383, -72.37063) flowing good with clear water, easy to collect. Flat spot can fit 1-2 tents after the crossing.<br /> <br /> We walked the whole way{35-L} and rejoin RR at km130.8.<br /> <br /> RR Km132.4 : flat spot(-47.17220, -72.42231) can fit 1 tent at the end of lake. With some wind protection by forest.<br /> <br /> Camp[136.9/162] : can fit 2-4 tents with weather protection by forest, but if the wind is come from south, it is not much help. Excellent views on the beach.<br /> <br /> Camp[137.6/173] : can fit 2-3 tents with wind protection from east and north by trees. Excellent views on the beach. Just beside a port, looks like can take a boat to here.<br /> <br /> Km138.3 : camping spot(-47.20064, -72.46718), total can fit 3-5 tents at several stage, some spots have good wind protection by trees and bushes.<br /> <br /> From here to km146.0, lot of up and down beside some cliffs (maybe slippery in rain), but it is a trail with lot of amazing views, we are really enjoyed it.<br /> <br /> Km139.77 : a tiny stream(-47.20803, -72.47813) flowing good with clear water, easy to collect.<br /> <br /> Km141.73 : side trail to viewpoint(-47.21986, -72.49280) and cell service for Movistar.<br /> <br /> Km142.15 : flat grassland(-47.22231, -72.49623) can fit 4 tents just beside the beautiful lake, some wind protection by valley itself.<br /> <br /> X[143.9/244] : cell service for Entel(-47.23128, -72.50780)<br /> <br /> Km146.0 : RN Tamango campground, some shelters for cooking, large arae for camping, hot shower and trash can, 7k CLP per person.<br /> <br /> Km146.5 : the last flat spot(-47.24353, -72.53067) before Cochrane, some wind protection by brushes, can fit 1-3 tents with nice sunrise, you can arrive there by a clear trail beside ranger station, the trail is shown on OSM map.<br /> <br /> Cochrane : <br /> <br /> Lot of accommodation, markets and restaurants, and 2 outdoor gear shops.<br /> <br /> 230g gas canisters, power bank, chargers and tent stakes at Supermercado Melero(-47.25386, -72.57414).<br /> <br /> Sunglasses, micro spikes, snow shoes and some clothes at La Ruta 7 Patagonia(-47.25591, -72.57320).<br /> <br /> Sleeping bag, tents, boots(just 1 trail runner), socks, base layer, warm clothes and pants at Kalfu Patagonia(-47.25474, -72.57018).<br /> <br /> Clothes at Vansy(-47.25417, -72.57431), not a outdoor gear shop, but some sporty clothes and pants for a low price at here.<br /> <br /> Some campground and lot of indoor stays at Cochrane. The only hostel is Camping, Refugio ,Cabaña y Hostel(a long name) (-47.25446, -72.57497). And most of the rooms here include breakfast(without kitchen), 20k CLP per person. The only one we found with kitchen(but no breakfast) is Casa Raíces Hostal(-47.25113, -72.56848).<br /> <br /> Bus terminal to Coyhaique, Villa Cerro Castillo, Villa O' Higgins, Chile Chico, Puerto Rio Tranquilo and Tortel at (-47.25137, -72.57317).<br /> <br /> Tourist information(-47.25439, -72.57283).<br /> <br /> I recommend La Martica(-47.25112, -72.57266), local restaurant with nice food in a good price.<br /> <br /> * '''24-Feb-17 to 2024-Feb-22 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR, Variant L / Tomáš &amp; Natalie'''<br /> <br /> There were several hitchhiker groups out of Chile Chico so we took a taxi (990250968) to the settler at 8.9 for 10,000 CLP. Nobody was there, but there is a locked gate so it would not be possible to take a taxi further up. For pedestrians, there is an unlocked door. One can shortcut the first zigzag of the road thereafter and several others, it is open terrain. We camped in a dry lakebed (for windprotection) about 1 km after the first pass. Despite strong wind in Chile Chico and a forecast of wind gusts over 60km/hr, the night was largely peaceful with just one hour of wind. The plateau has terrain features and it seemed to us it is not that impossible to camp there, but maybe we were just lucky.<br /> <br /> The next day was like a safari, lots of animals and little wind. Pawprints on lake bed turned out to be a big dog and not a puma according to the rangers though. Going down from the plateau, it is possible to shortcut the GPX track to the SE and end near the puesto at 34.6. Trail starts above the puesto but is not so easy to follow and the GPX does not seem to be the most precise. It is advisable to take a CC shortcut to bridge at 42.7 as mentioned by Adrien Kunzli: about 1 km before the end of MR 38.2, veer right aiming for a black outcrop on the mountain on the other side of the valley and you will pop out above the bridge. We got lucky and got a ride at around 16:30 to the parkoffice. We paid 15000 CLP only for one person - they forget to charge the other one. They were friendly and told us the weather forecast. We did not get any receipt or pass though. Walked two hours to campsite Raleigh, there were two other foreign tents there. The new trail is technically the old &quot;laguna Esmeralda&quot; (RP 59.2) trail with a new bridge, so keep left to avoid fords, combined with variant D it seems preferable to RR even when not intending to camp [November 20224: this is not RR].<br /> <br /> From Raleigh, the first fords were possible to cross without fording thanks to logs and stones. The next valley is indeed beautiful, especially Lago Verde. There were about ten tents but no people near the refugio at 67.6. Tomáš tried to go around the second fords through the forest on the left and he eventually reached variant F, which exists but partially goes through a marsh and does not avoid fording anyway: it is pointless, just ford. Initially the start of the fords seem like a marsh, go around it from the right through the river, it is a nice riverbed thereafter. Rio Aviles was kneedeep and ok. Ford 71.2 is mighty - go downstream about 200 m, it splits and is easy there (there is a cairn in the middle). We camped at a camping site marked on OSM about 2 km further down from there. There is a place for one tent about 20 m from a creek. Very nice spot. Having a headstart to people starting from the park office, we only met three groups of foreigners all day.<br /> <br /> Variant J does not avoid any substabtial fords, water at 96.1 is easily jumpable and the river is bridged on both J and RR. <br /> Casa de Piedra is a nice spot with resident guanacos (and some tourists). Tomáš had a hot shower! We were asked for our passes - we explained we were not given them and it was ok. We went on. The Siete Lagunas trail is surprisingly in a rather good shape. It is little used but not much overgrown and generally easy to follow, needing a GPS only occasionally. Tomáš liked it tremendeously. Did not meet anyone on it.<br /> <br /> We slept near the pass next to a marsh. It rained most of the night but stopped before morning, luckily the trail was not too wet the next day. The first stream after the pass is very weak (not flowing if not raining?); it flows from the marsh by which we slept and is about 500 m after the pass waypoint. The next stream is about 1 km further down, it had more water. After that, water is only in the lakes. Tomáš cleaned a lot of the logs and branches from the trail, if you can spare a moment, please do likewise. We could not see any traces of option 02A or option K. We took option L near km 129.9 - we were confused by other reports because we thought people were taking the much longer part of L that follows a MR. RR leaves the Siete lagunas trail at the end of option L after 29 km. The trail probably goes to Valle Chacabuco. [OSM has Variant F and L marked as &quot;Sendero 7 Lagunas&quot;, this is wrong. Variant K looks to be indeed CC and variant L looks to be an unnecessary detour on a MR (overgrown and with logs at first when RR is on this MR - when you cross the MR again after four km on RR, it no longer looks that overgrown). November 2024: OSM has been corrected.] On L, one can easily take a CC shortcut from top of the hill to MR. We found two shortcutting trails to the MR. We met Daniel who was coming back from cutting invasive pines with his chainsaw, he had a friendly and humorous attitude. Camped at the lake at the wind protected camp.<br /> <br /> The night brought surprisingly strong wind and rain - try to camp deeper in the forest. We followed a faint trail tracing the shore of the lake instead of CC 137.6, in the middle of it there was an apple tree that will be ripe in March probably. Did not meet anybody until the viewpoint above the lake that says &quot;signal Movistar&quot; (we have Entel, which has a sign 2 km further on but it did not work, just wait one hour until Cochrane proper), from then on, there were daytrippers. CONAF had a lunch break so we passed unnoticed. Cochrane as a town is ok.<br /> <br /> Nat's Notes:<br /> The Bulk shop in Chile Chico (Güenta Emporio) is not open on weekends, they have weird hours and sometimes need to call before; Andrea +56 9 9540 1708. I recommend the hospedaje Rio Baker, 15mil pp which is the general price here. <br /> The plateau <br /> - Besides Descabezado, this area was one of the most visually interesting sections for me. I haven't had that much fun taking photos in a long time. At first the guanacos scared me a little, I felt like I was surrounded by ninjas, eventually I warmed up to them. A good place for a zoom camera.<br /> -For me the going was slow, besides being tired and equipped with rash-covered feet I found the navigation tricky. I kept aiming for the wrong pass because there are many rolling hills. However I found things got better near and after pass km28.8.<br /> - Water in the plateau is still frequent. If one wants to camp as close to the plateau as possible (SOBO) I suggest this spot:-46.62397, -71.81920. Also there is a nice grassy and fairly sheltered spot near water km23.9: -46.66437, -71.84393 and a big flat grass patch at water 30.6. There is a huge boulder for wind protection if needed here; -46.65469, -71.83997. In the valley bottom near the puesto, there are less/no camping spots. I did not like all the dogs at puesto 34.6, so I purposely avoided it. <br /> - When finishing the plateau section, I filled up on water at the last stream that wasn't the main river here: -46.72842, -71.89633, as I didn't think we would get a hitch to the park office.<br /> <br /> Sendero Avilés<br /> - The descent from pass km64.5 is nothing, just a bit of dirt dust that makes traction hard. The only part on this track that I would worry about safety-wise (apart from the two river crossings) is a new steep traverse 2ish kms after pass km74.1: -46.88996, -72.16428. I decided to throw my bag down 5m instead of walking down the &quot;free fall&quot;. (Alternatively you could ford rio Aviles twice.)<br /> - The series of mini river crossings were all fine, there is a nice water source before pass km74 in the forest once you finish all the fords, it comes from a waterfall not far away. <br /> - Near the end I took Variant J bcs I thought it avoided a river crossing (no rivers to cross but RR doesn't either). If you do this option I recommend still going to the hanging bridge at the X of J and RR bcs it is a fun and unique bridge!<br /> - Cassandra at Case Piedra was nice and easy to get along with.<br /> <br /> Siete Lagunas<br /> - The water we took from the marsh was probably the grossest water I have had to drink, lots of algae and oil, I filtered and boiled. (The second stream was much better.)<br /> - As noted the trail is not hard to follow at this moment, only a handful of times I lost it. That being said it could be because we were walking near the end of the season and therefore it was obvious where ppl had been walking (pushed down grass), I think it would be a lot harder at the beginning of the season. Another bonus was that most spikees were gone.<br /> - Near to camp 136.9, there is a water source. It is at the end of the beach, 200-300m west of camp. There are two or three more water sources on the first part of the trail but after the look-out, there are no more.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-6 to 2024-Feb-11 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + option L / Yannick &amp; Nolwenn &amp; Tess &amp; Lukas'''<br /> <br /> - Trail condition : really nice overall // the trail is sometimes overgrown and easy to loose from km 113,5 to km 122, so just keep an eye on the gps<br /> - Water : easy to find plenty of rivers and lagunas<br /> - Camping spot : we camped at km 32,6 and it was a bad idea, too exposed and we got snow and a lot of wind during the night, would really recommend to go down more // we camped near the lago Gutiérrez at km 106,15 there is place for 2 tents<br /> - Weather : windy, sunny, snow, rain <br /> - River crossing : easy<br /> - Resupply : in Chile Chico (a bulk shop just opened in front of the camping Nandu) // in Cochrane everything you need<br /> - Entrance fee : for park Patagonia 11 000 pesos per pp + 6 000 pesos for camping per pp<br /> - Overall : really nice section, we were happy to encounter 3 huemuls<br /> <br /> *'''2024-Jan- 18 to 2024-Jan-24/ 7 days/hiking/SOBO/ 35/ 35-02a( from 47.1567357S, 72.4154650W)/ 35-02 ( from S 47.12123, W 072.46099) /35-03 ( from S 47.11712 W072.48494)/35-03c ( from Laguna El Cangrejo)/35-03d/ 35 from Lago Cochrane/ Paulina'''<br /> Long, beautiful tour in Parque Patagonia, as I mixed different variants, it allowed me to see all the divercity of the park. Almost no people, a lot of guanacos, a really beautiful section!<br /> <br /> Day 1 The way from Chile Chico to Lago Jeinimeni. I was prepared to walk all the way, but as some cars stoped and it was a very hot day, I took a lift ( I have walked maybe 8 km in total ). I stopped at 46.7304997S, 71.7415019W, to do the loop of about 7 km in the first reserve of Jeinimeni. The entrance is paid 6000 CLP but the ticket is valid later, at the main entrance at Lago Jeinimeni ( the next 2 days). It's really worth to walk on this place. The rock formations are amasing. It takes about 3h and you can leave your backpack at the park reception After that, another car stoped and took me to the main entrance of Lago Jeinimeni. The views from the road are really scenic, it's a pity not to walk some parts of this road, lucky my car was old and slow so I could admire the views.<br /> <br /> Day 2 From Lago Jeinimeni to the refugio and camping at 46.8406732S, 72.1409082W. The first part of the trail to Portezuelo La Gloria is rather easy, it stays mostly in the valley, the ascent to the pass is not very difficult and rather short. On the way down from the pass there are some steeper moments and there are some places where the trail is distroyed by a kind of stone avalanche so you have to find your way thru the stones. Amasing views on Laguna Verde. Once you are down at Laguna, there are some fords, when I was there, the highest one was till knees.<br /> <br /> Day 3 A lot of fords all the way in Valle Hermoso, there were all easy to cross. Also, you can't clearly see the path but anyway, you have to follow the valley. Sometimes there are signes so you will always find the way. This day, the only a bit more difficult place you can find around S 46.89032 W 072.16461. Going SOBO it's a steep descent, it's very short but steep. Can be dangerous after the rain. Later the views on the canyon on Aviles river became really amasing, it was for me one of the most beautiful part in all the park.<br /> <br /> Day 4/5 I had 6 km till Casa de Piedra ( there was a tiny spot for one tent with a stream at this distance) and I started the part Siete Lagunas. At Casa de Piedra I asked the ranger if the trail was walkable and he confirmed that it was ok and I could go. But, as the others already mentioned , the trail is not maintained anymore. Till the end of Laguna Gutierrez it's rather easy to find the way without gps, but later, there are some places where the path is not at all visible. With trail on gps is not very difficult to find the way, but without this, can be very difficult to follow this trail. There are also a lot of fallen trees, some BB. If they do nothing, I think in 2 years the path will completely disapear. But it's a beautiful trail, wild, you meet nobody, a pure and intacked nature. Just take enough water, the first day of this sendero the water was at Lago Gutierrez and later about 1h after the pass.<br /> <br /> Day 6 Instead to continue on RR I went to Valle Chacabuco to discoverer also this sector. I started with the trail Lagunas Atlas. Well marked, beautiful, various views, it was the most frequented part of the park, but still I can't say it was crowded. Beautiful camp on Laguna el Cangrejo.<br /> <br /> Day 7 The views on Lago Cochrane are really amasing. The landscapes and the vegetation are in this part different than before.<br /> <br /> To conclude, I did not encontered really difficult places on this long hike. As I walked through all sections of the park, it allowed me to see all the divercity of the area. Except maybe 3 h in Valle Chacabuco, I did not really meet people in the park. It was a beautiful section! In Cochrane, you will find a lot of shops where you can find everything you need for next section. There are several campings ( I liked a lot Camping Lorenzo not crowded, nice place to cook with gaz, friendly owner, spots with twin protection<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-28 to 2024-Jan-04 / 8 days / RR / SOBO / Roshi'''<br /> <br /> I hitchhiked from Chile Chico to X{35}[8.1/505] and did not see the settler at El Ciprés. It was very windy and I decided to cross the plateau at midday which was maybe not the best idea. The cross country I found very challenging and the extreme head wind across the plateau was in relentless. Nevertheless I thoroughly enjoyed the amazing landscape and the challenge, although a less windy day or starting earlier would have made it more enjoyable. I camped close to Camp 32.6/1300 at a dry spot and the next day followed the fence down to the road and walked to the Park entrance at Jenimeni. The park rangers told me of an alternative route to the start of the Avilés trail to Casa de Piedra and gave me some maps and info, they were very friendly. I paid 3000 pesos for park entry. I camped at Valle Hermoso which lives up to its name and then did a day hike to the glacial lake leaving my tent at the Refugio Valle Hermoso and following Estero Ventisquero or part of OH-CC-A {35-06} After packing up I then hiked a couple of kms down to a next campsite (there are a couple of established places to set up your tent on the way to Casa de Piedra). From Casa de Piedra I followed the Site Laguna's trail which was overgrown and difficult to follow and navigate and for me probably my least favourite part. The kms are marked but you really have to follow the GPS me there aren't many places to pitch if you don't feel like hiking anymore. I think going down into Chacobuco (which I had done previously) would have been nicer. I loved the Lago Cochrane and Tamango reserve the views and colours were amazing and the trails very easy to follow and not very busy. I got a lift into Cochrane halfway from the entrance but the road walk is not long anyway and I was not actively hitching. <br /> <br /> Annoyances were horse flies but I got good advice to &quot;out Zen&quot; them and to be honest once you let it go and enjoy the views and being in nature generally they are easy to deal with. Just don't stop between 2 and 8 PM ;) <br /> And from Jenimeni to Casa de Piedra is lots of river crossings so just accept wet feet :) and try do river crossings in the morning especially on hot days ( esp Avilés) Be safe and sensible obviously!<br /> I would have maybe even liked to stay longer on this part of the trail, there were lots of little day hikes and alternative routes I'd have loved to explore, but I didn't have enough food. It's a beautiful part of the world, enjoy it! <br /> <br /> <br /> * '''From 2023-01-15 to 2023-01-19 // 5 days // Hiking // NOBO // VARIANT P + OPT3 + OPT3A + RR + VARIANT J + VARIANT I + VARIANT D + Sendero Laguna Esmeralda (no variant on that one yet) + RR // Quentin Clavel'''<br /> <br /> From Cochrane, I thought it was sad to go straight along the Lago Cochrane without checking what's going up there, and have a view over the vallee Chacabuco. So that's what I did. <br /> <br /> I just took the beginning of Variant P, you have to pass threw a gate saying &quot;no passar&quot; then you have to bifurcate to the option 3 (tamango) to reach the pass between vallée tamango and chacabuco. Very nice views. Then instead of going down into vallée Chacabuco, I went straight, and continue on the sendero de las siete lagunas, wich is an old track, sometimes hard to guess, so check the GPS, but mostly easy to folllow (you still have the mark every kilometers). <br /> <br /> Really loved the colours at the end of Lago guitterrez ! <br /> <br /> Main difficulties on the section are these horrible horseflies, and the no less terrible little spiky plants that stay sticks in your shoes and socks. <br /> <br /> Then you reach casa de piedras. I took the variant J to don't have to put my crocs for the river crossing (yeah, I'm a lazy walker aha). <br /> <br /> Then follow the river until the vallée hermoso, wich lives up to its name. And at this time it's just a mix between walking and crossing rivers. No need to ask, I putted my crocs on aha ! <br /> <br /> The pass up to Lago Verde was steep but the view so outstanding and the colours .. same amazing colours on Lago jeinemeni ! <br /> <br /> Didn't stayed at, but the Raleigh camp is very nice if you may choose a camp around ! <br /> <br /> Second part of NP was CC, and that was so cool ! Just have the directions and go straight to this point. Passing from mountains to others, surrounded by an unnumerable number of curious guanacos ! <br /> <br /> Hardest part is to deal with the strong wind during the ascend and at the highest point. And the descent is quite unstable, stay close to the GPX tracks, I tried to shorttrack but it led me down to slippery slopes, so I had to backtrack to find again the GPX. <br /> <br /> Then it's 15 km down to reach Chile Chico (8km on the asphalt). Settler wasn't angry against me and saluate me kindly when I passed threw his land.<br /> <br /> <br /> Very nice stretch. Very diversificate, great landscapes, wildlife. I loved it ! <br /> <br /> And about the entrance fees, It was not my intention, but I haven't paid for as I entered by variant P which is not a porper enter. And haven't seen any guardaparque at all. <br /> <br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''2023-Dec-30 / 1 day / Packrafting / SOBO / Option 10 C / Tom Pieper'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> <br /> I attempted this option as an alternative starting point for section 36G. Hitchhiked to the bridge of Carreterra Austral over Rio Chacabuco. I scouted rapid {35-10C} [2.3/121] from 100 m above and it looked feasible. This was not true when I approached on the river after entering just before the bridge. The rapid was impassable (late afternoon) which brought me into serious troubles. The canyon is pretty steep here and there is no way back. It was not fun to climb the steep slopes cliffs to escape the 100 m deep canyon. Its really dangerous. The rapid is pretty hard to investigate from above. I would recommend to only go later in the season and only in the morning or at least with company.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-21 / 8 day / Hiking + &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / SOBO / RR + Option 10 + Old and new tracks to Administration Parque Patagonia Valle Chacabuco / Tom Pieper'''<br /> <br /> Most have been described by Kris and Stina. The plateau and the entire track is awesome. After the kind Arriero at the puesto {35} [15.8/1075] (actually its his house) I found it a little bit tricky to find a good route first but then just ascended and found a nice cross country route. Camped before the plateau. There are nice spots just before 1400 m, after that its just rocky until you descend to the Water {35} [23.9/1586]. Camp {35} [32.6/1300] was a little bit swampy. Found a better spot 300 m south. Try to be early at the road if you want to hitchhike. I was lucky and got the last car passing at 14.00 to the park at day. On the 25/12 the park entrance (but only the entrance) is always closed! Keep in mind if you come around christmas. At the park entrance you must disinfect your packrafting gear due to Didymo algae. I could not packraft lago jenimeni and verde due to wind but its still stunning. Between Water {35} [75.5/937] and Ford {35} [79.3/846] there is a approx. 3-4 steep bluff. I felt really uncomfortable with my heavy backpack as a lot of erosion happened to the steep ‘steps’. Maybe exploring an additional bush bashing route is feasible here. The ford was rather deep and could be a problem for shorter persons but I crossed in the evening, so in the morning it should be fine. Collapsed Refuge {35} [81.0/819] makes a nice camp spot. The other forts were fine. Stayed one night at Casa Piedra were I met Tobi and Fangwen and spend dinner and breakfast together the next day. CONAF first denied to packraft Rio Chacabuco due to conservation reasons, but after I mentioned that I came along all the track with my gear and rangers et sector jenimeni they were fine with me going on that river. The river is a bit unspectacular. I left at the River Out {35} [119.8/277] and I followed the old trail/road to Park Ranger, Refuge, Camp {35} [123.2/263]. There is a new picknick hut and I spend the night in there with a spectacular view of the valle chacabuco to the rims of campo hielo norte. The next day I continued the old track right side of the river (not in the GPT track files) until the bridge {35-10} [4.7/265]. Track is still in good conditions and occasionally used by the horses and guanacos there. A wonderful hike with massive views. I than continued on the CONAF trail (also not in the GPT track files) to Park administracion at Lodging $$$ {35-03} [1.9/340]. Would not recommend the restaurant. 65 $ for a 3 course meal but nothing fancy. Better spend for dinner in Cochrane. But for a post hike drink at the bar it is a lovely place and staff is kind. Also liked the museum and stayed the night at the campsite approximately 2 km away. The puma still seems to be there occasionally. Next day I hitchhiked out to Cochrane.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-18 to 2023-Dec-23/ 5.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Stiina &amp; Kris'''<br /> <br /> Got a taxi for the first 8 kilometers of the roadwalk. Nobody present at the farm where the dirtroad starts to go uphill, gates easy to get through, friendly dog. We hiked just 6km and made camp by a stream.<br /> <br /> The next day passed the puesto at km15.8, owner seemed friendly and waved. Slowly climbed up to the plateau, lots of water everywhere, very few snowpatches en route. Perfect day - not much wind. Saw lots of guanacos, hares, flamingos. Moving cross-country was ok throughout. Climbed a few barbed-wire fences. Finally found the dirt road, hiked to camp at km42.9.<br /> <br /> In the morning hitched a ride to the park entry with a ranger. We had no online booking as we didn't know when we'd arrive, they had us make one on site. Super friendly guys, said that there is currently fewer visitors than normally at this time. The route between Rio San Antonio crossing and Camp Raleigh has been changed, partially new trail built; follows mainly the Lago Esmeralda trail. There is now a brand new hanging bridge over Rio San Antonio right next to Camp Raleigh, avoiding all the needless crossings.<br /> <br /> After the camp there trail seems new in places, but then resorts to many rivercrossings again. The way up and down the Puertozuela La Gloria is steep and loose. After Lago Verde there are a million more crossings until you turn South. Here the trail is not much maintained, lots of fallen trees. The next 25km to Casa Piedra the trail is a bit harder to see at first but then gets much better. The guy (not a ranger) at Casa Piedra informed us that the Siete Lagos trail is closed but couldn't say why. It's definitely overgrown in parts, lots of fallen trees - need to keep track on the gpx at all times. After settler at km135.2 the trail has been recently maintained and bushes cut.<br /> <br /> For photos and stories, you can follow us on Instagram: @smallfootprint_bigadventures<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Mar-31 to 2023-Apr-06 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Option J / Martin &amp; Helena'''<br /> <br /> We enjoyed this section a lot, especially with all the beautiful autumn colors in early April and basically without people until the last part before Cochrane. PN Patagonia closed some sectors on the first Monday in April, so we were the last ones to get a permission and do this section ‘legally’. Be prepared for this if you want to do this part in April or later. The problem is they close Casa Del Piedra and probably won’t let you pass to that sector from Lago Jeinemeni, where the entrance stays open for longer time. Sneaking around the guards house early in the morning or just not be specific about your plans might work if needed, its very unlikely you would meet anyone on the way from the main entrance.<br /> <br /> Just like others we found the plateau between km 20-28 very very windy. Definitely don’t count with camping there. We found a good spot right after the secound pass, aprox. 500m down the hill where you can find a wind protected place. The descent down is a little slow but with nice views, guanacos, horses.. simply amazing. Once back on the road, it’s not too far to the PN entrance where we met a guard, but fortunately were able to get a permission as described above. The trail from Lago Jeinemeni was one of our favorites. All the fords were easy, but expect quite slow progress in the CC parts. We camped in a forrest at km 81 where is a destroyed refugio but still a good spot for camping. The rest of the trail to Casa Del Piedra is again straightforward and the landscape is somehow more dry. We didn’t cross the first bridge but went with the J option which turned out to be a good decision as we met a xx of guanacos that let us come really close to them. Closed and locked refugio still provides a good shelter, but when open it must be a perfect stop in the middle of this long section. Water was turned off as well but there is a stream behind the house.<br /> <br /> We spent the next night on the beach of Lago Gutierrez where is enough space to build a tent - bushes around the trail are otherwise very thorny and sharp. After the ascent to the pass was a good stream of water, probably the last place to safely take unfiltered water for the next couple of kms. The trail from there leads around all the lakes and is nice and easy. We spent the night in a refugio at km 134. This one was the only one standing from what we have seen and its a good shelter when it rains, however we decided to stay in our tent anyway. You can make fire inside. Closest water is actually the one in a lake uphill, the stream on the other side of the path was very dirty and hard to gather anyway.<br /> <br /> From there its a one more day until the finish with a good pace. We haven’t met the settler Daniel, but he’s definitely still living there. Beautiful beach of Lago Cochrane and from there we started to meet more and more tourists, doing just a day hike or some circuit around the lake - might be a good option as well in this beautiful region. The last kms felt a little long for us as we were looking forward to have some rest and enjoy all the fun in town. At the official campsite were a few people but no one asked us about anything. There are nice toilets and shower. From there its around 30m to Cochrane. Good to remember they celebrate Easter holidays in Chile as well, but we still managed to find some shop and bakery open.<br /> <br /> Contact: @martin_hanzelka @helenneka<br /> <br /> * '''12/03/2023 - 18/03/2023 / RR SOBO / Jakub+Veronika:'''<br /> <br /> Doing section 35 was due to closure of the Patagonia NP caused by heavy rains with helicopter rescue of several tourists from Valle Hermoso quite complicated, we did walk all we could in Tamango reserve and later (when it was opened) in Chacabuco valley. Be sure not to miss the museum. It's really worth it. The northern part was opened as the last one, that's why we've skipped it and hitchhiked back to Caretera. All paths in great condition. When going from Tamango to Chacabuco there's one suggestion:<br /> <br /> It seems that on RR (35, km 141) ends new 11km long track ”Huemules” which starts at the parking in Chacabuco valley on RP (35, km 132.5). That trail might be a nice alternative to RR (mud road) leading over private land of settler David Huemul.<br /> <br /> *8.02. - 05.03.23 / Anna &amp; Christopher / SOBO, Chile Chico - Cochrane<br /> <br /> We started in Chile Chico around 5 pm walking the first km on the road. After a while we got a ride to the Bahía Jara cross and camped a few hundred meters further near the street (we carried water from Chile Chico).<br /> <br /> The ascent to the plateau is mostly easy dirtroad walking and the last CC part easy to navigate. The whole stretch on the plateau until the street at km 41.5 we had extreme wind, which made walking super tiring and nearly blew us away a few times. We found a tiny and steep, but wind protected place to set up our tent at around km 28 in the ridge dug by the river. We had to get a bit inventive to set it up and to be able to sleep properly there. There were almost no other places that were protected by the wind until you get off the plateau. As almost all previous entries say, it's better to camp off the plateau. But it's really worth doing it because you can see Guanacos and flamingos on it :)<br /> <br /> When we reached the street at km 41.5 we were lucky and a car passed by a few minutes later, which brought us to the entrance of Parque Patagonia. We payed 15k CLP p.p. and walked to the camp Raleigh at Lago verde. There are some sheltered places to set up the tent, with an unfamiliar amount of people for the GPT. Lago Verde is beautiful though.<br /> <br /> The next day involves lots of river- and stream crossings and it started to rain not particularly heavy, but after some hours we were completely wet. Therefore the rivercrossing at km 82.6 was really hard for Anna (1,63 m) but we managed by inertlocking our arms and doing it step by step slowly. After that the trails get really good and you can walk way faster. We camped at the unofficial camp site at km 84.7.<br /> <br /> We had good weather the next day and the trail was really good until Lago Gutierrez. Up to the pass the trail gets a bit worse with some navigation issues, but you always find a good path again. As the others wrote there are only some tiny streams within the first km after the pass until the next Laguna, so we filled up our bottles there and camped somewhere in the forest soon afterwards once it started to rain again.<br /> <br /> The next day there were still not too much water sources and we fetched the first water at the first Laguna which wasn't super easy to access. The trail until Lago Cochrane wasn't in bad condition neither. We also took Option L, which follows the 'regular' siete lagunas trail. The stretch from Lago Cochrane until the Conaf office at the end of the lake is absolutely amazing with great views of one of the clearest lakes in the world. We camped at km 145.7 and took a bath in the lake.<br /> <br /> The last 8 km to Cochrane went super fast on an easy trail until Conaf and 4 km road walking to the town, so happily we could escape from the starting rain.<br /> <br /> * '''20 to 24 of February 2023 / Silke &amp; Hans / Loop - Fachinal -&gt; Chile Chico'''<br /> <br /> We didn't do the regular route, but read about an intresting loop starting in Fachinal and entering the normal route at Valley Hermoso. We then continued along the regular route to the entrance at Laguna Jeinimeni, and back to Chile Chico. The first 3 days from Fachinal we didn't see any other hikers, but it was pretty clear why. The trail was completely overgrown, full of fallen trees and a lot of the time there is no trail at all. But we managed our way through pretty good, and is was an awesome alternative to enter the Park. We recorded our GPX for others, waypointed some POI's and added some photo's to it: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/114121493<br /> <br /> DAY 1 / 18km / +740m /<br /> Although we heard of a bus to Fachinal from Chile Chico, nobody really appeared to know any information about it.. In the terminal the people we spoke said there were none. So we started hitchhiking the following morning. But after 3-4h of no luck we went back to the terminal, and all of a sudden there was a bus leaving at 11:30. 10.000 pesos pp, a little expensive but being unsuccesfull hitchhiking we took it. We had lunch at the turnoff, and starting hiking around 13:00. The first part is on a clear double track, but soons turns into a clear singletrack. We took the wrong intersection twice (waypointed on our GPX). We camped right before the first big river crossing. There is one steel cable, so if you bring a harness you could tiroller across. <br /> <br /> DAY 2 / 22km / +1100m /<br /> First up, we crossed the river. The water level didn't seem a lot lower than the day before, and at the deepest part it was about halfway our thighs. After taking another wrong intersection and backtracking, we reach the second river crossing. Again a steel cable is provided but the crossing was pretty straightforward, and the water level was only slighty above our knees. Just across the river is a an old cabin, and then short after a very new refugio (locked, used by a trekking agency). The trail gets super dense after this, climbs steeply on the mountain side and dissapears completely on numerous occasions. After the climb it flattens out, opens up and you reach a laguna. After the laguna it's the easiest to just follow the river bed down to the open valley floor (possible sheltered campsite in the forest). Follow the valley floor to another amazing laguna where you can camp near a second locked refugio.<br /> <br /> DAY 3 / 14km / +440m /<br /> We started the day with a side-trip to a mirador looking over the glacier high above. Takes about 1,5-2 hours return. We then packed up camp and headed for Valley Hermoso. You pass another beautiful laguna and follow the river down to the main valley. Lots of river crossing here. We camped at the Refugio Valley Hermoso, arriving earlier than expected. <br /> <br /> DAY 4 / 15km / +200m /<br /> Very short and easy daytrip to another laguna. About 3 hours return. We just chilled the rest of the day.<br /> <br /> DAY 5 / 36km / +830m /<br /> Final day along the normal route to the entrance of Laguna Jeinimeni. The day started off with some heavy rain for a couple of hours, but all the river crossings were still very doable. We arrived at the entrance around 13:00, and there was no sign of anybody leaving soon. So we decided to continue hiking untill we could find a ride along the way. We ended up hiking an extra 19km before finally a car was willing to take us along. There is an established campsite at the entrance for 3000 pesos pp.<br /> <br /> * '''19 to 24 of February 2023 / Will / SOBO, regular route'''<br /> <br /> Not too much to add on this one. I had a good time but the section felt long.<br /> <br /> On the way up to the first plateau there were a few somewhat sheltered places to camp past the puesto. I camped around km 19, just before the last steep climb up to the plateau. Lots of streams around there.<br /> <br /> None of the river crossings went above my knees, after a dry week.<br /> <br /> I liked the detour up to the Lago Jeinemeni mirador. I also took variant I out and back to a glacier lake, I'm less sure whether that was worth it. I couldn't find any real trail, it was nice easy cross country walking through the woods followed by some open rocky ground. The glacial lake was cool, but not as spectacular as some of the ones I've seen in other sections.<br /> <br /> I camped at the casa de piedras and took a luxurious warm shower. The ranger said you're supposed to pay at the office in valle Chacabuco, but since our route doesn't go there she just let me stay for free. She also said that sendero de siete lagunas (our route) was closed, but that I could do it since I had my gps and satellite communicator. She made it sound tough/dangerous though it turned out to be fairly quick trail.<br /> <br /> Not much water or campsites along the siete lagunas. There's a nice campsite at the tip of the pencil lake just after the (still intact!) refugio at 133.9.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Feb-12-19 / NOBO / RR + Option 35-L / Ondrej and Bara / Cochrane - Chile Chico / 7.5 days'''<br /> <br /> We really enjoyed this section! We went from Cochrane to Chile Chico. Our favourite parts were the descent through Valle Hermoso and the descent on the cross country section to Chile Chico. We spent 7.5 days on this section, taking a relaxed pace and including a half day break.<br /> <br /> We only had to pay 9,000 CLP per person entrance fee at the Cochrane park gate (sector Tamango). We then showed the pass three days later to a ranger at Casa de Piedras and he let us go. The final checkpoint for us was the CONAF park exit/entrance at Lago Jeinemeni. The ranger there didn’t want to see our pass at all, he just asked from where we hiked (we said Casa de Piedras).<br /> <br /> Some details: - Starting from Cochrane, the trail is easy walking up until km 144.9. As you leave Lago Cochrane, the trail is harder to follow. Fortunately this lasts only up to km 138, where the trail becomes easy to follow again. We camped next to the refuge on km133.9. The refuge has a good roof and can serve as an emergency shelter. There is no good water next to it though - we needed to climb the hill to the laguna to refill. - From roughly km 125 to km 99, the RR follows the old Siete Lagunas trail, which is not maintained anymore. Expect some fallen trees and slightly overgrown parts but the trail is beautiful and easy to navigate in general. - We took Option L to cut some overgrown road walking as recommended by others. We really liked it. - We camped next to the destroyed refuge at Laguna Guagua (km 118.3) and really loved the place - there is an amazing pebble beach at the laguna. - If you don’t want to camp at Casa de Piedras, there is a place for a small tent and a stream at roughly km 97 (-47.07463, -72.20439). We camped there. - The river crossings in Valle Aviles and Vale Hermoso were maximum to our knees. The deepest one was at Lago Verde (km 66.1). However, the river levels can change rapidly when it rains the days before - do check the weather. - We camped at the eastern shore of Lago Verde (km 61.7; campsite Raleigh) and really loved it - it has picnic tables and a spacious cooking/eating shelter. - We hitchhiked the part on the road between km 53 and 41.5. Few cars go by but the hitch was easy - we stopped the first car. - The cross country section from km 41.5 is very different from the rest - semi-desert like and lots of animals. We saw llamas, flamimgos, condors and hares (among sheep, cows and horses). - Between km 38 and 33 the path goes along a fence. We had to get over the fence once (we scrambled below it without problems). - If you are going NOBO, expect stunning views of the General Carrera Lake and Torres del Avelano when coming from the last pass (km 20.8) down to Chile Chico.<br /> <br /> A ranger in Casa de Piedras wanted to prevent us to walk the RR NOBO from Casa de Piedras to Valle Hermoso. He claimed that route is closed now as the rivers are too high to cross. To avoid conflict, we said that we will only do the “loop trail” which is basically the RR from Casa de Piedras up until the bridge where the RR joins Option J. The Option J is then used to return back to Casa de Piedras. When doing the loop, we met several hikers in the opposite direction who confirmed that all river crossings are fine. In light of this we decided to continue on the RR and indeed the deepest ford was to our knees. Therefore if faced with a ranger claiming that the rivers are too high, we suggest to start with the loop trail (rangers should be okay with that) and get more info on the river levels from the hikers going the opposite direction.<br /> <br /> *2023 last week January NoBo (6 days but could have very easily been done in less) / Helen and Craig + (Caro, Ali and Gabby)<br /> <br /> &gt;Such lovely camp sites. Beautiful places to stay the night the whole way around<br /> <br /> &gt;Very very easy trails. River crossing section isn't bad at all and the Valle hermosa lives up to its name.<br /> <br /> &gt;1st and last camp site particularly lovely<br /> <br /> &gt;Keep eyes peeled for pumas! I would have easily missed the sighting if I hadn't been looking the right way at the right time. They were super close. 10m or less away. Two cubs outside the refugio at casa peidra. Not where they are commonly seen in the park at all Aparently around west winds camp they are more commenly seen.<br /> <br /> &gt;Museum in the middle of the section worth checking out. Very visual and quite hard hitting environmental museum<br /> <br /> &gt; Can hitch easy enough to Chile Chico but leave last camp early in the morning. There's often a driver with a 4x4 who drives hikers in to the park and will take you back for 10,000p/p. Hikers who were a few hours behind us had no luck hitching as demand can often overtake spaces.<br /> <br /> * '''27 of January to 1 of February 2023 / Véronica &amp; Zach / GPT35 RR SOBO / 5.5 days '''<br /> <br /> Route: Chile Chico - Lago Jeinimeni - Valle Hermoso - Casa de Piedra - Lago Cochrane - Cochrane <br /> <br /> What a beautiful and diverse stretch of the GPT! I hiked half of this section with Zach, up to Casa de Piedras at km 98.9. We were unable to get a hitch out of Chile Chico, so we ended up walking the road to where the trail begins. No navigation issues, but the entire cross-country section to Río de las Nieves (waypoint at 42.7 km) is very exposed and was very windy when we crossed. We ended up camping at the water at 23.9 km, but the wind blew very strongly all night and I was worried it might take my tent. If you can, it is better to camp off this plateau unless the weather is calm. Lots of guanaco trails to follow :) <br /> <br /> At the CONAF office at km 53.0, we each paid 9,000 clp for entry to the national park, plus 6,000 clp for passage/camping along the trail to Casa de Piedras in the Valles Hermoso and Aviles. Beautiful trail the whole way, popular and well-maintained, with cairns and markers to follow. There is an awesome shelter and camping area with picnic tables on the eastern shore of Lago Verde, at the end of Option D. In my opinion it was nicer than the popular refugio in Valle Hermoso (km 68.1) that everyone talks about. <br /> <br /> We had no issues with fords, except the one at km 82.6 which flows into Río Aviles. It was the end of a warm sunny day, so the flow was quite high and strong. Had I been on my own I would have camped on the north side and waited till morning to cross. However, this time I was able to cross by linking arms with Zach as he is much taller than me and was more stable in the current. <br /> <br /> At Casa de Piedras, Zach and I parted ways as he wanted to packraft down the Río Chacabuco. The ranger at the Casa told me the Sendero de las Siete Lagunas (which begins at km 99.5) was no longer maintained. This is true, there were stretches in the desertlike brush that were hard to follow, and I checked the GPS frequently. Generally it was better when the trail went into wooded areas. I also found this trail to be dry — the only water I found was the water from the lagunas and a tiny trickle about a kilometer south of the pass. Lots of spiky plants that get stuck in your socks and shoes. I took Option L to cut out some overgrown minor road walking. It's sad that this trail is being neglected and left to be swallowed up by nature, because otherwise it is quite scenic. <br /> <br /> The horse trail that goes from the puesto of Daniel Huemul (km 143.3) to Lago Cochrane was also rough and overgrown. Everything gets easier once you reach Lago Cochrane though, nice, maintained trails all the way to Cochrane with beautiful places to camp along the lake. <br /> <br /> * '''GPT35 / Yannic &amp; Mirjam / 2022-Dec-13'''<br /> <br /> Much is already detailed below, so we will keep it short <br /> <br /> 1 day: from Chile Chico to the entrance of the National Park. We camped one night before the pass at S 46.61639 W 71.81632. Water right next to the camp. Pass is very windy.<br /> <br /> 2 days: from the National Park to the Refugio. Nice refugio with small house where you can make a fire inside to dry things. From the Refugio to Casa Piedra is possible in one day. But it is a long day with many kilometres.<br /> <br /> 2.5 days: Casa Piedra to Cochrane. Leaving Casa Piedra, after a few hundred metres the trail leaves the Minor Road and enters the trail (where there is a large stone marker). The trail is officially closed and partly in bad condition. There are many fallen trees on the trail, some of it is overgrown and not completely clear. We therefore checked the GPS regularly. We took OH-TL-V{35-L}, which saves a few kilometres of (overgrown) minor road.<br /> We spent one night at Laguna Guagua (Refugio is completely destroyed) and one at Lago Cochrane.<br /> When we left the national park, no one was at the office. We therefore simply went through...<br /> <br /> * '''GPT35 Variant P, Option 3, 3C, 3D / Meylin Ubilla, Jan Dudeck / 2022-Dec-12 and 13 / 1.5 days'''<br /> <br /> While waiting in the village Cochrane for our friends to catch up, we did a little 1.5 day hike higher up next to Lago Cochrane that we visited at least 3 times by packraft in past years. For the first time this year we waked with a light backpack without packrafting gear.<br /> <br /> We took Variant P eastbound that slowly climbs on a gravel road to an altitude of 500 m and then continues as a panorama trail in this altitude.<br /> <br /> Apparently, this is not authorized access to Parque Patagonia (Sector Tamango) and two gates need to be climbed but there was nobody to be seen on this route. The normal access to the park is down next Rio Cochrane and Lago Cochrane.<br /> <br /> Nearly the entire route was scenic and worth the effort.<br /> <br /> The settler “El Húngaro” apparently sold the land and became part of the national park. There is an open building that might be used as a refuge in case of emergency but camping is probably more comfortable.<br /> <br /> The refuge at {35-P} [4.0/501] is collapsed but camping is pleasant on this pasture.<br /> <br /> The trail section OH-TL-V {35-03} [0.0+5.2] is not maintained for several years making this route inconvenient to walk. The route south of both lakes is easy walking.<br /> <br /> As long as Parque Patagonia does not challenge hikers to make a full traverse from Cochrane to Chile Chico it is prudent to take the official route which is the current regular route and pay the entrance fee near Cochrane when hiking northbound.<br /> <br /> But should longer multi-day traverses be denied, then it might be less bothersome to take Variant P which avoids the entrance.<br /> <br /> Packrafters can travel east and westbound on Lago Cochrane and will not pass any park entrance.<br /> <br /> * '''Alice &amp; Florian / 4 to 10 November-2022 / Regular Hiking Northbound'''<br /> <br /> Here's our story of our GPT35. We really enjoyed this section, it is really diverse, beautiful landscapes and we saw heaps of animals. <br /> <br /> As we wanted to do the trail in the northbound direction, we took the bus from chile chico to Cochrane, arriving in chile chico from argentina from the south (border o'higgins closed...). It tales 4 hours and leaves on sunday at 14 (return Monday 7 Am), Monday 16 (return Tuesday 7 AM),Wednesday and Friday 7 Am (return 16).<br /> <br /> We took the option north of Cochrane because we were not sure if they would allow us to sleep in the tamango reserve. But, indeed you have to pass a no entry sign, a gate and a sign saying that entering the park that way is prohibited so we do not recommend it when it is written on the conaf website that it is allowed to sleep in tamango section.<br /> <br /> We took the sendero de los huemules and slept at camp 1 waypoint. There was plenty of water at that time and a beautiful view.<br /> <br /> After that we took the option OH-TL-V 35-P to avoid going downhill. The entry of this trail is about 150m before what is indicated on the GPT so be aware. I don't think the trail is an official one from the park so you have to fight your way through some bushes. But apart from that, it is clear. Then we joined the regular route, which since the 2022 version does follow the siete lagunas trail. You will join the siete lagunas trail at the kilometer 11 more or less. We then camped around the km 13 of the 7 lagunas trail. <br /> <br /> We found water just before climbing at the pass at S47°06.0856' W072°17.592' and there is more at the top. However, it is true that it is drier on the other side of the pass, so if you are going Southbound, pack enough water from Lago Gutierrez to climb the pass. <br /> <br /> We spent the third night at casa de Piedra where you have all facilities (electricity, hot shower, kitchen). Unfortunately for us they were on strike so they wouldn't allow us to go further on the trail. We did anyway as going out to jeiminini or through the road to chacabuco would take the same time. <br /> By the way various national parks - including Torres del Paine were on strike at the moment. <br /> <br /> The second part in the aviles valley is really clear, the trail is really nice and easy and with a lot of water available. Exiting the casa de piedra you should take the option OH-TI-V 35-J instead of the regular route, it will save you 600 m and two river crossings, and the view is similar. Starting at km 20, you will have to reduce your pace because the trail is busy with a lot of fallen trees, bushes and rocks. Between the km 22 and 23 of the valle aviles trail, the trail has been swept away by the river this winter so you have to cross the river two more times to go around. The kilometers indications disappear more or less after the pass, at km 25. <br /> <br /> After that you enter the valle Hermoso. We camped at the waypoint 17/Camp Valle Hermoso but we do not recommend it. It was really small and close to the river, so if there is a sudden level rise because of heavy rain or a flooding because of a glaciar outburst (GLOF), you might get wet... Better sleep st the small caban near km23 if you don't think you will reach the refugio in valle Hermoso.<br /> <br /> Once you reach Lago Verde, follow the GPT track and not the trail that leads to the lake, or you will have to turn back. After the pass it's more river crossings but you can save some kilometers in the river bed by taking the option OH-TI-V 35-E and then OH-TI-V 35-D until the rio jeimenini (the first part of the option OH-TI-V 35-D does not exist anymore). We did not have any trouble to cross the Rio between the 2 lakes even though we were in the middle of the afternoon. It was about thigh deep for me but I'm tall. <br /> <br /> After that it's really easy to the Parc entrance. We went back to Chile Chico walking on the road instead of taking the cross country option, because0 there were still snow on the mountain. The first part is still pretty until the intersection, once you enter the valley of the Rio it is a bit more monotonous. Halfway there is an access to an annex of the national park, to go see the Cueva de las manos and valle lunar. <br /> <br /> * '''Adrien Kunzli / 31-Oct-2022-04-November-2022 / Regular Hiking Northbound'''<br /> <br /> All rivers crossing are easy to pass at this time of year. One tricky passage on the snow at the entrance of lago verde, very steep, but it was to avoid walking in the lake (frozen feet early in the morning). <br /> <br /> No guards at the entrance at Tamango so i didnt pay the fee but didnt get my pass. Tamara gently gave me one at the camping of casa del piedra (apparently if i didnt have this pass i could not be admitted at Jeinimeni.) At Jeinimeni pass, again, nobody. So i were to the houses near and finaly find the guy. He took my pass and i get no fee in this NOBO direction. <br /> Nice shortcut after the bridge of Rio de las Nieves (S 46° 47.274', W 071° 54.665') that can avoid you a little bit of the 4x4 unfinshing road and get you directly into the heart of this amazing and beautifull last part. So: <br /> In front of the end of the bridge, you go up the big hill and go diagonally (or directly if you feel better) to join the path (pretty wild) of the gps (S 46° 45.843', W 071° 54.359'). Small stretches of paths are drawn rather well along this shortcut. <br /> <br /> Not much good water between the bridge (brown water) and the puesto but the the puesto's water is of much better quality.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> * '''GPT 35: Parque Patagonia/ Exploration Route via Valle Maullín Grande/ 2022 March-12/ 4 days / Tobias Schorcht, Jonas Grünewald '''<br /> <br /> We hiked from Maullín Grande to Cochrane by chance. I always wanted to do the stretch from Chile Chico to Cochrane, but we had just 4 days left… When we hitchhiked northbounded from Villa O’Higgins, we luckily got picked up by Pascual Diaz, who is a experienced Mountain Guide (company Kalem) and took us all the way to his refugio in Maullín Grande. He also explained us, how to reach Cochrane on time while doing that crossing. The next day he took us to the end of the Road, where we started hiking around midday (-46,80390, -72,42001). It was a easy walk to the end of the Valley where we camped (-46,87872, -72,34138). The following day was hard, but we went up to the pass (1430m) in perfect sunshine. At (-46,87234, -72,30906) you will face a waterfall in a steep canyon. We recommend to walk on the left side (northwest) through the forest until you meet the riverbed again. The other side is also possible (we went there), but you have to climb higher in difficult terrain. From that point you can easily do a cross country walk up to the pass, where you have to cross the Glaciar (without cracks). It was absolutely stunning! Going down to the laguna is quite steep. I would not do it in bad weather conditions. When you meet the laguna, you can either walk on the left or right side. Both options are not easy. We crossed on the right (southern) side, which is ok in good weather conditions. There is one river crossing in between, which could be impossible with more water. Now we think it would have been easier to walk on the left (northern) side, although we would have had needed to cross the river before and after the laguna. Packrafting is an option as well, but since it only 1.5 km we don’t think it is worth it. Camped in a forest close to the regular trail dry and save. All in all we recommend this option to experienced hikers in good weather conditions. The hike to Cochrane was hard, because we had just 2 days for 80km. So we hitchhiked to the museum of Parque Patagonia and we even saw a puma at the Westwind Campsite! It seems like this puma shows up there regularly. I waited for that moment almost 5 months. My dream came true on my very last evening in nature. Thank you Patagonia for this great gift. 🙏<br /> <br /> * '''Christmas2021 / GPT 35, NOBO, participants Janna &amp; Matthias, dec 2021, duration 6 days from Cochrane to Conaf center at Lago Jeinimeni, then hitchhiked to Chile Chico'''<br /> <br /> As recommended by a friend we opted for the following route through the Parque Nacional de Patagonia which is highly recommendable (first two days mainly GPT variants and options, afterwards GPT regular routes. There are several marked senderos in the beginning as 5 Los Huemules, 8 los Pumas, 7 los Guanacos, sendero 9, sendero Lagunas Altas etc.) as you can see in our attached tracking file.<br /> <br /> All in all the trails were easy to find, some seemed to be still unhiked this year. To enter the park from Cochrane we had to pass a prohibition sign and climb over a no entrar gate. We didn't meet anyone on the first day, the settler didn't seem to be around. The following days we met two to three other hikers per day, but no rangers until the end at Conaf Center near Lago Jeinimeni, where we easily paid the park fees in arrears (8000 pp park entrance fee and an additional 6000 pp overnight stays in the park). We deliberately skipped the Conaf center in Valle Chacabuco on the advice of our friend.<br /> <br /> Good to know:<br /> - There is no water anymore at S 47.198557, W 72.474927 near the camping site but instead at S 47.203460, W 72.480747 and S 47.179332, W 72.465807<br /> - There were many lagoons on our day 3 that weren't visibly well marked neither on our apps nor on the Garmin GPS.<br /> - All the marked refugios along the trail are heavily damaged except Casa de Piedra<br /> (closed on the 24th of dec) and Refugio Valle Hermoso (where we could even dry our<br /> soaked shoes from the many river crossings next to the fireplace).<br /> - From the refugio Valle Hermoso we did a side trip to the first glacier lake in the Valle<br /> Estero Ventisquero without all the luggage.<br /> - The río Jeinimeni water level was up to our waists and strong (note it had rained the<br /> night before). According to others it was supposed to be knee-deep.<br /> - Hitchhiking from Conaf center Jeinimeni to Chile Chico is possible when camping or day guests are leaving. As we arrived later in the afternoon we spent an extra night there. <br /> - The supermercado sur in Chile Chico sells gas.<br /> <br /> Track files and waypoints: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-98Ou9jk0porCVRp7CSFZ-KciXQ2PBzD<br /> <br /> *'''30 Nov RR 5 days SOBO Frank'''<br /> <br /> From Chile Chico I got the Bahia Jara bus &amp; got off at the junction, saves a 6KM roadwalk. Walked 2KM up the road then on trail to the high plateau. The settler before the pass wasn't there but his dogs were a bit territorial so I avoided the puesto. I went across the high plateau &amp; camped a bit before the second puesto in one long day. Camp marked on track file below the pass was not very good (boggy &amp; sloping) so I continued down to camp near the stream. The second puesto is above the RR &amp; not visible from it. Camping on the high plateau definitely not recommended. It is very exposed &amp; the wind can &amp; will knock tents. On day 2 I got to CONAF, they said a puma had been there every day the week before. Continued with many river crossings to the hut. There are trails marked with ribbons on LHS of the river SOBO, they go in on small loops which avoid some of the river crossings. Nearing the hut there is a stream flowing into the lake. At the lake it was too deep to cross. Bush bashed for about 40 metres to reach the ford. Camped outside the hut. Several river crossings on the third day. The double crossing is the crux. I avoided it by going over the bluff on LHS of river with a bit of tree bashing but I don't recommend that. The bluff descent is cliffed off with only a narrow breach where you can downclimb on trees. The breach is not obvious from above. Better to ford the river - it was running high but I met several hikers who had crossed it. Got to Casa de Pidera in 1 long day from the hut. You can cook in the Casa (they have a gas stove, electricity &amp; showers) but have to camp outside. There are some trees to shelter from the wind. On the fourth day I started walking Sendero de Siete Lagunas (SSL) but I was using the 2019 track file which doesn't show the SSL. It had not been walked much recently &amp; the route was not obvious. At the lake I lost the SSL in guanaco tracks. I continued around the lake &amp; walked out about 2KM to the road. The descent to the road was cliffed off but I found a way down in a gully. Then I walked out the road past a meadow where hundreds of guanaco were grazing. Past the meadow I went in left on a side road to rejoin the RR. On the fifth day I walked past Daniel Huemul's puesto &amp; was lucky to meet Daniel who was riding out &amp; he showed me the way. He said the direct RR which goes right from the puesto is now overgrown &amp; disused. Instead we went out to the left. There is a small road which goes in a loop &amp; turns towards Lago Cochrane but with his directions I was able to shortcut it. I paid 15,000 CLP for entry &amp; camping at CONAF Lago Jeinemeni &amp; they didn't charge me anything at Casa de Piedra.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2020/21==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> <br /> *'''2020-Mar-18 , Tyler Wood, 7 Days Sobo'''<br /> <br /> Amazing section to end my season with. I got a couple short hitches on the way up past Chile Chico. Up past the last puesto are some great areas to camp along a big boulder field. Maybe 2 km more. Beautiful and surrounded by Guanacos. Plenty of water too. Up near the top of the pass was very cold, but very beautiful, and even saw a bunch of flamingoes in the lakes.<br /> <br /> On the way down the pass I tried to find the fore-mentioned route to the puesto to take the road the rest of the way down and didn’t really have any luck...found my way anyways and camped down by Rio sucio under a willow.<br /> <br /> Into Jenimeni I got another little hitch. Once you cross the deeper river by Laguna esmeralda just keep those water shoes on, you’ll be crossing many more times.<br /> <br /> I also was told by a ranger that sendero siete Lagunas wasn’t habilitado, but went for it anyways. Water is Not after Laguna Gutiérrez for a while, so make sure you fill up around there. After the pass there are a few more small<br /> Streams to fill up. <br /> <br /> The road walking to Tmango reserve seemed to take forever, but Walking/camping by Lago Cochrane was all worth it. At puesto Huemul Is when I got my first advice that the corona virus was a big deal. The woman told me there were 3 confirmed cases in Cochrane, I went there and booked my tickets straight home. Hasta le vista baby!!!<br /> <br /> * '''2020-February-08 / 7 days / Southbound'''<br /> <br /> Long and beautiful section. No major difficulties. Great diversity. Without hitchhiking, it took me 173 kilometers. <br /> <br /> 1st part / 2 days / Chile Chico to Div 217<br /> At the beginning of the cross country, valley full of Guanacos. I camped just after the puesto, about 2 kilometers after the beginning of the cross country, before the pass, where there are still rocks to protect from the wind.<br /> As related in previous reports, after camp 279, you will stumbled upon a fence. Go on the East along the fence, cross it, and you will find a trail to the next Puesto and then the trail goes down from the puesto to the dirt road. You will avoid cross country this way. <br /> <br /> 2nd part / 2,5 days to Casa de Piedra<br /> Popular part. Groups of hikers along the way. 8000CLP entrance fee + 6000 CLP for 2 nights sleeping inside the park. <br /> <br /> 3rd part / 2,5 days / Sendero de las 7 lagunas<br /> After Casa de Piedra, I followed the GPS regular route which took me to the beginning of the Sendero of 7 lagunas. CONAF said it was not &quot;habilitado&quot; but it is actually well marked. The good thing is that there will be no hikers on this part, except when you approach the end, along the lago Cochrane. The trail is very different from the GPS tracks but no difficulties to find it. So, don't worry not having the GPS tracks. <br /> At S 47º08.015' W 72º18.948', there is a nice place to camp and also, the trail will merge with the optional route OH-TL-V@35-02F-#001 You can then follow this track and then go back to the Regular Route to reach Cochrane.<br /> <br /> * Martin Lizondo / 28-Jan-2020 / Regular Hiking Southbound<br /> <br /> The section took me 6 days. Some tips:<br /> <br /> The first part from Chile Chico has a +20 km cross country walk. The wind is extremly strong and the route very high, with no forest protection. I recommend spending the first night behind the trees of El Ciprés (the settler Orlando Vazquez allows people to pass and is very kind) or near to the puesto at the end of the minor road at 46º 36' 5,3&quot; S, 71º 48' 45,05&quot; O (Miguel Pacheco is very kind too). Enough water all along the route.<br /> <br /> The Jeinimeni section of Parque Patagonia is very easy and well marked. Entrance to foreigners costs CLP 8000 plus 6000 if spending the night. There’s a shelter with place for fire and tents after 18 km.<br /> <br /> Valley Aviles to Casa de Piedra is also easy and beautifull, with many free camping spots. Casa de Piedra costs CLP 8000 per night.<br /> <br /> The rest of the gps track is very different from the actual trail, called “Sendero de las Siete Lagunas”. I recommend taking this route instead of the old gps track, as it’s very well maintained. At Lago la Pepa ( 47º 7' 45,19&quot; S, 72º 18' 41,54&quot; O ) the trail crosses an old overgrown minor road, which coincides with the gps track and takes to Puesto Huemul (47º 11' 25,31&quot; S, 72º 26' 6,98&quot; O). If going to the left, you’ll reach the puesto, if going up to the right you’ll end the official “Sendero de las Siete Lagunas” near to the main park center. Other hiking options are possible from that point, but the regular route to Puesto Huemul is the shortest.<br /> <br /> From Puesto Huemul, the trail goes down near to the lake Cochrane through Sendero “Coigües” and “Carpinteros”. Well marked and signed, this trails will take you to the start of Tamango section, very near to Cochrane.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-27 / GPT35 New Route: Lago General Carrera (Fachinal) to Parque Patagonia (Lago Jenimeni or “Casa de Piedra”) / 5 days / Meylin Meylin Elisabeth Ubilla González and Jan Dudeck'''<br /> <br /> Based on a recommendation from Tobias Hellwig W and Daniel Mahn Borkowsky we investigated a new route that I did no had on my radar until a few weeks ago. This route provides an alternative access from the southern coast of Lago General Carrera into the Parque Patagonia and is of interest for packrafters and hikers.<br /> <br /> The route is a traditional animal trail that was used by the settlers of Fachinal to drive cattle to a large summer pasture that is now part of Parque Patagonia (sector Jenimeni). With the enforcement of keeping domestic animals out of the protected park area a 5 km trail section inside Parque Patagonia lacks maintenance but is still quite well traversable for GPT standards. Apart from this short trail section most of the route is very scenic and nice to walk but practically unknown. Only one tourism company runs guided hiking trips along this route about once per months. Apart from this occasionally use the full traverse seams not to be done anymore.<br /> <br /> Due to lack of trail markings we spend about one extra day in searching and following the poorly maintained 5 km trail section but with our GPS record other hikers should struggle much less than we did and will be able to walk in 4 to 5 moderate hiking days from Fachinal at the southern shore of Lago General Carrera to “Casa de Piedra” in the center of Parque Patagonia in the Valle Chacabuco.<br /> <br /> We hiked the route northbound as we considered the option to cross Lago General Carretera at its shortest narrow by packraft. Here the lake is only 3.2 km wide but we finally did not cross this rather dangerous lake due to suboptimal wind conditions.<br /> <br /> Fachinal to Rio Aviles River Crossing: <br /> <br /> A well maintained “cattle highway” leads from Fachinal from the road bridge of Rio Aviles along the western/southern side of Rio Aviles to the limit of Parque Patagonia. This roughly 20 km long trail section gets regularly cleaned with chain saws to facilitate access to the pastures along Rio Aviles for free-rooming cattle. Most of the trees that have fallen on the trail have been cut to keep the trail easily traversable. Some hikers might find the “pointless up and down” annoying but this trail was created by men that move on horses that did not had to ascent and descent themself. About 1 km before crossing the Rio Aviles two signs indicate the limit of Parque Patagonia (Sector Jenimeni) and ban access for unauthorized people and domestic animals (without providing any clue who might be authorized and who not ;-). From the park limit the trail descents steep to Rio Aviles but remain well maintained to ford.<br /> <br /> This trail section requires two possibly demanding river crossings that can become impossible during snow melt in spring, after heavy rain or on the afternoon or evening of hot days (melting water from glaciers!). To keep the route traversable in such circlesumstances the tourism company has installed in both locations steel ropes (to cross these two rivers hooked up in harness to the steel rope without even touching the water).<br /> <br /> Rio Aviles River Crossing to the Pass (1150 m above Sea Level): <br /> <br /> After the river crossing the trail condition suddenly changes. Fallen trees don’t get cut anymore and undergrowth is not cleaned by machete. It’s mainly the remaining path on the ground that indicates the former animal trail. Advance is slow and in various locations care must be taken to not loose the trail. Here you will need to climb over fall trees and push occasionally through dense vegetation until reaching an altitude of 950 m. At this altitude the forest floor opens up (no dense undergrowth any more) and the trail disappears completely. Here walking becomes easy again. Walk the following kilometer through the open forest following roughly the GPS track until reaching the end of the forest and the small lake after the 1150 m high pass.<br /> <br /> An advise for northbound hikers: <br /> <br /> Finding the first signs of the trail in the open forest was a struggle as we had no information where exactly the trail starts to descent. I searched at least 3 or 4 hours in a 400 m wide and 1200 m long section of open forest till I found a first old machete mark on a tree that indicated the location of the trail. Carefully searching and following similar marks I finally found the descending trail.<br /> <br /> Searching northbound we lost the trail again when reaching Rio Aviles at the bottom of the valley and searched half a day for the correct continuation. A well visible and noticeably used trail next to Rio Aviles leads directly to an suitable river ford but from there a well maintained trail continues 1 km in the wrong direction (upstream). Only after bushbashing 1 km along the river shore downstream we recognized with surprise a second river ford (now the correct river ford) which connects to the well maintained trail section in the correct direction. In hindsight we understood that the well maintained trail simply continues upstream along Rio Aviles and that this trail crosses twice the Rio Aviles. Due to a partially not evident trail section on the other side of we did not recognize this when hitting this trail on the bottom of the valley and took the wrong direction to the wrong river ford.<br /> <br /> Now hikers with our GPS record and a GPS should not struggle to find and follow this trail as we did.<br /> <br /> Pass (1150 m above Sea Level) to Valle Hermoso Refugio: <br /> <br /> After leaving the forest at the 1150 m high pass the most scenic part of this route starts. A roughly 15 km long cross country route leads over pastures and river sediments past 3 lakes and two glaciers to the Refugio Valle Hermoso. Occasionally signs of a trail are visible but due to the open landscape a continuous trail neither exists nor is needed. <br /> <br /> Near the Refuge Valle Hermoso this route connects with regular route that leads along Valle Aviles (diffrent river with the same name!) to “Casa de Piedra” in the center of Parque Patagonia.<br /> <br /> Access to Trail Head at Fachinal:<br /> <br /> There are multiple buses per week from Chile Chico to Puerto Tranquilo on the Carretera Austral that pass Fachinal.<br /> <br /> Monday and Friday runs a subsidized bus from Chile Chico to Fachinal and back to Chile Chico (One round trip in the morning and a second one in the evening).<br /> 8:30 leaving Chile Chico<br /> 9:30 in Fachinal<br /> 11:00 returning to Chile Chico<br /> 17:30 leaving Chile Chico<br /> 18:30 in Fachinal<br /> 20:00 returning to Chile Chico<br /> <br /> If you wish to cross Lago General Carrera to continue hiking in the Cordillera Avellano North of the lake speak to Carloz Amoros in Fachinal (mobile: +56 9 76267029 / price around 30‘000 CLP) or Pascual Diaz de Mallin Grande.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-January 23 / Oreste Marquis/ Northbound : 8 days '''<br /> <br /> Going northbound. I followed the route until the second settler at the puesto Tejuela. From there, until the optional route @35-02e#001,<br /> I could not find the approximate trail in the files. I manage to find another one which is call siete Lagunas. It is really easy to follow and really beautiful! I find it near km 18 and keep walking on it until km 38. It is the end of it and is at the campground near Lago Gutiérrez. For more informations go reed Martin post in recent alerts and suggestion. I met him on the trail and he updated the wikiexplora before me. From the beginning to Casa Piedra took me 3 days. Then I hiked to the end of the reserve in an other 3 days. Lots of rivers to cross but felt pretty safe for all of them even the one higher between Lagos Jeinimeni and Verde. The cross country part the next day was my favorite of the hole trip! Awesome views, a lot of wildlife, just need to check a little bit more the gps! Last day, I headed to Chile Chico without any problem. Overall, I love it! Enjoyed it as much as GPT40.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-January / Matthieu / Northbound : 7.5 days &quot;tranquilito&quot;'''<br /> Incredible trekk, lots of different type of views and soil, my favorite since El Chalten. Money required for passing by the reserves !!<br /> I hitchhiked 10 km on the road to Casa Piedra, and 12 km between Jeinemini qnd the beginning of the trail that goes north in the mountain to join Chile Chico.<br /> <br /> '''1st part : Reserve Tamango''' : 6000 CLP the entry<br /> I took the old &quot;Huemul trail&quot; in the Tamango reserve, taking the left route at the &quot;Camp 284&quot; It is an old trail for 4x4, so very easy, and closed to vehicles now. <br /> <br /> '''2nd part : The road to Casa Piedra :''' the rangers I crossed were all agreed that it was not permitted to camp aside of the road (so the information is different that in Nov). One officiql camping at the end of Tamango reserve (WestWind) and one at Casa Piedra 26 km after. 8000 CLP each. At Westwind (not verified, only inforñqtions for guardaparques): no accomodations, only baño. At Casa Piedra . real big house, hot shower, electricity, place to cook. <br /> <br /> '''3rd part : Reserve Jenemeni :''' Entry 8000 CLP. For the camping, the ranger told me that it was permitted to camp wherever I wanted, so the information differs too from november. And at the exit, I told the ranger about my &quot;savage&quot; camping in the conversation, and he didnt tic at all, so no stress. The rangers are very nice !<br /> Good trekk, easy to follow. One very good refuge in the valle Hermoso where fire is possible. a more open refuge/camping site by the east shore of Lago Verde. <br /> Many river crossing, all safe except one, before the Laguna Esmeralda. Strong current, and people choose many different way with different profundness. Better do it in the morning, being a glaciar river (I could effectively compare between late in the afternoon and the morning and it is very different).<br /> <br /> '''Last part, to Chile Chico by the mountain :''' Amazing views, totaly different climate, more dry and with only bushes. <br /> At the beginning of the Cross country after the 4x4 road, I would advise to go a few meters west from the GPS tracks, to the east side of the river. There is effectively a fence on the west ridge, and a good trail on the east ridge that can avoid you the difficult crossing of many bushes, and that goes directly to the puesto.<br /> Two puestos, The 135 of metal being used by the locals (real bed inside), so just putted the tent outside. The second one 134 is actually a real house. Two mens were here when I arrived, working with the animals. I could put the tent near the house and take water from the sink outside. Many dogs, all nice.<br /> <br /> * '''Mum, Sis and I / Southbound / 11 days '''<br /> <br /> Well. What an interesting and varied section. Also the longest walk I think we'd all done. It took us 11 days in the end with a couple of longer side trips. Interestingly, when we emerged from the park it was closed, there was martial law in effect, a curfew in place. Borders closed. Only a week to get back to Santiago to catch the last flights back to Australia... Anyway. We're heading back now. Got temperature tested as we reentered Chili Chico this morning. Waiting for the boat across the lake mañana in la mañana. No buses out of town. Enough rambling...<br /> <br /> As always, thanks to the others before us that have taken the time to comment and provide feedback. Here's my two cents.<br /> <br /> Firstly here are some landmarks to make it easier for others to orient themselves: <br /> <br /> El Ciprés<br /> http://ge0.me/oGvL0ey6_7/El_Ciprés<br /> ge0://oGvL0ey6_7/El_Ciprés<br /> Casa Piedra<br /> http://ge0.me/4GvJGSxqPH/Casa_Piedra_%28Stone_House%29<br /> ge0://4GvJGSxqPH/Casa_Piedra_%28Stone_House%29<br /> Westwind<br /> http://ge0.me/wGvC_gnJaX/Westwind<br /> ge0://wGvC_gnJaX/Westwind<br /> <br /> Camping in Chile Chico:<br /> El Carro is supposed to be the cheapest place to stay in town. Though if you want a hot shower it's the same as Kon-aiken next door. We stayed at neither so can't really comment, but there were a lot of people staying at Kon-aiken and next to none at El Carro which might be indicitive of value for money or just the fact they are a little closer to the centre of town.<br /> El Carro however was the only one willing to look after some things for us.<br /> We also visited a hostel, but the owner was unfortunately very rude.<br /> <br /> El carro<br /> 4k frío <br /> 5k caliente <br /> 1k por día por mochila <br /> <br /> Kon-aiken<br /> 5k pp / noche <br /> No baggage service <br /> <br /> Part 1: Chili Chico to Jeinemeni<br /> In the end we decided to cache things in the bushes just outside of town. Mum and my sister got a lift to the Bahía Jara cruz whist I was caching. Unfortunately I had to walk all the way to El Ciprés where my mum and sister had been enjoying a nice conversation with Orlando Vazquez who allowed us to pass but emphasised the dangers and didn't really recommend crossing. <br /> Passing through the gate a couple of utes were exiting. Apparently there is a new mine up in the mountains and they didn't really want us to walk up. They admitted they just worked there.<br /> Turn off the main rd that assumably heads to the mine about here: -46.57775, -71.82666<br /> Goucho Miguel Pacheco passed us on the way up herding some cattle and we talked to him at the puesto for a while. We also gave him one of the Australian coins we'd been carrying around. He seemed to believe it was everyone's right to pass. &quot;People pass through here all the time &quot;.&quot;Just yesterday a lad passed by &quot;.&quot;It's the shortest route across the mountains &quot;<br /> Anyway. We camped in the rocks just outside the park boundaries (as mentioned by??).<br /> We then camped two nights up on the windy plateau. Our side trip to Valle Lunes was amazing. I'd recommend it. But be careful with wind. Oh and did anyone mention the guanacos?<br /> Unfortunately I think the water wasn't very clean on this part. Sheep, cows, guanacos, birds... It's the first time in Chile I've wished I took my water filter along. We had some sore stomachs.<br /> Dropping down the other side we hit the mentioned fence (about here -46.72574, -71.90211). We crossed, but would recommend following it to the left until you get to a corner. I'm not sure where it starts, but there is a trail running on the outside of the fence to the puesto. We then followed a sheep trail that ran high on the left (east) of the valley. Very good but it bypassed Las Abutardas completely and seemed to be heading towards Laguna los Flamencos instead. We ended up cutting down to the road where León passed us heading into town, a little confused why we hadn't taken the 'proper trail'.<br /> We camped the night at the Río El Sucio camp. Not really recommended.<br /> We walked the road and stayed at Río Las Vacas for a bit which is at the border of the park and a nicer place to camp. (There is a good stream between the two).<br /> <br /> Part 2: Jeinemeni to Casa Piedra<br /> It was 8k to enter the park (for foreigners) and an additional 6k for camping in Valle Hermoso. The section to the refugio (-46.84092, -72.14078) was very nice. This is the only shelter still standing. The others included in the track files were not really enterable.<br /> Heading to the refugio (where everyone seems to camp) you cross the small ankle deep creek exiting Laguna Esmeralda and then the deeper river between Lago Verde and Jeinemeni. This might have been the trickiest but when we crossed it wasn't really bad. We then had two more smaller crossings before passing through Portezuela La Gloria (1100m) to cross Estero Ventisquero and the other river running down the main valley.<br /> The next day we did the popular side trip to the glacier in this valley: -46.80924, -72.20116<br /> We wondered if it was the same way Jan et al entered recently?<br /> From the refugio to Valle Avilés there are no compulsory river crossings if you stick to the somewhat scrubby trail to the left (south) of the valley. The first crossing we did was Río Avilés shortly followed by the tributary. So only 8 crossings (wet feet) on the RR. <br /> <br /> We walked from the refugio to Casa Piedra in a day. It was closed so we camped on the other side of the Rd.<br /> <br /> Part 3: Casa Piedra to Cochrane<br /> From casa piedra we took the aforementioned Sendero las Siete Lagunas. It is not it the track files but indeed very well marked with numbered markers every kilometre. I'll upload a kml with the markers I recorded as well as some of the water bodies I sketched.<br /> After the stream running into Lago Gutiérrez there wasn't much water until Lago la Pepa.<br /> You will briefly intersect with a road here: -47.14006, -72.37138. The road seems to run down to Puesto Tejuela coinciding with OH-TL-V@35-02F-#001 which I think is incorrectly labelled as TL. Part of RH-TL-I@35-99.0+30.0 too should be marked as MR. You'll intersect this road before taking it down to Lago Cochrane.<br /> We passed the occupied dwelling (Daniel Huemul?) but the man wearing a shirt emblazoned with Parque Patagonia seemed afraid to approach us (another hint the world had gone Corona crazy). He wouldn't let us take the RR so we followed the road for a bit before taking another newly made trail also not in the track files.<br /> Everything after that was very easy to follow.<br /> Everything was abandoned at the entrance and the gate locked. People avoided us on the streets and covered their face when passing us. <br /> We grabbed some needed food (we were very short after 11 days!) and got on the WiFi. Wow! How things had changed! Martial law in place and a curfew in place, we slept under a bridge with some Colombians and caught a bus back to Chili Chico in the morning. Waiting for the boat across the lake tomorrow now.<br /> <br /> Links to files :<br /> Kilometre markers: https://www.dropbox.com/s/fuzt4xacxjjvvg4/kms.kmz?dl=0<br /> Water bodies: https://www.dropbox.com/s/uz1ei95s1913xvb/water.bodies.kmz?dl=0<br /> Other planning: <br /> https://www.dropbox.com/s/uk9ym56gufwk4zq/planning.kmz?dl=0<br /> <br /> * '''2019 Dec / Olrik/ Northbound '''<br /> <br /> Amazing part of the GPT, from Cochrane ou enter in the Tamango national reserve and pay 6000CLP for the entrance. We took several trails to get to Valle Chacabuco : Las Aguilas, Las Lengasm Los Condores, Laguna Altas. Great views. We had a snow storm at the pass though. There you end up in a paid campground. From there we walked the dirt road to Casa Piedras in Valle Chacabuco, it was beautiful with lots of guanacos. Then we took the Las Aviles sendero. We camped near the first river crossing as it was late and waited for the morning to cross. It is normally not possible to wild camp in the park but the guardaparque told us to camp there if the river crossing is not sage. The rest of the trail is easy to follow next to the river. There is a pass then you descend to Valle Hermoso and to lago Jeinimeni. It was just gorgeous and easy to follow with great weather. Be aware of the numerous river crossings. In lago Jeinimeni there is a paid campground. From there you can hitchhike, walk, or pay a transportation at the entrance of the park (15000Clp pp) but I'm not sure if this is a regular thing. We ended up hitchhiking to get to Chile Chico.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Nov-28/ Lea Geibel, Kevin Moe/ 5.5days/ Northbound / Regular Hiking Route (Cochrane to Chile Chico) with OH-32-2-#003/'''<br /> <br /> This section might have been our favorite out of the whole Group H, where the diversity of the landscape was our favorite part (also including weather and trail conditions). The NP was entered at Tamango just outside of Cochrane. Registration is mandatory, the entrance fee is at 8000 CLP. The ranger asked us to explain our route and since the regular Hiking route did not seem familiar to them, they told us to take the optionals route going north over the pass to WestWinds campground and then do the road walk Eastwards. <br /> The pass had some snow patches on the Southern side but was easy to traverse. At the Valley Chacabuco (another entrance to the national park) we got asked for our permits and the route we plan on taking. We heard different information on if it is allowed to camp at the road or not (there were signs that told us not to do it but the ranger said it is okay). After the roadwalk, we passed another ranger station where we had to register and sign a responsibility form telling that we plan to leave at Lago Jeinimeni (and telling that we're only allowed to stay at designated campsites). The hike from there is extremely beautiful and super diverse, the trail well maintained. The rivers were at higher flow but all fords were doable. <br /> We camped next to the Refugio because we still weren't sure about the camping rules (other hikers we met said they were told that it's okay to camp everywhere along the river). Leaving the NP at Lago Jeinimeni was straightforward, but it's mandatory to check out at the rangers office. The cross-country section after the road walk was a bit slow on the way up due to many bushes and hilly terrain. We found a nice trail next to the fence leading up to the puesto when going up the ridge on the Eastern side. From the puesto we took a short steep uphill after which the terrain became more open and easier to travel on. It was very windy and snowy in the mountains, which made it difficult to walk at times and it felt like the temperatures were rather low.<br /> The lagoons on the way up are filled with exciting birds (flamingos!) and guanacos are running around on the whole plain. Once reaching the plateau we headed down in a pretty straight line which was easier than the uphill until we reached the road<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> *Chile Chico has two supermarkets. Sell gas.<br /> <br /> *Cochrane is a decently sized town with three mid-range supermarkets. The largest one, which is a grocery and department store, is located adjacent to the town square. There are many lodging and restaurant options. Be sure to withdraw an ample amount of money here because most of the businesses in the next town, Villa O’Higgins, only take cash and there is no ATM.<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> <br /> *2025 / MiaimZelt<br /> Buses (starting at Terminal de buses in Chile Chico) that enable you to skip the first 7-8km of Roadwalk when hiking SoBo: <br /> <br /> Turismo Tramal. Chile Chico - Bahia Jara. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday 8:30 &amp; 16:30. <br /> WhatsApp: +56 9 7538 0178<br /> <br /> Buses Interlagos from Chile Chico to Puerto Rio Tranquilo: Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday 9:00.<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> *2023-Mar-31 to 2023-Apr-06 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Option J / Martin &amp; Helena<br /> <br /> PN Patagonia closed some sectors on the first Monday in April, so we were the last ones to get a permission and do this section ‘legally’. Be prepared for this if you want to do this part in April or later. The problem is they close Casa Del Piedra and probably won’t let you pass to that sector from Lago Jeinemeni, where the entrance stays open for longer time. Sneaking around the guards house early in the morning or just not be specific about your plans might work if needed, its very unlikely you would meet anyone on the way from the main entrance.<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT35 - RN Lago Jeinimeni]]<br /> <br /> =Images=<br /> [[file:Greater Patagonian Trail (7).jpg|left|GPT35 - RN Lago Jeinimeni]]</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT35_(Parque_Patagonia)&diff=119540 2025-01-12T20:58:00Z

<p>MiaimZelt: /* Transport to and from Route */Buses</p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;packrafting&quot;, as above):<br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD, WHAT IS ENCLOSED IN &lt;&gt; MAKES IT BLUE):<br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/nowiki&gt;.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Overview=<br /> <br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> *'''2024-Nov-08 to 2024-Nov-16 / 8.5 / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Jonas'''<br /> Day 01: 08.11.2024<br /> Arrived by ferry from Puerto Ibanez in Chile Chico at 1430. Started walking right away. Caught a ride for about 3 km. After street, needed to open fence and door.<br /> Dog kept following all day. Couldn't make him leave.<br /> Settlers (mother &amp; daughter) offered a ride but kept walking. Camp spot at 14.1 was too wet to stay there. Looked for another spot. Nothing was good, wanted to look after puesto at 15.8. settlers offered me mate and asked if I wanna pitch my tent here since it got late. Stayed close to their place. Same settler family who offered me a ride.<br /> <br /> Day 02: 09.11.2024<br /> Starting from the settlers puesto CC had light snow when packing my tent. Didn't follow the route exactly. On the way to the first pass, saw the first guanacos. Started snowing stronger. Didn't follow the track or the OSM path to avoid snowfields. Tried to follow the trails but not always possible. Stronger snow and windy. After the first pass went too far to the east to avoid snowfields, thought it'd be easy to come back to the trail but took a longer detour. At least saw the first flamingos! In the plateau it was crazy windy. Sometimes followed track, sometimes OSM. Often in between because of snowfields. Snowfields were not steep, just wanted to avoid them. More guanacos only on the way down. Camp at 32.6 was too wet. ~250 m further down found a protected spot close to a small river/creek.<br /> <br /> Day 03: 10.11.2024<br /> Woke up late. Water in pot was frozen about 1 cm thick. Walked down, saw a lot of bones. Followed not the OSM track. Crossed the fence relatively far to the west. CC walking was nice. Maybe as others mentioned there is a path sooner if you cross/stay further east. Hit the dirt road and walked to the main dirt road. Already afternoon. First Pick Up stopped and gave me a ride to the park entrance. Didn't book the ticket before. You can book it at the CONAF station with their WiFi for the same day. 11.400 CLP for the entrance. Camping is free. Walked to camp Raleigh (about two hours) and found a nice spot there.<br /> <br /> Day04: 11.11.2024<br /> Short day. Started late, trail easy to follow. In the beginning keep left if other trails are there. First fording section is well marked in the track files. Keep your shoes off until Ford Stop. Climb to pass is sometimes steep but easy. Climb down is ready with stunning view of Valle Hermoso. Some parts with some rock slides. After descend two rivers to ford. Until camp Valle Hermoso some stretches in wind protected first in the river bed, some stretches in open river bed. Easy to follow. Camp Valle Hermoso has two roofed areas.<br /> <br /> Day 05 12.11.2024<br /> Started from camp Valle Hermoso. If you keep south you can avoid all the fords. At least at this time of the year. <br /> Trail is easy walking, landscape is stunning! Did a detour to Laguna Escondida. Nice and windy up there. To get there keep close to the track files. <br /> Only needed to take the boots off for the ford at 79.3. The rest was easy to navigate around or enough rocks/trees in the river.<br /> Camped at refuge 81.0 at the broken down cabin.<br /> <br /> Day 06: 13.11.2024<br /> Easy walking all day. Trail was easy to follow. Needed to ford once.<br /> The bridge at 90.9 is something if you're afraid of heights.<br /> Arrived early at Casa Piedra. Could use the infrastructure including warmish water. Since I said I won't pass the ranger station it was fine without paying.<br /> <br /> Day 07: 14.11.2024<br /> Trail is easy to follow. Lago Gutierrez looks amazing and quite windy. Some beach walking off track is nice. After Lago Gutierrez the trail is mainly easy to follow. Checked the GPS every now and then. Climb to the pass takes some time. Filled water up at a stream at the end of Lago Gutierrez. There was on running stream in the middle of the stretch to the pass. Not sure if it has water all year. Way down is through a beautiful forest. Nice views of the valley along the way. Some trees on the path but easy enough to climb them or walk around them. <br /> Stayed at the collapsed refuge. Enough wind protection even though it was quite windy.<br /> <br /> Day 08: 15.11.2024<br /> Trail was easy to follow in the forest. Outside the forest check your GPS when you think you might be off trail. <br /> Water in the beginning mainly from the lakes, later streams existed as well. Took the MR on the RR easy fast walking, no GPS checking necessary. Settler at 138.7 wasn't there passed by his house and followed the RR on a horse trail. Camped at around 142 at Lago Cochrane. Beautiful lake with clear water.<br /> <br /> Day 09: 16.11.2024<br /> For the last 12 km it was easy to follow the trail. Quite some up and down. Nice views on the lake. Arrived the CONAF office at lunch time. Did a self checkout. Stayed in Cochrane for two nights before the next bus to Villa O'Higgins left.<br /> <br /> Really nice hike! Due to the time of the year I only met one other hiker. It snowed a bit in the first days but not too much. Trails were generally easy to follow. Fording was not too much, might be different at another time.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Dec-14 to 2024-Dec-18 / 4.5 / Hiking / SOBO/ RR + Variant J, L / Roman'''<br /> <br /> <br /> Route: Hitchhiked from Chile Chico to X {35} [8.1/505]. Hiked to X {35} [41.5/768]. Hitchhiked from there to Park Ranger {35} [53.0/843] and hiked from there to -47.244414, -72.529165 and hitchhiked from there to Cochrane.<br /> <br /> Started in the Morning in Chile Chico and and started hiking at X {35} [8.1/505]. It's a small easy hiking road up to Puesto {35} [15.8/1075]. It's easy CC. I camped at Camp {35} [32.6/1300]. The next day was a easy hike to X {35} [41.5/768]. I was waiting 25 minutes for the first car to come by which picked me up around 11:30 AM - so prepared to either walk or wait quite some time. At the Ranger Station (Park Ranger {35} [53.0/843]) is fesh water, a toilet. There you have free internet via starlink. I have heard multiple stories and read multiple prices for entry. I would recommend to just show up. You will scan the QR code and buy the ticket online. I said that I hike to &quot;Casa Piedra camping&quot;. I had to buy the ticket &quot;Parque Nacional Patagonia - Sector Chacabuco&quot; for 5.200 CLP. Link here: https://tickets.pasesparques.cl/events/parque-nacional-patagonia-sector-chacabuco . From there i hiked to Camped at Refuge {35} [69.0/867] there are multiple fordings (river bed walking) which had a few banks and tables and a shelter hut. The next day hiked to Camp $, Refuge {35} [99.8/379] (Casa dePiedra). The Camp has electricity and a warm (not hot ;)) shower and toilets and 3 rooms with benches and tables for cooking etc. I was staying there with 2 other people and the Ranger. Apparently the Ranger doesn't collect/want money - i/we didn't needed to pay. There is Apparently a lady coming from time to time to collect a fee - so we were lucky. The trail was maintained and easy to hike. At the beginning there was some fording.<br /> <br /> The next day I camped at Refuge {35} [131.2/556] which is only a emergency shelter but has some flat spots to pich a tent. The trail is not maintained and is sometimes very good or not visible at all - you need you GPS! Overall good easy to hike with some fallen trees. There is a bridge at -47.160823, -72.407796 also with water which makes the Refuge a great place to say. Picture of bridge https://imgur.com/a/ZydIQ7f and Refuge: https://imgur.com/a/NDMT0FP . After that it's a easy hike all the way to -47.244414, -72.529165 where I hitchhiked to Cochrane. I haven't camped there but this location looked like the best stay you could get in the trail here: https://imgur.com/a/rtak82Q. -47.198106, -72.457406 close to Camp {35} [138.4/173].<br /> <br /> Stayed at Camping, Refugio ,Cabaña y HostelCochrane which i can highly recommend (camping 7k, dorm 9k, laundry 5k and a supermarket across the street)<br /> <br /> Contact: https://linktr.ee/RundW<br /> <br /> * ''' 2024-Dec-13 to 2024-Dec-17 / 5 days / GPT35 SOBO RR / wiiiim<br /> Relatively uncomplicated &amp; fast section, lots of info exists so just a summary here. In essence it feels like 3 parts<br /> <br /> - part 1 Chile Chico to the park entrance: mostly cross country over a barren plateau with lots of animals. I arranged a taxi out of Chile Chico to skip the first 9km of road walk at 7am for an early start - Alexis +56 9 7971 5823. Surprisingly lots of water on this section.<br /> <br /> - part 2 Park entrance to Casa de Piedra, park fee is 11400, very easy going, well marked trail, lots of water<br /> <br /> - part 3 Casa de piedra to Cochrane, somewhat overgrown, less water, mostly from the lagunas so good to have a filter<br /> <br /> I took the bus from Cochrane to Villa O’Higgins, it runs every Monday, Wednesday &amp; Saturday at 8:30am (returning the next day), it’s a small publicly funded bus (8400 pesos) with about 25 seats, they typically want you to buy a ticket in person in Cochrane in the bus terminal upstairs (I believe the company is Gardy?), I got a ticket the afternoon before and it had 5 seats left.<br /> <br /> * ''' 2024-Dec-12 to 2024-Dec-14 / 3 days go and back / GPT35 SOBO option 1 by car and Regular Road with a little part of option D and OH-CC-A-{35-06} to the first laguna/ Julien Mamari <br /> <br /> All the way to the Releigh Camp is really easy and try with bridges.<br /> Into the Releigh Camp and the 3rd camp you have 2 rivers to cross with the Gloria pass but it's really easy with sandals... Water to the knees maximum (on my time)<br /> If you go to the first Laguna (option 6) on the right sise of valley better beguin on the left side for around 1km then you have obligation to cross and the best its to keep always on de right side, it's dry.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Nov-07 to 2024-Nov-10 / 4 days with one day of rest at home of Daniel “Huemul” / GPT35 Regular Route SOBO from Kilometer 100 to 150 / Sendero 7 Lagunas / Meylin Ubilla and Jan Dudeck'''<br /> <br /> This scenic route inside Parque Patagonia is officially closed due to lack of trail maintenance but still easily traversable. As we entered from the north we did not speak with any Conaf personnel and learned about the closure when exiting this route in Cochrane.<br /> <br /> The GPT track file 2024 precisely documents the official route of Sendero 7 Lagunas from Kilometer 37 to Kilometer 5 (GPT35 Regular Route) where the Regular Route connects on other trails to Cochrane. Note that the OSM data is in large parts incorrect. OSM is showing a now partially overgrown and less attractive routing on disused trails and minor roads. So all topographic maps based on OSM data are unreliable in this respect.<br /> <br /> About 30% of the trail is clearly visible, about 60% of the trail is vaguely visible and 10% of the trail are invisible as trail. There is just a trail mark every kilometer but no other visual aids to follow the official trail. This makes frequent GPS verifications essential. Without a GPS and without the correct tracks loaded to the GPS hikers get inevitably lost numerous times and it would be very time consuming to find the correct trail just based on visual references. But with a GPS it’s easy to stay on the trail.<br /> <br /> There was no snow left on the 1126 m high pass.<br /> <br /> In the forest numerous fallen trees block the trail but there is always an easy way around.<br /> <br /> There are no noteworthy river crossings and the trail is dry. Water can be obtained regularly at smaller streams or at the lakes.<br /> <br /> There are numerous potential camp sites except from the northern trail head and the 1126 m high pass. This northern end is mostly wind exposed with very little shelter to pitch a tent.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Nov-02 to 2024-Nov-05 / 4 days (but 50 km hitchhiked) / Hiking / SOBO / Option 4 (Ruta RP41 in Argentina) / Meylin Ubilla and Jan Dudeck'''<br /> <br /> This option provides an alternative to the weather-exposed regular route of GPT35. Therefore this option should be considered early or late in the season (October, November or April) or whenever poor weather makes the regular route of GPT35 unsafe. This option is east of the Andes main mountain chain in Argentina and the clouds that typically come from the west unload most snow and rain while crossing the higher peaks in Chile. Anyway, the maximum altitude of just under 1500 m should not be undermined. Up on the pass area, weather can become unpleasant all year around.<br /> <br /> This road walking option is certainly not as attractive as the regular route but the insignificant traffic and the scenic scenery makes it a worthwhile hiking choice. The landscape is that attractive that one tour company in Los Antiguos offers guided excursions along this route.<br /> <br /> This option connects back to regular route of GPT35 at the trailhead of “Sendero 7 Lagunas” that becomes also traversable early in the season (October or November).<br /> <br /> Route description:<br /> <br /> The border crossing from Chile to Argentina is a 13 km hike or hitchhike as there is not organized public transport. Argentines rarely check luggage of backpackers, therefore bringing all supplies from Chile should not cause problems. Don’t be surprised when Argentine border controls don’t stamp your passport on entry. It’s not any more a given, that all travelers with passports receive an entry stamp when crossing into Argentina.<br /> <br /> Before starting on RP41 consider a good meal in Los Antiguos.<br /> <br /> The first 43 km on RP41 from Los Antiguos to Estancia Los Alamos are wind-exposed and dry. We were lucky to ride most of this stretch on the back of a pickups truck. From the road we could only see one more reliable water source at kilometer 39.5. And descending 100 to 200 m into gorge of Rio Jenimeni just to refill water supplies seams an ordeal that should be avoided.<br /> <br /> The owners of Estancia Los Alamos are welcoming and helpful. We were invited for lunch and offered a bed for a night. But to get moving we opted to start hiking in the afternoon.<br /> <br /> Estancia La Frontera at kilometer 46 of RP41 just after the bridge over Rio Zaballos seams also to offer accommodation on request. And here starts the more scenic part with patches of forest and more regular water streams crossing the road.<br /> <br /> At kilometer 54 of RP41 by-passes are welcome to camp just next to Rio Lincoln. Here we spend our first night.<br /> <br /> At kilometer 64 of RP41 the last patches of forest are left behind and exposed but scenic landscape is crossed.<br /> <br /> The highest point of RP41 (“portezuelo”) is reached at kilometer 76 with just under 1500 m. The last snowmelt washed a part of road away stopping currently most transit traffic but hikers and bikers can cross this damaged road section without problems.<br /> <br /> While walking from Rio Lincoln up to the “portezuelo” the wind and the light snowfall increased. But compared to the weather in Chile at the same time our conditions where quite manageable. The lack of wind-sheltered places keep us moving to kilometer 79 of RP41. Here, an unlocked puesto with a wood stove provided a surprisingly convenient shelter for our second night en route. We just had to seal some gaps in the walls to reduce the wind and snow from entering our temporary refuge. When getting up on the next morning a thin layer of fresh snow covered everything around us.<br /> <br /> The descent to Paso Roballos at kilometer 96 of RP41 traverses open but scenic landscape with little natural shelter. <br /> <br /> The best places to camp after the pass are:<br /> Kilometer 79: unlocked puesto<br /> Kilometer 87: maybe near puesto at 47°06'47&quot;S 71°50'00&quot;W<br /> Kilometer 96: the crossing to Paso Roballos 2 km before the Argentine border control <br /> <br /> At the Argentine border control camping is not permitted.<br /> <br /> When exiting Argentina make sure to get an exit stamp. This stamp is required to enter into Chile.<br /> <br /> Another good option is the abandoned Chilean military post 4 km after the Argentine border control. Most buildings of this small compound are sealed closed but one shelter is open and one mostly closed veranda provided good shelter for us for one night while rain and snow made pitching a tent less pleasant.<br /> <br /> The Chilean border control is 11 km inland from the border.<br /> <br /> From the Chilean border control it’s another 26 km to the trail head of “Sendero 7 Lagunas” with a brilliant camp site halfway (“camping alto valle”).<br /> <br /> * '''Note:''' The RR was changed between Lago Jeinemeni and Lago Verge in October 2024, so numbering of options in the reports below might be slightly off.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> <br /> * '''2024 Mar 14 to 2024 Mar 19 / 5.5 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR / Maddi and Tom'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: Hiked out of Cochrane after lunch in light rain. Hiked up Sendero Las Aguilas then Las Lengas, easy trail and well defined. Rain got heavier as we approached Laguna El Cangrejo. Camped on the west side of the lake, started snowing lightly as we set up. One of the colder nights and we considered turning back and taking the lower route as we weren't sure how passable Laguna Altas would be in the snow.<br /> <br /> Day 2: Woke up to a snowy morning so decided to wait it out in the tent. Packed up once it stopped around 11am and followed Sendero Los Condores. Luckily had a bit of sun as we went over the pass but as we were coming down the other side the rain and wind picked up. Abandoned our plans to hike the Lagunas Altas circuit and instead followed it straight down to Westwind campsite. Sat there for a bit hoping to see a puma but only guanaco in sight. Hiked towards Valle Chacabuco hoping for a hitch but no cars came past. Kept walking along Paso Roballos trying for a hitch, eventually a couple from the UK picked us up and dropped us at Casa Piedra. Spent the night there and got a hot shower which was excellent after all the rain and snow. Didn't end up paying any entry fees for the park or the camping as noone asked.<br /> <br /> Day 3: Got up fairly early to overcast day but no rain. Followed the eastern branch of the Sendero Aviles which was clearly marked and easy to follow. The bridge over the canyon is fun to rejoin the west branch of the trail. Kept following the track along, easy going until you hit the river bed and then there are many crossings back and forth. We did a bit of dodgy scrambling up the banks to avoid getting wet feet. We were going to push on but it started raining lightly about 4pm so we set up camp in the trees along the river. Another group joined us later that night as it was raining heavily and it was the first flat and clear spot.<br /> <br /> Day 4: Started along the track, excellent views as you pass Cerro Jeinimeni. Fairly easy track down to the next river, followed by a lot of walking in the river bed. Gave in and just walked through the water to Lago Verde. Crossings were never really over ankle deep. Track around Lago Verde is fine to follow with excellent views. Very windy as we got over the pass and the path down is quite eroded (but manageable). Hiked around to Raleigh. There is a new suspension bridge over the river at Raleigh that connects to Sendero Laguna Esmerelda. It isn't marked on Gaia or Maps Me so a group behind us went around the other way and had to do a hip deep river crossing. Going via Raleigh and Sendero Esmerelda avoids all river crossings and is an easy track to follow. Hiked all the way to El Silencio for the night, noone there so didn't pay any fees.<br /> <br /> Day 5: Started the hike out along the road hoping for a hitch but no cars went by. Headed up the plateau following a minor road, then relying on GPS and animal tracks. Lots of guanaco. Kept hiking up the hill as the wind picked up. Found a camp spot somewhat out of the wind towards the top of the plateau with a small river passing by for water. Started snowing as we went to sleep.<br /> <br /> Day 6: Woke up to a few cms of snow on the ground and tent and started a very frosty walk up and over the plateau. Lots of guanaco around but not much else other than snow. Luckily the sun came out as we were coming back down the other side as it was freezing up the top and was difficult navigating with the snow cover. Once it cleared we had awesome views of the Torres de Avellano and the lake. The descent track is pretty eroded and very slippery in parts where mud is hidden under small stones. Eventually joined up to the minor road and followed it down to Ruta 265. I had a weird phenomenon with my shoes picking up enormous amounts of sticky mud on the minor road, making my feet a few kgs heavier and having to scrape it off every 100m. Got a hitch to Chile Chico from Ruta 265.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Mar-12 to 2024-Mar-17 / 4 + 2×0.5 = 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + OH D + F / Joscha'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: RR [0.0-16.7]<br /> <br /> I startet around 2 pm and did not try to hitch the first 8 km on the primary road. There is a good flowing stream at the water marker (km 12.2) and at the camp (km 14.1). The flat spot that is camp 14.1 is swampy and therefore not ideal for camping. I camped at -46.60658, -71.80980 which is at least a little bit wind protected. There is also a stream on the other side of the RR close to this spot. <br /> <br /> Day 2: RR [16.7-48.2]<br /> <br /> There was plenty of water. The RR was covered in snow from about km 23 to 28. I took a CC shortcut from km 40.8 to 42.7. I camped at -46.810258, -71.965073.<br /> <br /> Day 3: RR [48.2-59.1] + OSM trail to Laguna Verde + OH35-D + RR [62.4-88.9] + OH35-F + RR [70.3-78.9]<br /> <br /> The park gate at km 50.1 is open from 9 am to 5 pm. But the ranger didn't mind, that I entered before 9 am. I paid 17000 Pesos at the ranger station (km 53). This fee allows camping at all the Campgrounds in the park. I followed the official park trail which branches off at km 59,1 to Laguna Verde. From there it returns via OH35-D to the RR. All fords today were below my knees. After km 75.5 the RR was partially flooded and you had to walk through some branches. Therefore I sometimes walked in the river bed on the eastern side of Rio Aviles. I camped at km 78.9. Its an official campground of the park, but there is nothing. But its flat and wind protected.<br /> <br /> Day 4: RR [78.9-106.3]<br /> <br /> The roof of the refuge at km 93.9 is collapsed. Casa de Piedra is a real house with bathrooms and some common rooms to hang out and probably sleep. I camped on the lakeshore at -47.074614, -72.25701. I would not recommend this spot for windy nights.<br /> <br /> Day 5: RR [106.3-137.6]<br /> <br /> The next reliable water source after Lago Gutierrez (km 106.3) is a stream at km 113.8. Its possible to camp just south of the pass (km 110.8). I did a shortcut from km 129.1 to 130.3. I had to cross a small swampy area for that. Camping at km 137.6 is nice.<br /> <br /> Day 6: RR [137.6-150.4]<br /> <br /> Nice campsite at km 146.0 (RN Tamango) with sheltered tables and spots for camping. I stayed at camping calafate in Cochrane (-47.254013, -72.568419). It has a kitchen with common area (heated by wood oven), wifi and hot showers for 7000 pp.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-24 to 2024-Mar-01 / 6.5 days / &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / SOBO / RR+&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;RP&lt;/span&gt; / Lauren &amp; Seb'''<br /> <br /> Much has been said about this section, so we will share only our impressions.<br /> <br /> Day 1: After reaching wp Settler {35} [8.9/539] by taxi in the early evening, we hiked a short distance and camped at wp Camp {35} [14.1/923]. On a windy day it’s basically unprotected in a narrow valley. There was no wind that day, making it a spot with a great view.<br /> <br /> Day 2: Upon reaching the plateau, it felt like a guanaco/flamencos safari as previously described. To get up there, you have to CC on one manageable steep stretch. Follow the dotted line in OSM relatively far to the left and not the GPT files. We camped north of wp Water {35} [28.1/1579].<br /> <br /> Day 3: We headed across the pass and amazing views opened up before us. On the downhill, follow the GPT line until you reach a fence. Go through the fence on the left end and follow the fence line towards wp Puesto {35} [34.6/1191]. From the side of the puesto, you can easily follow well trodded horse tracks along the fence line until -46.75064, -71.89899. Follow the trails along the river towards the south until you hit the MR. We stopped for the night at wp Camp {35} [42.9+0.2/713].<br /> <br /> Day 4: Cars did not appear until after 10am but we eventually got a ride to the park entrance. From here, the more touristy part begins. Once inside the park we decided to walk the MR around Lago Jeinemeni and only inflated the packraft at Lago Verde. This was an absolutely great paddle on the most turquoise waters and we were lucky with the afternoon wind. We stayed the night at Refuge {35} [68.1/867]. <br /> <br /> Day 5: The next part has lots of fording so expect slow progress. We left our crocs on for the next 3 km. Well marked trail through the forest and across the pass. On the other side, however there is a new official route which starts here -46.87696, -72.17213 and requires more fording. The old trail still exists and no fording was necessary. Stick to the GPS here if you want to save time taking your shoes off! The rest of the way down the valley was enjoyable and we stayed the night just before wp Ford {35} [82.6/805].<br /> <br /> Day 6: Easy hiking down to Camp Piedra where we stayed and camped early.<br /> <br /> Day 7: We started paddling Rio Chacabuco the next morning, but I would advise packrafters against doing so (at least in the late season). Conditions of the river included low water levels with frequent ground contact and many trees in the water. The river splits often, making the already low water even lower and obstacles in the tightly winding corners become even more tricky. First time that we hit a tree since we are on the GPT. As if that wasn’t enough, wind picked up early and forced us out of the water. We decided to water-out here -47.05177, -72.29040 and hiked up the road, where a car took us towards Cochrane after 2 hours.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-27 to 2024-Mar-04 / 5.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR - {35-S} - {35-D} - RR - {35-J} - RR - {35-L} - RR / Lilian &amp; Rainbow '''<br /> <br /> Safari = GPT35, we saw foxes, bunny, flamingos, ostrich, owl, woodpecker, and more than 100 guanacos at this section!<br /> <br /> We standing at the end of town more than 1 hour and found that it is really difficult to hitch out by low traffic. So we go to tourist information ask for help maybe a ride, a man at there said he can take us to x[8.1/505] for 10k CLP, but lastly he just took us to the junction at km5.9, and said he don't want to drive on a non paved road, then don't wait us to respond and throw our backpacks out from his car immediately, and ask for the money.<br /> <br /> So, DON'T ask any ride in tourist information at Chile Chico, they cheated our trust.<br /> <br /> Km12 : flat spot (-46.57669, -71.82779) can fit some tents at other side of a stream, the stream is flowing good and dry feet crossable by rock hopping.<br /> <br /> Km12.75 : viewpoint(-46.58294, -71.82549) of a valley with sky blue colour, super beautiful, don't miss it!<br /> <br /> Camp[14.1/923] : grassland spot, a small stream is flowing low beside it.<br /> <br /> Km16.6 : flat spot(-46.60658, -71.80980), have some covers can stay away from the wind tunnel in valley at north.(wind from north)<br /> <br /> After this spot, no more camping spot or flat spot have wind protection until camp[32.6/1300]. Wind is crazy at the plateau.<br /> <br /> Camp[32.6/1300] : tiny wind protection from a rock wall, just fit 1 tent for it. Better wind protection nearby camp[42.9/713].<br /> <br /> Short cut CC from 38.2 to 42.7, it doesn't save much time, better follow GPX track, MR is completely finished and super easy to walk. It also walk beside some beautiful meadows that are nice to camp(no wind protection).<br /> <br /> Camp[42.9/713] : spots at a wet muddy road. Better spots nearby at (-46.79053, -71.91127), dry and 2-3 sides wind protection by bushes, can fit many tents there.<br /> <br /> Didn't see any cars going south at morning, so road walking all the way to entrance. 11k CLP for entrance fee, 6k CLP for camping fee, total 17k CLP, can pay by credit card.<br /> <br /> Camp,$,bridge,lake[53.3/852] : El Silencio campsite and Lago Jeinemeni. This campsite is a little bit crown with car camping, and the lake is amazing beautiful!<br /> <br /> HIGHLY RECOMMEND walking on the shore of lake from km56.65 - km57.75(from the junction of viewpoint, to the point that trail met the beach), easy, dry feet and excellent beautiful!<br /> <br /> Bridge[58.9/856] : after this bridge, follow south route ( {35-S} &amp; RP{35} ) to Lago Verde, then take the bridge(-46.86056, -72.07982) to cross the river. Lastly follow {35-D} rejoin RR. Dry feet.<br /> <br /> Lake [59.2/840] : Laguna Esmeralda. Didn't find any camping possibilities. Better views at trail.<br /> <br /> Refuge[61.7/856] : beside Laguna Esmeralda, a super blue lake. This refuge is not a cabin, just a shelter with 3 side wooden wall, good wind protection, but I'm not sure about heavy rain, because i saw many holes at the wall. Better camping spot with views beside the lake(not much wind protection).<br /> <br /> Ford start/end[63.4/896] : late season, all the way easy dry feet crossing, walking on log or rock hopping.<br /> <br /> Pass[64.5/1132] : no camping spot here, the spot shown on OSM, is already covered by many blowdowns. Nice viewpoint(-46.84093, -72.10324) of Lago Verde just SW of here.<br /> <br /> Ford[66.1/877] : better river crossing point at (-46.83741, -72.11991), there is a sign at another side of river. Below knee, easy.<br /> <br /> Ford[66.4/859] : river breaks into some parts, below knee, easy.<br /> <br /> Refuge[68.1/867] : shelter with 2 walls, nice weather protection. Refuge with 4 walls, but huge air tunnel at ceiling, so just wind protection. A sign book inside refuge too. Camping spots at here can fit lot of tents, mostly have some wind protection, but not much, because trees are too tall, and just 1 spot behind a blowdowns have well wind protection.<br /> <br /> Fords[68.4/869] - [71.6/905] : lot of river crossing, some trail can go around the river, but not much help and they are overgrown, so finally you need to be crossing and crossing then wet feet.<br /> <br /> Km74.7 : camping spot(-46.87204, -72.17630), can fit 3-4 tents with some weather protection by the forest. Have a shelter made by logs here, can squat 1-2 hiker inside for emergency, but not much help, because it is really small and too many holes on it.<br /> <br /> Km75.7 : camping spot(-46.87886, -72.16954), can fit 3-4 tents with some weather protection by the forest.<br /> <br /> Km78.9 :camping spot(-46.90498, -72.15591), and some more spots nearby, total can fit 4-6 tents with some weather protection by the forest.<br /> <br /> Ford[79.3/846] : Below knee, easy.<br /> <br /> Refuge[81.0/819] : no refuge, no shelter. Camping spot with views can fit 2 tents but no protection.<br /> <br /> Ford[82.6/805] : Below knee. Camping spot(-46.93485, -72.15869), can fit 2 tents with not much weather protection by the bushes, before the crossing.<br /> <br /> Km83.3 : camping spot(-46.94089, -72.15600), can fit 2-3 tents with some weather protection by some trees. Also one spot at south but not much protection.<br /> <br /> Km84.7 : camping spot(-46.95268, -72.15123), can fit 1 tent with some weather protection by some brushes.<br /> <br /> Km88.6 : camping spot(-46.98397, -72.15988), can fit 2 tents with weather protection by some trees and brushes. Flat area nearby can fit many tents with good views but no protection.<br /> <br /> Bridge[90.9/635] : classic bridge! Worth to take a look and walk on it!<br /> <br /> We took {35-J} instead RR here, because less puds, also walking on a plateau looks like more scenic.<br /> <br /> {35-J} Km5 : viewpoint(-47.03902, -72.19077) of the whole valley, very beautiful! Don't miss it!<br /> <br /> Camp,$,refuge[98.9/379] : Casa de Piedra campground. Have some shelters with picnic table for cooking, and a refuge with hot(warm) shower, toilet and some tables for meals. If you decide to camp here, please expect sleep late. This spot mostly are campers and tourists. They'll speaking and cooking until 10 or 11 or midnight.<br /> <br /> You can take a shuttle form here to Cochrane(30k CLP per person) or Camping Los West Wind(15k CLP per person)<br /> <br /> Time schedule: 9am Cochrane - 9.45am Museo, 10am Museo - 10.15am Camping Los West Wind, 10.30am Camping Los West Wind - 10.45am Museo, 12noon Museo - 1pm Camping Casa de Piedra, 4.30pm Camping Casa de Piedra - 5.15pm Museo, 5.30pm Museo - 6.30pm Cochrane<br /> <br /> Start from here, the trail is not maintained anymore, but still in good condition.<br /> <br /> Km103 : Lago Gutierrez, amazing beautiful lake, have some minutes i thought back to Norway again.<br /> <br /> Km103.85 : a small stream(-47.07911, -72.22738) flowing good with clear water, easy to collect.<br /> <br /> Pass[110.8/1126] : some fresh snow remain at here.<br /> <br /> Km112.45 : emergency camping spot(-47.10718, -72.28893), the ground is a little soft, but is flat and some wind protection, can fit many tents here.<br /> <br /> Km116.9 : Laguna Guagua. Camping spot(-47.13350, -72.30170), can fit 2-3 tents with some wind protection from west by bushes, SW of the spot have a side trail to lake. BUT, DON'T go for {35-02A} back to RR, it is completely CC and BB with spike plants, not fun. Better CC climbing up to RR from camping spot directly.<br /> <br /> Refuge,X[118.3/716] : no refuge, it is collapsed. The woods becomes a super small shelter here. If you lost your backpack, crawling inside maybe can save your life. Otherwise just for photos snapping function.<br /> <br /> From here to km125.0, you will walk beside 3 lakes, didn't see any wind protection camping spots there, but if you have good luck at a no wind night, you maybe find some spots at the last lake.<br /> <br /> Km125.0 : road walking start. Flat spot with some wind protection on the road can fit 1-2 tents at here too.<br /> <br /> Km125.9 : junction of RR and {35-L}, because the road is too easy to walk and follow, we completely miss this junction and walk a long time then realised RR is a different way, so we keep going on {35-L} and rejoin RR later.<br /> <br /> {35-L} km3.6 : a small stream(-47.17383, -72.37063) flowing good with clear water, easy to collect. Flat spot can fit 1-2 tents after the crossing.<br /> <br /> We walked the whole way{35-L} and rejoin RR at km130.8.<br /> <br /> RR Km132.4 : flat spot(-47.17220, -72.42231) can fit 1 tent at the end of lake. With some wind protection by forest.<br /> <br /> Camp[136.9/162] : can fit 2-4 tents with weather protection by forest, but if the wind is come from south, it is not much help. Excellent views on the beach.<br /> <br /> Camp[137.6/173] : can fit 2-3 tents with wind protection from east and north by trees. Excellent views on the beach. Just beside a port, looks like can take a boat to here.<br /> <br /> Km138.3 : camping spot(-47.20064, -72.46718), total can fit 3-5 tents at several stage, some spots have good wind protection by trees and bushes.<br /> <br /> From here to km146.0, lot of up and down beside some cliffs (maybe slippery in rain), but it is a trail with lot of amazing views, we are really enjoyed it.<br /> <br /> Km139.77 : a tiny stream(-47.20803, -72.47813) flowing good with clear water, easy to collect.<br /> <br /> Km141.73 : side trail to viewpoint(-47.21986, -72.49280) and cell service for Movistar.<br /> <br /> Km142.15 : flat grassland(-47.22231, -72.49623) can fit 4 tents just beside the beautiful lake, some wind protection by valley itself.<br /> <br /> X[143.9/244] : cell service for Entel(-47.23128, -72.50780)<br /> <br /> Km146.0 : RN Tamango campground, some shelters for cooking, large arae for camping, hot shower and trash can, 7k CLP per person.<br /> <br /> Km146.5 : the last flat spot(-47.24353, -72.53067) before Cochrane, some wind protection by brushes, can fit 1-3 tents with nice sunrise, you can arrive there by a clear trail beside ranger station, the trail is shown on OSM map.<br /> <br /> Cochrane : <br /> <br /> Lot of accommodation, markets and restaurants, and 2 outdoor gear shops.<br /> <br /> 230g gas canisters, power bank, chargers and tent stakes at Supermercado Melero(-47.25386, -72.57414).<br /> <br /> Sunglasses, micro spikes, snow shoes and some clothes at La Ruta 7 Patagonia(-47.25591, -72.57320).<br /> <br /> Sleeping bag, tents, boots(just 1 trail runner), socks, base layer, warm clothes and pants at Kalfu Patagonia(-47.25474, -72.57018).<br /> <br /> Clothes at Vansy(-47.25417, -72.57431), not a outdoor gear shop, but some sporty clothes and pants for a low price at here.<br /> <br /> Some campground and lot of indoor stays at Cochrane. The only hostel is Camping, Refugio ,Cabaña y Hostel(a long name) (-47.25446, -72.57497). And most of the rooms here include breakfast(without kitchen), 20k CLP per person. The only one we found with kitchen(but no breakfast) is Casa Raíces Hostal(-47.25113, -72.56848).<br /> <br /> Bus terminal to Coyhaique, Villa Cerro Castillo, Villa O' Higgins, Chile Chico, Puerto Rio Tranquilo and Tortel at (-47.25137, -72.57317).<br /> <br /> Tourist information(-47.25439, -72.57283).<br /> <br /> I recommend La Martica(-47.25112, -72.57266), local restaurant with nice food in a good price.<br /> <br /> * '''24-Feb-17 to 2024-Feb-22 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR, Variant L / Tomáš &amp; Natalie'''<br /> <br /> There were several hitchhiker groups out of Chile Chico so we took a taxi (990250968) to the settler at 8.9 for 10,000 CLP. Nobody was there, but there is a locked gate so it would not be possible to take a taxi further up. For pedestrians, there is an unlocked door. One can shortcut the first zigzag of the road thereafter and several others, it is open terrain. We camped in a dry lakebed (for windprotection) about 1 km after the first pass. Despite strong wind in Chile Chico and a forecast of wind gusts over 60km/hr, the night was largely peaceful with just one hour of wind. The plateau has terrain features and it seemed to us it is not that impossible to camp there, but maybe we were just lucky.<br /> <br /> The next day was like a safari, lots of animals and little wind. Pawprints on lake bed turned out to be a big dog and not a puma according to the rangers though. Going down from the plateau, it is possible to shortcut the GPX track to the SE and end near the puesto at 34.6. Trail starts above the puesto but is not so easy to follow and the GPX does not seem to be the most precise. It is advisable to take a CC shortcut to bridge at 42.7 as mentioned by Adrien Kunzli: about 1 km before the end of MR 38.2, veer right aiming for a black outcrop on the mountain on the other side of the valley and you will pop out above the bridge. We got lucky and got a ride at around 16:30 to the parkoffice. We paid 15000 CLP only for one person - they forget to charge the other one. They were friendly and told us the weather forecast. We did not get any receipt or pass though. Walked two hours to campsite Raleigh, there were two other foreign tents there. The new trail is technically the old &quot;laguna Esmeralda&quot; (RP 59.2) trail with a new bridge, so keep left to avoid fords, combined with variant D it seems preferable to RR even when not intending to camp [November 20224: this is not RR].<br /> <br /> From Raleigh, the first fords were possible to cross without fording thanks to logs and stones. The next valley is indeed beautiful, especially Lago Verde. There were about ten tents but no people near the refugio at 67.6. Tomáš tried to go around the second fords through the forest on the left and he eventually reached variant F, which exists but partially goes through a marsh and does not avoid fording anyway: it is pointless, just ford. Initially the start of the fords seem like a marsh, go around it from the right through the river, it is a nice riverbed thereafter. Rio Aviles was kneedeep and ok. Ford 71.2 is mighty - go downstream about 200 m, it splits and is easy there (there is a cairn in the middle). We camped at a camping site marked on OSM about 2 km further down from there. There is a place for one tent about 20 m from a creek. Very nice spot. Having a headstart to people starting from the park office, we only met three groups of foreigners all day.<br /> <br /> Variant J does not avoid any substabtial fords, water at 96.1 is easily jumpable and the river is bridged on both J and RR. <br /> Casa de Piedra is a nice spot with resident guanacos (and some tourists). Tomáš had a hot shower! We were asked for our passes - we explained we were not given them and it was ok. We went on. The Siete Lagunas trail is surprisingly in a rather good shape. It is little used but not much overgrown and generally easy to follow, needing a GPS only occasionally. Tomáš liked it tremendeously. Did not meet anyone on it.<br /> <br /> We slept near the pass next to a marsh. It rained most of the night but stopped before morning, luckily the trail was not too wet the next day. The first stream after the pass is very weak (not flowing if not raining?); it flows from the marsh by which we slept and is about 500 m after the pass waypoint. The next stream is about 1 km further down, it had more water. After that, water is only in the lakes. Tomáš cleaned a lot of the logs and branches from the trail, if you can spare a moment, please do likewise. We could not see any traces of option 02A or option K. We took option L near km 129.9 - we were confused by other reports because we thought people were taking the much longer part of L that follows a MR. RR leaves the Siete lagunas trail at the end of option L after 29 km. The trail probably goes to Valle Chacabuco. [OSM has Variant F and L marked as &quot;Sendero 7 Lagunas&quot;, this is wrong. Variant K looks to be indeed CC and variant L looks to be an unnecessary detour on a MR (overgrown and with logs at first when RR is on this MR - when you cross the MR again after four km on RR, it no longer looks that overgrown). November 2024: OSM has been corrected.] On L, one can easily take a CC shortcut from top of the hill to MR. We found two shortcutting trails to the MR. We met Daniel who was coming back from cutting invasive pines with his chainsaw, he had a friendly and humorous attitude. Camped at the lake at the wind protected camp.<br /> <br /> The night brought surprisingly strong wind and rain - try to camp deeper in the forest. We followed a faint trail tracing the shore of the lake instead of CC 137.6, in the middle of it there was an apple tree that will be ripe in March probably. Did not meet anybody until the viewpoint above the lake that says &quot;signal Movistar&quot; (we have Entel, which has a sign 2 km further on but it did not work, just wait one hour until Cochrane proper), from then on, there were daytrippers. CONAF had a lunch break so we passed unnoticed. Cochrane as a town is ok.<br /> <br /> Nat's Notes:<br /> The Bulk shop in Chile Chico (Güenta Emporio) is not open on weekends, they have weird hours and sometimes need to call before; Andrea +56 9 9540 1708. I recommend the hospedaje Rio Baker, 15mil pp which is the general price here. <br /> The plateau <br /> - Besides Descabezado, this area was one of the most visually interesting sections for me. I haven't had that much fun taking photos in a long time. At first the guanacos scared me a little, I felt like I was surrounded by ninjas, eventually I warmed up to them. A good place for a zoom camera.<br /> -For me the going was slow, besides being tired and equipped with rash-covered feet I found the navigation tricky. I kept aiming for the wrong pass because there are many rolling hills. However I found things got better near and after pass km28.8.<br /> - Water in the plateau is still frequent. If one wants to camp as close to the plateau as possible (SOBO) I suggest this spot:-46.62397, -71.81920. Also there is a nice grassy and fairly sheltered spot near water km23.9: -46.66437, -71.84393 and a big flat grass patch at water 30.6. There is a huge boulder for wind protection if needed here; -46.65469, -71.83997. In the valley bottom near the puesto, there are less/no camping spots. I did not like all the dogs at puesto 34.6, so I purposely avoided it. <br /> - When finishing the plateau section, I filled up on water at the last stream that wasn't the main river here: -46.72842, -71.89633, as I didn't think we would get a hitch to the park office.<br /> <br /> Sendero Avilés<br /> - The descent from pass km64.5 is nothing, just a bit of dirt dust that makes traction hard. The only part on this track that I would worry about safety-wise (apart from the two river crossings) is a new steep traverse 2ish kms after pass km74.1: -46.88996, -72.16428. I decided to throw my bag down 5m instead of walking down the &quot;free fall&quot;. (Alternatively you could ford rio Aviles twice.)<br /> - The series of mini river crossings were all fine, there is a nice water source before pass km74 in the forest once you finish all the fords, it comes from a waterfall not far away. <br /> - Near the end I took Variant J bcs I thought it avoided a river crossing (no rivers to cross but RR doesn't either). If you do this option I recommend still going to the hanging bridge at the X of J and RR bcs it is a fun and unique bridge!<br /> - Cassandra at Case Piedra was nice and easy to get along with.<br /> <br /> Siete Lagunas<br /> - The water we took from the marsh was probably the grossest water I have had to drink, lots of algae and oil, I filtered and boiled. (The second stream was much better.)<br /> - As noted the trail is not hard to follow at this moment, only a handful of times I lost it. That being said it could be because we were walking near the end of the season and therefore it was obvious where ppl had been walking (pushed down grass), I think it would be a lot harder at the beginning of the season. Another bonus was that most spikees were gone.<br /> - Near to camp 136.9, there is a water source. It is at the end of the beach, 200-300m west of camp. There are two or three more water sources on the first part of the trail but after the look-out, there are no more.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-6 to 2024-Feb-11 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + option L / Yannick &amp; Nolwenn &amp; Tess &amp; Lukas'''<br /> <br /> - Trail condition : really nice overall // the trail is sometimes overgrown and easy to loose from km 113,5 to km 122, so just keep an eye on the gps<br /> - Water : easy to find plenty of rivers and lagunas<br /> - Camping spot : we camped at km 32,6 and it was a bad idea, too exposed and we got snow and a lot of wind during the night, would really recommend to go down more // we camped near the lago Gutiérrez at km 106,15 there is place for 2 tents<br /> - Weather : windy, sunny, snow, rain <br /> - River crossing : easy<br /> - Resupply : in Chile Chico (a bulk shop just opened in front of the camping Nandu) // in Cochrane everything you need<br /> - Entrance fee : for park Patagonia 11 000 pesos per pp + 6 000 pesos for camping per pp<br /> - Overall : really nice section, we were happy to encounter 3 huemuls<br /> <br /> *'''2024-Jan- 18 to 2024-Jan-24/ 7 days/hiking/SOBO/ 35/ 35-02a( from 47.1567357S, 72.4154650W)/ 35-02 ( from S 47.12123, W 072.46099) /35-03 ( from S 47.11712 W072.48494)/35-03c ( from Laguna El Cangrejo)/35-03d/ 35 from Lago Cochrane/ Paulina'''<br /> Long, beautiful tour in Parque Patagonia, as I mixed different variants, it allowed me to see all the divercity of the park. Almost no people, a lot of guanacos, a really beautiful section!<br /> <br /> Day 1 The way from Chile Chico to Lago Jeinimeni. I was prepared to walk all the way, but as some cars stoped and it was a very hot day, I took a lift ( I have walked maybe 8 km in total ). I stopped at 46.7304997S, 71.7415019W, to do the loop of about 7 km in the first reserve of Jeinimeni. The entrance is paid 6000 CLP but the ticket is valid later, at the main entrance at Lago Jeinimeni ( the next 2 days). It's really worth to walk on this place. The rock formations are amasing. It takes about 3h and you can leave your backpack at the park reception After that, another car stoped and took me to the main entrance of Lago Jeinimeni. The views from the road are really scenic, it's a pity not to walk some parts of this road, lucky my car was old and slow so I could admire the views.<br /> <br /> Day 2 From Lago Jeinimeni to the refugio and camping at 46.8406732S, 72.1409082W. The first part of the trail to Portezuelo La Gloria is rather easy, it stays mostly in the valley, the ascent to the pass is not very difficult and rather short. On the way down from the pass there are some steeper moments and there are some places where the trail is distroyed by a kind of stone avalanche so you have to find your way thru the stones. Amasing views on Laguna Verde. Once you are down at Laguna, there are some fords, when I was there, the highest one was till knees.<br /> <br /> Day 3 A lot of fords all the way in Valle Hermoso, there were all easy to cross. Also, you can't clearly see the path but anyway, you have to follow the valley. Sometimes there are signes so you will always find the way. This day, the only a bit more difficult place you can find around S 46.89032 W 072.16461. Going SOBO it's a steep descent, it's very short but steep. Can be dangerous after the rain. Later the views on the canyon on Aviles river became really amasing, it was for me one of the most beautiful part in all the park.<br /> <br /> Day 4/5 I had 6 km till Casa de Piedra ( there was a tiny spot for one tent with a stream at this distance) and I started the part Siete Lagunas. At Casa de Piedra I asked the ranger if the trail was walkable and he confirmed that it was ok and I could go. But, as the others already mentioned , the trail is not maintained anymore. Till the end of Laguna Gutierrez it's rather easy to find the way without gps, but later, there are some places where the path is not at all visible. With trail on gps is not very difficult to find the way, but without this, can be very difficult to follow this trail. There are also a lot of fallen trees, some BB. If they do nothing, I think in 2 years the path will completely disapear. But it's a beautiful trail, wild, you meet nobody, a pure and intacked nature. Just take enough water, the first day of this sendero the water was at Lago Gutierrez and later about 1h after the pass.<br /> <br /> Day 6 Instead to continue on RR I went to Valle Chacabuco to discoverer also this sector. I started with the trail Lagunas Atlas. Well marked, beautiful, various views, it was the most frequented part of the park, but still I can't say it was crowded. Beautiful camp on Laguna el Cangrejo.<br /> <br /> Day 7 The views on Lago Cochrane are really amasing. The landscapes and the vegetation are in this part different than before.<br /> <br /> To conclude, I did not encontered really difficult places on this long hike. As I walked through all sections of the park, it allowed me to see all the divercity of the area. Except maybe 3 h in Valle Chacabuco, I did not really meet people in the park. It was a beautiful section! In Cochrane, you will find a lot of shops where you can find everything you need for next section. There are several campings ( I liked a lot Camping Lorenzo not crowded, nice place to cook with gaz, friendly owner, spots with twin protection<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-28 to 2024-Jan-04 / 8 days / RR / SOBO / Roshi'''<br /> <br /> I hitchhiked from Chile Chico to X{35}[8.1/505] and did not see the settler at El Ciprés. It was very windy and I decided to cross the plateau at midday which was maybe not the best idea. The cross country I found very challenging and the extreme head wind across the plateau was in relentless. Nevertheless I thoroughly enjoyed the amazing landscape and the challenge, although a less windy day or starting earlier would have made it more enjoyable. I camped close to Camp 32.6/1300 at a dry spot and the next day followed the fence down to the road and walked to the Park entrance at Jenimeni. The park rangers told me of an alternative route to the start of the Avilés trail to Casa de Piedra and gave me some maps and info, they were very friendly. I paid 3000 pesos for park entry. I camped at Valle Hermoso which lives up to its name and then did a day hike to the glacial lake leaving my tent at the Refugio Valle Hermoso and following Estero Ventisquero or part of OH-CC-A {35-06} After packing up I then hiked a couple of kms down to a next campsite (there are a couple of established places to set up your tent on the way to Casa de Piedra). From Casa de Piedra I followed the Site Laguna's trail which was overgrown and difficult to follow and navigate and for me probably my least favourite part. The kms are marked but you really have to follow the GPS me there aren't many places to pitch if you don't feel like hiking anymore. I think going down into Chacobuco (which I had done previously) would have been nicer. I loved the Lago Cochrane and Tamango reserve the views and colours were amazing and the trails very easy to follow and not very busy. I got a lift into Cochrane halfway from the entrance but the road walk is not long anyway and I was not actively hitching. <br /> <br /> Annoyances were horse flies but I got good advice to &quot;out Zen&quot; them and to be honest once you let it go and enjoy the views and being in nature generally they are easy to deal with. Just don't stop between 2 and 8 PM ;) <br /> And from Jenimeni to Casa de Piedra is lots of river crossings so just accept wet feet :) and try do river crossings in the morning especially on hot days ( esp Avilés) Be safe and sensible obviously!<br /> I would have maybe even liked to stay longer on this part of the trail, there were lots of little day hikes and alternative routes I'd have loved to explore, but I didn't have enough food. It's a beautiful part of the world, enjoy it! <br /> <br /> <br /> * '''From 2023-01-15 to 2023-01-19 // 5 days // Hiking // NOBO // VARIANT P + OPT3 + OPT3A + RR + VARIANT J + VARIANT I + VARIANT D + Sendero Laguna Esmeralda (no variant on that one yet) + RR // Quentin Clavel'''<br /> <br /> From Cochrane, I thought it was sad to go straight along the Lago Cochrane without checking what's going up there, and have a view over the vallee Chacabuco. So that's what I did. <br /> <br /> I just took the beginning of Variant P, you have to pass threw a gate saying &quot;no passar&quot; then you have to bifurcate to the option 3 (tamango) to reach the pass between vallée tamango and chacabuco. Very nice views. Then instead of going down into vallée Chacabuco, I went straight, and continue on the sendero de las siete lagunas, wich is an old track, sometimes hard to guess, so check the GPS, but mostly easy to folllow (you still have the mark every kilometers). <br /> <br /> Really loved the colours at the end of Lago guitterrez ! <br /> <br /> Main difficulties on the section are these horrible horseflies, and the no less terrible little spiky plants that stay sticks in your shoes and socks. <br /> <br /> Then you reach casa de piedras. I took the variant J to don't have to put my crocs for the river crossing (yeah, I'm a lazy walker aha). <br /> <br /> Then follow the river until the vallée hermoso, wich lives up to its name. And at this time it's just a mix between walking and crossing rivers. No need to ask, I putted my crocs on aha ! <br /> <br /> The pass up to Lago Verde was steep but the view so outstanding and the colours .. same amazing colours on Lago jeinemeni ! <br /> <br /> Didn't stayed at, but the Raleigh camp is very nice if you may choose a camp around ! <br /> <br /> Second part of NP was CC, and that was so cool ! Just have the directions and go straight to this point. Passing from mountains to others, surrounded by an unnumerable number of curious guanacos ! <br /> <br /> Hardest part is to deal with the strong wind during the ascend and at the highest point. And the descent is quite unstable, stay close to the GPX tracks, I tried to shorttrack but it led me down to slippery slopes, so I had to backtrack to find again the GPX. <br /> <br /> Then it's 15 km down to reach Chile Chico (8km on the asphalt). Settler wasn't angry against me and saluate me kindly when I passed threw his land.<br /> <br /> <br /> Very nice stretch. Very diversificate, great landscapes, wildlife. I loved it ! <br /> <br /> And about the entrance fees, It was not my intention, but I haven't paid for as I entered by variant P which is not a porper enter. And haven't seen any guardaparque at all. <br /> <br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''2023-Dec-30 / 1 day / Packrafting / SOBO / Option 10 C / Tom Pieper'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> <br /> I attempted this option as an alternative starting point for section 36G. Hitchhiked to the bridge of Carreterra Austral over Rio Chacabuco. I scouted rapid {35-10C} [2.3/121] from 100 m above and it looked feasible. This was not true when I approached on the river after entering just before the bridge. The rapid was impassable (late afternoon) which brought me into serious troubles. The canyon is pretty steep here and there is no way back. It was not fun to climb the steep slopes cliffs to escape the 100 m deep canyon. Its really dangerous. The rapid is pretty hard to investigate from above. I would recommend to only go later in the season and only in the morning or at least with company.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-21 / 8 day / Hiking + &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / SOBO / RR + Option 10 + Old and new tracks to Administration Parque Patagonia Valle Chacabuco / Tom Pieper'''<br /> <br /> Most have been described by Kris and Stina. The plateau and the entire track is awesome. After the kind Arriero at the puesto {35} [15.8/1075] (actually its his house) I found it a little bit tricky to find a good route first but then just ascended and found a nice cross country route. Camped before the plateau. There are nice spots just before 1400 m, after that its just rocky until you descend to the Water {35} [23.9/1586]. Camp {35} [32.6/1300] was a little bit swampy. Found a better spot 300 m south. Try to be early at the road if you want to hitchhike. I was lucky and got the last car passing at 14.00 to the park at day. On the 25/12 the park entrance (but only the entrance) is always closed! Keep in mind if you come around christmas. At the park entrance you must disinfect your packrafting gear due to Didymo algae. I could not packraft lago jenimeni and verde due to wind but its still stunning. Between Water {35} [75.5/937] and Ford {35} [79.3/846] there is a approx. 3-4 steep bluff. I felt really uncomfortable with my heavy backpack as a lot of erosion happened to the steep ‘steps’. Maybe exploring an additional bush bashing route is feasible here. The ford was rather deep and could be a problem for shorter persons but I crossed in the evening, so in the morning it should be fine. Collapsed Refuge {35} [81.0/819] makes a nice camp spot. The other forts were fine. Stayed one night at Casa Piedra were I met Tobi and Fangwen and spend dinner and breakfast together the next day. CONAF first denied to packraft Rio Chacabuco due to conservation reasons, but after I mentioned that I came along all the track with my gear and rangers et sector jenimeni they were fine with me going on that river. The river is a bit unspectacular. I left at the River Out {35} [119.8/277] and I followed the old trail/road to Park Ranger, Refuge, Camp {35} [123.2/263]. There is a new picknick hut and I spend the night in there with a spectacular view of the valle chacabuco to the rims of campo hielo norte. The next day I continued the old track right side of the river (not in the GPT track files) until the bridge {35-10} [4.7/265]. Track is still in good conditions and occasionally used by the horses and guanacos there. A wonderful hike with massive views. I than continued on the CONAF trail (also not in the GPT track files) to Park administracion at Lodging $$$ {35-03} [1.9/340]. Would not recommend the restaurant. 65 $ for a 3 course meal but nothing fancy. Better spend for dinner in Cochrane. But for a post hike drink at the bar it is a lovely place and staff is kind. Also liked the museum and stayed the night at the campsite approximately 2 km away. The puma still seems to be there occasionally. Next day I hitchhiked out to Cochrane.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Dec-18 to 2023-Dec-23/ 5.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Stiina &amp; Kris'''<br /> <br /> Got a taxi for the first 8 kilometers of the roadwalk. Nobody present at the farm where the dirtroad starts to go uphill, gates easy to get through, friendly dog. We hiked just 6km and made camp by a stream.<br /> <br /> The next day passed the puesto at km15.8, owner seemed friendly and waved. Slowly climbed up to the plateau, lots of water everywhere, very few snowpatches en route. Perfect day - not much wind. Saw lots of guanacos, hares, flamingos. Moving cross-country was ok throughout. Climbed a few barbed-wire fences. Finally found the dirt road, hiked to camp at km42.9.<br /> <br /> In the morning hitched a ride to the park entry with a ranger. We had no online booking as we didn't know when we'd arrive, they had us make one on site. Super friendly guys, said that there is currently fewer visitors than normally at this time. The route between Rio San Antonio crossing and Camp Raleigh has been changed, partially new trail built; follows mainly the Lago Esmeralda trail. There is now a brand new hanging bridge over Rio San Antonio right next to Camp Raleigh, avoiding all the needless crossings.<br /> <br /> After the camp there trail seems new in places, but then resorts to many rivercrossings again. The way up and down the Puertozuela La Gloria is steep and loose. After Lago Verde there are a million more crossings until you turn South. Here the trail is not much maintained, lots of fallen trees. The next 25km to Casa Piedra the trail is a bit harder to see at first but then gets much better. The guy (not a ranger) at Casa Piedra informed us that the Siete Lagos trail is closed but couldn't say why. It's definitely overgrown in parts, lots of fallen trees - need to keep track on the gpx at all times. After settler at km135.2 the trail has been recently maintained and bushes cut.<br /> <br /> For photos and stories, you can follow us on Instagram: @smallfootprint_bigadventures<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Mar-31 to 2023-Apr-06 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Option J / Martin &amp; Helena'''<br /> <br /> We enjoyed this section a lot, especially with all the beautiful autumn colors in early April and basically without people until the last part before Cochrane. PN Patagonia closed some sectors on the first Monday in April, so we were the last ones to get a permission and do this section ‘legally’. Be prepared for this if you want to do this part in April or later. The problem is they close Casa Del Piedra and probably won’t let you pass to that sector from Lago Jeinemeni, where the entrance stays open for longer time. Sneaking around the guards house early in the morning or just not be specific about your plans might work if needed, its very unlikely you would meet anyone on the way from the main entrance.<br /> <br /> Just like others we found the plateau between km 20-28 very very windy. Definitely don’t count with camping there. We found a good spot right after the secound pass, aprox. 500m down the hill where you can find a wind protected place. The descent down is a little slow but with nice views, guanacos, horses.. simply amazing. Once back on the road, it’s not too far to the PN entrance where we met a guard, but fortunately were able to get a permission as described above. The trail from Lago Jeinemeni was one of our favorites. All the fords were easy, but expect quite slow progress in the CC parts. We camped in a forrest at km 81 where is a destroyed refugio but still a good spot for camping. The rest of the trail to Casa Del Piedra is again straightforward and the landscape is somehow more dry. We didn’t cross the first bridge but went with the J option which turned out to be a good decision as we met a xx of guanacos that let us come really close to them. Closed and locked refugio still provides a good shelter, but when open it must be a perfect stop in the middle of this long section. Water was turned off as well but there is a stream behind the house.<br /> <br /> We spent the next night on the beach of Lago Gutierrez where is enough space to build a tent - bushes around the trail are otherwise very thorny and sharp. After the ascent to the pass was a good stream of water, probably the last place to safely take unfiltered water for the next couple of kms. The trail from there leads around all the lakes and is nice and easy. We spent the night in a refugio at km 134. This one was the only one standing from what we have seen and its a good shelter when it rains, however we decided to stay in our tent anyway. You can make fire inside. Closest water is actually the one in a lake uphill, the stream on the other side of the path was very dirty and hard to gather anyway.<br /> <br /> From there its a one more day until the finish with a good pace. We haven’t met the settler Daniel, but he’s definitely still living there. Beautiful beach of Lago Cochrane and from there we started to meet more and more tourists, doing just a day hike or some circuit around the lake - might be a good option as well in this beautiful region. The last kms felt a little long for us as we were looking forward to have some rest and enjoy all the fun in town. At the official campsite were a few people but no one asked us about anything. There are nice toilets and shower. From there its around 30m to Cochrane. Good to remember they celebrate Easter holidays in Chile as well, but we still managed to find some shop and bakery open.<br /> <br /> Contact: @martin_hanzelka @helenneka<br /> <br /> * '''12/03/2023 - 18/03/2023 / RR SOBO / Jakub+Veronika:'''<br /> <br /> Doing section 35 was due to closure of the Patagonia NP caused by heavy rains with helicopter rescue of several tourists from Valle Hermoso quite complicated, we did walk all we could in Tamango reserve and later (when it was opened) in Chacabuco valley. Be sure not to miss the museum. It's really worth it. The northern part was opened as the last one, that's why we've skipped it and hitchhiked back to Caretera. All paths in great condition. When going from Tamango to Chacabuco there's one suggestion:<br /> <br /> It seems that on RR (35, km 141) ends new 11km long track ”Huemules” which starts at the parking in Chacabuco valley on RP (35, km 132.5). That trail might be a nice alternative to RR (mud road) leading over private land of settler David Huemul.<br /> <br /> *8.02. - 05.03.23 / Anna &amp; Christopher / SOBO, Chile Chico - Cochrane<br /> <br /> We started in Chile Chico around 5 pm walking the first km on the road. After a while we got a ride to the Bahía Jara cross and camped a few hundred meters further near the street (we carried water from Chile Chico).<br /> <br /> The ascent to the plateau is mostly easy dirtroad walking and the last CC part easy to navigate. The whole stretch on the plateau until the street at km 41.5 we had extreme wind, which made walking super tiring and nearly blew us away a few times. We found a tiny and steep, but wind protected place to set up our tent at around km 28 in the ridge dug by the river. We had to get a bit inventive to set it up and to be able to sleep properly there. There were almost no other places that were protected by the wind until you get off the plateau. As almost all previous entries say, it's better to camp off the plateau. But it's really worth doing it because you can see Guanacos and flamingos on it :)<br /> <br /> When we reached the street at km 41.5 we were lucky and a car passed by a few minutes later, which brought us to the entrance of Parque Patagonia. We payed 15k CLP p.p. and walked to the camp Raleigh at Lago verde. There are some sheltered places to set up the tent, with an unfamiliar amount of people for the GPT. Lago Verde is beautiful though.<br /> <br /> The next day involves lots of river- and stream crossings and it started to rain not particularly heavy, but after some hours we were completely wet. Therefore the rivercrossing at km 82.6 was really hard for Anna (1,63 m) but we managed by inertlocking our arms and doing it step by step slowly. After that the trails get really good and you can walk way faster. We camped at the unofficial camp site at km 84.7.<br /> <br /> We had good weather the next day and the trail was really good until Lago Gutierrez. Up to the pass the trail gets a bit worse with some navigation issues, but you always find a good path again. As the others wrote there are only some tiny streams within the first km after the pass until the next Laguna, so we filled up our bottles there and camped somewhere in the forest soon afterwards once it started to rain again.<br /> <br /> The next day there were still not too much water sources and we fetched the first water at the first Laguna which wasn't super easy to access. The trail until Lago Cochrane wasn't in bad condition neither. We also took Option L, which follows the 'regular' siete lagunas trail. The stretch from Lago Cochrane until the Conaf office at the end of the lake is absolutely amazing with great views of one of the clearest lakes in the world. We camped at km 145.7 and took a bath in the lake.<br /> <br /> The last 8 km to Cochrane went super fast on an easy trail until Conaf and 4 km road walking to the town, so happily we could escape from the starting rain.<br /> <br /> * '''20 to 24 of February 2023 / Silke &amp; Hans / Loop - Fachinal -&gt; Chile Chico'''<br /> <br /> We didn't do the regular route, but read about an intresting loop starting in Fachinal and entering the normal route at Valley Hermoso. We then continued along the regular route to the entrance at Laguna Jeinimeni, and back to Chile Chico. The first 3 days from Fachinal we didn't see any other hikers, but it was pretty clear why. The trail was completely overgrown, full of fallen trees and a lot of the time there is no trail at all. But we managed our way through pretty good, and is was an awesome alternative to enter the Park. We recorded our GPX for others, waypointed some POI's and added some photo's to it: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/114121493<br /> <br /> DAY 1 / 18km / +740m /<br /> Although we heard of a bus to Fachinal from Chile Chico, nobody really appeared to know any information about it.. In the terminal the people we spoke said there were none. So we started hitchhiking the following morning. But after 3-4h of no luck we went back to the terminal, and all of a sudden there was a bus leaving at 11:30. 10.000 pesos pp, a little expensive but being unsuccesfull hitchhiking we took it. We had lunch at the turnoff, and starting hiking around 13:00. The first part is on a clear double track, but soons turns into a clear singletrack. We took the wrong intersection twice (waypointed on our GPX). We camped right before the first big river crossing. There is one steel cable, so if you bring a harness you could tiroller across. <br /> <br /> DAY 2 / 22km / +1100m /<br /> First up, we crossed the river. The water level didn't seem a lot lower than the day before, and at the deepest part it was about halfway our thighs. After taking another wrong intersection and backtracking, we reach the second river crossing. Again a steel cable is provided but the crossing was pretty straightforward, and the water level was only slighty above our knees. Just across the river is a an old cabin, and then short after a very new refugio (locked, used by a trekking agency). The trail gets super dense after this, climbs steeply on the mountain side and dissapears completely on numerous occasions. After the climb it flattens out, opens up and you reach a laguna. After the laguna it's the easiest to just follow the river bed down to the open valley floor (possible sheltered campsite in the forest). Follow the valley floor to another amazing laguna where you can camp near a second locked refugio.<br /> <br /> DAY 3 / 14km / +440m /<br /> We started the day with a side-trip to a mirador looking over the glacier high above. Takes about 1,5-2 hours return. We then packed up camp and headed for Valley Hermoso. You pass another beautiful laguna and follow the river down to the main valley. Lots of river crossing here. We camped at the Refugio Valley Hermoso, arriving earlier than expected. <br /> <br /> DAY 4 / 15km / +200m /<br /> Very short and easy daytrip to another laguna. About 3 hours return. We just chilled the rest of the day.<br /> <br /> DAY 5 / 36km / +830m /<br /> Final day along the normal route to the entrance of Laguna Jeinimeni. The day started off with some heavy rain for a couple of hours, but all the river crossings were still very doable. We arrived at the entrance around 13:00, and there was no sign of anybody leaving soon. So we decided to continue hiking untill we could find a ride along the way. We ended up hiking an extra 19km before finally a car was willing to take us along. There is an established campsite at the entrance for 3000 pesos pp.<br /> <br /> * '''19 to 24 of February 2023 / Will / SOBO, regular route'''<br /> <br /> Not too much to add on this one. I had a good time but the section felt long.<br /> <br /> On the way up to the first plateau there were a few somewhat sheltered places to camp past the puesto. I camped around km 19, just before the last steep climb up to the plateau. Lots of streams around there.<br /> <br /> None of the river crossings went above my knees, after a dry week.<br /> <br /> I liked the detour up to the Lago Jeinemeni mirador. I also took variant I out and back to a glacier lake, I'm less sure whether that was worth it. I couldn't find any real trail, it was nice easy cross country walking through the woods followed by some open rocky ground. The glacial lake was cool, but not as spectacular as some of the ones I've seen in other sections.<br /> <br /> I camped at the casa de piedras and took a luxurious warm shower. The ranger said you're supposed to pay at the office in valle Chacabuco, but since our route doesn't go there she just let me stay for free. She also said that sendero de siete lagunas (our route) was closed, but that I could do it since I had my gps and satellite communicator. She made it sound tough/dangerous though it turned out to be fairly quick trail.<br /> <br /> Not much water or campsites along the siete lagunas. There's a nice campsite at the tip of the pencil lake just after the (still intact!) refugio at 133.9.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Feb-12-19 / NOBO / RR + Option 35-L / Ondrej and Bara / Cochrane - Chile Chico / 7.5 days'''<br /> <br /> We really enjoyed this section! We went from Cochrane to Chile Chico. Our favourite parts were the descent through Valle Hermoso and the descent on the cross country section to Chile Chico. We spent 7.5 days on this section, taking a relaxed pace and including a half day break.<br /> <br /> We only had to pay 9,000 CLP per person entrance fee at the Cochrane park gate (sector Tamango). We then showed the pass three days later to a ranger at Casa de Piedras and he let us go. The final checkpoint for us was the CONAF park exit/entrance at Lago Jeinemeni. The ranger there didn’t want to see our pass at all, he just asked from where we hiked (we said Casa de Piedras).<br /> <br /> Some details: - Starting from Cochrane, the trail is easy walking up until km 144.9. As you leave Lago Cochrane, the trail is harder to follow. Fortunately this lasts only up to km 138, where the trail becomes easy to follow again. We camped next to the refuge on km133.9. The refuge has a good roof and can serve as an emergency shelter. There is no good water next to it though - we needed to climb the hill to the laguna to refill. - From roughly km 125 to km 99, the RR follows the old Siete Lagunas trail, which is not maintained anymore. Expect some fallen trees and slightly overgrown parts but the trail is beautiful and easy to navigate in general. - We took Option L to cut some overgrown road walking as recommended by others. We really liked it. - We camped next to the destroyed refuge at Laguna Guagua (km 118.3) and really loved the place - there is an amazing pebble beach at the laguna. - If you don’t want to camp at Casa de Piedras, there is a place for a small tent and a stream at roughly km 97 (-47.07463, -72.20439). We camped there. - The river crossings in Valle Aviles and Vale Hermoso were maximum to our knees. The deepest one was at Lago Verde (km 66.1). However, the river levels can change rapidly when it rains the days before - do check the weather. - We camped at the eastern shore of Lago Verde (km 61.7; campsite Raleigh) and really loved it - it has picnic tables and a spacious cooking/eating shelter. - We hitchhiked the part on the road between km 53 and 41.5. Few cars go by but the hitch was easy - we stopped the first car. - The cross country section from km 41.5 is very different from the rest - semi-desert like and lots of animals. We saw llamas, flamimgos, condors and hares (among sheep, cows and horses). - Between km 38 and 33 the path goes along a fence. We had to get over the fence once (we scrambled below it without problems). - If you are going NOBO, expect stunning views of the General Carrera Lake and Torres del Avelano when coming from the last pass (km 20.8) down to Chile Chico.<br /> <br /> A ranger in Casa de Piedras wanted to prevent us to walk the RR NOBO from Casa de Piedras to Valle Hermoso. He claimed that route is closed now as the rivers are too high to cross. To avoid conflict, we said that we will only do the “loop trail” which is basically the RR from Casa de Piedras up until the bridge where the RR joins Option J. The Option J is then used to return back to Casa de Piedras. When doing the loop, we met several hikers in the opposite direction who confirmed that all river crossings are fine. In light of this we decided to continue on the RR and indeed the deepest ford was to our knees. Therefore if faced with a ranger claiming that the rivers are too high, we suggest to start with the loop trail (rangers should be okay with that) and get more info on the river levels from the hikers going the opposite direction.<br /> <br /> *2023 last week January NoBo (6 days but could have very easily been done in less) / Helen and Craig + (Caro, Ali and Gabby)<br /> <br /> &gt;Such lovely camp sites. Beautiful places to stay the night the whole way around<br /> <br /> &gt;Very very easy trails. River crossing section isn't bad at all and the Valle hermosa lives up to its name.<br /> <br /> &gt;1st and last camp site particularly lovely<br /> <br /> &gt;Keep eyes peeled for pumas! I would have easily missed the sighting if I hadn't been looking the right way at the right time. They were super close. 10m or less away. Two cubs outside the refugio at casa peidra. Not where they are commonly seen in the park at all Aparently around west winds camp they are more commenly seen.<br /> <br /> &gt;Museum in the middle of the section worth checking out. Very visual and quite hard hitting environmental museum<br /> <br /> &gt; Can hitch easy enough to Chile Chico but leave last camp early in the morning. There's often a driver with a 4x4 who drives hikers in to the park and will take you back for 10,000p/p. Hikers who were a few hours behind us had no luck hitching as demand can often overtake spaces.<br /> <br /> * '''27 of January to 1 of February 2023 / Véronica &amp; Zach / GPT35 RR SOBO / 5.5 days '''<br /> <br /> Route: Chile Chico - Lago Jeinimeni - Valle Hermoso - Casa de Piedra - Lago Cochrane - Cochrane <br /> <br /> What a beautiful and diverse stretch of the GPT! I hiked half of this section with Zach, up to Casa de Piedras at km 98.9. We were unable to get a hitch out of Chile Chico, so we ended up walking the road to where the trail begins. No navigation issues, but the entire cross-country section to Río de las Nieves (waypoint at 42.7 km) is very exposed and was very windy when we crossed. We ended up camping at the water at 23.9 km, but the wind blew very strongly all night and I was worried it might take my tent. If you can, it is better to camp off this plateau unless the weather is calm. Lots of guanaco trails to follow :) <br /> <br /> At the CONAF office at km 53.0, we each paid 9,000 clp for entry to the national park, plus 6,000 clp for passage/camping along the trail to Casa de Piedras in the Valles Hermoso and Aviles. Beautiful trail the whole way, popular and well-maintained, with cairns and markers to follow. There is an awesome shelter and camping area with picnic tables on the eastern shore of Lago Verde, at the end of Option D. In my opinion it was nicer than the popular refugio in Valle Hermoso (km 68.1) that everyone talks about. <br /> <br /> We had no issues with fords, except the one at km 82.6 which flows into Río Aviles. It was the end of a warm sunny day, so the flow was quite high and strong. Had I been on my own I would have camped on the north side and waited till morning to cross. However, this time I was able to cross by linking arms with Zach as he is much taller than me and was more stable in the current. <br /> <br /> At Casa de Piedras, Zach and I parted ways as he wanted to packraft down the Río Chacabuco. The ranger at the Casa told me the Sendero de las Siete Lagunas (which begins at km 99.5) was no longer maintained. This is true, there were stretches in the desertlike brush that were hard to follow, and I checked the GPS frequently. Generally it was better when the trail went into wooded areas. I also found this trail to be dry — the only water I found was the water from the lagunas and a tiny trickle about a kilometer south of the pass. Lots of spiky plants that get stuck in your socks and shoes. I took Option L to cut out some overgrown minor road walking. It's sad that this trail is being neglected and left to be swallowed up by nature, because otherwise it is quite scenic. <br /> <br /> The horse trail that goes from the puesto of Daniel Huemul (km 143.3) to Lago Cochrane was also rough and overgrown. Everything gets easier once you reach Lago Cochrane though, nice, maintained trails all the way to Cochrane with beautiful places to camp along the lake. <br /> <br /> * '''GPT35 / Yannic &amp; Mirjam / 2022-Dec-13'''<br /> <br /> Much is already detailed below, so we will keep it short <br /> <br /> 1 day: from Chile Chico to the entrance of the National Park. We camped one night before the pass at S 46.61639 W 71.81632. Water right next to the camp. Pass is very windy.<br /> <br /> 2 days: from the National Park to the Refugio. Nice refugio with small house where you can make a fire inside to dry things. From the Refugio to Casa Piedra is possible in one day. But it is a long day with many kilometres.<br /> <br /> 2.5 days: Casa Piedra to Cochrane. Leaving Casa Piedra, after a few hundred metres the trail leaves the Minor Road and enters the trail (where there is a large stone marker). The trail is officially closed and partly in bad condition. There are many fallen trees on the trail, some of it is overgrown and not completely clear. We therefore checked the GPS regularly. We took OH-TL-V{35-L}, which saves a few kilometres of (overgrown) minor road.<br /> We spent one night at Laguna Guagua (Refugio is completely destroyed) and one at Lago Cochrane.<br /> When we left the national park, no one was at the office. We therefore simply went through...<br /> <br /> * '''GPT35 Variant P, Option 3, 3C, 3D / Meylin Ubilla, Jan Dudeck / 2022-Dec-12 and 13 / 1.5 days'''<br /> <br /> While waiting in the village Cochrane for our friends to catch up, we did a little 1.5 day hike higher up next to Lago Cochrane that we visited at least 3 times by packraft in past years. For the first time this year we waked with a light backpack without packrafting gear.<br /> <br /> We took Variant P eastbound that slowly climbs on a gravel road to an altitude of 500 m and then continues as a panorama trail in this altitude.<br /> <br /> Apparently, this is not authorized access to Parque Patagonia (Sector Tamango) and two gates need to be climbed but there was nobody to be seen on this route. The normal access to the park is down next Rio Cochrane and Lago Cochrane.<br /> <br /> Nearly the entire route was scenic and worth the effort.<br /> <br /> The settler “El Húngaro” apparently sold the land and became part of the national park. There is an open building that might be used as a refuge in case of emergency but camping is probably more comfortable.<br /> <br /> The refuge at {35-P} [4.0/501] is collapsed but camping is pleasant on this pasture.<br /> <br /> The trail section OH-TL-V {35-03} [0.0+5.2] is not maintained for several years making this route inconvenient to walk. The route south of both lakes is easy walking.<br /> <br /> As long as Parque Patagonia does not challenge hikers to make a full traverse from Cochrane to Chile Chico it is prudent to take the official route which is the current regular route and pay the entrance fee near Cochrane when hiking northbound.<br /> <br /> But should longer multi-day traverses be denied, then it might be less bothersome to take Variant P which avoids the entrance.<br /> <br /> Packrafters can travel east and westbound on Lago Cochrane and will not pass any park entrance.<br /> <br /> * '''Alice &amp; Florian / 4 to 10 November-2022 / Regular Hiking Northbound'''<br /> <br /> Here's our story of our GPT35. We really enjoyed this section, it is really diverse, beautiful landscapes and we saw heaps of animals. <br /> <br /> As we wanted to do the trail in the northbound direction, we took the bus from chile chico to Cochrane, arriving in chile chico from argentina from the south (border o'higgins closed...). It tales 4 hours and leaves on sunday at 14 (return Monday 7 Am), Monday 16 (return Tuesday 7 AM),Wednesday and Friday 7 Am (return 16).<br /> <br /> We took the option north of Cochrane because we were not sure if they would allow us to sleep in the tamango reserve. But, indeed you have to pass a no entry sign, a gate and a sign saying that entering the park that way is prohibited so we do not recommend it when it is written on the conaf website that it is allowed to sleep in tamango section.<br /> <br /> We took the sendero de los huemules and slept at camp 1 waypoint. There was plenty of water at that time and a beautiful view.<br /> <br /> After that we took the option OH-TL-V 35-P to avoid going downhill. The entry of this trail is about 150m before what is indicated on the GPT so be aware. I don't think the trail is an official one from the park so you have to fight your way through some bushes. But apart from that, it is clear. Then we joined the regular route, which since the 2022 version does follow the siete lagunas trail. You will join the siete lagunas trail at the kilometer 11 more or less. We then camped around the km 13 of the 7 lagunas trail. <br /> <br /> We found water just before climbing at the pass at S47°06.0856' W072°17.592' and there is more at the top. However, it is true that it is drier on the other side of the pass, so if you are going Southbound, pack enough water from Lago Gutierrez to climb the pass. <br /> <br /> We spent the third night at casa de Piedra where you have all facilities (electricity, hot shower, kitchen). Unfortunately for us they were on strike so they wouldn't allow us to go further on the trail. We did anyway as going out to jeiminini or through the road to chacabuco would take the same time. <br /> By the way various national parks - including Torres del Paine were on strike at the moment. <br /> <br /> The second part in the aviles valley is really clear, the trail is really nice and easy and with a lot of water available. Exiting the casa de piedra you should take the option OH-TI-V 35-J instead of the regular route, it will save you 600 m and two river crossings, and the view is similar. Starting at km 20, you will have to reduce your pace because the trail is busy with a lot of fallen trees, bushes and rocks. Between the km 22 and 23 of the valle aviles trail, the trail has been swept away by the river this winter so you have to cross the river two more times to go around. The kilometers indications disappear more or less after the pass, at km 25. <br /> <br /> After that you enter the valle Hermoso. We camped at the waypoint 17/Camp Valle Hermoso but we do not recommend it. It was really small and close to the river, so if there is a sudden level rise because of heavy rain or a flooding because of a glaciar outburst (GLOF), you might get wet... Better sleep st the small caban near km23 if you don't think you will reach the refugio in valle Hermoso.<br /> <br /> Once you reach Lago Verde, follow the GPT track and not the trail that leads to the lake, or you will have to turn back. After the pass it's more river crossings but you can save some kilometers in the river bed by taking the option OH-TI-V 35-E and then OH-TI-V 35-D until the rio jeimenini (the first part of the option OH-TI-V 35-D does not exist anymore). We did not have any trouble to cross the Rio between the 2 lakes even though we were in the middle of the afternoon. It was about thigh deep for me but I'm tall. <br /> <br /> After that it's really easy to the Parc entrance. We went back to Chile Chico walking on the road instead of taking the cross country option, because0 there were still snow on the mountain. The first part is still pretty until the intersection, once you enter the valley of the Rio it is a bit more monotonous. Halfway there is an access to an annex of the national park, to go see the Cueva de las manos and valle lunar. <br /> <br /> * '''Adrien Kunzli / 31-Oct-2022-04-November-2022 / Regular Hiking Northbound'''<br /> <br /> All rivers crossing are easy to pass at this time of year. One tricky passage on the snow at the entrance of lago verde, very steep, but it was to avoid walking in the lake (frozen feet early in the morning). <br /> <br /> No guards at the entrance at Tamango so i didnt pay the fee but didnt get my pass. Tamara gently gave me one at the camping of casa del piedra (apparently if i didnt have this pass i could not be admitted at Jeinimeni.) At Jeinimeni pass, again, nobody. So i were to the houses near and finaly find the guy. He took my pass and i get no fee in this NOBO direction. <br /> Nice shortcut after the bridge of Rio de las Nieves (S 46° 47.274', W 071° 54.665') that can avoid you a little bit of the 4x4 unfinshing road and get you directly into the heart of this amazing and beautifull last part. So: <br /> In front of the end of the bridge, you go up the big hill and go diagonally (or directly if you feel better) to join the path (pretty wild) of the gps (S 46° 45.843', W 071° 54.359'). Small stretches of paths are drawn rather well along this shortcut. <br /> <br /> Not much good water between the bridge (brown water) and the puesto but the the puesto's water is of much better quality.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> * '''GPT 35: Parque Patagonia/ Exploration Route via Valle Maullín Grande/ 2022 March-12/ 4 days / Tobias Schorcht, Jonas Grünewald '''<br /> <br /> We hiked from Maullín Grande to Cochrane by chance. I always wanted to do the stretch from Chile Chico to Cochrane, but we had just 4 days left… When we hitchhiked northbounded from Villa O’Higgins, we luckily got picked up by Pascual Diaz, who is a experienced Mountain Guide (company Kalem) and took us all the way to his refugio in Maullín Grande. He also explained us, how to reach Cochrane on time while doing that crossing. The next day he took us to the end of the Road, where we started hiking around midday (-46,80390, -72,42001). It was a easy walk to the end of the Valley where we camped (-46,87872, -72,34138). The following day was hard, but we went up to the pass (1430m) in perfect sunshine. At (-46,87234, -72,30906) you will face a waterfall in a steep canyon. We recommend to walk on the left side (northwest) through the forest until you meet the riverbed again. The other side is also possible (we went there), but you have to climb higher in difficult terrain. From that point you can easily do a cross country walk up to the pass, where you have to cross the Glaciar (without cracks). It was absolutely stunning! Going down to the laguna is quite steep. I would not do it in bad weather conditions. When you meet the laguna, you can either walk on the left or right side. Both options are not easy. We crossed on the right (southern) side, which is ok in good weather conditions. There is one river crossing in between, which could be impossible with more water. Now we think it would have been easier to walk on the left (northern) side, although we would have had needed to cross the river before and after the laguna. Packrafting is an option as well, but since it only 1.5 km we don’t think it is worth it. Camped in a forest close to the regular trail dry and save. All in all we recommend this option to experienced hikers in good weather conditions. The hike to Cochrane was hard, because we had just 2 days for 80km. So we hitchhiked to the museum of Parque Patagonia and we even saw a puma at the Westwind Campsite! It seems like this puma shows up there regularly. I waited for that moment almost 5 months. My dream came true on my very last evening in nature. Thank you Patagonia for this great gift. 🙏<br /> <br /> * '''Christmas2021 / GPT 35, NOBO, participants Janna &amp; Matthias, dec 2021, duration 6 days from Cochrane to Conaf center at Lago Jeinimeni, then hitchhiked to Chile Chico'''<br /> <br /> As recommended by a friend we opted for the following route through the Parque Nacional de Patagonia which is highly recommendable (first two days mainly GPT variants and options, afterwards GPT regular routes. There are several marked senderos in the beginning as 5 Los Huemules, 8 los Pumas, 7 los Guanacos, sendero 9, sendero Lagunas Altas etc.) as you can see in our attached tracking file.<br /> <br /> All in all the trails were easy to find, some seemed to be still unhiked this year. To enter the park from Cochrane we had to pass a prohibition sign and climb over a no entrar gate. We didn't meet anyone on the first day, the settler didn't seem to be around. The following days we met two to three other hikers per day, but no rangers until the end at Conaf Center near Lago Jeinimeni, where we easily paid the park fees in arrears (8000 pp park entrance fee and an additional 6000 pp overnight stays in the park). We deliberately skipped the Conaf center in Valle Chacabuco on the advice of our friend.<br /> <br /> Good to know:<br /> - There is no water anymore at S 47.198557, W 72.474927 near the camping site but instead at S 47.203460, W 72.480747 and S 47.179332, W 72.465807<br /> - There were many lagoons on our day 3 that weren't visibly well marked neither on our apps nor on the Garmin GPS.<br /> - All the marked refugios along the trail are heavily damaged except Casa de Piedra<br /> (closed on the 24th of dec) and Refugio Valle Hermoso (where we could even dry our<br /> soaked shoes from the many river crossings next to the fireplace).<br /> - From the refugio Valle Hermoso we did a side trip to the first glacier lake in the Valle<br /> Estero Ventisquero without all the luggage.<br /> - The río Jeinimeni water level was up to our waists and strong (note it had rained the<br /> night before). According to others it was supposed to be knee-deep.<br /> - Hitchhiking from Conaf center Jeinimeni to Chile Chico is possible when camping or day guests are leaving. As we arrived later in the afternoon we spent an extra night there. <br /> - The supermercado sur in Chile Chico sells gas.<br /> <br /> Track files and waypoints: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-98Ou9jk0porCVRp7CSFZ-KciXQ2PBzD<br /> <br /> *'''30 Nov RR 5 days SOBO Frank'''<br /> <br /> From Chile Chico I got the Bahia Jara bus &amp; got off at the junction, saves a 6KM roadwalk. Walked 2KM up the road then on trail to the high plateau. The settler before the pass wasn't there but his dogs were a bit territorial so I avoided the puesto. I went across the high plateau &amp; camped a bit before the second puesto in one long day. Camp marked on track file below the pass was not very good (boggy &amp; sloping) so I continued down to camp near the stream. The second puesto is above the RR &amp; not visible from it. Camping on the high plateau definitely not recommended. It is very exposed &amp; the wind can &amp; will knock tents. On day 2 I got to CONAF, they said a puma had been there every day the week before. Continued with many river crossings to the hut. There are trails marked with ribbons on LHS of the river SOBO, they go in on small loops which avoid some of the river crossings. Nearing the hut there is a stream flowing into the lake. At the lake it was too deep to cross. Bush bashed for about 40 metres to reach the ford. Camped outside the hut. Several river crossings on the third day. The double crossing is the crux. I avoided it by going over the bluff on LHS of river with a bit of tree bashing but I don't recommend that. The bluff descent is cliffed off with only a narrow breach where you can downclimb on trees. The breach is not obvious from above. Better to ford the river - it was running high but I met several hikers who had crossed it. Got to Casa de Pidera in 1 long day from the hut. You can cook in the Casa (they have a gas stove, electricity &amp; showers) but have to camp outside. There are some trees to shelter from the wind. On the fourth day I started walking Sendero de Siete Lagunas (SSL) but I was using the 2019 track file which doesn't show the SSL. It had not been walked much recently &amp; the route was not obvious. At the lake I lost the SSL in guanaco tracks. I continued around the lake &amp; walked out about 2KM to the road. The descent to the road was cliffed off but I found a way down in a gully. Then I walked out the road past a meadow where hundreds of guanaco were grazing. Past the meadow I went in left on a side road to rejoin the RR. On the fifth day I walked past Daniel Huemul's puesto &amp; was lucky to meet Daniel who was riding out &amp; he showed me the way. He said the direct RR which goes right from the puesto is now overgrown &amp; disused. Instead we went out to the left. There is a small road which goes in a loop &amp; turns towards Lago Cochrane but with his directions I was able to shortcut it. I paid 15,000 CLP for entry &amp; camping at CONAF Lago Jeinemeni &amp; they didn't charge me anything at Casa de Piedra.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2020/21==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> <br /> *'''2020-Mar-18 , Tyler Wood, 7 Days Sobo'''<br /> <br /> Amazing section to end my season with. I got a couple short hitches on the way up past Chile Chico. Up past the last puesto are some great areas to camp along a big boulder field. Maybe 2 km more. Beautiful and surrounded by Guanacos. Plenty of water too. Up near the top of the pass was very cold, but very beautiful, and even saw a bunch of flamingoes in the lakes.<br /> <br /> On the way down the pass I tried to find the fore-mentioned route to the puesto to take the road the rest of the way down and didn’t really have any luck...found my way anyways and camped down by Rio sucio under a willow.<br /> <br /> Into Jenimeni I got another little hitch. Once you cross the deeper river by Laguna esmeralda just keep those water shoes on, you’ll be crossing many more times.<br /> <br /> I also was told by a ranger that sendero siete Lagunas wasn’t habilitado, but went for it anyways. Water is Not after Laguna Gutiérrez for a while, so make sure you fill up around there. After the pass there are a few more small<br /> Streams to fill up. <br /> <br /> The road walking to Tmango reserve seemed to take forever, but Walking/camping by Lago Cochrane was all worth it. At puesto Huemul Is when I got my first advice that the corona virus was a big deal. The woman told me there were 3 confirmed cases in Cochrane, I went there and booked my tickets straight home. Hasta le vista baby!!!<br /> <br /> * '''2020-February-08 / 7 days / Southbound'''<br /> <br /> Long and beautiful section. No major difficulties. Great diversity. Without hitchhiking, it took me 173 kilometers. <br /> <br /> 1st part / 2 days / Chile Chico to Div 217<br /> At the beginning of the cross country, valley full of Guanacos. I camped just after the puesto, about 2 kilometers after the beginning of the cross country, before the pass, where there are still rocks to protect from the wind.<br /> As related in previous reports, after camp 279, you will stumbled upon a fence. Go on the East along the fence, cross it, and you will find a trail to the next Puesto and then the trail goes down from the puesto to the dirt road. You will avoid cross country this way. <br /> <br /> 2nd part / 2,5 days to Casa de Piedra<br /> Popular part. Groups of hikers along the way. 8000CLP entrance fee + 6000 CLP for 2 nights sleeping inside the park. <br /> <br /> 3rd part / 2,5 days / Sendero de las 7 lagunas<br /> After Casa de Piedra, I followed the GPS regular route which took me to the beginning of the Sendero of 7 lagunas. CONAF said it was not &quot;habilitado&quot; but it is actually well marked. The good thing is that there will be no hikers on this part, except when you approach the end, along the lago Cochrane. The trail is very different from the GPS tracks but no difficulties to find it. So, don't worry not having the GPS tracks. <br /> At S 47º08.015' W 72º18.948', there is a nice place to camp and also, the trail will merge with the optional route OH-TL-V@35-02F-#001 You can then follow this track and then go back to the Regular Route to reach Cochrane.<br /> <br /> * Martin Lizondo / 28-Jan-2020 / Regular Hiking Southbound<br /> <br /> The section took me 6 days. Some tips:<br /> <br /> The first part from Chile Chico has a +20 km cross country walk. The wind is extremly strong and the route very high, with no forest protection. I recommend spending the first night behind the trees of El Ciprés (the settler Orlando Vazquez allows people to pass and is very kind) or near to the puesto at the end of the minor road at 46º 36' 5,3&quot; S, 71º 48' 45,05&quot; O (Miguel Pacheco is very kind too). Enough water all along the route.<br /> <br /> The Jeinimeni section of Parque Patagonia is very easy and well marked. Entrance to foreigners costs CLP 8000 plus 6000 if spending the night. There’s a shelter with place for fire and tents after 18 km.<br /> <br /> Valley Aviles to Casa de Piedra is also easy and beautifull, with many free camping spots. Casa de Piedra costs CLP 8000 per night.<br /> <br /> The rest of the gps track is very different from the actual trail, called “Sendero de las Siete Lagunas”. I recommend taking this route instead of the old gps track, as it’s very well maintained. At Lago la Pepa ( 47º 7' 45,19&quot; S, 72º 18' 41,54&quot; O ) the trail crosses an old overgrown minor road, which coincides with the gps track and takes to Puesto Huemul (47º 11' 25,31&quot; S, 72º 26' 6,98&quot; O). If going to the left, you’ll reach the puesto, if going up to the right you’ll end the official “Sendero de las Siete Lagunas” near to the main park center. Other hiking options are possible from that point, but the regular route to Puesto Huemul is the shortest.<br /> <br /> From Puesto Huemul, the trail goes down near to the lake Cochrane through Sendero “Coigües” and “Carpinteros”. Well marked and signed, this trails will take you to the start of Tamango section, very near to Cochrane.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-27 / GPT35 New Route: Lago General Carrera (Fachinal) to Parque Patagonia (Lago Jenimeni or “Casa de Piedra”) / 5 days / Meylin Meylin Elisabeth Ubilla González and Jan Dudeck'''<br /> <br /> Based on a recommendation from Tobias Hellwig W and Daniel Mahn Borkowsky we investigated a new route that I did no had on my radar until a few weeks ago. This route provides an alternative access from the southern coast of Lago General Carrera into the Parque Patagonia and is of interest for packrafters and hikers.<br /> <br /> The route is a traditional animal trail that was used by the settlers of Fachinal to drive cattle to a large summer pasture that is now part of Parque Patagonia (sector Jenimeni). With the enforcement of keeping domestic animals out of the protected park area a 5 km trail section inside Parque Patagonia lacks maintenance but is still quite well traversable for GPT standards. Apart from this short trail section most of the route is very scenic and nice to walk but practically unknown. Only one tourism company runs guided hiking trips along this route about once per months. Apart from this occasionally use the full traverse seams not to be done anymore.<br /> <br /> Due to lack of trail markings we spend about one extra day in searching and following the poorly maintained 5 km trail section but with our GPS record other hikers should struggle much less than we did and will be able to walk in 4 to 5 moderate hiking days from Fachinal at the southern shore of Lago General Carrera to “Casa de Piedra” in the center of Parque Patagonia in the Valle Chacabuco.<br /> <br /> We hiked the route northbound as we considered the option to cross Lago General Carretera at its shortest narrow by packraft. Here the lake is only 3.2 km wide but we finally did not cross this rather dangerous lake due to suboptimal wind conditions.<br /> <br /> Fachinal to Rio Aviles River Crossing: <br /> <br /> A well maintained “cattle highway” leads from Fachinal from the road bridge of Rio Aviles along the western/southern side of Rio Aviles to the limit of Parque Patagonia. This roughly 20 km long trail section gets regularly cleaned with chain saws to facilitate access to the pastures along Rio Aviles for free-rooming cattle. Most of the trees that have fallen on the trail have been cut to keep the trail easily traversable. Some hikers might find the “pointless up and down” annoying but this trail was created by men that move on horses that did not had to ascent and descent themself. About 1 km before crossing the Rio Aviles two signs indicate the limit of Parque Patagonia (Sector Jenimeni) and ban access for unauthorized people and domestic animals (without providing any clue who might be authorized and who not ;-). From the park limit the trail descents steep to Rio Aviles but remain well maintained to ford.<br /> <br /> This trail section requires two possibly demanding river crossings that can become impossible during snow melt in spring, after heavy rain or on the afternoon or evening of hot days (melting water from glaciers!). To keep the route traversable in such circlesumstances the tourism company has installed in both locations steel ropes (to cross these two rivers hooked up in harness to the steel rope without even touching the water).<br /> <br /> Rio Aviles River Crossing to the Pass (1150 m above Sea Level): <br /> <br /> After the river crossing the trail condition suddenly changes. Fallen trees don’t get cut anymore and undergrowth is not cleaned by machete. It’s mainly the remaining path on the ground that indicates the former animal trail. Advance is slow and in various locations care must be taken to not loose the trail. Here you will need to climb over fall trees and push occasionally through dense vegetation until reaching an altitude of 950 m. At this altitude the forest floor opens up (no dense undergrowth any more) and the trail disappears completely. Here walking becomes easy again. Walk the following kilometer through the open forest following roughly the GPS track until reaching the end of the forest and the small lake after the 1150 m high pass.<br /> <br /> An advise for northbound hikers: <br /> <br /> Finding the first signs of the trail in the open forest was a struggle as we had no information where exactly the trail starts to descent. I searched at least 3 or 4 hours in a 400 m wide and 1200 m long section of open forest till I found a first old machete mark on a tree that indicated the location of the trail. Carefully searching and following similar marks I finally found the descending trail.<br /> <br /> Searching northbound we lost the trail again when reaching Rio Aviles at the bottom of the valley and searched half a day for the correct continuation. A well visible and noticeably used trail next to Rio Aviles leads directly to an suitable river ford but from there a well maintained trail continues 1 km in the wrong direction (upstream). Only after bushbashing 1 km along the river shore downstream we recognized with surprise a second river ford (now the correct river ford) which connects to the well maintained trail section in the correct direction. In hindsight we understood that the well maintained trail simply continues upstream along Rio Aviles and that this trail crosses twice the Rio Aviles. Due to a partially not evident trail section on the other side of we did not recognize this when hitting this trail on the bottom of the valley and took the wrong direction to the wrong river ford.<br /> <br /> Now hikers with our GPS record and a GPS should not struggle to find and follow this trail as we did.<br /> <br /> Pass (1150 m above Sea Level) to Valle Hermoso Refugio: <br /> <br /> After leaving the forest at the 1150 m high pass the most scenic part of this route starts. A roughly 15 km long cross country route leads over pastures and river sediments past 3 lakes and two glaciers to the Refugio Valle Hermoso. Occasionally signs of a trail are visible but due to the open landscape a continuous trail neither exists nor is needed. <br /> <br /> Near the Refuge Valle Hermoso this route connects with regular route that leads along Valle Aviles (diffrent river with the same name!) to “Casa de Piedra” in the center of Parque Patagonia.<br /> <br /> Access to Trail Head at Fachinal:<br /> <br /> There are multiple buses per week from Chile Chico to Puerto Tranquilo on the Carretera Austral that pass Fachinal.<br /> <br /> Monday and Friday runs a subsidized bus from Chile Chico to Fachinal and back to Chile Chico (One round trip in the morning and a second one in the evening).<br /> 8:30 leaving Chile Chico<br /> 9:30 in Fachinal<br /> 11:00 returning to Chile Chico<br /> 17:30 leaving Chile Chico<br /> 18:30 in Fachinal<br /> 20:00 returning to Chile Chico<br /> <br /> If you wish to cross Lago General Carrera to continue hiking in the Cordillera Avellano North of the lake speak to Carloz Amoros in Fachinal (mobile: +56 9 76267029 / price around 30‘000 CLP) or Pascual Diaz de Mallin Grande.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-January 23 / Oreste Marquis/ Northbound : 8 days '''<br /> <br /> Going northbound. I followed the route until the second settler at the puesto Tejuela. From there, until the optional route @35-02e#001,<br /> I could not find the approximate trail in the files. I manage to find another one which is call siete Lagunas. It is really easy to follow and really beautiful! I find it near km 18 and keep walking on it until km 38. It is the end of it and is at the campground near Lago Gutiérrez. For more informations go reed Martin post in recent alerts and suggestion. I met him on the trail and he updated the wikiexplora before me. From the beginning to Casa Piedra took me 3 days. Then I hiked to the end of the reserve in an other 3 days. Lots of rivers to cross but felt pretty safe for all of them even the one higher between Lagos Jeinimeni and Verde. The cross country part the next day was my favorite of the hole trip! Awesome views, a lot of wildlife, just need to check a little bit more the gps! Last day, I headed to Chile Chico without any problem. Overall, I love it! Enjoyed it as much as GPT40.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-January / Matthieu / Northbound : 7.5 days &quot;tranquilito&quot;'''<br /> Incredible trekk, lots of different type of views and soil, my favorite since El Chalten. Money required for passing by the reserves !!<br /> I hitchhiked 10 km on the road to Casa Piedra, and 12 km between Jeinemini qnd the beginning of the trail that goes north in the mountain to join Chile Chico.<br /> <br /> '''1st part : Reserve Tamango''' : 6000 CLP the entry<br /> I took the old &quot;Huemul trail&quot; in the Tamango reserve, taking the left route at the &quot;Camp 284&quot; It is an old trail for 4x4, so very easy, and closed to vehicles now. <br /> <br /> '''2nd part : The road to Casa Piedra :''' the rangers I crossed were all agreed that it was not permitted to camp aside of the road (so the information is different that in Nov). One officiql camping at the end of Tamango reserve (WestWind) and one at Casa Piedra 26 km after. 8000 CLP each. At Westwind (not verified, only inforñqtions for guardaparques): no accomodations, only baño. At Casa Piedra . real big house, hot shower, electricity, place to cook. <br /> <br /> '''3rd part : Reserve Jenemeni :''' Entry 8000 CLP. For the camping, the ranger told me that it was permitted to camp wherever I wanted, so the information differs too from november. And at the exit, I told the ranger about my &quot;savage&quot; camping in the conversation, and he didnt tic at all, so no stress. The rangers are very nice !<br /> Good trekk, easy to follow. One very good refuge in the valle Hermoso where fire is possible. a more open refuge/camping site by the east shore of Lago Verde. <br /> Many river crossing, all safe except one, before the Laguna Esmeralda. Strong current, and people choose many different way with different profundness. Better do it in the morning, being a glaciar river (I could effectively compare between late in the afternoon and the morning and it is very different).<br /> <br /> '''Last part, to Chile Chico by the mountain :''' Amazing views, totaly different climate, more dry and with only bushes. <br /> At the beginning of the Cross country after the 4x4 road, I would advise to go a few meters west from the GPS tracks, to the east side of the river. There is effectively a fence on the west ridge, and a good trail on the east ridge that can avoid you the difficult crossing of many bushes, and that goes directly to the puesto.<br /> Two puestos, The 135 of metal being used by the locals (real bed inside), so just putted the tent outside. The second one 134 is actually a real house. Two mens were here when I arrived, working with the animals. I could put the tent near the house and take water from the sink outside. Many dogs, all nice.<br /> <br /> * '''Mum, Sis and I / Southbound / 11 days '''<br /> <br /> Well. What an interesting and varied section. Also the longest walk I think we'd all done. It took us 11 days in the end with a couple of longer side trips. Interestingly, when we emerged from the park it was closed, there was martial law in effect, a curfew in place. Borders closed. Only a week to get back to Santiago to catch the last flights back to Australia... Anyway. We're heading back now. Got temperature tested as we reentered Chili Chico this morning. Waiting for the boat across the lake mañana in la mañana. No buses out of town. Enough rambling...<br /> <br /> As always, thanks to the others before us that have taken the time to comment and provide feedback. Here's my two cents.<br /> <br /> Firstly here are some landmarks to make it easier for others to orient themselves: <br /> <br /> El Ciprés<br /> http://ge0.me/oGvL0ey6_7/El_Ciprés<br /> ge0://oGvL0ey6_7/El_Ciprés<br /> Casa Piedra<br /> http://ge0.me/4GvJGSxqPH/Casa_Piedra_%28Stone_House%29<br /> ge0://4GvJGSxqPH/Casa_Piedra_%28Stone_House%29<br /> Westwind<br /> http://ge0.me/wGvC_gnJaX/Westwind<br /> ge0://wGvC_gnJaX/Westwind<br /> <br /> Camping in Chile Chico:<br /> El Carro is supposed to be the cheapest place to stay in town. Though if you want a hot shower it's the same as Kon-aiken next door. We stayed at neither so can't really comment, but there were a lot of people staying at Kon-aiken and next to none at El Carro which might be indicitive of value for money or just the fact they are a little closer to the centre of town.<br /> El Carro however was the only one willing to look after some things for us.<br /> We also visited a hostel, but the owner was unfortunately very rude.<br /> <br /> El carro<br /> 4k frío <br /> 5k caliente <br /> 1k por día por mochila <br /> <br /> Kon-aiken<br /> 5k pp / noche <br /> No baggage service <br /> <br /> Part 1: Chili Chico to Jeinemeni<br /> In the end we decided to cache things in the bushes just outside of town. Mum and my sister got a lift to the Bahía Jara cruz whist I was caching. Unfortunately I had to walk all the way to El Ciprés where my mum and sister had been enjoying a nice conversation with Orlando Vazquez who allowed us to pass but emphasised the dangers and didn't really recommend crossing. <br /> Passing through the gate a couple of utes were exiting. Apparently there is a new mine up in the mountains and they didn't really want us to walk up. They admitted they just worked there.<br /> Turn off the main rd that assumably heads to the mine about here: -46.57775, -71.82666<br /> Goucho Miguel Pacheco passed us on the way up herding some cattle and we talked to him at the puesto for a while. We also gave him one of the Australian coins we'd been carrying around. He seemed to believe it was everyone's right to pass. &quot;People pass through here all the time &quot;.&quot;Just yesterday a lad passed by &quot;.&quot;It's the shortest route across the mountains &quot;<br /> Anyway. We camped in the rocks just outside the park boundaries (as mentioned by??).<br /> We then camped two nights up on the windy plateau. Our side trip to Valle Lunes was amazing. I'd recommend it. But be careful with wind. Oh and did anyone mention the guanacos?<br /> Unfortunately I think the water wasn't very clean on this part. Sheep, cows, guanacos, birds... It's the first time in Chile I've wished I took my water filter along. We had some sore stomachs.<br /> Dropping down the other side we hit the mentioned fence (about here -46.72574, -71.90211). We crossed, but would recommend following it to the left until you get to a corner. I'm not sure where it starts, but there is a trail running on the outside of the fence to the puesto. We then followed a sheep trail that ran high on the left (east) of the valley. Very good but it bypassed Las Abutardas completely and seemed to be heading towards Laguna los Flamencos instead. We ended up cutting down to the road where León passed us heading into town, a little confused why we hadn't taken the 'proper trail'.<br /> We camped the night at the Río El Sucio camp. Not really recommended.<br /> We walked the road and stayed at Río Las Vacas for a bit which is at the border of the park and a nicer place to camp. (There is a good stream between the two).<br /> <br /> Part 2: Jeinemeni to Casa Piedra<br /> It was 8k to enter the park (for foreigners) and an additional 6k for camping in Valle Hermoso. The section to the refugio (-46.84092, -72.14078) was very nice. This is the only shelter still standing. The others included in the track files were not really enterable.<br /> Heading to the refugio (where everyone seems to camp) you cross the small ankle deep creek exiting Laguna Esmeralda and then the deeper river between Lago Verde and Jeinemeni. This might have been the trickiest but when we crossed it wasn't really bad. We then had two more smaller crossings before passing through Portezuela La Gloria (1100m) to cross Estero Ventisquero and the other river running down the main valley.<br /> The next day we did the popular side trip to the glacier in this valley: -46.80924, -72.20116<br /> We wondered if it was the same way Jan et al entered recently?<br /> From the refugio to Valle Avilés there are no compulsory river crossings if you stick to the somewhat scrubby trail to the left (south) of the valley. The first crossing we did was Río Avilés shortly followed by the tributary. So only 8 crossings (wet feet) on the RR. <br /> <br /> We walked from the refugio to Casa Piedra in a day. It was closed so we camped on the other side of the Rd.<br /> <br /> Part 3: Casa Piedra to Cochrane<br /> From casa piedra we took the aforementioned Sendero las Siete Lagunas. It is not it the track files but indeed very well marked with numbered markers every kilometre. I'll upload a kml with the markers I recorded as well as some of the water bodies I sketched.<br /> After the stream running into Lago Gutiérrez there wasn't much water until Lago la Pepa.<br /> You will briefly intersect with a road here: -47.14006, -72.37138. The road seems to run down to Puesto Tejuela coinciding with OH-TL-V@35-02F-#001 which I think is incorrectly labelled as TL. Part of RH-TL-I@35-99.0+30.0 too should be marked as MR. You'll intersect this road before taking it down to Lago Cochrane.<br /> We passed the occupied dwelling (Daniel Huemul?) but the man wearing a shirt emblazoned with Parque Patagonia seemed afraid to approach us (another hint the world had gone Corona crazy). He wouldn't let us take the RR so we followed the road for a bit before taking another newly made trail also not in the track files.<br /> Everything after that was very easy to follow.<br /> Everything was abandoned at the entrance and the gate locked. People avoided us on the streets and covered their face when passing us. <br /> We grabbed some needed food (we were very short after 11 days!) and got on the WiFi. Wow! How things had changed! Martial law in place and a curfew in place, we slept under a bridge with some Colombians and caught a bus back to Chili Chico in the morning. Waiting for the boat across the lake tomorrow now.<br /> <br /> Links to files :<br /> Kilometre markers: https://www.dropbox.com/s/fuzt4xacxjjvvg4/kms.kmz?dl=0<br /> Water bodies: https://www.dropbox.com/s/uz1ei95s1913xvb/water.bodies.kmz?dl=0<br /> Other planning: <br /> https://www.dropbox.com/s/uk9ym56gufwk4zq/planning.kmz?dl=0<br /> <br /> * '''2019 Dec / Olrik/ Northbound '''<br /> <br /> Amazing part of the GPT, from Cochrane ou enter in the Tamango national reserve and pay 6000CLP for the entrance. We took several trails to get to Valle Chacabuco : Las Aguilas, Las Lengasm Los Condores, Laguna Altas. Great views. We had a snow storm at the pass though. There you end up in a paid campground. From there we walked the dirt road to Casa Piedras in Valle Chacabuco, it was beautiful with lots of guanacos. Then we took the Las Aviles sendero. We camped near the first river crossing as it was late and waited for the morning to cross. It is normally not possible to wild camp in the park but the guardaparque told us to camp there if the river crossing is not sage. The rest of the trail is easy to follow next to the river. There is a pass then you descend to Valle Hermoso and to lago Jeinimeni. It was just gorgeous and easy to follow with great weather. Be aware of the numerous river crossings. In lago Jeinimeni there is a paid campground. From there you can hitchhike, walk, or pay a transportation at the entrance of the park (15000Clp pp) but I'm not sure if this is a regular thing. We ended up hitchhiking to get to Chile Chico.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Nov-28/ Lea Geibel, Kevin Moe/ 5.5days/ Northbound / Regular Hiking Route (Cochrane to Chile Chico) with OH-32-2-#003/'''<br /> <br /> This section might have been our favorite out of the whole Group H, where the diversity of the landscape was our favorite part (also including weather and trail conditions). The NP was entered at Tamango just outside of Cochrane. Registration is mandatory, the entrance fee is at 8000 CLP. The ranger asked us to explain our route and since the regular Hiking route did not seem familiar to them, they told us to take the optionals route going north over the pass to WestWinds campground and then do the road walk Eastwards. <br /> The pass had some snow patches on the Southern side but was easy to traverse. At the Valley Chacabuco (another entrance to the national park) we got asked for our permits and the route we plan on taking. We heard different information on if it is allowed to camp at the road or not (there were signs that told us not to do it but the ranger said it is okay). After the roadwalk, we passed another ranger station where we had to register and sign a responsibility form telling that we plan to leave at Lago Jeinimeni (and telling that we're only allowed to stay at designated campsites). The hike from there is extremely beautiful and super diverse, the trail well maintained. The rivers were at higher flow but all fords were doable. <br /> We camped next to the Refugio because we still weren't sure about the camping rules (other hikers we met said they were told that it's okay to camp everywhere along the river). Leaving the NP at Lago Jeinimeni was straightforward, but it's mandatory to check out at the rangers office. The cross-country section after the road walk was a bit slow on the way up due to many bushes and hilly terrain. We found a nice trail next to the fence leading up to the puesto when going up the ridge on the Eastern side. From the puesto we took a short steep uphill after which the terrain became more open and easier to travel on. It was very windy and snowy in the mountains, which made it difficult to walk at times and it felt like the temperatures were rather low.<br /> The lagoons on the way up are filled with exciting birds (flamingos!) and guanacos are running around on the whole plain. Once reaching the plateau we headed down in a pretty straight line which was easier than the uphill until we reached the road<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> *Chile Chico has two supermarkets. Sell gas.<br /> <br /> *Cochrane is a decently sized town with three mid-range supermarkets. The largest one, which is a grocery and department store, is located adjacent to the town square. There are many lodging and restaurant options. Be sure to withdraw an ample amount of money here because most of the businesses in the next town, Villa O’Higgins, only take cash and there is no ATM.<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> <br /> *2025 / MiaimZelt<br /> Buses (starting at Terminal de buses in Chile Chico) that enable you to skip the first 7-8km of Roadwalk when hiking SoBo: <br /> Turismo Tramal. Chile Chico - Bahia Jara. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday 8:30 &amp; 16:30. WhatsApp: +56 9 7538 0178<br /> Buses Interlagos from Chile Chico to Puerto Rio Tranquilo: Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday 9:00.<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> *2023-Mar-31 to 2023-Apr-06 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Option J / Martin &amp; Helena<br /> <br /> PN Patagonia closed some sectors on the first Monday in April, so we were the last ones to get a permission and do this section ‘legally’. Be prepared for this if you want to do this part in April or later. The problem is they close Casa Del Piedra and probably won’t let you pass to that sector from Lago Jeinemeni, where the entrance stays open for longer time. Sneaking around the guards house early in the morning or just not be specific about your plans might work if needed, its very unlikely you would meet anyone on the way from the main entrance.<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT35 - RN Lago Jeinimeni]]<br /> <br /> =Images=<br /> [[file:Greater Patagonian Trail (7).jpg|left|GPT35 - RN Lago Jeinimeni]]</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT33H_(Torres_de_Avellano)&diff=119539 2025-01-12T20:51:18Z

<p>MiaimZelt: </p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;packrafting&quot;, as above):<br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD, WHAT IS ENCLOSED IN &lt;&gt; MAKES IT BLUE):<br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/nowiki&gt;.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Overview=<br /> The GPT manual has an extensive description of this route and all its options.<br /> <br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> * '''2025 Jan 4th to Jan 9th / 5.5 hiking days / SOBO / Hiking / Opt 3B, RR, Opt D &amp; E &amp; H / MiaimZelt'''<br /> <br /> This section indeed is a real gem, but also challenging. Weather was hot and sunny, too warm in my opinion. <br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> Hike up to the pass was not difficult, just take your time. <br /> 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! <br /> 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].<br /> <br /> 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 &amp; 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. <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> <br /> * '''Dec 6-11 / 03B + RR SOBO / wiiiim'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> 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 &amp; 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.<br /> Laguna la Plaza is a short/easy side trip well worth it, the North side of the pass is fast going &amp; 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.<br /> I was pleasantly surprised with the walk along the lake, it’s really different and beautiful.<br /> 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.<br /> <br /> At -46.26604, -72.41735 there is an established rock bivvy that could also fit a medium size tent.<br /> <br /> 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<br /> <br /> <br /> • '''2024-Dec-09 to 2024-Dec-10 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Opt.A + Opt.01A + Opt.01/ Julien'''<br /> <br /> Following the road to Puerto Ibáñez <br /> Just a little difficulty about finding water because most of lakes and rivers are private now.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''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'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> A few hundred meters after crossing “X {33H-05} [7.8/611]” is the last pasture with suitable camp sites. <br /> <br /> Valle Jaramillo is a very scenic side valley of Valle Miller that can be explored in one day.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Once the open terrain is reached, hikers can see the very scenic valley with some remaining smaller glaciers.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> We returned to Puerto Sanchez which is the alternative starting Point for hikers.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> <br /> * '''2024 Mar 22 to 2024 Mar 28 / 7 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR / Maddi, Tom and Jordan'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-02-23 to 2024-02-27 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / OH03B + RR + OH08 / Maggie &amp; Julian '''<br /> <br /> Trail attractiveness: 4/5;<br /> Difficulty: 3/5<br /> (keep in mind that this is our first GPT hike)<br /> <br /> Day 1: ‘GPT33H-03B start’ to (-46.2570, -72.3711):<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> Whole day was walking on roads and relatively easy to make distance.<br /> At (-46.2671, -72.3561) there was a sign reading &quot;se prohibe la entrada al predio&quot; 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.<br /> <br /> Day 2: (-46.2570, -72.3711) to Camp {33H} [52.7/953]:<br /> <br /> Large part of the day was also road walking, afterwards trails and some cross country.<br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 3: Camp {33H} [52.7/953] to Pass {33H} [62.0/1314] and back:<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 4: Camp {33H} [52.7/953] to Camp ? {33H-08} [11.6/548]:<br /> <br /> Probably hardest day in navigation, trail disappeared often, but manageable.<br /> 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.<br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Day 5: Camp ? {33H-08} [11.6/548] to ‘GPT33H-08 start’:<br /> <br /> Right after camp there was a makeshift bridge to cross the stream (tree and rope, very rickety).<br /> Trail seemed to be used and maintained on this part of option 08.<br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Notes:<br /> <br /> - RR + option 08 is a great short alternative without much backtracking.<br /> <br /> - 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.<br /> <br /> - 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<br /> <br /> * '''30/01/2024 - 01/02/2024 / 3 days, 78 km / Options 06 and 07 / Alex + Andrey'''<br /> South bound (east bound).<br /> “Mountain route”,<br /> <br /> a combination of Options 06 and 07 which are now passed and confirmed.<br /> <br /> Difficulty: Difficult/Very Difficult<br /> <br /> Most of the route is off-trail<br /> Thanks to Jan for the suggested routes and clues.<br /> Short resume:<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> The combination with a regular route allows to form a full-fledged “eight”, a trip of 6-10 days.<br /> <br /> Option 07 is a shorter, although more difficult, alternative to the regular route in case the Avellano River cannot be forded NOBO.<br /> Notes and recommendations.<br /> <br /> Option 07:<br /> <br /> All fords do not pose any significant difficulty.<br /> 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.<br /> The main difficulty on the descent is overcoming several side washouts, which are small but deep and steep canyons.<br /> <br /> Option 06:<br /> <br /> There is no water during the first 4-5 hours of ascent to the valley.<br /> 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.<br /> The predominant wind exposure makes passage from west to east highly recommended.<br /> 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.<br /> <br /> The track and additional information are here:<br /> https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/avellano-mountain-route-chilean-patagonia-160489118<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Mar-04 to 2024-Mar-08 / 4.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / OH 03B + RR + OH D + K / Joscha'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: OH33H-03B + RR [24.2-41.2]<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 2: RR [41.2-58.3] + OH33H-D + RR [61.0-63.4]<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 3: RR [63.4-93.2]<br /> <br /> I stayed inside the riverbed for the last 2.5 km of the CC&amp;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.<br /> <br /> Day 4: RR [93.2-116.3]<br /> <br /> Plenty of water along this part of the RR.<br /> <br /> Day 5: RR [116.3-119.6] + OH33H-K + RR [122.6-141.0] <br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-12 to 2024-Feb-16 / 4.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / Option 03B, RR, Variant C, E, H, K / Tomáš &amp; Natalie'''<br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;heeby jeebies&quot; 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). <br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> Nat's Notes:<br /> <br /> - For views I would prefer this NOBO. I suffered a new type of &quot;look back&quot; 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).<br /> <br /> - In the section notes for km24-45 I think what was meant was that from roughly km36-45, &quot;there are many small streams and camping spots&quot;, 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...<br /> <br /> - 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.<br /> <br /> - 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 &quot;coast is clear&quot;, 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.<br /> <br /> - Going down from the pass was no problem, like everyone says, &quot;just follow the gps&quot;. 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.<br /> <br /> - 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...<br /> <br /> - 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 &quot;makeshift&quot; 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. <br /> <br /> - Not a fan of the lakeside gate locking technique (remember how it looks before you open it;)<br /> <br /> - 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 &quot;PUDs&quot; - 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 &quot;notch&quot; in the hillside.<br /> <br /> - 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).<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-30 to 2024-Feb-4 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Yannick &amp; Nolwenn &amp; Tess &amp; Lukas'''<br /> <br /> - Trail condition : gpx easy to follow / between km 63,7 and km 68,5 we mostly stayed on the left of the river<br /> - Water : easy to find plenty of rivers and lagunas<br /> - 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<br /> - Weather : some rainy and cloudy days but overall the weather was ok<br /> - 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<br /> - 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 <br /> - 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.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''01.27.2024 / 5 days / Hiking / SoBo / RR + Option 8 to Bahía Murta / Milton Cea + 4 more'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Starting early the next day, we reached the &quot;Los puestos&quot; 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.<br /> <br /> The next day we began the crossing through the &quot;Río Resbalón&quot; 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.<br /> 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 &quot;Resbalin/Resbalón&quot; river to your right, as it is quite useful to follow its course. Always on the left side of the river.<br /> 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.<br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> The next day, after a night of intense rain, we took the official route traced from &quot;Bahía Murta&quot; at opossite direction and arrived in the town at dusk.<br /> If you want the track and the Waypoints of the journey, feel free to write to me at '''milton.1902@gmail.com''' =)<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''From 2023-01-20 to 2023-01-21 // 1,5 day // Hiking // NOBO // option 1 Valle Ibanez // Quentin Clavel'''<br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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 ! <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan- 14 to 2024-Jan-16/ 3 days/hiking/SOBO/ 33h/ 33h-b/33h-a/ 33h-P/Paulina'''<br /> <br /> 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. <br /> 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. <br /> 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). <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> I bought my ticket for ferry from Puerto Ibanez to Chile Chico without any problem 1h30 before the ferry departure. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> * '''2024-01-02 to 2024-01-07 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR &amp; Options: 03, 03B, 04C, 04 &amp; Variant E / Roman'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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 &amp; 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&amp;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 &amp; 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 &amp; 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.<br /> <br /> 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 &amp; GG managed it).<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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 &amp; 03B is in my opinion easy due to hitchhiking &amp; ou find a grop and book a lift The views are amazing at the passes. The BB is trivial. BB&amp;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.<br /> <br /> Contact: https://linktr.ee/RundW<br /> <br /> * '''2023-12-22 / 3 days / RR / SOBO / Anh'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> * '''2023-Mar-30 to 2023-Mar-31 / 1.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Option 1 / Martin &amp; Helena'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Contact: @martin_hanzelka @helenneka<br /> <br /> * '''26/02/2023 - 02/03/2023 / RR SOBO with emergency exit on a boat on Lago General Carrera / Louis, Rémi &amp; Noé :'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;camp&quot; (that we didn't find btw). Very nice there and without the clouds, the view should be incredible.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Feb-21-27 / NOBO / RR + Option 3B / Ondrej and Bara / Puerto Ibanez - Vila Cerro Castillo / 6.5 days'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> We went NOBO and on the 3rd day camped in the valley close to Maria &amp; 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> We also met Anna and Christopher going the opposite direction - really great to meet fellow hikers!<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Feb-20-24 / NOBO / RR shortend on the road sections / Zohar / Road to Levicán - Carterra Austeral / 5 days'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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<br /> <br /> * '''20.02. - 24.02.23 / Anna &amp; Christopher / SOBO, Villa Cerro Castillo - Puerto Ibáñez'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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 :)<br /> <br /> * '''11-18 February 2023 / Maks&amp;Gabi / SOBO / RR, 33H-E, 33H-H ( hichhiking from km136 to Puerto Ibanez)'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> We hitchhiked from km 136 to Puerto Ibanez. During the weekend there is only one ferry a day (Saturday morning and Sunday evening).<br /> <br /> * '''8 to 13 of February 2023 / Will / SOBO from Laguna Verde / 6 data'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> The rains never got too heavy, generally off and on light rain. The temperatures were fairly cold from the nearly constant cloud cover.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> Some of the minor streams merging into the river were tough to cross. 71.8 was up to my thighs with a strong current.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> * '''Feb 12 Direct Route SOBO 1 day Frank'''<br /> <br /> 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 &amp; 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.<br /> <br /> *Helen and Craig + (Caro and Ali)<br /> 5th-10th February NoBo&lt;- only direction to do it! So pretty!<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> -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.<br /> <br /> -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.<br /> -Phone signal from Puerto del avellano to levican<br /> -The river valleys of avellano and venti were incredibly beautiful to the south.<br /> -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)<br /> -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.<br /> -keep eyes peeled for humels! We spotted a male humel on the bushbash/cross country section and had the most amazing sighting!<br /> <br /> * '''22 to 26 of January 2023 / Véronica / GPT33H RR SOBO / via GPT33H-03B / 4.5 days'''<br /> <br /> 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<br /> <br /> 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 :)<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;check in&quot; before proceeding down the private road towards the Río Avellano valley. There is no charge.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> The initial &quot;bushbashing&quot; 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&amp;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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> RH-MR&amp;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.<br /> <br /> 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!!!<br /> <br /> * '''2023 Jan / Yannic &amp; Mirjam / Northbound'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> *GPT section 33 7 days, 84 miles, 14K ft ascent Dec. 21 to 27, 2022 David and Erika NOBO<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> *'''2022 Nov, NoBo, Option 1, Alice and Florian'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''2022 Nov / GPT33H Option 11 and Parts of Regular Route / Meylin Ubilla and Jan Dudeck'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> <br /> GPT33H/GPT34P: Northern coast of Lago General Carrera from Puerto Sanchez to Levican (packrafting and hiking)<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Given the wind conditions any packrafting attempt on Lago General Carrera requires to my opinion:<br /> <br /> - 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<br /> <br /> The predominant wind is eastbound therefore only eastbound packrafting is advisable.<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> Also, calmer conditions are more likely in the early morning just after sunrise but strong wind all night is also common.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> Packrafters should depart in north-eastern direction to compensate for a south-eastern wind drift in case wind increases.<br /> <br /> A very nice protected camp site is approximately 8 km from the recommended exit point near Puerto Tranquilo.<br /> <br /> GPT33H: Bus Levican - Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Monday and Friday only: 08:00 Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez -&gt; Levican 09:00 Levican -&gt; Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez 18:00 Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez -&gt; Levican 19:00 Levican -&gt; Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez Price: 1000 CLP<br /> <br /> Transport at other times can be arranged for a substantially higher cost (estimated 40‘000 to 60‘000 CLP per vehicle).<br /> <br /> Paty: +56 9 9506 3176<br /> <br /> Luis: +56 9 8648 4075<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> * '''2022 Feb: 10-14, SoBo, RR, Kris&amp;Stiina'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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 &amp; 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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! :)<br /> <br /> 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<br /> <br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''GPT 33H Option 4 (Puerto Cristal)/ Torres de Avellano/ Packrafting Route / 2022 Feb-4 / 7 days / Tobias Schorcht and Jonas Grünewald'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> We have to say, that this part of the GPT was challenging but absolutely worth the struggle.<br /> <br /> Disfrutas las cosas 🙏<br /> <br /> * '''NoBo, January 2022, 6.5 days, Participants: Janna &amp; Matthias'''<br /> <br /> 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 &amp; 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 &quot;Water?&quot; about 15min downstream. We had enough with us and camped sheltered from the wind between the monoculture trees (S 46.377764 W 71.922459).<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> 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<br /> <br /> ==Season 2020/21==<br /> <br /> * '''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'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: Bahia Murta to Camp #5 (Camp ? @33H-08-#005) / 11.5 km / 6 hours<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 2: Camp #5 (Camp ? @33H-08-#005) to Regular Route at Mallín Quemado (Camp ? @33H-08-#010) / 11.7 km / 8 hours<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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)<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 4: Camp #10 (Camp ? @33H-08-#010) to Camp at (-46.26244, -72.35118) / 21.6 km / 8 hours<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 5: Camp at (-46.26244, -72.35118) to Carretera Austral / 14.8 km / 4 hours<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> We are extremely grateful to Jan and all the people from wikiexplora for making this adventure possible!<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> <br /> *'''Section 33: RR(New!) from Ibáñez. Exit via Option 8 to Bahía Murta.'''<br /> Westbound. 11 days. Party (3): Mum, Sis and I.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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)<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> 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)<br /> <br /> 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 ;)<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;Resfalón&quot; 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> I hope this helps someone. Thanks!<br /> <br /> Oh! and we're back in Cochrane now and planning to be in Coyhaique in a week or so. Cheers.<br /> <br /> * '''BE AWARE THAT THE BELOW LOGS refer to Option 1 and not to the new Regular Route:'''<br /> 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.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''10 Mar 2020 / RH SOBO / Ty / 1 day'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> * '''Jan 2020 / RH Northbound / Matthieu / 2 days'''<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;Sendero de Chile&quot;. 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.<br /> <br /> * '''2019 Jan/ Olrik / Northbound'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Nov-28/ Lea Geibel/ 1 day / Northbound / Regular Hiking Route (Puerto Ibañez to Villa Cerro Castillo)'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> *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).<br /> <br /> *Several shops sell food and camping gas canisters.<br /> <br /> *Restaurants offer filling meals. <br /> <br /> *Accommodation is provided by hostels, cabañas and camp sites in these towns.<br /> <br /> *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.<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> *There is no plannable resupply along the entire Regular Route but some food may be obtained at the two homestead farms on the route.<br /> <br /> [Settler (Maria &amp; 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.<br /> <br /> [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.<br /> <br /> [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.<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> <br /> *2025 / MiaimZelt<br /> Subsidized bus between Puerto Ibañez and Levican every Monday &amp; Friday: Ibañez/levican 8:15 &amp; 17:00, Levican/ibañez 9:00 &amp; 18:00. <br /> Transportes Freddy Morales (+56 9 9506 2906)<br /> <br /> *2023 / Maks&amp;Gabi <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> *2023 / Louis, Rémi &amp; Noé :<br /> 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 <br /> <br /> *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. <br /> <br /> *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. <br /> Best Call Buses Alejandro: +56 9 7652 9546<br /> <br /> *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.<br /> <br /> *Private transport from Puerto Ingeniero Ibañez to Levicán: Anytime, Approx. 35´000 CLP<br /> Try to call Luis: +56 9 8648 4075<br /> <br /> *Combining GPT35 with GPT33H<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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<br /> <br /> 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<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> *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).<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT33H - Puerto Ibañez]]<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT33H - Torres del Avellano]]<br /> <br /> For additional information see the Wikiexplora Articles:<br /> <br /> [[Península de Levican - El Avellano]]<br /> <br /> [[Torres del Avellano]]<br /> <br /> [[Laguna La Plaza]]<br /> <br /> For more information see the Wikiexplora Article:<br /> <br /> [[Puerto Cristal]]<br /> <br /> For more information see the Wikiexplora Articles:<br /> <br /> [[Valle Miller]]<br /> <br /> [[Estero Jaramillo]]<br /> <br /> A part of this route is described in the Wikiexplora Article:<br /> <br /> [[Mirador Este de las Torres de Avellano]]<br /> <br /> =Images=</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT33H_(Torres_de_Avellano)&diff=119507 2025-01-10T17:09:42Z

<p>MiaimZelt: /* Season 2024/25 */</p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;packrafting&quot;, as above):<br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD, WHAT IS ENCLOSED IN &lt;&gt; MAKES IT BLUE):<br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/nowiki&gt;.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Overview=<br /> The GPT manual has an extensive description of this route and all its options.<br /> <br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> * '''2025 Jan 4th to Jan 9th / 5.5 hiking days / SOBO / Hiking / Opt 3B, RR, Opt D &amp; E &amp; H / MiaimZelt'''<br /> <br /> This section indeed is a real gem, but also challenging. Weather was hot and sunny, too warm in my opinion. <br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> Hike up to the pass was not difficult, just take your time. <br /> 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! <br /> 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].<br /> <br /> 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 &amp; 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. <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> <br /> * '''Dec 6-11 / 03B + RR SOBO / wiiiim'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> 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 &amp; 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.<br /> Laguna la Plaza is a short/easy side trip well worth it, the North side of the pass is fast going &amp; 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.<br /> I was pleasantly surprised with the walk along the lake, it’s really different and beautiful.<br /> 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.<br /> <br /> At -46.26604, -72.41735 there is an established rock bivvy that could also fit a medium size tent.<br /> <br /> 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<br /> <br /> <br /> • '''2024-Dec-09 to 2024-Dec-10 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Opt.A + Opt.01A + Opt.01/ Julien'''<br /> <br /> Following the road to Puerto Ibáñez <br /> Just a little difficulty about finding water because most of lakes and rivers are private now.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''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'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> A few hundred meters after crossing “X {33H-05} [7.8/611]” is the last pasture with suitable camp sites. <br /> <br /> Valle Jaramillo is a very scenic side valley of Valle Miller that can be explored in one day.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Once the open terrain is reached, hikers can see the very scenic valley with some remaining smaller glaciers.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> We returned to Puerto Sanchez which is the alternative starting Point for hikers.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> <br /> * '''2024 Mar 22 to 2024 Mar 28 / 7 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR / Maddi, Tom and Jordan'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-02-23 to 2024-02-27 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / OH03B + RR + OH08 / Maggie &amp; Julian '''<br /> <br /> Trail attractiveness: 4/5;<br /> Difficulty: 3/5<br /> (keep in mind that this is our first GPT hike)<br /> <br /> Day 1: ‘GPT33H-03B start’ to (-46.2570, -72.3711):<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> Whole day was walking on roads and relatively easy to make distance.<br /> At (-46.2671, -72.3561) there was a sign reading &quot;se prohibe la entrada al predio&quot; 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.<br /> <br /> Day 2: (-46.2570, -72.3711) to Camp {33H} [52.7/953]:<br /> <br /> Large part of the day was also road walking, afterwards trails and some cross country.<br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 3: Camp {33H} [52.7/953] to Pass {33H} [62.0/1314] and back:<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 4: Camp {33H} [52.7/953] to Camp ? {33H-08} [11.6/548]:<br /> <br /> Probably hardest day in navigation, trail disappeared often, but manageable.<br /> 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.<br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Day 5: Camp ? {33H-08} [11.6/548] to ‘GPT33H-08 start’:<br /> <br /> Right after camp there was a makeshift bridge to cross the stream (tree and rope, very rickety).<br /> Trail seemed to be used and maintained on this part of option 08.<br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Notes:<br /> <br /> - RR + option 08 is a great short alternative without much backtracking.<br /> <br /> - 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.<br /> <br /> - 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<br /> <br /> * '''30/01/2024 - 01/02/2024 / 3 days, 78 km / Options 06 and 07 / Alex + Andrey'''<br /> South bound (east bound).<br /> “Mountain route”,<br /> <br /> a combination of Options 06 and 07 which are now passed and confirmed.<br /> <br /> Difficulty: Difficult/Very Difficult<br /> <br /> Most of the route is off-trail<br /> Thanks to Jan for the suggested routes and clues.<br /> Short resume:<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> The combination with a regular route allows to form a full-fledged “eight”, a trip of 6-10 days.<br /> <br /> Option 07 is a shorter, although more difficult, alternative to the regular route in case the Avellano River cannot be forded NOBO.<br /> Notes and recommendations.<br /> <br /> Option 07:<br /> <br /> All fords do not pose any significant difficulty.<br /> 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.<br /> The main difficulty on the descent is overcoming several side washouts, which are small but deep and steep canyons.<br /> <br /> Option 06:<br /> <br /> There is no water during the first 4-5 hours of ascent to the valley.<br /> 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.<br /> The predominant wind exposure makes passage from west to east highly recommended.<br /> 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.<br /> <br /> The track and additional information are here:<br /> https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/avellano-mountain-route-chilean-patagonia-160489118<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Mar-04 to 2024-Mar-08 / 4.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / OH 03B + RR + OH D + K / Joscha'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: OH33H-03B + RR [24.2-41.2]<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 2: RR [41.2-58.3] + OH33H-D + RR [61.0-63.4]<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 3: RR [63.4-93.2]<br /> <br /> I stayed inside the riverbed for the last 2.5 km of the CC&amp;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.<br /> <br /> Day 4: RR [93.2-116.3]<br /> <br /> Plenty of water along this part of the RR.<br /> <br /> Day 5: RR [116.3-119.6] + OH33H-K + RR [122.6-141.0] <br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-12 to 2024-Feb-16 / 4.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / Option 03B, RR, Variant C, E, H, K / Tomáš &amp; Natalie'''<br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;heeby jeebies&quot; 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). <br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> Nat's Notes:<br /> <br /> - For views I would prefer this NOBO. I suffered a new type of &quot;look back&quot; 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).<br /> <br /> - In the section notes for km24-45 I think what was meant was that from roughly km36-45, &quot;there are many small streams and camping spots&quot;, 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...<br /> <br /> - 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.<br /> <br /> - 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 &quot;coast is clear&quot;, 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.<br /> <br /> - Going down from the pass was no problem, like everyone says, &quot;just follow the gps&quot;. 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.<br /> <br /> - 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...<br /> <br /> - 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 &quot;makeshift&quot; 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. <br /> <br /> - Not a fan of the lakeside gate locking technique (remember how it looks before you open it;)<br /> <br /> - 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 &quot;PUDs&quot; - 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 &quot;notch&quot; in the hillside.<br /> <br /> - 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).<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-30 to 2024-Feb-4 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Yannick &amp; Nolwenn &amp; Tess &amp; Lukas'''<br /> <br /> - Trail condition : gpx easy to follow / between km 63,7 and km 68,5 we mostly stayed on the left of the river<br /> - Water : easy to find plenty of rivers and lagunas<br /> - 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<br /> - Weather : some rainy and cloudy days but overall the weather was ok<br /> - 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<br /> - 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 <br /> - 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.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''01.27.2024 / 5 days / Hiking / SoBo / RR + Option 8 to Bahía Murta / Milton Cea + 4 more'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Starting early the next day, we reached the &quot;Los puestos&quot; 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.<br /> <br /> The next day we began the crossing through the &quot;Río Resbalón&quot; 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.<br /> 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 &quot;Resbalin/Resbalón&quot; river to your right, as it is quite useful to follow its course. Always on the left side of the river.<br /> 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.<br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> The next day, after a night of intense rain, we took the official route traced from &quot;Bahía Murta&quot; at opossite direction and arrived in the town at dusk.<br /> If you want the track and the Waypoints of the journey, feel free to write to me at '''milton.1902@gmail.com''' =)<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''From 2023-01-20 to 2023-01-21 // 1,5 day // Hiking // NOBO // option 1 Valle Ibanez // Quentin Clavel'''<br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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 ! <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan- 14 to 2024-Jan-16/ 3 days/hiking/SOBO/ 33h/ 33h-b/33h-a/ 33h-P/Paulina'''<br /> <br /> 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. <br /> 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. <br /> 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). <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> I bought my ticket for ferry from Puerto Ibanez to Chile Chico without any problem 1h30 before the ferry departure. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> * '''2024-01-02 to 2024-01-07 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR &amp; Options: 03, 03B, 04C, 04 &amp; Variant E / Roman'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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 &amp; 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&amp;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 &amp; 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 &amp; 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.<br /> <br /> 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 &amp; GG managed it).<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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 &amp; 03B is in my opinion easy due to hitchhiking &amp; ou find a grop and book a lift The views are amazing at the passes. The BB is trivial. BB&amp;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.<br /> <br /> Contact: https://linktr.ee/RundW<br /> <br /> * '''2023-12-22 / 3 days / RR / SOBO / Anh'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> * '''2023-Mar-30 to 2023-Mar-31 / 1.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Option 1 / Martin &amp; Helena'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Contact: @martin_hanzelka @helenneka<br /> <br /> * '''26/02/2023 - 02/03/2023 / RR SOBO with emergency exit on a boat on Lago General Carrera / Louis, Rémi &amp; Noé :'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;camp&quot; (that we didn't find btw). Very nice there and without the clouds, the view should be incredible.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Feb-21-27 / NOBO / RR + Option 3B / Ondrej and Bara / Puerto Ibanez - Vila Cerro Castillo / 6.5 days'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> We went NOBO and on the 3rd day camped in the valley close to Maria &amp; 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> We also met Anna and Christopher going the opposite direction - really great to meet fellow hikers!<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Feb-20-24 / NOBO / RR shortend on the road sections / Zohar / Road to Levicán - Carterra Austeral / 5 days'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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<br /> <br /> * '''20.02. - 24.02.23 / Anna &amp; Christopher / SOBO, Villa Cerro Castillo - Puerto Ibáñez'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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 :)<br /> <br /> * '''11-18 February 2023 / Maks&amp;Gabi / SOBO / RR, 33H-E, 33H-H ( hichhiking from km136 to Puerto Ibanez)'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> We hitchhiked from km 136 to Puerto Ibanez. During the weekend there is only one ferry a day (Saturday morning and Sunday evening).<br /> <br /> * '''8 to 13 of February 2023 / Will / SOBO from Laguna Verde / 6 data'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> The rains never got too heavy, generally off and on light rain. The temperatures were fairly cold from the nearly constant cloud cover.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> Some of the minor streams merging into the river were tough to cross. 71.8 was up to my thighs with a strong current.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> * '''Feb 12 Direct Route SOBO 1 day Frank'''<br /> <br /> 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 &amp; 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.<br /> <br /> *Helen and Craig + (Caro and Ali)<br /> 5th-10th February NoBo&lt;- only direction to do it! So pretty!<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> -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.<br /> <br /> -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.<br /> -Phone signal from Puerto del avellano to levican<br /> -The river valleys of avellano and venti were incredibly beautiful to the south.<br /> -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)<br /> -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.<br /> -keep eyes peeled for humels! We spotted a male humel on the bushbash/cross country section and had the most amazing sighting!<br /> <br /> * '''22 to 26 of January 2023 / Véronica / GPT33H RR SOBO / via GPT33H-03B / 4.5 days'''<br /> <br /> 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<br /> <br /> 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 :)<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;check in&quot; before proceeding down the private road towards the Río Avellano valley. There is no charge.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> The initial &quot;bushbashing&quot; 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&amp;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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> RH-MR&amp;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.<br /> <br /> 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!!!<br /> <br /> * '''2023 Jan / Yannic &amp; Mirjam / Northbound'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> *GPT section 33 7 days, 84 miles, 14K ft ascent Dec. 21 to 27, 2022 David and Erika NOBO<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> *'''2022 Nov, NoBo, Option 1, Alice and Florian'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''2022 Nov / GPT33H Option 11 and Parts of Regular Route / Meylin Ubilla and Jan Dudeck'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> <br /> GPT33H/GPT34P: Northern coast of Lago General Carrera from Puerto Sanchez to Levican (packrafting and hiking)<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Given the wind conditions any packrafting attempt on Lago General Carrera requires to my opinion:<br /> <br /> - 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<br /> <br /> The predominant wind is eastbound therefore only eastbound packrafting is advisable.<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> Also, calmer conditions are more likely in the early morning just after sunrise but strong wind all night is also common.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> Packrafters should depart in north-eastern direction to compensate for a south-eastern wind drift in case wind increases.<br /> <br /> A very nice protected camp site is approximately 8 km from the recommended exit point near Puerto Tranquilo.<br /> <br /> GPT33H: Bus Levican - Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Monday and Friday only: 08:00 Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez -&gt; Levican 09:00 Levican -&gt; Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez 18:00 Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez -&gt; Levican 19:00 Levican -&gt; Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez Price: 1000 CLP<br /> <br /> Transport at other times can be arranged for a substantially higher cost (estimated 40‘000 to 60‘000 CLP per vehicle).<br /> <br /> Paty: +56 9 9506 3176<br /> <br /> Luis: +56 9 8648 4075<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> * '''2022 Feb: 10-14, SoBo, RR, Kris&amp;Stiina'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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 &amp; 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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! :)<br /> <br /> 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<br /> <br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''GPT 33H Option 4 (Puerto Cristal)/ Torres de Avellano/ Packrafting Route / 2022 Feb-4 / 7 days / Tobias Schorcht and Jonas Grünewald'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> We have to say, that this part of the GPT was challenging but absolutely worth the struggle.<br /> <br /> Disfrutas las cosas 🙏<br /> <br /> * '''NoBo, January 2022, 6.5 days, Participants: Janna &amp; Matthias'''<br /> <br /> 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 &amp; 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 &quot;Water?&quot; about 15min downstream. We had enough with us and camped sheltered from the wind between the monoculture trees (S 46.377764 W 71.922459).<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> 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<br /> <br /> ==Season 2020/21==<br /> <br /> * '''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'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: Bahia Murta to Camp #5 (Camp ? @33H-08-#005) / 11.5 km / 6 hours<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 2: Camp #5 (Camp ? @33H-08-#005) to Regular Route at Mallín Quemado (Camp ? @33H-08-#010) / 11.7 km / 8 hours<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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)<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 4: Camp #10 (Camp ? @33H-08-#010) to Camp at (-46.26244, -72.35118) / 21.6 km / 8 hours<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 5: Camp at (-46.26244, -72.35118) to Carretera Austral / 14.8 km / 4 hours<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> We are extremely grateful to Jan and all the people from wikiexplora for making this adventure possible!<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> <br /> *'''Section 33: RR(New!) from Ibáñez. Exit via Option 8 to Bahía Murta.'''<br /> Westbound. 11 days. Party (3): Mum, Sis and I.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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)<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> 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)<br /> <br /> 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 ;)<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;Resfalón&quot; 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> I hope this helps someone. Thanks!<br /> <br /> Oh! and we're back in Cochrane now and planning to be in Coyhaique in a week or so. Cheers.<br /> <br /> * '''BE AWARE THAT THE BELOW LOGS refer to Option 1 and not to the new Regular Route:'''<br /> 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.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''10 Mar 2020 / RH SOBO / Ty / 1 day'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> * '''Jan 2020 / RH Northbound / Matthieu / 2 days'''<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;Sendero de Chile&quot;. 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.<br /> <br /> * '''2019 Jan/ Olrik / Northbound'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Nov-28/ Lea Geibel/ 1 day / Northbound / Regular Hiking Route (Puerto Ibañez to Villa Cerro Castillo)'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> *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).<br /> <br /> *Several shops sell food and camping gas canisters.<br /> <br /> *Restaurants offer filling meals. <br /> <br /> *Accommodation is provided by hostels, cabañas and camp sites in these towns.<br /> <br /> *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.<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> *There is no plannable resupply along the entire Regular Route but some food may be obtained at the two homestead farms on the route.<br /> <br /> [Settler (Maria &amp; 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.<br /> <br /> [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.<br /> <br /> [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.<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> <br /> *2023 / Maks&amp;Gabi <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> *2023 / Louis, Rémi &amp; Noé :<br /> 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 <br /> <br /> *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. <br /> <br /> *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. <br /> Best Call Buses Alejandro: +56 9 7652 9546<br /> <br /> *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.<br /> Best call Paty Bus to verify the schedule and reserve a seat: +56 9 9506 3176<br /> <br /> *Private transport from Puerto Ingeniero Ibañez to Levicán: Anytime, Approx. 35´000 CLP<br /> Try to call Luis: +56 9 8648 4075<br /> <br /> *Combining GPT35 with GPT33H<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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<br /> <br /> 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<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> *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).<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT33H - Puerto Ibañez]]<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT33H - Torres del Avellano]]<br /> <br /> For additional information see the Wikiexplora Articles:<br /> <br /> [[Península de Levican - El Avellano]]<br /> <br /> [[Torres del Avellano]]<br /> <br /> [[Laguna La Plaza]]<br /> <br /> For more information see the Wikiexplora Article:<br /> <br /> [[Puerto Cristal]]<br /> <br /> For more information see the Wikiexplora Articles:<br /> <br /> [[Valle Miller]]<br /> <br /> [[Estero Jaramillo]]<br /> <br /> A part of this route is described in the Wikiexplora Article:<br /> <br /> [[Mirador Este de las Torres de Avellano]]<br /> <br /> =Images=</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT33H_(Torres_de_Avellano)&diff=119506 2025-01-10T17:01:34Z

<p>MiaimZelt: /* Season 2024/25 */</p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;packrafting&quot;, as above):<br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD, WHAT IS ENCLOSED IN &lt;&gt; MAKES IT BLUE):<br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/nowiki&gt;.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Overview=<br /> The GPT manual has an extensive description of this route and all its options.<br /> <br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> * '''2025 Jan 4th to Jan 9th / 5.5 hiking days / SOBO / Hiking / Opt 3B, RR, Opt D &amp; E &amp; H / MiaimZelt'''<br /> <br /> This section indeed is a real gem, but also challenging. Weather was hot and sunny, too warm in my opinion. <br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> Hike up to the pass was not difficult, just take your time. <br /> 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! <br /> 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].<br /> <br /> 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 &amp; 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. <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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 small 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. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> <br /> * '''Dec 6-11 / 03B + RR SOBO / wiiiim'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> 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 &amp; 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.<br /> Laguna la Plaza is a short/easy side trip well worth it, the North side of the pass is fast going &amp; 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.<br /> I was pleasantly surprised with the walk along the lake, it’s really different and beautiful.<br /> 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.<br /> <br /> At -46.26604, -72.41735 there is an established rock bivvy that could also fit a medium size tent.<br /> <br /> 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<br /> <br /> <br /> • '''2024-Dec-09 to 2024-Dec-10 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Opt.A + Opt.01A + Opt.01/ Julien'''<br /> <br /> Following the road to Puerto Ibáñez <br /> Just a little difficulty about finding water because most of lakes and rivers are private now.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''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'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> A few hundred meters after crossing “X {33H-05} [7.8/611]” is the last pasture with suitable camp sites. <br /> <br /> Valle Jaramillo is a very scenic side valley of Valle Miller that can be explored in one day.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Once the open terrain is reached, hikers can see the very scenic valley with some remaining smaller glaciers.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> We returned to Puerto Sanchez which is the alternative starting Point for hikers.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> <br /> * '''2024 Mar 22 to 2024 Mar 28 / 7 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR / Maddi, Tom and Jordan'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-02-23 to 2024-02-27 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / OH03B + RR + OH08 / Maggie &amp; Julian '''<br /> <br /> Trail attractiveness: 4/5;<br /> Difficulty: 3/5<br /> (keep in mind that this is our first GPT hike)<br /> <br /> Day 1: ‘GPT33H-03B start’ to (-46.2570, -72.3711):<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> Whole day was walking on roads and relatively easy to make distance.<br /> At (-46.2671, -72.3561) there was a sign reading &quot;se prohibe la entrada al predio&quot; 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.<br /> <br /> Day 2: (-46.2570, -72.3711) to Camp {33H} [52.7/953]:<br /> <br /> Large part of the day was also road walking, afterwards trails and some cross country.<br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 3: Camp {33H} [52.7/953] to Pass {33H} [62.0/1314] and back:<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 4: Camp {33H} [52.7/953] to Camp ? {33H-08} [11.6/548]:<br /> <br /> Probably hardest day in navigation, trail disappeared often, but manageable.<br /> 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.<br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Day 5: Camp ? {33H-08} [11.6/548] to ‘GPT33H-08 start’:<br /> <br /> Right after camp there was a makeshift bridge to cross the stream (tree and rope, very rickety).<br /> Trail seemed to be used and maintained on this part of option 08.<br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Notes:<br /> <br /> - RR + option 08 is a great short alternative without much backtracking.<br /> <br /> - 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.<br /> <br /> - 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<br /> <br /> * '''30/01/2024 - 01/02/2024 / 3 days, 78 km / Options 06 and 07 / Alex + Andrey'''<br /> South bound (east bound).<br /> “Mountain route”,<br /> <br /> a combination of Options 06 and 07 which are now passed and confirmed.<br /> <br /> Difficulty: Difficult/Very Difficult<br /> <br /> Most of the route is off-trail<br /> Thanks to Jan for the suggested routes and clues.<br /> Short resume:<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> The combination with a regular route allows to form a full-fledged “eight”, a trip of 6-10 days.<br /> <br /> Option 07 is a shorter, although more difficult, alternative to the regular route in case the Avellano River cannot be forded NOBO.<br /> Notes and recommendations.<br /> <br /> Option 07:<br /> <br /> All fords do not pose any significant difficulty.<br /> 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.<br /> The main difficulty on the descent is overcoming several side washouts, which are small but deep and steep canyons.<br /> <br /> Option 06:<br /> <br /> There is no water during the first 4-5 hours of ascent to the valley.<br /> 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.<br /> The predominant wind exposure makes passage from west to east highly recommended.<br /> 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.<br /> <br /> The track and additional information are here:<br /> https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/avellano-mountain-route-chilean-patagonia-160489118<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Mar-04 to 2024-Mar-08 / 4.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / OH 03B + RR + OH D + K / Joscha'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: OH33H-03B + RR [24.2-41.2]<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 2: RR [41.2-58.3] + OH33H-D + RR [61.0-63.4]<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 3: RR [63.4-93.2]<br /> <br /> I stayed inside the riverbed for the last 2.5 km of the CC&amp;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.<br /> <br /> Day 4: RR [93.2-116.3]<br /> <br /> Plenty of water along this part of the RR.<br /> <br /> Day 5: RR [116.3-119.6] + OH33H-K + RR [122.6-141.0] <br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-12 to 2024-Feb-16 / 4.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / Option 03B, RR, Variant C, E, H, K / Tomáš &amp; Natalie'''<br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;heeby jeebies&quot; 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). <br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> Nat's Notes:<br /> <br /> - For views I would prefer this NOBO. I suffered a new type of &quot;look back&quot; 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).<br /> <br /> - In the section notes for km24-45 I think what was meant was that from roughly km36-45, &quot;there are many small streams and camping spots&quot;, 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...<br /> <br /> - 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.<br /> <br /> - 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 &quot;coast is clear&quot;, 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.<br /> <br /> - Going down from the pass was no problem, like everyone says, &quot;just follow the gps&quot;. 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.<br /> <br /> - 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...<br /> <br /> - 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 &quot;makeshift&quot; 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. <br /> <br /> - Not a fan of the lakeside gate locking technique (remember how it looks before you open it;)<br /> <br /> - 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 &quot;PUDs&quot; - 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 &quot;notch&quot; in the hillside.<br /> <br /> - 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).<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-30 to 2024-Feb-4 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Yannick &amp; Nolwenn &amp; Tess &amp; Lukas'''<br /> <br /> - Trail condition : gpx easy to follow / between km 63,7 and km 68,5 we mostly stayed on the left of the river<br /> - Water : easy to find plenty of rivers and lagunas<br /> - 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<br /> - Weather : some rainy and cloudy days but overall the weather was ok<br /> - 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<br /> - 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 <br /> - 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.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''01.27.2024 / 5 days / Hiking / SoBo / RR + Option 8 to Bahía Murta / Milton Cea + 4 more'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Starting early the next day, we reached the &quot;Los puestos&quot; 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.<br /> <br /> The next day we began the crossing through the &quot;Río Resbalón&quot; 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.<br /> 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 &quot;Resbalin/Resbalón&quot; river to your right, as it is quite useful to follow its course. Always on the left side of the river.<br /> 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.<br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> The next day, after a night of intense rain, we took the official route traced from &quot;Bahía Murta&quot; at opossite direction and arrived in the town at dusk.<br /> If you want the track and the Waypoints of the journey, feel free to write to me at '''milton.1902@gmail.com''' =)<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''From 2023-01-20 to 2023-01-21 // 1,5 day // Hiking // NOBO // option 1 Valle Ibanez // Quentin Clavel'''<br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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 ! <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan- 14 to 2024-Jan-16/ 3 days/hiking/SOBO/ 33h/ 33h-b/33h-a/ 33h-P/Paulina'''<br /> <br /> 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. <br /> 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. <br /> 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). <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> I bought my ticket for ferry from Puerto Ibanez to Chile Chico without any problem 1h30 before the ferry departure. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> * '''2024-01-02 to 2024-01-07 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR &amp; Options: 03, 03B, 04C, 04 &amp; Variant E / Roman'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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 &amp; 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&amp;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 &amp; 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 &amp; 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.<br /> <br /> 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 &amp; GG managed it).<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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 &amp; 03B is in my opinion easy due to hitchhiking &amp; ou find a grop and book a lift The views are amazing at the passes. The BB is trivial. BB&amp;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.<br /> <br /> Contact: https://linktr.ee/RundW<br /> <br /> * '''2023-12-22 / 3 days / RR / SOBO / Anh'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> * '''2023-Mar-30 to 2023-Mar-31 / 1.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Option 1 / Martin &amp; Helena'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Contact: @martin_hanzelka @helenneka<br /> <br /> * '''26/02/2023 - 02/03/2023 / RR SOBO with emergency exit on a boat on Lago General Carrera / Louis, Rémi &amp; Noé :'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;camp&quot; (that we didn't find btw). Very nice there and without the clouds, the view should be incredible.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Feb-21-27 / NOBO / RR + Option 3B / Ondrej and Bara / Puerto Ibanez - Vila Cerro Castillo / 6.5 days'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> We went NOBO and on the 3rd day camped in the valley close to Maria &amp; 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> We also met Anna and Christopher going the opposite direction - really great to meet fellow hikers!<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Feb-20-24 / NOBO / RR shortend on the road sections / Zohar / Road to Levicán - Carterra Austeral / 5 days'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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<br /> <br /> * '''20.02. - 24.02.23 / Anna &amp; Christopher / SOBO, Villa Cerro Castillo - Puerto Ibáñez'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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 :)<br /> <br /> * '''11-18 February 2023 / Maks&amp;Gabi / SOBO / RR, 33H-E, 33H-H ( hichhiking from km136 to Puerto Ibanez)'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> We hitchhiked from km 136 to Puerto Ibanez. During the weekend there is only one ferry a day (Saturday morning and Sunday evening).<br /> <br /> * '''8 to 13 of February 2023 / Will / SOBO from Laguna Verde / 6 data'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> The rains never got too heavy, generally off and on light rain. The temperatures were fairly cold from the nearly constant cloud cover.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> Some of the minor streams merging into the river were tough to cross. 71.8 was up to my thighs with a strong current.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> * '''Feb 12 Direct Route SOBO 1 day Frank'''<br /> <br /> 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 &amp; 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.<br /> <br /> *Helen and Craig + (Caro and Ali)<br /> 5th-10th February NoBo&lt;- only direction to do it! So pretty!<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> -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.<br /> <br /> -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.<br /> -Phone signal from Puerto del avellano to levican<br /> -The river valleys of avellano and venti were incredibly beautiful to the south.<br /> -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)<br /> -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.<br /> -keep eyes peeled for humels! We spotted a male humel on the bushbash/cross country section and had the most amazing sighting!<br /> <br /> * '''22 to 26 of January 2023 / Véronica / GPT33H RR SOBO / via GPT33H-03B / 4.5 days'''<br /> <br /> 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<br /> <br /> 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 :)<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;check in&quot; before proceeding down the private road towards the Río Avellano valley. There is no charge.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> The initial &quot;bushbashing&quot; 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&amp;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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> RH-MR&amp;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.<br /> <br /> 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!!!<br /> <br /> * '''2023 Jan / Yannic &amp; Mirjam / Northbound'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> *GPT section 33 7 days, 84 miles, 14K ft ascent Dec. 21 to 27, 2022 David and Erika NOBO<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> *'''2022 Nov, NoBo, Option 1, Alice and Florian'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''2022 Nov / GPT33H Option 11 and Parts of Regular Route / Meylin Ubilla and Jan Dudeck'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> <br /> GPT33H/GPT34P: Northern coast of Lago General Carrera from Puerto Sanchez to Levican (packrafting and hiking)<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Given the wind conditions any packrafting attempt on Lago General Carrera requires to my opinion:<br /> <br /> - 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<br /> <br /> The predominant wind is eastbound therefore only eastbound packrafting is advisable.<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> Also, calmer conditions are more likely in the early morning just after sunrise but strong wind all night is also common.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> Packrafters should depart in north-eastern direction to compensate for a south-eastern wind drift in case wind increases.<br /> <br /> A very nice protected camp site is approximately 8 km from the recommended exit point near Puerto Tranquilo.<br /> <br /> GPT33H: Bus Levican - Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Monday and Friday only: 08:00 Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez -&gt; Levican 09:00 Levican -&gt; Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez 18:00 Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez -&gt; Levican 19:00 Levican -&gt; Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez Price: 1000 CLP<br /> <br /> Transport at other times can be arranged for a substantially higher cost (estimated 40‘000 to 60‘000 CLP per vehicle).<br /> <br /> Paty: +56 9 9506 3176<br /> <br /> Luis: +56 9 8648 4075<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> * '''2022 Feb: 10-14, SoBo, RR, Kris&amp;Stiina'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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 &amp; 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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! :)<br /> <br /> 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<br /> <br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''GPT 33H Option 4 (Puerto Cristal)/ Torres de Avellano/ Packrafting Route / 2022 Feb-4 / 7 days / Tobias Schorcht and Jonas Grünewald'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> We have to say, that this part of the GPT was challenging but absolutely worth the struggle.<br /> <br /> Disfrutas las cosas 🙏<br /> <br /> * '''NoBo, January 2022, 6.5 days, Participants: Janna &amp; Matthias'''<br /> <br /> 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 &amp; 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 &quot;Water?&quot; about 15min downstream. We had enough with us and camped sheltered from the wind between the monoculture trees (S 46.377764 W 71.922459).<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> 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<br /> <br /> ==Season 2020/21==<br /> <br /> * '''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'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: Bahia Murta to Camp #5 (Camp ? @33H-08-#005) / 11.5 km / 6 hours<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 2: Camp #5 (Camp ? @33H-08-#005) to Regular Route at Mallín Quemado (Camp ? @33H-08-#010) / 11.7 km / 8 hours<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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)<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 4: Camp #10 (Camp ? @33H-08-#010) to Camp at (-46.26244, -72.35118) / 21.6 km / 8 hours<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 5: Camp at (-46.26244, -72.35118) to Carretera Austral / 14.8 km / 4 hours<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> We are extremely grateful to Jan and all the people from wikiexplora for making this adventure possible!<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> <br /> *'''Section 33: RR(New!) from Ibáñez. Exit via Option 8 to Bahía Murta.'''<br /> Westbound. 11 days. Party (3): Mum, Sis and I.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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)<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> 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)<br /> <br /> 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 ;)<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;Resfalón&quot; 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> I hope this helps someone. Thanks!<br /> <br /> Oh! and we're back in Cochrane now and planning to be in Coyhaique in a week or so. Cheers.<br /> <br /> * '''BE AWARE THAT THE BELOW LOGS refer to Option 1 and not to the new Regular Route:'''<br /> 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.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''10 Mar 2020 / RH SOBO / Ty / 1 day'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> * '''Jan 2020 / RH Northbound / Matthieu / 2 days'''<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;Sendero de Chile&quot;. 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.<br /> <br /> * '''2019 Jan/ Olrik / Northbound'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Nov-28/ Lea Geibel/ 1 day / Northbound / Regular Hiking Route (Puerto Ibañez to Villa Cerro Castillo)'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> *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).<br /> <br /> *Several shops sell food and camping gas canisters.<br /> <br /> *Restaurants offer filling meals. <br /> <br /> *Accommodation is provided by hostels, cabañas and camp sites in these towns.<br /> <br /> *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.<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> *There is no plannable resupply along the entire Regular Route but some food may be obtained at the two homestead farms on the route.<br /> <br /> [Settler (Maria &amp; 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.<br /> <br /> [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.<br /> <br /> [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.<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> <br /> *2023 / Maks&amp;Gabi <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> *2023 / Louis, Rémi &amp; Noé :<br /> 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 <br /> <br /> *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. <br /> <br /> *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. <br /> Best Call Buses Alejandro: +56 9 7652 9546<br /> <br /> *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.<br /> Best call Paty Bus to verify the schedule and reserve a seat: +56 9 9506 3176<br /> <br /> *Private transport from Puerto Ingeniero Ibañez to Levicán: Anytime, Approx. 35´000 CLP<br /> Try to call Luis: +56 9 8648 4075<br /> <br /> *Combining GPT35 with GPT33H<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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<br /> <br /> 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<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> *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).<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT33H - Puerto Ibañez]]<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT33H - Torres del Avellano]]<br /> <br /> For additional information see the Wikiexplora Articles:<br /> <br /> [[Península de Levican - El Avellano]]<br /> <br /> [[Torres del Avellano]]<br /> <br /> [[Laguna La Plaza]]<br /> <br /> For more information see the Wikiexplora Article:<br /> <br /> [[Puerto Cristal]]<br /> <br /> For more information see the Wikiexplora Articles:<br /> <br /> [[Valle Miller]]<br /> <br /> [[Estero Jaramillo]]<br /> <br /> A part of this route is described in the Wikiexplora Article:<br /> <br /> [[Mirador Este de las Torres de Avellano]]<br /> <br /> =Images=</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT33H_(Torres_de_Avellano)&diff=119505 2025-01-10T16:59:25Z

<p>MiaimZelt: </p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;packrafting&quot;, as above):<br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD, WHAT IS ENCLOSED IN &lt;&gt; MAKES IT BLUE):<br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/nowiki&gt;.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Overview=<br /> The GPT manual has an extensive description of this route and all its options.<br /> <br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> * '''2025 Jan 4th to Jan 9th / 5.5 hiking days / SOBO / Hiking / Opt 3B, RR, Opt D &amp; E &amp; H / MiaimZelt'''<br /> <br /> This section indeed is a real gem, but also challenging. Weather was hot and sunny, too warm in my opinion. <br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> Hike up to the pass was not difficult, just take your time. <br /> 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! <br /> 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].<br /> <br /> 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 &amp; 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. <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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 small 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. <br /> <br /> Day 6: The last stretch until the minor road was much easier. 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. <br /> <br /> <br /> * '''Dec 6-11 / 03B + RR SOBO / wiiiim'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> 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 &amp; 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.<br /> Laguna la Plaza is a short/easy side trip well worth it, the North side of the pass is fast going &amp; 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.<br /> I was pleasantly surprised with the walk along the lake, it’s really different and beautiful.<br /> 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.<br /> <br /> At -46.26604, -72.41735 there is an established rock bivvy that could also fit a medium size tent.<br /> <br /> 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<br /> <br /> <br /> • '''2024-Dec-09 to 2024-Dec-10 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Opt.A + Opt.01A + Opt.01/ Julien'''<br /> <br /> Following the road to Puerto Ibáñez <br /> Just a little difficulty about finding water because most of lakes and rivers are private now.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''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'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> A few hundred meters after crossing “X {33H-05} [7.8/611]” is the last pasture with suitable camp sites. <br /> <br /> Valle Jaramillo is a very scenic side valley of Valle Miller that can be explored in one day.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Once the open terrain is reached, hikers can see the very scenic valley with some remaining smaller glaciers.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> We returned to Puerto Sanchez which is the alternative starting Point for hikers.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> <br /> * '''2024 Mar 22 to 2024 Mar 28 / 7 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR / Maddi, Tom and Jordan'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-02-23 to 2024-02-27 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / OH03B + RR + OH08 / Maggie &amp; Julian '''<br /> <br /> Trail attractiveness: 4/5;<br /> Difficulty: 3/5<br /> (keep in mind that this is our first GPT hike)<br /> <br /> Day 1: ‘GPT33H-03B start’ to (-46.2570, -72.3711):<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> Whole day was walking on roads and relatively easy to make distance.<br /> At (-46.2671, -72.3561) there was a sign reading &quot;se prohibe la entrada al predio&quot; 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.<br /> <br /> Day 2: (-46.2570, -72.3711) to Camp {33H} [52.7/953]:<br /> <br /> Large part of the day was also road walking, afterwards trails and some cross country.<br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 3: Camp {33H} [52.7/953] to Pass {33H} [62.0/1314] and back:<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 4: Camp {33H} [52.7/953] to Camp ? {33H-08} [11.6/548]:<br /> <br /> Probably hardest day in navigation, trail disappeared often, but manageable.<br /> 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.<br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Day 5: Camp ? {33H-08} [11.6/548] to ‘GPT33H-08 start’:<br /> <br /> Right after camp there was a makeshift bridge to cross the stream (tree and rope, very rickety).<br /> Trail seemed to be used and maintained on this part of option 08.<br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Notes:<br /> <br /> - RR + option 08 is a great short alternative without much backtracking.<br /> <br /> - 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.<br /> <br /> - 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<br /> <br /> * '''30/01/2024 - 01/02/2024 / 3 days, 78 km / Options 06 and 07 / Alex + Andrey'''<br /> South bound (east bound).<br /> “Mountain route”,<br /> <br /> a combination of Options 06 and 07 which are now passed and confirmed.<br /> <br /> Difficulty: Difficult/Very Difficult<br /> <br /> Most of the route is off-trail<br /> Thanks to Jan for the suggested routes and clues.<br /> Short resume:<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> The combination with a regular route allows to form a full-fledged “eight”, a trip of 6-10 days.<br /> <br /> Option 07 is a shorter, although more difficult, alternative to the regular route in case the Avellano River cannot be forded NOBO.<br /> Notes and recommendations.<br /> <br /> Option 07:<br /> <br /> All fords do not pose any significant difficulty.<br /> 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.<br /> The main difficulty on the descent is overcoming several side washouts, which are small but deep and steep canyons.<br /> <br /> Option 06:<br /> <br /> There is no water during the first 4-5 hours of ascent to the valley.<br /> 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.<br /> The predominant wind exposure makes passage from west to east highly recommended.<br /> 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.<br /> <br /> The track and additional information are here:<br /> https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/avellano-mountain-route-chilean-patagonia-160489118<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Mar-04 to 2024-Mar-08 / 4.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / OH 03B + RR + OH D + K / Joscha'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: OH33H-03B + RR [24.2-41.2]<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 2: RR [41.2-58.3] + OH33H-D + RR [61.0-63.4]<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 3: RR [63.4-93.2]<br /> <br /> I stayed inside the riverbed for the last 2.5 km of the CC&amp;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.<br /> <br /> Day 4: RR [93.2-116.3]<br /> <br /> Plenty of water along this part of the RR.<br /> <br /> Day 5: RR [116.3-119.6] + OH33H-K + RR [122.6-141.0] <br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-12 to 2024-Feb-16 / 4.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / Option 03B, RR, Variant C, E, H, K / Tomáš &amp; Natalie'''<br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;heeby jeebies&quot; 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). <br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> Nat's Notes:<br /> <br /> - For views I would prefer this NOBO. I suffered a new type of &quot;look back&quot; 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).<br /> <br /> - In the section notes for km24-45 I think what was meant was that from roughly km36-45, &quot;there are many small streams and camping spots&quot;, 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...<br /> <br /> - 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.<br /> <br /> - 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 &quot;coast is clear&quot;, 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.<br /> <br /> - Going down from the pass was no problem, like everyone says, &quot;just follow the gps&quot;. 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.<br /> <br /> - 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...<br /> <br /> - 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 &quot;makeshift&quot; 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. <br /> <br /> - Not a fan of the lakeside gate locking technique (remember how it looks before you open it;)<br /> <br /> - 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 &quot;PUDs&quot; - 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 &quot;notch&quot; in the hillside.<br /> <br /> - 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).<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-30 to 2024-Feb-4 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Yannick &amp; Nolwenn &amp; Tess &amp; Lukas'''<br /> <br /> - Trail condition : gpx easy to follow / between km 63,7 and km 68,5 we mostly stayed on the left of the river<br /> - Water : easy to find plenty of rivers and lagunas<br /> - 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<br /> - Weather : some rainy and cloudy days but overall the weather was ok<br /> - 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<br /> - 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 <br /> - 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.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''01.27.2024 / 5 days / Hiking / SoBo / RR + Option 8 to Bahía Murta / Milton Cea + 4 more'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Starting early the next day, we reached the &quot;Los puestos&quot; 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.<br /> <br /> The next day we began the crossing through the &quot;Río Resbalón&quot; 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.<br /> 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 &quot;Resbalin/Resbalón&quot; river to your right, as it is quite useful to follow its course. Always on the left side of the river.<br /> 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.<br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> The next day, after a night of intense rain, we took the official route traced from &quot;Bahía Murta&quot; at opossite direction and arrived in the town at dusk.<br /> If you want the track and the Waypoints of the journey, feel free to write to me at '''milton.1902@gmail.com''' =)<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''From 2023-01-20 to 2023-01-21 // 1,5 day // Hiking // NOBO // option 1 Valle Ibanez // Quentin Clavel'''<br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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 ! <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan- 14 to 2024-Jan-16/ 3 days/hiking/SOBO/ 33h/ 33h-b/33h-a/ 33h-P/Paulina'''<br /> <br /> 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. <br /> 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. <br /> 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). <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> I bought my ticket for ferry from Puerto Ibanez to Chile Chico without any problem 1h30 before the ferry departure. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> * '''2024-01-02 to 2024-01-07 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR &amp; Options: 03, 03B, 04C, 04 &amp; Variant E / Roman'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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 &amp; 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&amp;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 &amp; 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 &amp; 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.<br /> <br /> 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 &amp; GG managed it).<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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 &amp; 03B is in my opinion easy due to hitchhiking &amp; ou find a grop and book a lift The views are amazing at the passes. The BB is trivial. BB&amp;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.<br /> <br /> Contact: https://linktr.ee/RundW<br /> <br /> * '''2023-12-22 / 3 days / RR / SOBO / Anh'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> * '''2023-Mar-30 to 2023-Mar-31 / 1.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Option 1 / Martin &amp; Helena'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Contact: @martin_hanzelka @helenneka<br /> <br /> * '''26/02/2023 - 02/03/2023 / RR SOBO with emergency exit on a boat on Lago General Carrera / Louis, Rémi &amp; Noé :'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;camp&quot; (that we didn't find btw). Very nice there and without the clouds, the view should be incredible.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Feb-21-27 / NOBO / RR + Option 3B / Ondrej and Bara / Puerto Ibanez - Vila Cerro Castillo / 6.5 days'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> We went NOBO and on the 3rd day camped in the valley close to Maria &amp; 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> We also met Anna and Christopher going the opposite direction - really great to meet fellow hikers!<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Feb-20-24 / NOBO / RR shortend on the road sections / Zohar / Road to Levicán - Carterra Austeral / 5 days'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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<br /> <br /> * '''20.02. - 24.02.23 / Anna &amp; Christopher / SOBO, Villa Cerro Castillo - Puerto Ibáñez'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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 :)<br /> <br /> * '''11-18 February 2023 / Maks&amp;Gabi / SOBO / RR, 33H-E, 33H-H ( hichhiking from km136 to Puerto Ibanez)'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> We hitchhiked from km 136 to Puerto Ibanez. During the weekend there is only one ferry a day (Saturday morning and Sunday evening).<br /> <br /> * '''8 to 13 of February 2023 / Will / SOBO from Laguna Verde / 6 data'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> The rains never got too heavy, generally off and on light rain. The temperatures were fairly cold from the nearly constant cloud cover.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> Some of the minor streams merging into the river were tough to cross. 71.8 was up to my thighs with a strong current.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> * '''Feb 12 Direct Route SOBO 1 day Frank'''<br /> <br /> 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 &amp; 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.<br /> <br /> *Helen and Craig + (Caro and Ali)<br /> 5th-10th February NoBo&lt;- only direction to do it! So pretty!<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> -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.<br /> <br /> -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.<br /> -Phone signal from Puerto del avellano to levican<br /> -The river valleys of avellano and venti were incredibly beautiful to the south.<br /> -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)<br /> -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.<br /> -keep eyes peeled for humels! We spotted a male humel on the bushbash/cross country section and had the most amazing sighting!<br /> <br /> * '''22 to 26 of January 2023 / Véronica / GPT33H RR SOBO / via GPT33H-03B / 4.5 days'''<br /> <br /> 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<br /> <br /> 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 :)<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;check in&quot; before proceeding down the private road towards the Río Avellano valley. There is no charge.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> The initial &quot;bushbashing&quot; 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&amp;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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> RH-MR&amp;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.<br /> <br /> 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!!!<br /> <br /> * '''2023 Jan / Yannic &amp; Mirjam / Northbound'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> *GPT section 33 7 days, 84 miles, 14K ft ascent Dec. 21 to 27, 2022 David and Erika NOBO<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> *'''2022 Nov, NoBo, Option 1, Alice and Florian'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''2022 Nov / GPT33H Option 11 and Parts of Regular Route / Meylin Ubilla and Jan Dudeck'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> <br /> GPT33H/GPT34P: Northern coast of Lago General Carrera from Puerto Sanchez to Levican (packrafting and hiking)<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Given the wind conditions any packrafting attempt on Lago General Carrera requires to my opinion:<br /> <br /> - 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<br /> <br /> The predominant wind is eastbound therefore only eastbound packrafting is advisable.<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> Also, calmer conditions are more likely in the early morning just after sunrise but strong wind all night is also common.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> Packrafters should depart in north-eastern direction to compensate for a south-eastern wind drift in case wind increases.<br /> <br /> A very nice protected camp site is approximately 8 km from the recommended exit point near Puerto Tranquilo.<br /> <br /> GPT33H: Bus Levican - Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Monday and Friday only: 08:00 Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez -&gt; Levican 09:00 Levican -&gt; Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez 18:00 Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez -&gt; Levican 19:00 Levican -&gt; Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez Price: 1000 CLP<br /> <br /> Transport at other times can be arranged for a substantially higher cost (estimated 40‘000 to 60‘000 CLP per vehicle).<br /> <br /> Paty: +56 9 9506 3176<br /> <br /> Luis: +56 9 8648 4075<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> * '''2022 Feb: 10-14, SoBo, RR, Kris&amp;Stiina'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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 &amp; 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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! :)<br /> <br /> 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<br /> <br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''GPT 33H Option 4 (Puerto Cristal)/ Torres de Avellano/ Packrafting Route / 2022 Feb-4 / 7 days / Tobias Schorcht and Jonas Grünewald'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> We have to say, that this part of the GPT was challenging but absolutely worth the struggle.<br /> <br /> Disfrutas las cosas 🙏<br /> <br /> * '''NoBo, January 2022, 6.5 days, Participants: Janna &amp; Matthias'''<br /> <br /> 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 &amp; 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 &quot;Water?&quot; about 15min downstream. We had enough with us and camped sheltered from the wind between the monoculture trees (S 46.377764 W 71.922459).<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> 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<br /> <br /> ==Season 2020/21==<br /> <br /> * '''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'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: Bahia Murta to Camp #5 (Camp ? @33H-08-#005) / 11.5 km / 6 hours<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 2: Camp #5 (Camp ? @33H-08-#005) to Regular Route at Mallín Quemado (Camp ? @33H-08-#010) / 11.7 km / 8 hours<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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)<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 4: Camp #10 (Camp ? @33H-08-#010) to Camp at (-46.26244, -72.35118) / 21.6 km / 8 hours<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Day 5: Camp at (-46.26244, -72.35118) to Carretera Austral / 14.8 km / 4 hours<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> We are extremely grateful to Jan and all the people from wikiexplora for making this adventure possible!<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> <br /> *'''Section 33: RR(New!) from Ibáñez. Exit via Option 8 to Bahía Murta.'''<br /> Westbound. 11 days. Party (3): Mum, Sis and I.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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)<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> 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)<br /> <br /> 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 ;)<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;Resfalón&quot; 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> I hope this helps someone. Thanks!<br /> <br /> Oh! and we're back in Cochrane now and planning to be in Coyhaique in a week or so. Cheers.<br /> <br /> * '''BE AWARE THAT THE BELOW LOGS refer to Option 1 and not to the new Regular Route:'''<br /> 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.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''10 Mar 2020 / RH SOBO / Ty / 1 day'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> * '''Jan 2020 / RH Northbound / Matthieu / 2 days'''<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;Sendero de Chile&quot;. 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.<br /> <br /> * '''2019 Jan/ Olrik / Northbound'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Nov-28/ Lea Geibel/ 1 day / Northbound / Regular Hiking Route (Puerto Ibañez to Villa Cerro Castillo)'''<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> *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).<br /> <br /> *Several shops sell food and camping gas canisters.<br /> <br /> *Restaurants offer filling meals. <br /> <br /> *Accommodation is provided by hostels, cabañas and camp sites in these towns.<br /> <br /> *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.<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> *There is no plannable resupply along the entire Regular Route but some food may be obtained at the two homestead farms on the route.<br /> <br /> [Settler (Maria &amp; 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.<br /> <br /> [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.<br /> <br /> [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.<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> <br /> *2023 / Maks&amp;Gabi <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> *2023 / Louis, Rémi &amp; Noé :<br /> 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 <br /> <br /> *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. <br /> <br /> *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. <br /> Best Call Buses Alejandro: +56 9 7652 9546<br /> <br /> *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.<br /> Best call Paty Bus to verify the schedule and reserve a seat: +56 9 9506 3176<br /> <br /> *Private transport from Puerto Ingeniero Ibañez to Levicán: Anytime, Approx. 35´000 CLP<br /> Try to call Luis: +56 9 8648 4075<br /> <br /> *Combining GPT35 with GPT33H<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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<br /> <br /> 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<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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).<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> *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).<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT33H - Puerto Ibañez]]<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT33H - Torres del Avellano]]<br /> <br /> For additional information see the Wikiexplora Articles:<br /> <br /> [[Península de Levican - El Avellano]]<br /> <br /> [[Torres del Avellano]]<br /> <br /> [[Laguna La Plaza]]<br /> <br /> For more information see the Wikiexplora Article:<br /> <br /> [[Puerto Cristal]]<br /> <br /> For more information see the Wikiexplora Articles:<br /> <br /> [[Valle Miller]]<br /> <br /> [[Estero Jaramillo]]<br /> <br /> A part of this route is described in the Wikiexplora Article:<br /> <br /> [[Mirador Este de las Torres de Avellano]]<br /> <br /> =Images=</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT32_(Cerro_Castillo)&diff=119503 2025-01-10T16:08:38Z

<p>MiaimZelt: /* Season 2024/25 */</p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;packrafting&quot;, as above):<br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD, WHAT IS ENCLOSED IN &lt;&gt; MAKES IT BLUE):<br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/nowiki&gt;.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Overview=<br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> * '''2025 Jan 2nd to Jan 4th / 2.5 hiking days / SOBO / Hiking / Opt 2 &amp; 3, RR, Var E / MiaimZelt'''<br /> <br /> A very scenic route with good maintained trails and lots of watersources. All Campings are really nice: lots of flat spaces, sheltered from the wind, toilet, benches and access to water.<br /> <br /> Day 1: Took the bus at 8 from Coyhaique to Las Horquetas. The trail from Las Horquetas is open again. Everybody has to register at the ranger kiosk. Really easy trail until Camp before the pass. Var E is beautiful and mostly hiking on a big field of rocks, marked with cairns. At pass Peñon there was still snow, but doable without microspikes. The way down is very steep. Slept at Camp El Bosque. <br /> <br /> Day 2: Can really recommend to hike up to the nameless Laguna above El Bosque. Extremely scenic lake! Also Laguna Castillo is a real gem. Stretch of big boulders above the lake, up to the pass it gets easier. Was very warm up there and had no wind. Bring water from the lake, there is none until you reach the next Camp. Way down from the Pass is very steep with lots of scree. Hiked to Camp Neozelandes, pitched my tent and did a detour to the scenic Laguna Duff. On the way up i met a lady from the Conaf, asking where i want to sleep. Inside the NP you have to use the campgrounds.<br /> <br /> Day 3: All the way down is very easy. Had to pay 28000 pesos for 3 days, price for chileans is only a little bit cheaper. Payment possible with card or cash. At -46.115013, -72.200497 there is an open gate with a sign &quot;Bienvenido a Sendero Laguna Castillo&quot;. It's in OSM, but not part of the GPT-Tracks.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2024 Dec 13th to Dec 17th / 5 hiking days / SOBO / Hiking / Opt 2, RR, Var E, Var F, Var G / Michael and Kasia'''<br /> <br /> Quick notes: A really beautiful section with amazing views. The park is open but Las Horquetas remains closed, though many people are hiking it anyway. If not going over the final pass, Var F can be used to exit without paying though it possibly involves trespassing.<br /> <br /> CAMPS:<br /> <br /> Night 1: -46.00817, -72.10413 Camping Río Turbio (official campground, easy water access, good wind protection, nice views, can have a lot of people there) <br /> <br /> Night 2: same as Night 1<br /> <br /> Night 3: -46.06419, -72.16915 Camping El Bosque (official campground, easy water access, good wind protection, fewer spots than first camp site, very few are really flat)<br /> <br /> Night 4: -46.07194, -72.18416 Camping La Tetera (technically closed campground, water access is a little way away, no really flat spots, poor wind protection, excellent views)<br /> <br /> WATER: <br /> Water was generally easy to find.<br /> <br /> Day 01 - Dec 13th<br /> <br /> We left Coyhaique around 10:30. There are buses that go that route, but we decided to hitch instead. We entered through the Opt 2 Las Horquetas route. It took us three hitches to get to the trailhead. The trailhead has a big sign that says the route is closed. I don't know if they plan to open it this season or not. At the very beginning there is an estero. There is a bridge to cross it, a little old but stable. Shortly after there is a park ranger kiosk, but it was unoccupied. Overall the trail is in good condition, easy to follow, but sometimes muddy. Beautiful views along the way. We were fortunate and had excellent weather. There are several unmarked fords in the first 16 km along Opt 2, all were easy, knee high at most. Water was generally easy to find. At the Rio Turbio campground there were around 25 other people there.<br /> <br /> Day 02 - Dec 14th<br /> <br /> We took Var E up to Laguna Glacier Peñón. It was a great side trip. The laguna is turquoise and the mountains surrounding it are very impressive. There were still snow fields on the way to the end of the track, so we didn't go all the way, but we got past the lake and to the other side. We saw two small avalanches while we were there. We also found a bird feather, we think from a condor, that was as long as my entire arm. We really enjoyed this side trip and recommend it. Water shoes could be helpful. We didn't have ours and it was possible without, but would have been easier and faster if we had had them. Important note, the whole route is essentially a field of small boulders. It does not require any scrambling, but it is slow going compared to the trail. We did this as an out-and-back and then returned to the Rio Turbio campground for a second night. One couple came around 22:00, but otherwise no one was there.<br /> <br /> Day 03 - Dec 15th<br /> <br /> We left camp around 10:00. We were ready for the Pass 43.9 and thought with only 10 km to go until Camping El Bosque we would be in camp early, but we were surprised at how challenging the day was. The first few kilometers up to the pass went fairly quickly. There was still snow on the pass, but it was at that stage where it is getting thin and you can't tell where you might fall through, so it was slow going checking our footing. The weather was great, full sun and warm, very little wind. Getting to the pass was slow but not too difficult. We stopped at the mirador for lunch and to watch the dozens of waterfalls cascade down the mountain. The descent was more challenging. It is very steep, and there was lots of scree on the way down. In one section CONAF installed a series of ropes bolted into the rocks to hold on to. Once at the bottom there was a boulder field and then a very nice forest. Amazing views of the mountains and glaciers. Camp 48.0 is a decommissioned camping area under recuperation. Camping El Bosque is at km 49.0. At Camping El Bosque there were two other couples there that night.<br /> <br /> Day 04 - Dec 16th<br /> <br /> From Camping El Bosque we took a side route up to see a lake. On Google Maps it is called Laguna Raimundo Vargas. It is not an optional on GPT, but it is visible on OSM. The lake is not visible on OSM, but it is on satellite, which is surprising because based on measurements using Gaia, it appears to be almost twice as big as Laguna Duff. The route up is marked by carens, but it is essentially CC across talus, about 1.3 km one way. The lake and the mountains are stunning. There were lots of ice floes on the lake. We sat for about 2 hours listening to the ice crack and watching avalanches fall. We highly recommend this detour if you have the time. Going in the evening might give a nicer light. We had lunch at Camping El Bosque and then hiked as far as Camping La Tetera, which is technically closed, and camped there for the night. Three other groups passed through and two other groups camped near us at La Tetera. It rained a bit in the evening.<br /> <br /> Day 05 - Dec 17th<br /> <br /> We got up very early with the plan to cross the last pass before the wind picked up. We headed up to the lookout over Laguna Castillo. About 300m of the ascent are a rock scramble which is challenging with a heavy backpack. At points we needed both hands to navigate the rocks. We were feeling exhausted from the previous days and decided not to attempt the final pass. There was no snow remaining on the final pass that we could see. We spent a few hours at the top. Lots and lots of other hikers were coming up or going through. The main trail down is very steep and had lots of loose rock on it. With heavy backpacks it was a challenge and really hard on the knees. It also took much longer than we anticipated. About two km down from the top CONAF had a tent stationed. Three guardaparques are camped there to check tickets on the way up and to radio down when people are leaving. They asked for our names. When we said we came from Las Horquetas they just said okay.<br /> We took Var F and Var G to exit the park. Var F is clearly visible from above as you descend the main trail. The route is actually in excellent condition and is very easy to follow, however in the rain we suspect it would be very muddy. We opted to take Var G which breaks off of Var F and then rejoins it later. It goes through forest and woodland, very pretty and potentially campable in places. There were also a few places where we found water. About 2.8 km into Var F there is a sign facing downhill that says No Accesso CONAF. About 1.3 km before the road there was a gate we had to jump. 300m before the final gate we descended a hill and there were a couple buildings there. One was a baño for what looked like paid camp sites (there were picnic tables around) and one was probably a rental cabaña. We passed through two more gates that were open. At the road, the final gate was secured with a chain, but it was easy to open. On the fence outside the gate and on a second gate that was padlocked shut were two signs saying in English and Spanish “No Trespassing, Private Property”. There was also a small kiosk that looked like it could have been a ticket booth just outside the gate, but no one was in it. It is unclear if the no trespassing signs referred to the property we passed through or to a neighboring property. We didn't see anyone so we didn't have any issues, but it's something to be aware of if you leave along this route. Due to the clear no trespassing signs, the no access sign as you enter the park and the park guards near the top, I would only recommend using Var F to exit the park, not to enter it.<br /> <br /> <br /> • * '''2024-Dec-05 to 2024-Dec-06 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / MR + Opt.N + Opt.M + Opt.01/ Julien'''<br /> <br /> Start on main road very well for entry exit private fields.<br /> Same for option N and M.<br /> I had to take option 01 because I had bad weather... Option 01 is announced in TL but I think it would be better to validate it in TL+BB because I had BB on 6km with no path and many trees still on the path that I had to go around.<br /> Also watch out for the Rio Blanco, where the final crossing is still mandatory, the current was quite strong despite being in December.<br /> For the climb to Cerro Castillo from Villa Cerro Castillo I asked locals people, the passage by option F would no longer be possible because the owner of the field through which we could pass would have closed his ground to visitors. So I went through the main entrance (18000 pesos) with checkpoint entrance and when you go out, you will have my layout on the next edition of the GPT I think.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Mar-30 to 2024-Apr-02 / 3.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / Var M + RR + Var C + Var E/ Maddi and Tom'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: We got the public bus at 8am from Coyhaique to Villa Frei (600CLP) then started walking along the road towards Lago Monreal. Got a short hitch for about 5km, then walking again in light rain. Got a second hitch with a lovely couple who own a property right on Lago Monreal - they even had a key for the locked gate with cameras and drove us right up to the trailhead. As we started hiking up into the mountains the snow started to come down fairly heavily. Sheltered under a rock where some people must camp for lunch and was able to get water from a few sources along here. Stopped snowing so we took Var C, definitely recommend, amazing views over the lakes and would be an awesome spot to camp. Started on the sketchy traverse, problem for us was it was all under about half a metre of fresh snow, on top of a layer of very slippery ice. Luckily we wear hiking boots with deep tread so had fairly good grip even without microspikes. Hiking poles were lifesavers. Issues started with the descriptions of getting around the various gullies - they described using grass to climb up but for us everything was just white!!. Tom had a terrifying slip and slide 5m towards the cliff edge before arresting with his elbow and chin - his hiking poles had chosen this exact section to break so he was doing it without even poles. After this we backed down off the climb over the gully but in the end just had to go for it. I ended up carving steps out of the snow with my hands and packing the snow down so Tom could follow me up, and giving him one of my poles. If the snow hadn’t have been so fresh I think we would have had to turn around. I wish I could say it got better but as we started to head down into the valley we began to hit waist deep snow drifts. We were planning to camp here like others had but the snow was just too deep and we were worried about the cold so we decided to try to get over the pass and down into the forest for cover. Absolute battle wading through the snow, took turns breaking trail. Couldn’t see the river and unfortunately fell all the way through the snow and got my feet wet. Pass itself fairly easy to get over and then lots of shoe skiing down the other side. Dark fell as we got to the forest edge. Got confused by the GPX as it takes you right to the edge of a massive cliff - not great in the dark. Used other peoples notes and managed to find the trail on the other side of the river then just kept powering on until we found a clear spot on the old disused road at about (-45.98519,-72.10097). Collapsed into bed after a quick dinner at about 10pm - definitely the hardest day we’ve done on the whole GPT. Really wouldn’t recommend doing this section after heavy snow unless you have microspikes and probably an ice axe. Excellent navigation skills also a must due to lack of landmarks in the snow.<br /> <br /> Day 2: Woke up to frozen solid pants and shoes - it had dropped to -8 degrees overnight and was still -4 in the morning. After much smashing of our shoes and socks on rocks so we could put them on, we packed up the tent and headed off towards the tourist track. Passed Segundo camp, no one in sight. Finally thawing out when the sun came out. Took Var E up to the glacier - super long trip on rocky scree, worth going up to the lake but don’t go beyond like we did. Kept going along regular route after detour. Fair bit of snow on the pass, had to be very careful coming down as it was icy and windswept. Saw first glimpses of Cerro Castillo from behind. Camped at the old campsite just before El Bosque - still hadn’t seen anyone on the entire trail.<br /> <br /> Day 3: Did the side trip up to the Laguna behind the El Bosque campsite. Headed up to the main Laguna Castillo and was nearly blown off our feet as we came over the ridge. Hid behind a boulder for lunch while we assessed whether to bail down the mountain or attempt the high pass in the winds. As we ate they seemed to die off slightly so we legged it up the mountain. Awesome views over Villa Cerro Castillo and we could see back to the Torres del Avellano. As we hit the top of the pass the wind started to pick up again. We had to hide behind boulders between gusts and then sprint to the next one to avoid being blown off the mountain. Tricky coming down the pass in the high winds as the scree was pretty loose and very exposed to the wind. Eventually made it down and to Porteadores. Decided to head up to Neozelandés so we could go up to Laguna Duff in the morning. A few people were camped here - first people we had seen on the trail!<br /> <br /> Day 4: Plans to visit Laguna Duff were foiled as we woke up to heavy snow fall. Forecast was for even more snow so cut our losses and headed down. Visibility was terrible but passed several tour groups heading up the trail. Tried to avoid the park rangers but when we thought we were home free a guy in a Ute pulled us up as we were walking along the road towards Villa Cerro Castillo and asked where we were coming from. Took us back to the office and made us pay. Awesome section, snow and wind made it challenging but was great to have it all to ourselves until the last day.<br /> <br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''2024-Feb-16 to 2024-Feb-21 / 5.5 days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Lauren &amp; Seb'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> <br /> Day 1: After taking an Uber from Coyhaique to Villa Frei, we combined a couple of hitchhikes to wp X, Settler {31P-01} [0.0+0.3/310] and hiked to wp Lake {32} [33.6/338] to the put-in. We crossed Lago Desierto with good tail wind and camped at wp Lake {32} [38.3/337] which can get gusty on a rainy night.<br /> <br /> Day 2: We started paddling Lago Azul the next morning and very much enjoyed the pristine blue waters. The waves built up increasingly towards the shore so keep an eye out for a calmer landing spot. We then walked through a manicured garden, passing by an impressive private hacienda. The mountain bike tracks in the valley behind the hacienda are easy to walk with great views of Lago Azul and Lago La Paloma. We made camp at wp Camp {32} [52.4/713].<br /> <br /> Day 3: The next day, we were mentally gearing up for the BB section indicated in the files. *Note: We later found out there is no BB, in our opinion, as the actual 4wd track continues all the way until the END of RP-BB-A {32} [55.9+1.2]. After that, there is also no BB- only a 1.5 km walk along the river bank and through swamp land (CC would be a more accurate labelling for this part). We were very grateful for Tom’s advice to keep our fording footwear on after the fording just before the landslide. The swamp was much easier to navigate with our crocs. The rest of the way until the official Cerro Castillo trail is easy 4wd track, sometimes a bit overgrown. We decided to follow towards the southwest at wp GPT32-D, into the short BB and CC. The BB is not really BB, as shrubs are only hip high and easy to navigate. After that we joined the main trail and camped at Segundo Camping. We saw mice running around so it’s definitely advisable to hang your food on a tree if you don’t want these critters chewing through your tent.<br /> <br /> Days 4-6: After 3 days of not seeing anyone, it was a jarring contrast to meet numerous hikers on this popular stretch. Followed the scenic and easy RR until Villa Cerro Castillo, with an overnight stay at Camping Neozelandés to visit Laguna Duff. We exited the NP over a fence by following the RR and caught a hitchhike to town by noon.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-11 to 2024-Feb-14 / 3.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / Var M + RR + Var C + Opt03 / Matthias'''<br /> Day 1: (El Blanco -) Lago Monreal - valley after the traverse (km 31, 1200m). <br /> Stayed in the camping Las Confluencias (very nice people and place) in El Blanco (on ruta 7). The owner drove me to the Lago Monreal in the morning. He dropped me off right in front of the gate with camera on Var M and said: “This is the (only) way. Climb over the fence”. I did not encounter any problems, and the MR does not pass in sight of any housing. <br /> The traverse (km28-km30): You cross some steep slopes of scree and later of grass and shrubs, with some stretches where you´d better not fall. I´d recommend using microspikes if you carry for ease and safety. You do not really have to climb though. Going SOBO the route was not clear to me at the last rock (50m) before the track descends to the valley floor. Don´t try to climb over it (though there are traces of attempts), you can pass below, there is only 2m of bush-bashing through some trees, then you are on a path again.<br /> The camp in the valley was cold and very windy. <br /> <br /> Day 2: RR to Camp El Bosque<br /> Once you reach the official trail in NP, the path is relatively easy and always clear. From the camp El Bosque there is a path to a Laguna (20-30min) marked by cairns, it starts passing the toilet of the camp. There are nice views up there.<br /> Camping La Tetera (km 50.5) is officially closed for recuperation, so I did not camp there.<br /> <br /> Day 3+4: RR + Opt03<br /> At the very eastern end of Laguna Duff, there is a sheltered camp for 1 tent. With good weather a nice option.<br /> On the way down I explored the trail which is on OSM (leaves RR ca. at km 59). You pass through some gates and past the settler and the trail reaches RR just where the guardaparques are.<br /> Bought some gas from the friendly guardaparques. Hiked all the way to Cerro Castillo around noon.<br /> Stayed there in Hostal Cerro Castillo, which was the (good) recommendation of the park rangers.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Mar-01 to 2024-Mar-03 / 2.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / OH 02 + D + RR + OH E + 03 / Joscha'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: OH32-02 + OH32-D [1.0-2.6] + RR [38.8-39.6]<br /> <br /> I hitched from Puerto Chacabuco to Las Horquetas and startet there around noon. After 700 m on OH32-02 you pass by a ranger hut. You have to sign in and you will get a short explanation about the trail. You don't have to pay here, but they tell you that you will pay when leaving the park. There is plenty of water on OH32-02. I camped at Camping Rio Turbio (Segundo) at km 39.6 of RR.<br /> <br /> Day 2: RR [39.6-41.3] + OH32-E [0.0-1.6] to Laguna Glaciar Penon and back + RR [41.3-56.6] + OH32-03 [0.0-3.6]<br /> <br /> Laguna Glaciar Penon is worth the short detour on OH32-E. I crossed a bunch of small streams around the pass at km 43.9. There is some ice on top of the pass but its not very steep and therefore relatively easy to walk over it. There is no water between Laguna Cerro Castillo (km 50.9) and Camping Porteadores (at beginning of OH32-03). I camped at Camping Neozelandes.<br /> <br /> Day 3: OH32-03 to Laguna Duff and back to RR + RR [56.6-66.9]<br /> <br /> Laguna Duff is nice. I hiked there early in the morning and therefore had the whole place for myself. About 400 m before the RR joins the minor road (km 60.6) the RR branches off the official hiking trail and avoids the park entrance. You have to hop a fence to get on the minor road but therefore you don't pay the 15000 Pesos for hiking in the park.<br /> <br /> The nacional park has 4 official campgrounds (at km 39.6 and 48.9 of RR and the two marked camps on OH32-03). You are only allowed to camp at those sites. <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-23 to 2024-Feb-25 / 3 days / Hiking / SOBO / {32-M} - RR - {32-C} -RR / Lilian &amp; Rainbow'''<br /> <br /> Bus from Coyhaique to Villa Frei :<br /> <br /> Monday to Friday(8.15am, 3.30pm, 5.30pm, 7.30pm) , Saturday(8am, 2pm), i forget the fee, it is less than 1000 CLP. It takes about 35-40 minutes and it turns back to Coyhaique with no waiting. The sign on the bus doesn't write Villa Frei, it said Valle Simpson, (and final stop is Villa Frei.)<br /> <br /> Bus terminal in Coyhaique : (-45.58226, -72.07800)<br /> <br /> Bus stop in Villa Frei : (-45.75139, -72.11226)<br /> <br /> Resupply in Coyhaique:<br /> <br /> I sent a resupply box(shoes and socks) to Patagon Backpacker(hostel) in Coyhaique from Santiago some months before, they are super friendly and willing to hold my box until i arrive. You can contact them by email, they are good at speaking English, also know lot around Coyhaique.<br /> <br /> If you want to buy some warm clothes, some shops in Coyhaique. North Face and Patagonia is there, but expensive. Some clothes in Patagonia are on sale but not for hiking or not much use, lot clothes but full price, ya. North Face's staff is much friendly, and lot items on sale too, but rainproof is full price. They have tents for sale too.<br /> <br /> Good clothes is cheaper with discount, 230g gas canisters and sleeping pad at Suray Montana, friendly and not crowded. I bught a fleece jacket at here.<br /> <br /> Doite have the cheapest price sporty clothes, just beside North Face. I bught a good base layer here.<br /> <br /> Lot of supermarkets in Coyhaique. I resupply at Unimarc.<br /> <br /> They are all close to the plaza, all the shops i listed can search by Google Map.<br /> <br /> Because i just have 3 days good weather, so I don't want to do any road walking, i talk the bus to Villa Frei, then hitch to (-45.86204, -72.04816) start hiking.<br /> <br /> Locked gate and camera at {32-m} km2.33, I didn't want to take long time go with big around so i climbed it directly, didn't see any people on the whole way, so doesn't matter.<br /> <br /> RR km23.3 : cross a stream, log crossing at downstream 20m, you can go through the tiny forest to there.<br /> <br /> Km23.63 : flat spot(-45.90969, -72.05767) with some protection after a stream crossing can fit 2 tents before go into the no covers grassland.<br /> <br /> Highly recommend go for {32-C}, both ways just 10min, amazing views and a camping spot can fit 1 tent with excellent view at (-45.90744, -72.07668), but no wind protection.<br /> <br /> Km 26.63 : flat spot (-45.92066, -72.07543) can fit 2 tents with good wind protection from west by bushes.<br /> <br /> Km27.75 : old camping sandy spot(-45.92915, -72.07549) can fit 4 tents with some wind protection from west, just before the dangerous CC. I think the previous one is better.<br /> <br /> Km27.9 - km29.95 : dangerous CC traversing on side hill. A slide may cause a fall with heavy injure or death. It is doable but not recommended to everyone. Doing this part only in good weather.<br /> <br /> Km28.3 - km28.35 : for me, it is the most dangerous part in this CC, some landslide(-45.93359, -72.07668) and very loose, i can't hold a good pose and slipped down some meters, luckily i can use my hiking poles to stop the slide immediately.<br /> <br /> Km29.3 : tricky spot(-45.93822, -72.08632), huge thank you for Véronica, her comments made this much easier. Just like she said, &quot;You reach the end of the bad scree and end up in a deep gully with a vertical wall face on the other side.&quot; <br /> <br /> &quot;Get to the lowest grassy patch to the left of the vertical rock wall. The easiest way to reach that grassy patch was to go upstream a bit, then traverse on the hard slippery sand northward, instead of trying to climb vertically straight up to it. Once you reach the grass, you can use the traction and stability of vegetation to clamber up and out of the gully.&quot;<br /> <br /> Km29.55 : 1st rock wall, go around it with a clear trail at downhill side(-45.93818, -72.08940), GPX track is correct at here.<br /> <br /> Km29.7 : 2nd rock wall, NO CLIMBING, NO SCRAMBLING here, there is a trail JUST WALKING at (-45.93864, -72.09126), overgrown but just 20m easy BB, the trail is between rock wall and treeline, Sobo not easy to notice, but when you are going around the rock wall, then you'll find it. Nobo is easy to reach the trail at the other side. GPX track leads you to climb, it is not a good idea, a slide in climbing at here will mostly cause death.<br /> <br /> After 2nd rock wall, finally CC down to the valley and easy walking start.<br /> <br /> Lot of camping possibilities at the valley, but zero wind protection. Better camping before pass[32.5/1385], because after the pass is super rocky, pass is a large flat area, but too soft to camp.<br /> <br /> I camped at (-45.94901, -72.09962), some flat spots, beside the waterfall from Cerro Aislado. Nice views but cold. It is the first night with negative degree so far. Some water froze to ice at early morning around here.<br /> <br /> After pass[32.5/1385], you walking down at another valley, but with some cairns to follow. <br /> <br /> Km33.5 : trail starts, with some big cairns along it. It leads you all the way to treeline at km34.2. Sometimes it is not clear to follow and lost, but you will always find it if you pay tons of attention, cairns leads you the way.<br /> <br /> The trailhead at km34.2 is a little tricky. You need to climb up a little on a rocky slope after you cross the stream to (-45.97307, -72.10268), then go into the forest to south a little, you'll find a steep loose rocky slope going down again, go for it and you can hold some trees there. Then you join the old trail shown on GPX going south. Don't think about go to the trailhead(-45.97343, -72.10281) directly, it is on a waterfall, you can't arrive there.<br /> <br /> The old trail is in good condition for a while, then become overgrown and some blowdowns. For emergency, you can camp at (-45.97898, -72.10345), it is the first flat spot for Sobo in treeline with cover (the last one for Nobo). It can fit 2 single person tent.<br /> <br /> Lot of tiny stream flowing with clear water.<br /> <br /> When you met the rock river(-45.98185, -72.10091) at km35.33, you can CC down the river and join MR at (-45.98357, -72.10284), it is a super easy CC, not steep, no blowdowns, no wet feet, rocks are stable and not slippery.<br /> <br /> When you arrive MR, easy walking again. A gate locked by wire at km37.1, climbing over it is the fastest way.<br /> <br /> Km38.1 : start BB to riverside, but i think it is a CC, the grass just up to ankle only.<br /> <br /> I find a clear trail(-46.00113, -72.09460) without any blowdowns going south, and lead you to riverside at (-46.00216, -72.09530), then you can walk beside the river and join national park trail.<br /> <br /> National park trail is in a nice condition, nothing to mention. Some snow before and after pass[43.9/1470], but still an easy walking on snow.<br /> <br /> Km46.1 : camping spot at (-46.05228, -72.14549), it is cleared out all the stone by someone here, can fit 1 tent with excellent 360° views, but no wind protection.<br /> <br /> I camped beside the lake(-46.05780, -72.15969) for the second night, excellent spots with glacier views(you are just below it!) and views of Cerro Castillo! Peaceful and not crowded, I'm the only human there with some ducks, and they love to talking in the midnight. You can reach the lake starts at (-46.06176, -72.15672), easy walking beside a stream, all the way stay on east side and dry feet, BB less than 20 meters for total and mostly just easy CC.<br /> <br /> Km48.85 : Campsite El Bosque. Side trail to a lake under glacier at north. It is a long walk, but i highly recommend you at least take the trail go out the forest, amazing views there, both ways just 300m.<br /> <br /> Km49.95 : viewpoint of waterfall from Cerro Castillo. And i find that you can climb up to the top of waterfall! See the details at next waypoint.<br /> <br /> Km50.2 : you can climbing up this ridge to the UPPER LAKE of Cerro Castillo. From (-46.06989, -72.18148) to (-46.06905, -72.18500), then to (-46.06627, -72.18497). No trail, just CC on some rocks, stable and not steep until close to the top, the top part is steep and loose, at there you can go to right side a little bit, climbing up on grassy slope for final ascend. Amazing views there, and no camping, because the ground is too soft, but cow boy camping on huge rocks is wonderful at this place.<br /> <br /> I recorded this CC, will upload it later.<br /> <br /> Camp[50.5/1243] : Campsite La Tetera, not a good camping spot, some spots much better when you climbing up and before Laguna Castillo.<br /> <br /> After you enjoy the moment at Laguna Castillo, remember follow RR, check GPX track, dont follow the trail going beside the lake, it is a dead end trail, and if you dont want to all the way back, you can CC climbing up to join RR.<br /> <br /> Pass[53.5/1679] : excellent views here! If you are super thirsty, clear water is flowing good at (-46.07749, -72.20888), easy to collect, 10sec/L.<br /> <br /> Then all the way down to Campsite Los Porteadores, a long long way going down.<br /> <br /> Because of weather changing, so i didn't go up to Laguna Duff.<br /> <br /> Walking on a nice trail to main road, then all the way road walking to Villa Cerro Castillo.<br /> <br /> Lot of restaurants, shops and accomodation in Villa Cerro Castillo. The shop(-46.12072, -72.16115) beside the main road is the biggest one in town. Lot of biker riding, hikers and backpackers hitching on the road. Tall gas canisters and 230g gas canisters are sold in Copec gas station at (-46.12208, -72.16279) in high stock. We stayed at Nordic Patagonia(-46.12142, -72.15889), 15k CLP for a bed, 45k CLP for a double room, 8k CLP for camping with views of Cerro Castillo, including hot shower and kitchen basecamp.<br /> <br /> Maybe because of late season, never saw any flies at this section.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-10 to 2024-Feb-13 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / Las Horquetas and Lagunitas / Andrew'''<br /> <br /> Day 1 (slept at Rio Turbio)<br /> <br /> I started in Villa Cerro Castillo and hitched a ride to Las Horquetas. I left a bag at the Nordic Patagonia campground in town, it's free if you stay a night after, or CLP 1.000/day if not.<br /> <br /> Signed in at the CONAF station where the park ranger explained the official camps that are currently open, and advised not to drink unfiltered/untreated water between Rio Turbio camp to just before El Bosque camp. But others I talked to later in the hike didn't get the same message and seemed fine so not sure what was up there.<br /> <br /> Easy hike to Rio Turbio camp with some horseflies.<br /> <br /> Day 2 (slept at El Bosque)<br /> <br /> This day was my punishment for deciding to leave behind my fleece at the last moment. Cold and rainy as I went over Penon pass, but at least I got to test out my new rain jacket and rain pants. At least it wasn't very windy. Great views of waterfalls after the pass, and the rest of the day was sunny.<br /> <br /> Camped at El Bosque. Difficult but short day. Worth taking the side trail to Laguna Temprana after setting up camp.<br /> <br /> Day 3 (slept at Neozelandes)<br /> <br /> Lots of scrambling over rocks. Great panoramic views as we went over Morro Negro. As developed campsites go I think Porteadores was actually a bit nicer than Neozelandes, but Neozelandes is much crowded and puts you closer to Laguna Duff.<br /> <br /> Day 4 (back to Villa Cerro Castillo)<br /> <br /> In the morning I hiked to Laguna Duff, best scenary on the Las Horquatas section of the hike IMO, do not miss this. Afterwards I hiked back to Neozelandes, packed my stuff, and hiked back to the Villa. All downhill. Paid the CLP 16.000 fee at the Estero Parada CONAF station, then hitched a ride back (around 3pm). Had some good pizza and beers with some folks I met on the hike at Pizzeria y Hamburgueseria D-Lizia in VCC.<br /> <br /> * '''10-Feb-2024 / Hiking / SOBO / 4 days / RR + Option B (attempted) / Ella &amp; Cristopher'''<br /> Day 1, we walked through the sections of private property without running into anyone, but met other local hikers a bit afterwards who said they have previously had problems with one of the landowners on the route we took, and that he has now installed cameras. Got to the section with the traverse and attempted to take Option B - definitely do not recommend this option. It took us about 2 hours to walk less than a mile on the super steep and loose dirt/skree. Multiple dangerous moments. Part of this option also seems to pass through dense forest which looked difficult to bushwhack, but we didn't make it that far before turning back as it was getting late with no end in sight. We camped right at the beginning of Option B, where there is a flatter patch and stream that you can walk down to. It was a good view, but we realized later that a better and equally beautiful place to camp would have been where the land plateaus a bit and there are multiple small streams, on the RR about a km after you pass the start of Option B. Day 2, we woke up to super windy and rainy conditions, and waited for it to clear until about 3 pm before starting the traverse. The RR turned out to be a relatively safer route than Option B, though we were still glad we waited for the bad weather to pass before attempting. Followed advice from Veronica at the difficult parts, which worked well for us. Definitely budget extra time for this stretch. Camped right after the traverse when it drops down to the river, which you follow to cross the first pass. The area doesn't get a lot of sun so it was really cold at night, but still a nice place to camp with flat spots and a river. Day 3, trail before uniting with the CONAF area was difficult to follow at points and slow because you are walking a lot on loose rocks. We were very confused when reaching a waterfall with no visible trail, but a few cairns about. Following advice from Will, we crossed the river just before the waterfall to go up the left side of the valley. Climb through the trees and then cross a few meters of steep loose dirt/skree, and you should be able to see where the trail then continues in the forest. Some bushwhacking after this but relatively easy to follow GPS track until linking with the CONAF Las Horquetas trail. Camped in El Bosque Camping which had a toilet but no water tap (though there is a river close by). Day 4, relatively easy and super beautiful walking all day. We took the RR all the way to the road, which does in fact avoid the CONAF checkpoint so we never had to pay. Ran into other hikers who said CONAF is only charging when you leave the park. Got very lucky with a hitch to Villa Cerro Castillo, but I would not count on it and the road gets a lot of sun and I didn't see a water source. Bus from Villa Cerro Castillo leaves at 6 pm and goes to Coyhaique for 9.000.<br /> <br /> Feb 2023 Frank<br /> There is no need for any rock climbing on this route. After the gully where you climb out on grass (described by Veronica) there are two rock bands running perpendicular to the route. You can go below both of them &amp; bypass them at treeline.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-8 to 2024-Feb-11 / 3.25 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR from El Blanco and Lago Monreal + Variant M + Option 3 / Tomáš &amp; Natalie'''<br /> <br /> We started around 1500 at Coyhaique and easily hitched to El Blanco. We hitched with three cars (last went to Lago Paloma) and walked about four km in between them along Lago Monreal to Variant M. The sign against hikers scared us and it was late (1930), so we camped nearby (100 m along the fence westward). We reread other reports and decided to go for it in the morning. We first tried to go along a fence lining a small cliff about 100 metres west of the road, but it is pointless and we found ourselves on the road after a few hundred metres. We did not meet anyone. It is easy to miss RR and start on option 1, keep an eye on the GPS. We met black cows at the same place as Stiina, but they just looked omniously at us.<br /> <br /> As for the dangerous part, Tomáš ended up doing it three times as he dropped our tent poles from his backpack just before the start of the CC section. Unlike Nat (see below), he thinks the section is quite ok and he also found it quite scenic, especially the first part over the plateau. The annoying clambering is in fact only about two km long and can be done in about an hour if you know the way. It never felt dangerous to him, but he understands others see it differently. It is certainly more demanding than the average section of GPT. The description of Véronica is the best. The last obstacle (the boulder) is not entirely vertical (it feels like scrambling, not climbing), but you do need to use your hands and it is indeed exposed, down climbing NOBO is more awkward. On the other hand, it is only about seven metres distance (not elevation). We had sunny skies, in worse weather it would be a lot more annoying. The horseflies came back from the dead and died by the dozen under our merciless hands (Nat killed three accidentally just as she tied her hair back).<br /> <br /> At the end of CC after the pass, the trailhead is invisible (45.9731564S, 72.1026797W). It starts in the trees immediately from the river, about 10 m above the start of the waterfall in between two landslide/avalanche bands. Will comments that the GPX trail is exact, but since we are used to the GPX being slightly off, we could not see it, I guess we should have just trusted the GPX. There is a cairn in the creek marking the entrance but it is unclear how long it will stay there. Once you reach the overgrown MR, after a hundred metres of easy BB, one can cut the first zigzag straight down through easily passable mature forest. Once down on the road, you can camp on it, it is not used by cars ever. Once you reach the CC at 60.9, do not ford but stay on that side of the river!<br /> <br /> In the popular part of the hike, people concentrate at campings, but otherwise it does not feel too crowded (less than two dozen people met on the trails themselves per day). Until nine and from about five, you will meet almost nobody on the trails. The park is very attractive. There is good internet (Entel 4g) just before the pass at 53.5. From the other side, there is a sign saying the pass closes down in strong winds. Probably better to go there in the morning (weaker wind) or late (after six) in the afternoon (rangers have probably gone home) unless the weather is good. The sign where they turn people is probably at about 1250 altitude at roughly the treeline.<br /> <br /> To avoid paying, Nat followed the RR and was succesfull (OSM is wrong, the official trail is to the east of the GPT in the last few hundred metres). Tomáš followed the easternmost OSM trail that leaves the RR at roughly 480 altitude. The trail is rather imaginary, but it is easy walking across meadows or rarely through open forest and across several fences. His efforts were probably pointless. Tomáš also wanted to cut the walk to Villa Cerro Castillo and forded Estero El Bosque, but it was equally pointless and involved several fences.<br /> <br /> We found screwable gas cartridges in Villa Castillo at the supermarket &quot;Villarica&quot;, the last supermarket on the corner of - Bernardo Higgins and Bernardo a Alessandro, I think. They said they have them sometimes. There was a blackout for five hours during our stay but locals said that is not so common.<br /> <br /> Notes from Nat:<br /> <br /> - When in Coyhaique be sure to enjoy the bread and pizza shop called; La Tranquera Pan y Pizza (just North of the main plaza). It has a great selection of sourdough breads/Rye/whole-wheat loafs, cookies, real coffee and tasty pizza slices. ALSO don't miss the dry good store; Envasadora Aysen (45.57016° S, 72.06883° W), the good veg shop here (45.57730° S, 72.07038° W) and then the Unimarc is actually pretty good. <br /> <br /> - My views are prejudiced against the beginning of this route bcs I was sick and not in a good mood but my thoughts at the time were; &quot;If you want to &quot;enjoy&quot; section 32 then take the Las Horquetas option&quot;. I really didn't like all the sidehilling and felt you wouldn't miss out on much if you started at Horquetas. Also don't do what I did and pack twice as much as you need bcs Coyhaique &quot;might&quot; be the last place with good food (however it was 3-5x better than villa Castillo).<br /> <br /> - The first tricky part was annoying bcs it was hard to get an edge (not that there is any edge left in my shoes). It was easier to walk up it and gradually cross, all in all it didn't feel dangerous. The second tricky part did feel dangerous to me bcs I went too far climbers left of the grass staircase and ended up having to traverse the short, steep and featureless slope to get back on track, a fall seemed easy and with bad consequences. The rock scramble at the boulder did not worry me but I would not have climbed it if it was wet bcs there is a lot of algae-like material on it and some of the handholds were sloppy. <br /> <br /> - I would be very curious if one could make a new route that went up to this lake here; -45.94848, -72.07320, and then down either here; -45.95505, -72.08753 or along the ridge to here; -45.96914, -72.08724. It would be more vertical and longer but with possibly less sidehilling...<br /> <br /> - The glacier on Variant E (6km return, half of it moraine walking) is nice but not really worth it, the lake on the other hand is 100% worth the short walk (3km return, flat river rock waking).<br /> <br /> - The lake just North of Camping Bosque is also worth it if you can avoid the crowds. Both this lake and Variant E lake are technically CC but &quot;well traveled&quot; and cairned.<br /> <br /> - The trail to Laguna Duff is popular but &quot;splendid&quot;, it took less than two hours to the lake from Porteadores. Most of the trail is in the forest and then the last 1.5km (250m vert) is on a pretty obvious rock path. The camping at Neozelandés is far less crowded than other official campsites, I recommend it. I got into an argument with a CONAF officer at the lake bcs she told me it was too late to be there and I had to leave (4pm). If you want to avoid this person, then go right of the RR when it gets close to the lake headwall, she seemed to be &quot;staged&quot; at where the water leaves the lake. I originally wanted to make a traverse to the other lake but bcs of CONAF I went down to the camp to meet Tomáš and then we both went back up after she left (6ish). Once back up we made a traverse to the other lake by following a grassy slope that starts west of where the water exits the lake, you should be able to see the grassy slope on your left when you are walking to Duff. Follow it down and work yourself across, going down to where there is some grass should be quicker than traversing the rubble, it is CC, obviously. On the way down from the second lake we followed the main waterway and then cut back into the forest to reach the main trail (open forest, no BB). Rather than follow the west bank of the waterway like the GPS says we found it far easier to be in the east bank, less rubble.<br /> <br /> - We both had to walk back to Villa Castillo, no cars going in our direction but many going in opposite direction (~9am)<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-28 to 2024-Jan-31 / 4 days / Hiking / NOBO / Villa Cerro Castillo - Villa Frei / RR + Option 3 + Variant C + Variant M/ Alex &amp; Christophe'''<br /> <br /> It was another fantastic section but we don't have much to add to what has already been written. But we would still like to point out a few points:<br /> <br /> 1) At the Segundo campsite (also called Rio Turbio), mice gnawed our tent and our dry bag containing the food. It would be best to hang your food from the trees if you are sleeping at this campsite.<br /> <br /> 2) The large rock at -45.938145, -72.086171 can be avoided by doing 10 m of bush bashing just below the rock. This passage is much more visible going NOBO but it is also possible to take it going SOBO.<br /> <br /> 3) The little detour to Variant C is definitely worth it. The view of Lago Paloma and Lago Azul is truly incredible.<br /> <br /> 4) We took option M despite the right of way conflict. We passed a pick-up truck at the last gate going NOBO (the one with a padlock and a private property sign). They greeted us and gave us no problem.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-27 to 2024-Jan-29 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / option 2 + option 3 / Yannick &amp; Nolwenn'''<br /> <br /> - Trail condition : well maintained, good campsites sheltered from the wind <br /> - Water : easy to find plenty of rivers and lagunas<br /> - Camping spot : there are some designated campsites<br /> - Weather : Sunny<br /> - River crossing : easy<br /> - Resupply : in cohayque and in Villa cerro castillo, all you need<br /> - Entrance fee : 16 000 pesos per person, normally the park closes after 1pm so you can't start after that but we were a bit late and they let us through <br /> - Overall : beautiful stretch of section 32, for us it was really an amazing entrance in the Patagonian landscape as we imagined it with the Torres<br /> <br /> * '''From 2023-01-22 to 2023-01-24 // 3 days // Hiking // NOBO // RR + OP3 + OP3A + VARIANT M // Quentin Clavel'''<br /> <br /> Villa cerro castillo - entrance Estero Parada - Laguna Duff - Sendero las Horquetas - North part of NP (CC) - Lago Paloma - Villa Frei. <br /> <br /> One of my favourite section so far ! I had amazing weather and I enjoyed so much this stretch, even with few people on the sendero las Horquetas in the NP (not crowded, but obviously more than the usual sections of the GPT). <br /> <br /> Entrance fees for 3 days was 16,000 CLP for me. I had no control and have seen no guardaparque during my hike. <br /> <br /> I walked all the way up to see Laguna Duff (OPT3) definitely worth it in my opinion. Wonderful view, with still some pieces of ices floating on the Laguna, the back of Cerro Castillo and the reflects on the water were amazing. Easy to go there, as there is a trail. <br /> <br /> The second one (OPT3A) is more tricky, no trail, and a lot of rolling stones. Beautiful too and of course, no people at all (I slept there, without tent, just on a big rock, that was incredible). <br /> <br /> Then go up to the pass, it was a crazy hot day, for the first time since I'm in Patagonia, I regretted that it wouldn't be a little bit windy aha. <br /> <br /> Laguna cerro castillo Is amazing. Second pass were very nice too. Bi. I passed it early on the morning, had some snow part, doable, but as it was morning, it was icy on some parts, so I putted my crampons and that was perfect. (But doable without). <br /> <br /> Then easy trail until the end of the public part of NP (just after Segundo camping). After that the cross country part begun. Follow an old trail of the NP, some bush bashing during the forest part, and have to check often the GPS. Then you have to deal with all the rocks until the first pass. <br /> <br /> Go down on a nice valley, and go up to the second pass. Tricky part, as described previously, is the big rock. It's maybe easier to do it NOBO because you descent it, and don't face it, which can be scary. But going on the grass part is the best way. Then follow the tree level, deal with rolling stones, and everything is gonna be alright. The récompense will be the amazing view on Lago Paloma (don't miss the Mirador). <br /> <br /> I took the variant M to avoid the right of way conflict. No trouble at all on this way. You have to pass threw some gates. The last one, near a kind of central hydroelectric is the biggest, with camera and sign do not enter. Few people seen after this gate, and they were all very gentle and nice ! <br /> <br /> Anyway, I really loved this stretch ! As it's summertime at this time, I met a lot of chilenos in the NP, so happy to see even very young chilenos explore their outstanding country ! <br /> <br /> You have to be prepared to face a looooot of rolling stones on this section, sometimes it's like dancing on rocks. Can I say that the rolling stones make this stretch rock'n'roll ? Probably not. <br /> <br /> Better to wait for good conditions. I can't imagine this section on a rainy and windy day ! <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan- 11 to 2024-Jan-13/ 3 days/hiking/SOBO/ Start in Las Horquetas and later RR/ Paulina'''<br /> <br /> I started in las Horquetas, it was open even if on Conaf website this section is still closed, apparently they don't really update). When I was there ( 10 AM) nobody at the gate, so no charges. Later in the park nobody never asked me to show the entrance ticket. The same at the exit gate, they just asked me to check out ( even if I did not check in).<br /> At the beginning of Las Horquetas trail, some very easy river crossing. Almost no people, only a few hikers on the campsite.<br /> On Pass 32 [43.9/1470] still some soft snow, but I could cross it safetly.<br /> <br /> Be careful on the ridge around pass 32 [ 53.5/1679] on very windy days. <br /> I did not see any water around camping Los Porteadores, except this last section, water was available everywhere. <br /> <br /> Beautiful and very scenic section! <br /> <br /> * '''2023-12-29 to 2024-01-01 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR &amp; Variant D &amp; M / Roman'''<br /> <br /> Took a Uber from Coyhaique to Villa Frei for 17.000$. Got another lift by someone who life's there to this point: -45.8737, -72.04342. Joined via Variant M to the RR. Camped at Camp {32} [23.6/1010]. Good place you have to Ford 2 times before the Camp and 1 times directly after it. Here the -45.93357, -72.07606 Clambering in steep terrain starts and is very challenging also in combination with snow. Very steep literally climbing up there here: -45.938145, -72.086171 especially with a backpack. I needed to go very slow and cautious with 3 point technique. After that you can follow the GPS and the Kerns to this point -45.973087, -72.102771. From there a old abandoned road goes all the way to the point where the Trail( Variant D) merges with the Sendero de Chile Las Horquetas at: X {32-D} [1.0/920]. On the trial are some parts which are not perfectly visible but with GPS no problem. There are some fallen trees and quite a few small trees on the trail. I wouldn't consider it Bush Bashing (BB) because you can just raise your arms in front of your face and walk trough it. So IMHO no BB on the route. As soon as you are at X {32-D} [1.0/920] it's a &quot;touristy trail&quot; compared with the other GPT parts. Therefor the condition is excellent. Camped at Segundo Camping -46.008184, -72.104121. Next day camped at Camping Los Porteadores -46.089085, -72.235431. Snow was neither on Pass {32} [43.9/1470] or Pass {32} [53.5/1679] a problem. Next day hiked to Villa Cerro Castillo. Not a single car on the street towards it so needed to hike. The RR avoids the Entrance Cerro Castillo Park (Estero Parada) there is one gate before accessing the street where you can just hop over.<br /> <br /> Overall: really nice section and quite relaxing to have such a easy trail (the beginning is challenging due to the rock scramble). It's the most touristy part (2 groups a 7 people) but absolutely woth it. Really enjoyed it.<br /> <br /> Contact: https://linktr.ee/RundW<br /> <br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''2023-Dec-12 / 6 days / Packrafting / SOBO / RR + Variant D + Variant F / Tom Pieper'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> An Uber from Cohayique to Villa Simpson is about 9.000 Peso. From there I easily found rides to Lago Elizalde. A older man told me that there was also a camino from Lago Elizalde to Lago Azul passing cerro sombrero a couple of years ago. I really liked the walking through the valley to lago desierto. It passes a beautiful farmland landscape sprinkled with little lush patches of forest and creeks. Camping is easy there. But if you want to speed up there are also cars from time to time and hitchhiking is possible. At S 45° 52.495 W 072° 16.913 is a little shelter surrounded by some old tractors and a big mate cup installation. A farmer passing by told me I am welcome to stay there. To reach lago desierto you have to climb a locked gate (well described by Kara Davis). I crossed lago desierto and camped at the isthmus between it and lago azul. There is a nice camp spot at waypoint Lake {32} [38.3/337] surrounded by old gooseberry bushes and an abandoned van. The central lodging building is collapsed so its seems to be an abandoned place now except the cattle. Next day I crossed lago azul. The wind increased dramatically forming up to 1 m waves. There are some emergency exits on the left even after the shore gets steeper after the settlers on the lefthand side. At the end of lago azul you reach a huge private hacienda on the isthmus, with a big park like forest and buildings within. I tried to sneak between the buildings but to reach the path to the mountains you finally have to pass a big meadow. There was a greenkeeper around and it was no problem for him to let me pass. The family was not around. The track to the mountains is steep and part of a big network of mountainbike trails. This network spans nearly the entire valley! I met six young chilenos who told me that they are working the summer to maintain the trails only for that family – I have never seen such a giant mountainbike network! Incredible how much effort and money must spend here only to satisfy a family’s hobby. The Chilenos were very friendly and even turned back to offer me a ride to the end of the valley as rain increased but I kept walking. This track is in really good conditions up to the bush bashing section. And here comes the problem: 1.) the bush bashing is wrong annotated. In reality it starts for 1.2 km at the end of the annotated section 2.) the track is mostly gone were it reaches the river bed. Landslides have washed away a big part. Don’t cross the landslide! It seems super instable! When you have forded the riverbed at the landslide don’t put on your shoes, yet. The following part has turned into swamp land. I suggest to make the entire 1.2 km in your fording footwear. After that the track to the las horquetas trail is mostly overgrown or blocked by trees but still visible. It was pretty hard for me as temperatures dropped to 4 °C and at this point it had not stopped raining for 48 hr. In bad weather that’s definitely no fun. The ranger hut was my salvation as it was abandoned but open and had a stove and even some firewood. The next day the weather was perfect and I continued towards cerro Castillo. There had been recent work around Camping Rio Turbio and the track is still in good condition. Paso Penón has heaps of snow and I found myself sinking to the hips from time to time. But in good weather it is ok. The views from the pass and the following valley even outcompeted the view from laguna castillo. After the paso penón the rest is fine. I used Variant F to descend. As mentioned before it now follows a different way in the end due to right of way conflict and you reach the street at approximately half way between villa cerro Castillo and the national park entrance.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> <br /> * '''05-Apr-2023 / Hiking / SOBO / Martin &amp; Helena'''<br /> <br /> We really enjoyed this one. It's definitely worth waiting for good weather, not only for safe traverse of the steep part in the northern part of the park and following obstacles that are quite demanding but also for the views that were just incredible.<br /> <br /> Starting from Villa Frei in the late afternoon, we made it on that day to the turn before Lago La Paloma, where we camped right behind a fence, before a little river, that you need to cross to follow the RR. There are 2 settlements, but still far enough, so no problem. You have to cross one fence and a gate on the way up. To avoid right-of-way conflict, we followed Cristopher &amp; Anna's advice (thanks guys!) and turned right after the first gate behind the beginning of the optional trail. From there you just need to follow MR, cross a few gates and you will end up on a fenced field with bee hives on one side. Crossing them will take you directly to RR, so no bush-bashing is necessary. From there, the trail is pretty straightforward. We liked the view from Option B viewpoint and in good conditions it must be a perfect spot for camping, definitely doable in one day. The steep traverse didn't feel that dangerous for us, but we had really good conditions. The next obstacle, already described by others, is at the end of the traverse. We followed there a small ridge that will take you to the beginning of the grass parts. It's a little steep, but doable. From there we followed the grass parts, which create almost 'stairs' allowing you to climb up. It's again steep, but you can use your hands to pull yourself up, holding the grass patches. After that is the last challenging part, a rock that you need to climb over. We got there already after sunset and without an option to explore the best and safest way over, we decided to follow the old overgrown trail, that descends down without the need to climb over the rock. It seemed to be hard in the beginning, but after we got through the first few trees (without any leaves, just branches), we found a little strip without them, that takes you all the way down to the river, where we camped. It took us around 15 min to get down, so it might be a good alternative. From there you just need to walk through a little part of the forest and then continue by the river, so you are actually avoiding also the descent down, which some described as challenging as well.<br /> <br /> After the first marked pass and descent in rocky terrain, the CC part connects to an old trail, that later becomes a MR. The connection was easy to find by following the GPS. We had no problems passing around the rangers house, again by following the track files, at first through the forest and later around the river. From there the trail connects to the official way which makes navigation easy. We spent the night in the official campsite around 2 km before Laguna Carro Castillo, which is the only one open. There were 5-6 other tents, no ranger. The next day the weather got way way worse, which made us skip the last pass and go down from the laguna via one of the official routes. We met a ranger on the way up, pointing us to the official trail around yellow cairns, to sign off from the park. With no intention to pay on our way from the park, we actually followed some old trail (according to the old signs we met) that took us to the main road, right in front of the bridge. We had to cross one fence, but no other problem. It's a faster and safe way from the park.<br /> <br /> * '''5 to 7 of February 2023 / Will / SOBO / 3 days'''<br /> <br /> Amazing section! I was worried about the tricky part, but sticking to the gpx track it didn't feel dangerous to me. Though I did have to leave the track to find easier ways around the cliffs.<br /> <br /> There weren't any buses south out of Coyhaique on Sunday (except maybe early morning?). I ended up taking an Uber to villa frei, for a bearable 14000 pesos. The road walk was beautiful except for the wind trying to blow me into the cars. I caught a ride to Lago Monreal, from where I walked back up to variant L and then to the 23.6 campsite.<br /> <br /> I didn't have any right of way trouble, I just had to pass through a few unlocked gates with no people or buildings in sight. There were even a few groups of day hikers who passed by my camp on the way to the Lago Paloma mirador (variant B - must see!).<br /> <br /> I also took variant D up to the glacier lake, worth it if it fits your schedule. I didn't have time to keep going up to the glacier itself, it looked like steeper rocky cross country.<br /> <br /> Even in the touristy parts the trail was surprisingly slow and rocky. I ran into a few rangers, who look like normal hikers except with red and white baseball hats. They were ok with me not having a ticket once I explained my weird route.<br /> <br /> * '''15.02.23 -18.02.23 / Anna &amp; Christopher / SOBO'''<br /> Coyhaique - Villa Cerro Castillo<br /> <br /> We hitchhiked from Coyhaique to Lago Paloma and started walking around 13:30 pm following the main path.<br /> <br /> The trail at the beginning is pretty good. At the junction with the option at km 17,5 you can walk further uphill along the fence for a couple of meters to enter the fence through a gate. This option is not in the gpx files. We decided to follow that to avoid the settlers after all.Then you can follow the dirtroad through two more gates until you reach a fence that you have to jump to the right to get to a meadow with beehives. There is another gate there and then you reach the main route again. In total we only had to jump two fences.<br /> <br /> Then we followed the main route. Soon after we went through the gate of the National park Cerro Castillo and we (unfortunately) met two guardians of the park. After some back and forth they made us turn around, telling us that this path is closed and we have to enter the park via the main entrance and pay the 30.000 clp. So we had to take the option to las Horquetas.<br /> <br /> After a few good km on a dirtroad, the path of option 1 gets bad. It seems like it hasn't been used for a long time. It was often hard to find and involved some bushbashing. It took us quite some time to get through there. Once you are at the river it gets much better. We forded the river next to the entrance to avoid the detour until Horquetas. The option was not very nice. Mostly just walking in the forest with BB so we would definetly recommend to try the main route.<br /> <br /> The entrance closes at 2 pm but the guards there were much nicer than the first two, and it was also no problem to get in at 3 pm. We had to register us and pay the 30.000 clp p.p. though. The rest of the trek we were not asked to show the tickets. The park guardians tell you that there is no water crossing both passes and you have to carry it from the official camps, which is simply not true. There is only no water after Laguna Castillo.<br /> <br /> At the exit (following the RR) we had to register us again. From there we planned to hitchhike to Villa Cerro Castillo, but there were no cars passing by. In the afternoon/evening it's probably easier to get a ride, because lots of cars parked at the exit. We would recommend Option E to avoid the dull roadwalk to Villa Cerro Castillo.<br /> <br /> We stayed at Camping El Rincon, which was only 4.000 clp p.p., with no electricity, but the owner washed our clothes after we asked and we received it dry the next morning :)<br /> <br /> * '''18 to 21 of January 2023 / Véronica / GPT32 RR SOBO / 3.5 days'''<br /> <br /> Route: Villa Freí - Lago La Paloma - north part of Parque Nacional Cerro Castillo - Las Horquetas trail (south part of Parque Nacional Cerro Castillo) - Villa Cerro Castillo<br /> First off I want to say that I think this section deserves a 5 on the Attractiveness Scale. It is simply mind-blowingly beautiful and definitely on par with other sections further north that have a 5 on this scale. I also think the Difficulty Rating should be upped to a 5 as well, due to the technical, and arguably dangerous at times, section in the northern part of the park on the Regular Route. Wish I had someone with me during this stretch, but oh well, such is life.<br /> <br /> I was lucky and caught a hitch most of the way to Lago La Paloma on the first day. It was hot and I don't think the road walk has any water sources until you get to the end. I then followed the new RR which bypasses the problematic right-of-way settler in the Lago Monreal area. However, this new detour is not fun. It involves climbing over (or crawling through/under) multiple barbed wire fences. I lost count after the 5th or 6th one. Also, the path and cross-country area are full of thorny plants, they got everywhere on my pack and clothing. I think it would just be better to take Option 32-L and chat with the settler instead to try and get through. Once you reach RH-MR-V {32} [18.9+4.7], it's all good, easy walking until the camp at 23.6 km.<br /> <br /> I reccomend taking Option 32-A after the campsite instead of the CC straight through the cow pasture. It is wet and muddy, whereas 32-A remains dry and easy to follow in the forest at the edge of the meadow. I also strongly recommend taking the short detour to the mirador at the end of Option 32-B. The views there of the cliffs and mountains surrounding Lago La Paloma are incredible. You could even camp there if you brought sufficient water and the weather is calm.<br /> <br /> Now for the difficult part in the 8-km cross-country section. This section was physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding. The first pass is at S 45° 55.740', W 072° 04.501'. It is easy walking up past the treeline into the alpine up to this point. The first challenge is a steep and unstable scree traverse, which begins at S 45° 56.019', W 072° 04.567'. Follow the GPS tracks here. At first I tried to go lower, right along the treeline, which was a big mistake that got me stuck in a terrible gully of slippery hard-packed sand. Very treacherous and scary trying to traverse it on all fours. After that ordeal, I scrambled back up to the altitude of the GPS tracks. This first scree traverse lasts about a km, the rocks are loose and it is very steep. I was tense and went very slowly. Got harassed by tábanos the whole way, but at least the weather was good.<br /> <br /> Then at S 45° 56.288', W 072° 05.184', you reach the end of the bad scree and end up in a deep gully with a vertical wall face on the other side. Figuring out how to get up that cliff was hard for me. I left my pack at the bottom and tried climbing up various different ways with no success, only tiring myself out and getting myself in precarious situations where I could barely climb back down. I finally figured out the best way was to try and get to the lowest grassy patch to the left of the vertical rock wall. The easiest way to reach that grassy patch was to go upstream a bit, then traverse on the hard slippery sand northward, instead of trying to climb vertically straight up to it. Once you reach the grass, you can use the traction and stability of vegetation to clamber up and out of the gully.<br /> <br /> The next big obstacle is at S 45° 56.320', W 072° 05.446'. Like others have written, this is the vertical rock wall that spans up and down the mountain and that you have to climb over. I scouted ways up without my pack at first, trying to find the easiest way. At least with this rock wall, the handholds and footholds are solid — no slippery gravel/sand/scree. But it does require actual rock climbing moves. If you fall you would likely tumble down the mountain, so please be very careful. A light backpack makes it relatively safer and easier.<br /> <br /> On the other side of this wall, you can finally see where the trees end, and the lovely river you are supposed to climb down to reach. But there is still more scree to traverse here, and it is slow and unstable again. I tried taking a shortcut down a shallow gully filled with grass. I figured it would be safer than the rocks, but it was very steep and got unexpectedly muddy at one point, and I ended up slipping and sliding down the mountainside about 10 meters before being able to stop myself. Didn't get seriously hurt, just bruised up, but it really shook me and just added to the stress and fear of this whole section. So I guess my advice here is to again follow the GPS tracks across the scree and go down gradually to the river instead of trying to go straight down.<br /> <br /> Once you reach the riverbed, it is easy walking to the top of the pass, with occasional cairns (and some good swimming holes). Down the south side of the pass, there are still a couple scree sections, but not nearly as bad as before. Lots of boulders, so slow going, but at least they felt more solid.<br /> <br /> As Martin Lizondo has written, finding the start of RH-MR-V {32} [34.1+1.7] is tricky. It is not a minor road, it is an old footpath. The cross-country section ends at a creek as it turns into a high and steep waterfall. You have to cross the creek and look up to find a faint, overgrown trail that goes up into the forest. Once you find it though, it is simple enough to follow. There is a stretch though of several hundred meters where it is more of a bushwhack than anything else, nature has taken over.<br /> <br /> I followed the regular route that cuts through the forest to Río Turbío, I assume this is to avoid the ranger station nearby. The &quot;bushbashing&quot; section is easy through a mature forest, and then you just follow the bouldery riverbank.<br /> <br /> Once you get to the popular Las Horquetas trail, everything is easy until the end of the section. Some snow at the top of the first pass (Paso Peñón), but very manageable. The views of the saw-toothed mountains, lakes, and glaciers are spectacular. Despite reports of the park being &quot;overrun,&quot; I only met a handful of other hikers in this trail, and most of them after Laguna Castillo. No rangers at all.<br /> <br /> I think the Regular Route in its current configuration avoids the blue payment tent at the end of the park trail, but I didn't know that when I passed through, and ended up just following the riverbank down to the minor road to be safe (and avoid paying the ridiculous 30,000 clp access fee). The road walk to Cerro Castillo was Easy and uneventful.<br /> <br /> * '''23/02/2023 - 25/02/2023 / RR SOBO / Louis, Rémi &amp; Noé :'''<br /> <br /> We started at Lago La Paloma, taking the bus from Coyhaique to Villa Frei (leaves at 8:15,15:30,17:30&amp;19:30 from monday to friday and at 8:00 and 14:00 on saturday (no bus on sunday)). Then we hitchiked to the lake without problem and we camped there. Ready to start in the morning the next day.<br /> <br /> Day 1 - Campamento Rio Turbio - 26.5km - +1800m/-1200m A big day but we hadnt the choice : heavy rain was announced for the next day... Cross country is demanding, better follow the tracks all the way long. A great camp site if you want to split this day is at the end of Option B. No water, windy but incredible view. The waypoint camp before is nice too.<br /> <br /> Day 2 - Campamento El Bosque - 10km - +800m/-800m The 2 camps sites on the GPT at47.8 and at 50.3 are now forbidden. The new campsite is approx at km 49, in the middle. There is guardaparques, but no need to show the permit for us.<br /> <br /> Day 3 - Cerro Castillo - 11km - +800m/-1500m The pass after Cerro Castillo was closed due to the wind. If you want to go to the other side, you have to get down at the park entrance and to go up again at the other entrance. We just went to the town. The regular route going down from there, from the Cerro Castillo, is not the one on the GPT. Actually, it goes more on the west side. At the end, there is a guardaparque, we checked out (even though we didn’t checked in) but no need to pay. Fortunately. Luck was with us.<br /> <br /> * '''23/02/2023 - 25/02/2023 / RR NOBO / Jakub+Veronika:'''<br /> <br /> 1) Lago La Paloma, right of way conflict on RH (32, km 17.5): Owner of the land (and nearby houses) is called Cesar, according to him, the right way is by the mud road (OH 32-L) and not on the trail, which passes some 20m next to his house. The reason why there was a conflict might have been caused by Cesar's relative who didn't like tourists walking on their land.<br /> 2) Trail has been changed 3 years ago because of right of way conflict between CONAF and private owners on the OH (32-E). The new official trail (with official park entrance) leads on OH (32-E) for the first 2km, then turns right and goes down towards Rio Ibáñez to RR (32, km 85), well marked by metal yellow triangles.<br /> <br /> We've walked all section 32 from Villa Frei to Villa Cerro Castillo. The part from Lago Paloma to Rio Turbio is very difficult and might be even dangerous (especially in bad weather). The CC travers on the stones (in our case with strong wind and snow) was the hardest part. The MR leading down to the valley is partially overgrown. The second part is well marked with good camping possibilities. After heavy rains on Sunday 25th, the park has been closed for more than a week. There are 2 alerts on the road (see above).<br /> <br /> * '''Feb 17 RR 3 days SOBO Frank'''<br /> <br /> Walked from Villa Frei. After about 12KM there is a food truck next to the road. Owners live there so should open for you. The owner of the private land wasn't there so had no access issues. You can camp in a big meadow @ 1250 metres or in good weather at a pass @ about 1325 metres (not marked on track file) just before the difficult CC section begins. Followed Veronica's advice to get up the gully on grass which worked well, thanks Veronica. There is no need for any rock climbing on this route. After the gully there are two rock bands running perpendicular to the route. You can go below both of them &amp; bypass them at treeline. The second bypass is not very obvious but stay at the treeline &amp; you will get through easily. After the pass, descending scree you come to a waterfall. Go left into the forest immediately before the waterfall - you may see a small cairn marking the spot. Just footprints at first but pick up a small trail as you go in. Leaving the park the RR to the left goes through private land. The optional route straight down is now the main trail, it goes down to a checkpoint just before the road. Checkpoint is at a stile over a fence so can't be avoided. It is run as a private 'concession' from CONAF. The workers were friendly &amp; didn't charge me anything. However next year the concession will be run by a different company so depends who is there.<br /> <br /> * ''' Note on Options 4, 7 and 8:'''<br /> GPT32 Option 4: is the gravel road to Lago Elizalde and Lago el Desierto. A subsidized bus travels this route 2 or 3 times per week.<br /> GPT32 Option 7 and 8: Are routes published on Wikiloc and/or www.suda.Io. This means someone took these routes in the last years but not much more information are available.<br /> (Source Jan Dudeck: https://www.facebook.com/groups/222224388283455/posts/1498106867361861/ )<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> * '''2022 Feb: 05-07, SoBo, RR, Kris&amp;Stiina'''<br /> <br /> We continued into this section straight from the previous one - 31H and the start of it, about first 16km, is like the whole previous section - dirt road. We hiked about 5 of those 16km and hitched the rest which I think was possible quite easy because it was weekend and a lot of cars with families were going to the Lago La Paloma.<br /> <br /> The interesting part started once we were at the gate after crossing the outflow of Lago Monreal. The big sign was posted there stating that this is not some Sendero de Chile and that passing through here is strictly forbidden. We saw a guy at the gate when we were approaching, but as it was lunch time for us we stayed at the stream. Afterwards the guy was gone and there was no phone signal to call the nr. that Martin Lizondo has provided. After considering options of different routes we decided to keep it cool and climbed over the gate with fingers crossed. There were houses a few hundred meters up the road, but nobody seemed to be at home at that point, perhaps working in the field somewhere in the back, so we walked through the forbidden land without anyone intercepting, luck was with us. A few more gates later we climbed up into the forest and finally the Cerro Castillo National park with a big old welcoming sign. We stayed at the first marked campsite at 22,7km, there is a stream.<br /> <br /> Next morning as we were having our breakfast about 30 cows showed up and were completely dazzled by our presence. They stared at us for about 15min until they finally relaxed a bit, but not fully. As we were packing our camp some sudden movement must have scared them and they all went running for their lives as if a Kraken himself was after them, silly cows, we thought. Once we were all packed and ready to go we crossed the stream into the next meadow, and saw all the cows about 200m to our left. I am not exactly sure how cows work, but as soon as they saw us they organized a gang and all of them started running right at us. We of course were standing our ground so the cows would stop just 5m from us and look all tough. I would try to scare them away by counter attack in the form of a shouting, hiking pole waving lunatic. It worked to some extent, as we could slowly walk out of it, but the cows kept persistently be really close and walk/run at us. I guess they were trying to protect their pasture, maybe someone can enlighten me about cow-dynamics.<br /> <br /> After the great battle of 2022, we disappeared in the forest and enjoyed the nice forest path while it lasted. Once out of the three line the path disappeared so we more or less followed the GPS marking. Neither of our maps showed the mentioned old path descending down into the valley, it was actually matching with the GPS, more or less. Up to the first pass, which is not marked, but is at about 26,8km the cross country was easy and then as mentioned before it got pretty difficult. If it would just be steep scree slope it would be alright, but this one had hard packed sand under the scree or sometimes no scree on it so it was very slippery (in dry conditions). Lots of prayers went to the Gods of Friction which helped us with traversing the treacherous slopes, with plenty of chances to become a statistic. I don’t think that that traverse is possible in wet conditions, not without crampons. And as for every good cake there is always a cherry on top, which was a little rock climbing session, which I personally didn’t mind, but I am not sure other hikers would appreciate. After that we still had to descend a steep scree down to the river. If there is a potential trail or option to go down the valley after the pass and then follow the river bank up, I think it is definitely a better, faster and safer option, especially if weather is not favorable. And looking from above down the valley it seemed like a feasible option to follow the river as the river itself was easily crossable and we didn’t spot any cliffs there, maybe next time.<br /> <br /> After reaching the river at the valley bottom the way up to the second pass was easy and straight forward, even though still “sin sendero”. The way down from the pass is steep and bouldery but not dangerous and after a short bit some first signs of an old trail can be noticed, some cairs appear. Then once the trail gets down to the tree line there are a few bushy places, but nothing too bad and the closer to the actual trail you get the better it becomes. We also somewhat followed the GPS track but stayed more in the forest rather than beach to avoid the ranger hut.<br /> <br /> Once we made it to the Las Horquetas trail all our worries were behind us and we could enjoy the nice trail and magnificent views. I don’t think I have ever seen tree line ending almost at the edge of the glacier in Europe it was happening a century ago, pretty cool stuff. We camped at the “segundo camping” with many other hikers, none doing the GPT though. And an interesting thing we observed was that people would just drink straight from the silty glacier stream without filtering or treating their water at all. Observation was made of different groups of people at different campsites. Is that a Chilean thing? Very impressive gut, if they can do it, unless ignorance is a bliss or they knew something that we didn’t.<br /> <br /> Nevertheless, two more mountain passes and we were heading down to Villa Cerro Castillo, with crowds of day-hikers that had come up to the Mirador Cerro Castillo. From there we actually didn’t follow the GPS track but headed down straight to the town. The ticket office with the park official is actually around this area: (46º 6.7520' S, 72º 12.0032' W). And the trail leading there is the official trail. The one that seemed on the map like the official, was actually not in use, not sure why. The satellite view on Gaia and info on the maps is somehow outdated. We tried to sneak past the office to avoid all explaining we had to do, but it’s kind of strategically placed so it wasn’t possible and we ended up just talking to the girl that was making sure everyone is checking out of the park. We had to pay 18.000 pesos per person which is the ticket for foreigners that want to go up to the mirador. We didn’t spill the beans about camping in the park and our small backpacks kept the suspicion low, so in the end it all worked out pretty good. From there it is still almost 5km to the town on a very dusty road, but with all the day hikers leaving a hitch was not a problem.<br /> <br /> The town is really nice with plenty of shops and accommodations options. The only thing we didn’t manage to find was the threaded gas canister, but we found a few half-empty ones left in the Nordic Patagonia mess tent.<br /> <br /> 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<br /> * '''2021-Dec-18 to 2021-Dec-22 / Option 6 (Valle Balboa), Regular Route &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;(Packrafting Lago Desierto and Lago Azul)&lt;/span&gt; and &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Option 9 (Packrafting Lago Paloma)&lt;/span&gt; / Northbound and Westbound / Meylin and Jan'''&lt;/span&gt;.<br /> <br /> General Remark:<br /> This route provides an attractive alternative to the overrun Cerro Castillo trail. The popular Cerro Castillo trail is also highly regulated (obligatory camp sites, closed in suboptimal weather) and costly (27’000 CLP entrence fee) therefore this alternative should be considered by hikers and packrafters.<br /> At the upper terminus of the Valle Balboa is a 5 km long and 400 m wide pasture at an altitude of 1100 m. To utilize this pasture for cattle summer grazing, settlers build a 18 km long trail through the forrest along the Rio Balboa.<br /> This very scenic Valle Balboa trail was hiked and published on Wikiexplora by Tobias Hellwig and Daniel Mahn. But the southbound descent down to Rio Ibañez was made by climbing down with a rope in very steep terrain because the location of the descending trail was not yet documented. <br /> Therefore we investigate this route in the opposite direction to search the southern trailhead to incorporate a feasible hiking traverse from Rio Balboa to Rio Ibanez in the GPT network.<br /> <br /> Summary of Northbound Investigation:<br /> Tobias Hellwig suggested where the southern trailhead may be located. A detailed analysis of satellite images and elevation profiles supported this and a local resident confirmed this assumption. After an hour of searching we found the southern trailhead. This trail terminates at a 400 m by 60 m pasture at abandoned camp (“Camp A”) from where no trail appears to continue. <br /> To continue through the last section of forrest we bush-bashed through very steep terrain and continued trail-less through a rather open forrest until reaching open terrain (“Entry Forrest Valle Ibanez”). From this point we traversed the open terrain on a slightly higher route than recorded by Tobias Hellwig and Daniel Mahn and meet the previously recorded route at the descent into the Valle Balboa (“Exit Forrest Valle Balboa”).<br /> From this point we followed closely the previously recorded route in the Valle Balboa from where we packrafted westbound over Lago Desierto, Lago Azul and Lago Paloma.<br /> <br /> Recommendation for Southbound Hikers and Packrafters:<br /> Hikers that wish to bypass the Cerro Castillo trail may either road-walk 25.5 km from Villa Frei via Lago Elizalde to Lago Desierto (GPT32 Option 4) or take the bus from Coyhaique to Lago Caro and leave the bus just after the bridge over Rio Paloma.<br /> Alternatively hikers may walk along the lakes Lago Paloma, Lago Azul and Lago Desierto (GPT32 Option 5) but bypass the buildings at the trail start to avoid a right-of-way dispute (see yellow arrow on the image that first follows the beach of Lago Paloma and than sneakers in between some trees to the trail).<br /> Packrafters best paddle the three lakes to get to Rio Balboa. Note that the predominant wind direction is westbound.<br /> After reaching the western end of Lago Desierto hikers and packrafters closely follow the route of GPT32 Option 6. Note that the multiple river crossings of Rio Balboa may become impassable after heavy rain and are generally easier in the morning (due to snow and glacier melting water that reaches it maximum in the evening).<br /> After reaching open terrain at Kilometer 24 (“Exit Forrest Valle Balboa”) hikers and packrafters traverse 5 km open terrain to the waypoint “Entry Forrest Valle Ibanez” while enjoying the wide open view into Valle Ibanez. Starting from Kilometer 24 do not follow any more track “EXP-OP-TL-V {32-06} [0.0+30.6]”.<br /> After entering the rather open forrest best follow the 8 waypoints of “Proposed Improvement for Investigation”. This bush-bashing route probably avoids the very steep descent that we struggled to get up with our heavy packrafting gear. When reaching the trail (either “Record 1” or “Record 2”) follow the generally well-visible and well-maintained trail to “Exit Forrest Valle Ibanez”.<br /> Note that that “Record 1” and “Record 2” includes all our searching, so don’t take these tracks as an instruction but use your common sense to follow only the relevant parts.<br /> When reaching Rio Ibanez packrafters can float on the river towards Cerro Castillo while hikers must walk along the northern side of Rio Ibanez to Cerro Castillo.<br /> As an add-on hikers and packrafters may take GPT32 Option 3 to visit a less frequented trail of Parque Cerro Castillo.<br /> <br /> (Note: taken from here https://www.facebook.com/groups/222224388283455/posts/1256244101548140/ - now the options are part of the GPT Track files, the Facebook post includes pictures.)<br /> <br /> ==Season 2020/21==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> * '''Section 32, Option 7: Valle Balboa. Southbound. 11 days (including waiting out a snow storm). Party (3): Mum, Sis and I.'''<br /> <br /> After walking Section 35 we emerged in Cochrane to a world changed by the virus. We retreated to the now unfriendly Chili Chico and caught the ferry across to Ibáñez in the morning. For my mum and sister, getting back to Santiago to catch a flight home had been the priority, but on the way they shifted more to the stance I was taking: what was the point? Get stuck in Australia, or here? Patagonia didn't seem all that bad, and apart from facemasks and hand sanitiser, there were no shortages like back home. By the time we reached Coyhaique we'd all decided to stay a week or so to hatch a plan. We met up with Aldo and camped in his backyard for almost a week. I helped build his house a bit, but time was mostly filled with playing chess, dice, cards and guitar. The atmosphere seemed to encourage a lethargic state, blurring the days together and bending time. Finally however, we packed and walked into the town centre to make a start on the interesting option #007 of Section 32 through Valle Balboa, (traversing roughly from Lago Desierto to Río Ibáñez). With the virus and public transport on hold, it seemed unlikely the bus to Villa Freí (that we took last time for the RR of Section 32) would be running. We asked a taxi driver for a quote to drive us out. We grabbed some more supplies, and then caught a taxi with a much friendlier driver to Lago Elizalde ($15k). The driver showed us a great public camping spot on the shore of the lake. There were many established camp sites back from [close to] the beach. It was such a nice spot that we decided to lay back and spend the afternoon and night there.<br /> <br /> In the morning, we walked the road to Río Paloma, scoring a lift for 5ks or so. We camped by the river not far before the end of the road.<br /> <br /> In the morning we walked the last bit of the public road to where it ends at the very rickety bridge over Río Mogote. There is a nice little camping spot here (-45.91100, -72.31823). Climbing over the locked gate, we walked the private road to the ford. We tossed up visiting Lago Desierto and the people living next to it, but with the virus decided against it. This meant we didn't actually have to cross the river, instead locating the old road to the south. (The track files follow the road, but it is no longer used by vehicles and it is actually easier to head back down the main road a couple of hundred metres to where a cattle trail exists (-45.91601, -72.30806)).<br /> <br /> Following this distinct road for some time, it seemed to be used for horse riding tours as there were coloured signs like &quot;Spanglish&quot; and &quot;Toobooku&quot; on the side. You will soon reach the gate included in the track files. Here there is also access to a bridge across Estero Balboa. It looks like you can then access trails most of the way up to Cerró Negro. This might be interesting if someone wants to explore.<br /> <br /> A couple hundred metres after the gate the old road ends and an obvious trail continues to a miskept farmhouse. Continue along the well defined trail that gets a bit scrubby/overgrown before entering the forest. The trail is then very well maintained although quite muddy in spots (I could see it being quite bad after rain). You will need to ford a tributary not marked in the track files (-45.95592, -72.35114). Shortly afterwards is a junction (-45.95654, -72.35216). The route up the side valley could be explored if someone wants - we went only a short way to a corral. The track will dip back down to the river where there is an established camp (-45.97039, -72.35461). Continuing up the valley, there are many more established camps - the best are generally in close proximity to the fords.<br /> <br /> The first time you cross the estero is about here: (-45.98105, -72.36205). There is only one ford, not two as the track files indicate. At the next couple of fords, the actual track deviates slightly from the track files. If you follow the current track files, you will avoid crossing the river at all, but will end up bush bashing briefly. We crossed the next two fords, but by staying on the west side of the river they should also be easily avoidable.<br /> <br /> The trail exits the forest (-46.02116, -72.42538)(the camp marked in the track files here is a swamp - go further up the valley!) from where it is cross country walking, not actually a trail as indicated. We camped next to the puesto which incorporates some pieces of a crashed plane (we found another piece whist exploring, but not the actual crash site). The route up to the Laguna Campana is also open and straight forward.<br /> <br /> We waited out a rainy day only to wake to a snow storm the next!... and the next!. We ended up waiting 4 nights experimenting with some different bread recipes whilst we waited out the inclement weather.<br /> <br /> Finally a sunny day! Continue up the valley, CC walking past an old corral. At the Nacimiento del Estero Balboa you again briefly enter the trees. Like the previous marked camp, again this whole area was very swampy and I didn't see a suitable place to camp. The camp included in the track files is in the middle of a swamp! We picked up fragments of a track heading up through the trees, but I think it is very vague or overgrown. That said, we had nearly a foot of snow in places so we could have easily missed things! There is a very obvious section of track here : (-46.05648, -72.47298). You'll quickly exit the trees (-46.05923, -72.47005) and start a long CC section in the alpine. We found some sections of trail, but for us it was mostly cross country walking. Plenty of water options the whole way.<br /> <br /> When you enter the forest after completing the alpine section (-46.08687, -72.43537), you will be bush bashing for a long time! There was no discernible track even when we criss-crossed over the track files searching for it (no snow here anymore). Approaching the deep gorge, I decided to lead us a different, less steep way. This worked well and we camped at a very nice spot by the stream at the bottom (-46.09414, -72.42582).<br /> <br /> The next day we were debating simply following the river down (I wish we had!). Instead, we headed straight up the other side of the gorge. We located part of an old track here (-46.09685, -72.42463) but quickly lost it as we passed through the saddle (I think maybe it continues north?). Rejoining the suggested investigation route (EXP-OP-TL-I@32-07-#003), there is a good stream (-46.10202, -72.42403) and some camping on its banks.<br /> <br /> After some horrible bush bashing, we finally made it to a ravine gashing steeply down the mountain (-46.10598, -72.41534). There were many drops and it was impossible to go directly down. We later found out that the only other party to do this part had a rope! I can't really recommend going down here [and my sister can't recommend it at all! - &quot;This is shit!&quot;] Again, I'd recommend taking the main valley. The climbs we did were much more difficult than those on the northern part of Section 32 RR that people complain about. Also, if doing this option, it would be much easier travelling north! You could also consult the settlers on a better route. We finally reached the bottom where it opens up after about ~6hrs!<br /> <br /> Continuing, if you do follow EXP-OP-TL-V@32-07A-#003, the track files indicate there is a trail, but it is not quite so. There are CC sections and a labyrinth of cattle trails. You will need to use them to your advantage where they exist, and leave them when they go the wrong way. We went this way for a little while, but then tried following a primary cattle track that seemed to be heading directly down to the river... but we got stopped by a swamp (-46.11623, -72.41080). Continuing along EXP-OP-TL-V@32-07A-#003, you will get CC walking from the woods (after a cliff) about here: (-46.11546, -72.42372) If we were there again we would follow EXP-OP-CC-A@32-07-#004 down past the settler to the river. It then looked easy to walk along the river north to the cable car.<br /> <br /> The cable car: Don't use this by yourself! Don't use it if you are only two! Use it with three people minimum! I can't stress this enough. There is a lot of fiction and the locals we talked to here don't even consider it safe. They used the boat which has its own steel cable allowing you to tack across with relative ease. You will get wet feet if using the boat.<br /> <br /> Taking the cable car, we only just made it across with one in the car and two hauling on the rope, and at one point it looked like my sister might get stranded on the far side (she had a nightmare that night!).<br /> <br /> Carretera Austral: We waited the entire day by the Carretera Austral. Finally catching a colectivo late in the afternoon. With the virus, it was hard/imposible to hitchhike. We paid an inflated price ($3kpp) for transport to Cerró Castillo.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2020-March-6 / Ty &amp; America / 4.5 Days SOBO RR. Start @ El Blanco'''<br /> <br /> We started in El Blanco, opting to hike by Lago Montreal, which was pretty nice. No traffic though, so if you’re wanting a hitch the regular start in Villa freí may be a better option. Settlers in Lago Montreal are super friendly. There’s a bit of water there as you pass by the lake. We camped there. I recommend going further to the marked camp though because the next day is a big challenge. RH-CC-A@32-25.2+7.9 Is the Cruz of the section. After this all good. I do not recommend doing this unless you’re very comfortable on your feet and have a lightweight pack.<br /> <br /> -stick to the treeline/marked path on this. The traversing is tough, but completely doable. 2-3 km in is the gully with the very difficult climb. Keep the the grassy patch, getting to the base of it was the most dangerous part for us. Very slippery rock. I had America drop her pack. High risk, but I was MUCH more comfortable.<br /> <br /> -about a k after is the second dangerous area. This is a straight rock wall that spans all the way up&amp; down the mountain. The only way through is to climb around. I checked below it and didn’t find a way through the trees. I took both Sanita &amp; America’s packs through this section; as again, it’s very high risk..with an actual climbing move involved. Again, it’s important you’re very comfortable with your pack to get through these parts.<br /> <br /> After these dangerous sections we were wiped out and camped in the valley before the pass. Lots of places to camp with good water. Be aware of slight rockfall risk. There’s an amazing place to camp with ideal conditions at the top of the pass.<br /> <br /> Going on, all smooth, both marked camps on the way up the second pass are actually closed...there’s an open camp right between the two.<br /> <br /> Amazing places to camp up by Laguna Castillo.<br /> <br /> We snuck around the riverbed once we saw the blue tent at the bottom (where you might have to pay) and got by with no problems.<br /> <br /> * '''Jan 2020 GPT32 South 7days / Felix'''<br /> <br /> Coyhaique to Villa Freí: There is a bus from the bus terminal in Coyhaique to Villa Freí. From there it was a hot dusty road.<br /> <br /> Accessing the park : You have to pass through 4 private properties to enter the first sector of the park. We met some people. Had short friendly chats, but no problems with access. Just before you enter the park (where there are two trail options) there is easy access to the river via a cow trail. However water in general was no issue and I didn't carry water for the entire 7 days through the park.<br /> <br /> The camp site used to be an official campsite before the sector was closed due to access problems. The dunny is in great shape.<br /> <br /> Through the first sector : The trail is in great shape until after the mirador. You then cut upwards into the alpine which is also easy walking. After passing through a saddle, you contour around above the treeline. This is the most difficult part of the section. Quite a bit of step scree traversing. Not for everyone. Once you drop into the valley waking is again easier. There are some occasional cairns that become more and more frequent as you drop into the other valley. As you contour left an intermittent trail is evident. When you enter the lenga forest (-45.97321, -72.10278) there is a great trail down that turns into a road here : (-45.97886, -72.10358) (Jan: maybe you want to update the track files to reflect this?) Then is road walking to join the popular walk.<br /> <br /> Popular sector of Cerró Castillo : There are some side trips not included in the track files. They're on the map you get. Note that the old Bosque site (-46.06197, -72.16016) and La Tetera (-46.07200, -72.18390) are now closed. You can not camp there. For most people this means camping at the new el Bosque : (-46.06418, -72.16964)(Jan : maybe you want to update the track files?) Get to Laguna Cerró Castillo before 12 to beat the walkers heading up for the day. But this shouldn't be an issue as you need to cross the pass early : an important thing we would have liked to know is that the pass (-46.08030, -72.21103) can be closed in the afternoon due to strong winds. There is literally a ranger there that can turn people around. Not much water over the pass either. And the poza cerca mirador doesn't look welcoming. Carry water here. In the next valley there were more rangers and we saw some people get checked for permits. It's a shame this park is now being comercialalised :(<br /> <br /> Getting back to Coyhaique : Not much traffic. The last bus heads back at 6pm<br /> <br /> I'll try upload some map photos and a breakdown of the entrance fees when I get the photos off my camera.<br /> <br /> Cheers, Felix.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-18 and 19 / Regular Hiking Southbound / Martin Lizondo'''<br /> <br /> The starting minor road gets into the private propiety of Pedro Sangüesa (+56 9 9099 9083) at 45º 52' 15,55&quot; S, 72º 2' 46,28&quot; O. He didn’t like people to pass through and denied that there was a trail, but it turned out to be a Conaf’s well signed area. He said in the future he will ask for money, but finally left me pass for no charge. I met other day hikers going to « El Mirador ». Snow was easy at the passes. The trail was in good conditions until the cross country. There are two spots which I consider dangerous, so I don’t recomend doing this section alone: 1) the gps tracks passes through a very vertical rocky (nearly climbing). I was scared and I can’t recommend doing it, except you asume this risk. I could see later in a map that the original route went all way down in the valley through lenga forest, but if there was a trail it’s invisible now. 2) When the cross country leaves the tree line and becomes a small trail into the lenga forest at 45º 58' 23,54&quot; S, 72º 6' 10,02&quot; O (“minor road” starts later, despite the gps track info); it’s very stepy and unmaintained. I made a mistake and started to follow the stream all way down, but you have to look up and search the beginning of the hidden path. It’s very vertical and easy to fell down, because of recent land slides. Be extremely carefull. The rest of Cerro Castillo from Las Horquetas is well maintained, beautifull and enjoyable. Cons: Lots of people. When leaving at the Nezoelandes entrance, you’ll have to pass near to the payment cabin. I didn’ t have to pay, but it was because I spent only a short time in the park. The cost for foreigners is normaly CLP 29,000.<br /> <br /> * '''Jan 2020 / RH Northbound / Matthieu'''<br /> <br /> No technical difficulties in the park, just following the trail and enjoying the views.<br /> <br /> To follow the GPT northbound, leave the parc trail to go north. It is an &quot;old sendero&quot; in the forest, but well maintained and easy to follow during the beginning (it is marked on maps of the parc). In this direction, no problem to leave the forest in a safe spot, but southbound, looking behind, seemed hard to find the entrance of the forest and of the safe trail ! No technical difficulties until the first pass, rocky terrain like the rest of the park. <br /> <br /> The dangerous part is indeed between the 2 passes. You dont go in the valley in front of you but follow the altitude line until the pass that you see at the right side of the valley. Very steepy rolling stones path. I was a little bit afraid. I tried to be smarter than the tracks, trying more uphill... this was a dangerous mistake that took me long to repair and go back to the tracks. There are indeed two river crossing (no dangerous waterstream) but they are circled by cliffs, so not easily crossable. <br /> The track follow mostly the tree line (I.e the separations between the little trees and the stones) So my recommendations : <br /> - follow the gps tracks : they follow the tree line who is safer with a solid ground and grass. Sometimes you have to cross the stones, no choice, so go slowly, choose your paces wisely and it's doable. Try to aim for the grounds of grass in the middle, which are solid, or the stones with foam on them, which mostly didn't move for a while. For the rivercrossing, it aims a good spot with no need to climb down or up.<br /> - choose a good weather day : for me it was sunny and no wind, so perfect day, and it was already mentally hard (not speaking of the horseflies getting you crazy during the hard moments !). I wouldn't try it with rain or big wind in this river of rolling stones. <br /> - if you don't feel it, easy escape by the normal trail of the parc<br /> <br /> However, I can assure that the prize for the effort, going northbound, is amazing !! But I won't spoil ! <br /> After the second pass, no technical difficulties, you find a Conaf trail easily, and I even cross some tourists with a guide.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Nov-29/ Lea Geibel, Kevin Moe/ 3days / Northbound / Regular Hiking Route with OH-MR-V (Villa Cerro Castillo to Las Horquetas)'''<br /> <br /> The section follows the rather popular tourist Hiking route Las Horquetas for the first two days, meaning there will be less solitude but also rather well maintained trails. The national park and the region around Cerro Castillo was very impressive, we especially enjoyed to take all the side trails and visit the numerous beautiful glacier lagoons. The only unpleasant part of the hike was the organization of the national park. The exorbitant high entrance fees are in no relation to the other parks, which is due to a high ratio of private land in the area but makes the park rather unattractive for tourists. some rangers seemed poorly informed and couldn't give much information (e.g. insisted that passes were &quot;closed&quot; and only after asking numerous times agreed to check with his colleagues that told that they are &quot;open&quot;). They also said it is not possible to hike the regular route of the GPT, because we have to check out of the NP at the checkpoint Las Horquetas. There is an optional hiking route continuing North from there. Due to bad weather coming up we ended up not finishing the northern stretch of the trail and just followed the entire Las Horquetas Route at the Carretera Austral.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Nov-29 / Lea Geibel, Kevin Moe'''<br /> <br /> Snow line is at around 1200 Meters but all passes are safely traversable.<br /> The National Park Entrance Fee got raised to 29000 CLP per person for overnight hikes in season 19/20. The park generally seemed very poorly organized, we were told the passes are &quot;closed&quot; at first, whereas they were easy and safe to traverse. The ranger insisted that we could not hike the normal route northbound but have to sign out of the park at the Las Horquetas checkpoint. In high season, the ranger station in the park is manned, so maybe it is possible so sign out there and head northbound.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Nov-12 / Eva Havlová'''<br /> <br /> There is still lots of snow in the National Park. I arrived to Villa Cerro Castillo 3 days ago (Novembre 12, 2019) and planed to hike nortbound but rangers didn't let me go. I saw the pass they were talking about (avalanche risk) and I don't think any avalanche could occur, but the thought is that there is lots of water running down and the trail is like a stream. They said it might be possible to do it next week.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2018/19==<br /> <br /> * '''2019 Jan/ Oilrik / Northbound'''<br /> <br /> We ended up doing the normal Cerro Castillo hike as the weather was forecasting heavy rain and snow so we did not want to be on the pass. The regular trail is just gorgeous and the park is beautiful. The trail in the north is not on the new CONAF maps but is marked on the old ones.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2017/18==<br /> <br /> * '''Route description by Kara Davis after Season 2017/18:'''<br /> <br /> A sandy beach with a visible structure in the grass is the take-out for Lago Elizalde. After exiting, make your way through the farmland until encountering a gravel road that leads past the house at the top of the hill up to Ruta X-686.<br /> <br /> Ruta X-686 is a lightly trafficked but well-formed gravel road that is fenced on either side. After crossing the Río Paloma, Ruta X-686 makes a sharp left and begins to climb. 4 km after the sharp left turn, cross a bridge to the left and climb to a wooden gate. If you descend the steep slope to the left of the gate, there is camping under some trees.<br /> <br /> The wooden gate marks the beginning of a very long driveway to a house located near the lake. The route takes you along this driveway until a river crossing. After crossing the river, walk northeast along its shore towards the Río Paloma. After reaching the end of the fenceline near the Río Paloma, turn east and walk along the fenceline until reaching Lago Desierto. At the river outlet, there is a nice beach to put in to Lago Desierto.<br /> <br /> There is no camping along the shores of Lago Desierto. The take-out is a rocky beach at the base of a bluff. Walk up the bluff and cross country through the farmland to Lago Azul. At the east end of the farm, descend down a road to a rocky beach at the Lago Azul shoreline with a metal structure.<br /> <br /> There are a couple of potential camping options along the shoreline of Lago Azul. There are also several residences on the north shore. The take-out is a long rocky beach set before a well manicured forest. On the east end of the land near Lago La Paloma is an expensive looking house surrounded by several other buildings.<br /> <br /> There is a 4WD track to the west of the smaller red house located south of the big residence. Ascend the steep climb on a well-formed road that is criss-crossed with several smaller tracks labeled in english with wooden signs. Due to the steep slopes on either side of the cut out road, there is no camping here.<br /> <br /> Eventually, the route turns off of the road onto an overgrown 4WD track. Camping off the track is still difficult because of prickly vegetation and steep terrain. This track ends 2.5 km from where the Regular Packrafting Route joins the Regular Hiking Route. From here, the route involves some bushwhacking and following a small trail as it winds in and out of existence. Just before joining with the Regular Hiking Route, the route widens into an old 4WD track that passes some destroyed structures.<br /> <br /> The routes join up at a large rock cairn and continues to follow a 4WD track until reaching a large wooden sign with a map of the Reserva Nacional Cerro Castillo. Here there is also a campsite and ranger station. There is a 5.000 CLP fee to enter the reserve.<br /> <br /> The route from here is a popular track for backpackers with designated campsites. The trail is well-formed and winds through the forest. When the trail becomes less obvious, the way is shown with yellow markers. In this area there is a designated campsite with a latrine.<br /> <br /> At treeline, follow the cairns and rocks painted with white and red stripes through the scree up and over the first pass (approximate elevation 1.450 m). After the steep descent, reenter the trees. There is a campsite, Camping El Bosque, soon after reaching treeline (approximately elevation 940 m) with water and a latrine.<br /> <br /> The trail begins to wind up through the forest toward Laguna Castillo. The sights from Laguna Castillo, which is at the base of the pass, are stunning. There are two tracks that climb up to the pass. Make sure to take the path that climbs to the south instead of continuing southeast over the obvious saddle.<br /> <br /> The track down to Ruta X-720 is well formed, marked, and popular, but occasionally braided. Follow it until reaching the wooden stile with a rangers hut. From there join Ruta X-720, a dirt road which leads to Highway 7 and Villa Cerro Castillo.<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> *Town: Villa Cerro Castillo. Villa Cerro Castillo has several restaurants, small markets, and plenty of lodging options, including a popular backpacker camping destination on the east side of town.<br /> *2024-Dec / Michael and Kasia <br /> We stayed at Hospedaje Gemita on Ramón Freire next door to Camping Castillo, 20.000 pp for room in a shared cabaña. The cabaña had 4 rooms (2 doubles, 2 singles), a well equipped kitchen, hot shower. Not allowed to do laundry in the Hospedaje, but there is a lavaderia in town. The hosts, Gemita and Pedro, are very nice. They have also spent a lot of time in Los Avellanos on horseback. Maria, one of the settlers in the valley in Avellanos is a cousin of Pedro.<br /> <br /> We found gas in four shops, two had the threaded canisters for stoves, one was 6.000 for a 300 ml tank, the other was the COPEC across the highway from town, 4.000 a tank. The others just had refills, cheapest was the supermercado on the highway, 2.700 for a refill canister.<br /> <br /> There is a Banco de Santander ATM in the COPEC on the west side of the highway.<br /> <br /> Just on the other side of the highway on the road to the park there is a fruit and vegetable shop that also sells frutos secos and nuts in bulk. He had the best prices.<br /> <br /> *2024-Mar /Joscha<br /> <br /> Shop in Villa Cerro Castillo at -46.12201, -72.161708 has pasta, ramen, oats, chips, cookies, olive oil, peanuts, peanut butter, bread and some more stuff.<br /> <br /> *Lovely yum restaurant in Coyhaique: Restaurant DaGus, Lautaro 82, 5950000 Coyhaique. Little hidden gem. -45.86411, -72.04916<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> *2024-Dec Buses Sao Paolo passes through Villa Cerro Castillo for Coyhaique every day around noon, 8.000 pp; Buses ECA passes through Villa Cerro Castillo for Coyhaique Thursdays and Mondays songs 11:30, 8.000 pp.<br /> *Buses to Villa Frei from Coyhaique bus terminal: Monday 7:30, 8:15, 15:30, 17:00, 19:30 Tuesday to Friday 8:15, 15:30, 17:30, 19:30 Saturday 08:00 and 14:00. No bus on Sunday. It takes about 30 minutes to get to Villa Frei &amp; the bus generally turns around immediately &amp; goes back to Coyhaique.<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> *2023/ Martin &amp; Helena<br /> To avoid right-of-way conflict, we followed Cristopher &amp; Anna's advice (thanks guys!) and turned right after the first gate behind the beginning of the optional trail. From there you just need to follow MR, cross a few gates and you will end up on a fenced field with bee hives on one side. <br /> <br /> *2023/ Jakub+Veronika:<br /> 1) Lago La Paloma, right of way conflict on RH (32, km 17.5): Owner of the land (and nearby houses) is called Cesar, according to him, the right way is by the mud road (OH 32-L) and not on the trail, which passes some 20m next to his house. The reason why there was a conflict might have been caused by Cesar's relative who didn't like tourists walking on their land.<br /> 2) Trail has been changed 3 years ago because of right of way conflict between CONAF and private owners on the OH (32-E). The new official trail (with official park entrance) leads on OH (32-E) for the first 2km, then turns right and goes down towards Rio Ibáñez to RR (32, km 85), well marked by metal yellow triangles.<br /> <br /> *2023 / Anna &amp; Christopher <br /> The entrance closes at 2 pm but the guards there were much nicer than the first two, and it was also no problem to get in at 3 pm. We had to register us and pay the 30.000 clp p.p. though. The rest of the trek we were not asked to show the tickets. <br /> <br /> *2020 / Martin Lizondo<br /> The starting minor road gets into the private propiety of Pedro Sangüesa (+56 9 9099 9083) at 45º 52' 15,55&quot; S, 72º 2' 46,28&quot; O. He didn’t like people to pass through and denied that there was a trail, but it turned out to be a Conaf’s well signed area. He said in the future he will ask for money, but finally left me pass for no charge.<br /> (...)<br /> When leaving at the Nezoelandes entrance, you’ll have to pass near to the payment cabin. I didn’ t have to pay, but it was because I spent only a short time in the park. The cost for foreigners is normaly CLP 29,000.<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT32 - Cerro Castillo]]<br /> <br /> =Images=</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT22_(Cochamo)&diff=119502 2025-01-10T16:07:39Z

<p>MiaimZelt: </p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;packrafting&quot;, as above):<br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD, WHAT IS ENCLOSED IN &lt;&gt; MAKES IT BLUE):<br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/nowiki&gt;.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Overview=<br /> * General advice : The Regular Route is best hiked between December and April. The primary obstacles are high river levels early in the season and after rain. During the peak period of January and February it may be difficult to obtain a camping reservation at La Junta which could prevent a southbound traverse (but people were usually let through when they say they go all the way to El Arco).<br /> <br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> <br /> 23rd of december / 1 day/ hiking/ sobo/ var 12 + boat (rio puelo) + rr (lago inferior) + var 3 / allie<br /> <br /> I started in segundo corral where I stayed in a hospedaje. The dueña helped me with the logistics of the boat transfer +56 9 2050 2809. The border control went smooth on both sides. The trail is well maintained and stunning views. When i got to the village lago puelo i tried to cross the rio azul but the current was too strong and it was very deep. I couldnt pass (im 165cm). I went back to the argentinian border control to ask for a boat. They called for one through the radio but no responses. so i had to take the detour to get to la paserela (var 3) which was an extra 13 km more or less to get to lago puelo alto. I passed some people that managed to pass the rio azul 5 km away from the pasarela. But they were quite tall. <br /> <br /> (2024/Dez/19-2024/Dec/23) 5 Days/ Packrafting/ NOBO/ Route K/ Lukas, Basil, Maxi and Tabea)<br /> <br /> Entry point at Lago Pueblo and took the bridge over Rio Azul, which looked not easy fordable. The path to the border was easy to find and well kept. <br /> The packrafting route starting at primer corral is easy and nice. The hiking path starting at 15.2 is partly in overgrown and takes a long time. The second rafting section starting at 28 km is also beautiful and easy however the current is quite slow getting closer to the lago tagotago. The lake should be crossed before noon, strong winds pick up at around 12. <br /> Rafting after Lago TagoTago is easy, the rapids need to be skipped. pay attention of water vortex. <br /> <br /> (2024/Dez/12-2024/Dec/17) 6 Days/ Hiking/ SOBO/ Route N/ Lukas, Basil and Tabea<br /> <br /> Entry point at Cochamo. Dont forget to register in advance for the park, they will send you away otherwise. In the park the path is well kept and easy to walk on, aldough a bit mudy. Up to the camping la junta many tourist are on the way. <br /> From el Manso, after the loop, we took a bus to secundo corral. The bus leaves daily at 2pm on the main road.<br /> <br /> From 2024-12-07 to 2024-12-11 // 4 days //Hiking // NOBO // RR + Puerto Urrutia to La Junta // Mo<br /> Transfer from Cochamo to Puerto Urrutia and the other side of Rio Puelo with Bus/Ferry/Bus/Bote was easy, then nice walking next to the river, in really short parts completely overgrown, otherwise easy walking until the river crossings where no settler was there but I was lucky to find others to get me over, from El Manso to La Junta you have a minimarket in El Manso and a little further (knocked on the door of the farm house) and a farmer sells eggs (I just asked for eggs) after Lake Viedma. In La Junta there is an expensive minimarket. Other settlers (like in Terrentosa) might also sell food.<br /> <br /> * '''From 2024-12-04 to 2024-12-10 // 6.5 days //Hiking // NOBO // RR + Pasarela option, Option 2 (Lago de las Rocas east side) + Gravelroad between Llanada Grande and Rio Manso // MiaimZelt'''<br /> <br /> In general: no dofficult river crossings, the biggest challenge was the mud between Rio Manso and La Junta. Navigation was mostly without difficulties.<br /> <br /> Day 1: Easy trail to the argentinian border. Arrived at 5pm and needed to wait until next morning for the stamp. Camped at the beautiful and free camping next to the carabinieros. <br /> <br /> Day 2: Got my stamp and continued. Lovely trail with nice vies until the chiliean carabinieros. Easy bordercrossing. Took the alternative at the east side around Laguna de las Rocas. At some point i saw a sign, indicating the trail is closed due to fallen trees. I continued, the trail got wider. Then i reached the farm of german settlers. A woman (Vivi) approached me and we talked. She told me, my GPX-Track is wrong, because it want's me to cross their private property. Last days people climbed over locked fences, what bothers them. Should walk outside of the fence. On the other side Vivi waited for me and asked me to walk the original trail with her daughter. Got invited to lunch, later her daughter walked with me on the original trail (indicated by a sign &quot;Lago Azul 6km&quot;), while she cleared it with a machete. I did record it with my Smartphone. Sent it to Jan, you also can find it in the facebook group. <br /> After the ford of a river the trail in the dense forest was partly covered under fallen trees. Several times i needed to check the GPS. Camped at a tiny lake near Lago Azul.<br /> <br /> Day 3: Didn't follow the GPS around Lago Azul, because it lead's through the property of a settler. Instead i stayed outside of the fenced area. Found signs indicating i'm on the right track, directly before i reached the shore of the lake. The path up to the gravel road was partly overgrown, but doable. <br /> <br /> Walked on the gravel road, later i got a hitch to the supermarket in Llanada Grande. Very good shop for a full resupply. After resupply i didn't find a hitch, walked 3 hours until a very nice chilean took me the last kilometers. Stayed at Camp {22N} [45.2/44].<br /> <br /> Day 4: Due to the steep up and downs + the mud i was much slower than expected. Met 2 very nice settlers on horseback. Bridge {22N} [51.8/146] (Rio Steffen) has a cable car instead of a bridge. Settler warned me about it. Didn't know how to get inside, because it drives away when you don't hold the rope at the same time. Decided to ford the river instead, was knee-deep. 4 more easy fords along my way to the nice campside at Bridge {22N} [63.0/337] (Rio El Colorado).<br /> <br /> Day 5: Trail was in better conditions the next hours. At Torrentoso there is a open shelter with lots of space for tents around. Along Lago Vidal the trail got muddy again. Bridge {22N} [80.9/645] doesn't exist, but very easy to ford. The forst half of the ascent to Lago Grande was easy, but the second half was very muddy and challenging. Wanted to camp at Lago Grande but, Camp {22N} [83.8/1001] is fully covered under a huge downfall of several big trees. Trail along Lago Grande is in poor condition (fallen trees + mud). Camp {22N} [84.9/1012] is a beautiful campspot.<br /> <br /> Day 6: Began with the poor trail. Directly after camp, there is a hole where the trail should be. Campspot near the tiny lake. Later one more huge downfall. Trail improves a little bit until El Arco, but due to mud i was very slow. 4 easy fords until the refuge. Rio Arco was knee-deep, easy ford. Met the first hikers directly after the crossing. Mud was getting even more, improved at the descent. Ford Rio Traidor was not difficult, again knee-deep. Ford Rio La Junta could be avoided, because above Toboganes there is a bridge. Didn't know. Could stay at Camp Trawen (13mil), was plenty of space for more tents. They have a small kiosk. Toboganes waterfall is worth to be visited. <br /> <br /> Day 7: Easy trail in the beaufiful rainforest from La Junta to the reception. Hiked on the gravel road and luckily i got a hitch to Puerto Varas.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> <br /> * '''From 2024-02-19 to 2024-02-24 // 6 days // Hiking // NOBO // RR + Option 2, 1B, 1 + Variant I, J // Quentin Clavel'''<br /> <br /> Lago Puelo - lago de las rocas (east) - Lago Azul - Lago Totoral - Llana Grande - El Manso - Lago Vidal Gormaz - La Junta - Toboganes - mirador Arcoiris - Anfiteatro - Cerro Trinidad - Cochamo <br /> <br /> The section begin with the crossing of Rio Azul, wich was not difficult at this time of the year. Then easy track to the lovely Argentinia border, I slept on the camping there. 8 more kilometers to arrive to the carabineros office. Easy border, nice people. <br /> <br /> Then due to the landslide on the RR (carabineros confirm me that the track is still not praticable there) I continued along Lago de Las Rocas, on the eastern side, following the option 2. Pretty easy to follow.<br /> <br /> At some point there is a junction, with a sign indicate Lago Azul - 6Km on the right. I followed it, even if it get me out of the GPX file (and the nice and easy to follow track). Not sure it was a great idea, I ended up on a sort of small bush-bashing areas that I managed to pass threw and after few kilometers, finally found back the option track, clear and easy, and continue my way.<br /> <br /> Then you arrive to a big farm, the one from Jonas, a German native arriving here when he was a child, grow up there and have now a family, living in nature, along the lake, cultivating fruits and vegetables, and selling woods. Very nice man, interesting discussions ! After his farm, you'll follow the valley but keep the left in the woods straight after his farm, if not you'll arrive in a big swampy area. <br /> <br /> The track is less obvious and there's a lot of fallen trees. Few check on the GPS was necessary. Then you reach the Lago Azul. The GPX file is going inside the property of a settler. He's a nice guy but his dogs less, one bites me ! (Not hardly, but still!). Just be more careful than me going there, or go around the property. <br /> <br /> One last hard push to reach a gravel road, that you will follow until El Manso (30km a bit boring), but easy to find camping and food, especially around Lago Totoral. Resupply at Llana Grande, big supermarket with everything you need. <br /> <br /> At El Manso, there's a minimarket next to the cervecería wich is a place where you can camp. The track is quite easy to follow, and quite physical with all the ups and downs. I had rain for two days and this stretch was muddy, especially along the Lago Vidal Gormaz. Then it becomes VERY muddy until La Junta. I had the feelings I will never finish this stretch, and I felt few times in the mud. <br /> <br /> I was definitely not presentable when I arrived in La Junta, and the contrast was huge with all people well dressed with clean sports clothes who smell good the fresh perfume of lavenderia ahaha. <br /> <br /> I wanted to do Arco iris, but the track is closed because of a landslide. So I opt for the glaciar Paloma wich was surprisingly technical and steep. <br /> But the surrounding worth it, the glaciar Is amazing, the fact that you can enter into it is mad ! I slept up there, there's a little circle with rocks to put your tent. <br /> <br /> Then I reached Cochamo and enjoyed great food, confortable hostel and relaxing atmosphere<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-09 to 2024-Feb-16 / 7,5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Gerald'''<br /> <br /> First: I wouldn't do it if there was a lot of rain. Did it after a week of rain in 2019 and it was a mud hell until El Arco. Now it seems at least until junta the trail improved (not sure). For those who don't own a trekking pole, organize a stick early... you won't have mich fun with the muddy situation otherwise.<br /> <br /> The bus leaving Puerto Varas at 8:30 (Bus stop at -41.31617, -72.985396) charged 7k. Surprisingly they drove me to the trailhead, last time i had to walk from the bridge, guess it depends on the bus. If you want to get a seat you should probably take the bus in Puerto Montt, had to stay the whole ride. Seems like they will also stop along the way if you wave (check the cochamo insta for an overview of the schedule and route of the bus).<br /> Arrived at the checkpoint at 11:45. After explaining my trip and that i will stay at El Arco they let me pass (without a reservation). They just ask you to register before you go.<br /> Stopped at la junta to make a coffee and enjoy the view. They sell veggies they grow on site.<br /> If i remember rights from Rio Trador on it gets really muddy. It rained 4 days ago and mud was not a big issue until that river. <br /> <br /> Anyway, arrived quite late at 8pm at the shelter. There is a path to the right to a place to pitch couple of tents. After Rio Traidor (-41.407173, -72.092915) would also be a nice place to camp<br /> <br /> In average only 2 tabano/day annoyed me, what a time we live in... Finally<br /> <br /> Dona Luisa has a nice spot on the southern side of the lake Vidal gormaz.<br /> To give you idea, here a short pricelist:<br /> 5k camping, <br /> 3k for a beer (brahma or Sol), <br /> 7k for a bottle of wine, <br /> 12k for dinner (meat, salad and bread), <br /> 1.5k for cheese<br /> <br /> Camping at the settlement Steffen looked nice. Unfortunately i chose a spot next to a way too curious bull...<br /> <br /> The camping at the brewery in El Manso is not worth a penny (they charge 5k). It's basically a dry piece of land full of goose shit. Engine on petrol runs untill 10pm. Only wifi is positive. I couldn't find a good spot to camp nearby. I would camp way before. Bus supposed to arrive between 14:30 and 15:00. Luckily a car took me to Puerto Urrutia where i continued. Hostel Puelo Libre looked nice next to the beautiful river. Hiked until the north west side of lago las rocas.<br /> <br /> Ricardo (?) offered me a ride for free to the other end of the landslide. But I chose to cross the whole lake by boat. He charged 30k (I was alone). The radio is not anymore at the &quot;port&quot;, but you can walk to his house (just continue the MR, first house at around [-42.019089, -71.861245] to your left, if you want to avoid the dogs take the small trail to your left once you see it).<br /> <br /> Leaving Chile without the PDI document was not an issue (I requested the paper 5 days in advance and only got an auto response...). They did not even ask. Good views on the lake from now on. Spend an extra day at the camp next to the AR border control. All in all, nice hike! <br /> <br /> Missed the bus to El bolson by 5mins. Seems like it's more towards x:30h. I think they run every hour. Got a ride with a car for 1k to the city. If someone is fancying good sourdough bread i can recommend &quot;El Obrador&quot;<br /> <br /> The Post office is also doing Westernunion here (check Googlemaps reviews for more Infos)<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-03 to 2024-Feb-09 / Lilian'''<br /> <br /> If you decide stay at Segundo Corral, and take the boat to Argentina.<br /> <br /> NO NO NO <br /> <br /> NO NO NO<br /> <br /> DON'T DON'T DON'T stay at Mari Mari Peni Camping, (or another name) Amancays Camping.<br /> <br /> I saved a girl hiker almost RAPED by the campground owner, and I'm pointed by a rifle gun force me to stop helping her at the night on 07/02. About the details, i type it and upload later.<br /> <br /> It is already reported to Chile carabineros and Consulate in Chile.<br /> <br /> * '''GPT22 2024-01-31 to 2024-02-05 / 5,5 days days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Cochamó options/ Tomáš &amp; Natalie'''<br /> <br /> After a month and a half, we finally did something standard! From Puerto Varras (the bus stop on Avenida Vicente Perez Rosales just after Antonio Varras street) we took a bus at 8:38 going from Puerto Mont that went all the way to the end of MR to the &quot;Road end&quot; waypoint (aka the trailhead). At our hostel (Casa Apel), they told us it would arrive at 8:45. Not sure if this is the same bus that others said would pass Puerto Varras at 8:15 or if it just goes to the road end only in high season. It was 7000 per person - I think they might charge double for backpacks, it seemed expensive but happy they took us all the way.<br /> <br /> We were at the entrance at 11 AM and were let through for free when we told them we were going to El Arco. Nat worries this excuse won't last long. The way to La Junta is really busy (met maybe 50 people and about ten horses), easy and without many views as it goes through a forest. When we reached La Junta, we decided that the valley is too special to just walk on by, so we decided to try our luck and ask for camping in order to do the side trips. We asked all the campsites and only La Junta let us stay, 8000 CLP per person. Nat says it is important not to spread the word as they were nice people and did us a favor even though they were not supposed to allow people without reservations to stay. So, do not expect to be let in. We had a numbered site so I think they genuinely had some places free. If nobody had places, after ford 98.9, there is a maze of paths and mini-meadows on the left where I saw somebody camp illegally. If you hide your packs well for the day and then camp from dusk till dawn, you would probably get away with it. Alternatively there are some flat spots in Trinidad valley two hours up - if you start so that you would arrive by dusk, you should meet nobody.<br /> <br /> The side trips are steep but not challenging, many people take them. We went to Paloma [November 2024: in our suggestions and in OSM, like the next option too] in the evening, it can be done in three hours there and back if you do not stop (we did). We started going up at 1715 and saw last person going down at 1830 or so. It is quite splendid and fun, there are a couple of places you have to use a fixed rope. OSM says there is a route to Cerro La Junta. It is probably an exit route for climbers, I did not see any traces of it, but it looked like it was possible. If it is, one could probably continue all the way to Cerro Capicua.<br /> <br /> Arco Iris is still closed. If it were open I think one could follow the ridge, which is not very steep or outcroppy, all the way north to above GPT21 - only there is probably no way down [November 2024: in the Facebook group, it was said that somebody died there and that is why it is close, so maybe there is nothing wrong with the path, but it is closed officially for sure].<br /> <br /> The next morning I went to the Trinidad Valley and all the way up to Cerro Bella Vista and Nat went ahead to escape the approaching rain. The roundtrip takes about 7-8 hours. There is a marked travelled trail to the pass (&quot;El Paso&quot;), the last 300 vertical meters or so are marked by cairns. You will need your hands occasionally, but it is not exposed or particularly hard - SAC 4. The views are well worth it. It seemed most people only go to La Laguna (lake just under the pass). We started at 6 AM and I met the first people on my way down around noon at La Laguna. The way up through Camping Vista Hermosa (the current GPT track) is not supposed to be used by people not staying at the campsite. The proper way up seems to be the more western trail that is marked on OSM. Going back down trough camping Bella Vista was without issues though. They told Natalie you are not supposed to use their cable car (the one more upstream). Tomáš thinks you should use it as it is the only one that you can use without going through either of the campsites (the downstream one goes directly from La Junta campsite). No horseflies by now!<br /> <br /> I left the camping at 15:30, and met only one group of hikers all the way up to the second Camp waypoint at Lago Grande. It is a nice camp, bigger than the first, but no good water sources. Wild legal camping, if I get it right. Refuge El Arco is unmanned, it is just a simple wooden hut. I would only use it in case of severe rain. The way up was almost all dry after two weeks of no rain. Mostly through forest, with some nice views of the valley, a few more fords than indicated, but they could all be jumped.<br /> <br /> The next day it rained (5mm?) from 4 AM till 11 AM but it was not enough to make the trails substantially muddy. Nat had camped under a tree on a bench at Doña Luisa (5mil) and despite the rain was mostly dry without a tent. Tomáš had camped at Lago Grande and the tent got very wet (but not his sleeping bag). The bridge before Lago Vidal is not there but there was a nice log. There are some pre-colonization rock paintings after Lago Vidal, one probably needs to make a sidetrip to see them based on the information signs near Torrentoso (trail 22-10 was signposted; trails in the valley are well maintained so I assume the option is good to go). On the last meadow before the gone bridge at 51.8, there was a cherry tree that still had very tasty miniature cherries in the beginning of February. It is behind the house to the left of the trail, maybe 40 m from it. I discovered it by going south of the house (nobody seemed to be in it). Do not miss the turnoff of the trail from the meadow - I went straight, there was initially a trail but petered out into a landslide. Camp at 45.2 is nice but bring water (reach it by turning left from the trail cca 50-100 m beyond the imaginary shortest route from the trail to the camp, that way you avoid any vegetation, there is an opening in the fence (-41.70438, -71.99186). Finally met Natalie after two days of escaping rain, she found a dry spot under the tree canopies there. Shop in El Manso is better than expected (has good veges and fruit) but not as good as the one in Llanada Grande. El Manso also is besides a cerveceria with wifi (you have to buy the beer). The bus only came at 1530 despite being told it comes at 1pm. In almost three hours of waiting, we did not manage to hitch a car. <br /> <br /> The bus indeed stops at Llanada Grande for 10 minutes or so - it is not really enough to orientate yourself and buy lots of supplies. The supermarket had lots of nectarines! Should you want to go to Puerto Urutia, the bus does not go there so you need to get off and walk the minor road there. We could not get reliable Entel internet reception anywhere in the valley (calls were fine) along the bus route.<br /> <br /> We went to Primer Corral to do 22-08. The first few km are not a pleasant road to walk on. We decided to turn back as bad weather was coming in two days and it did not seem worth it. Not sure how far the road for cars goes. There seems to be regular but sparse traffic on it.<br /> <br /> We walked back for about an hour on the main road before getting a hitch for the last 3 km to turnoff to 22-02, as others indicated the RR is badly passable due to a landslide. The MR we walked was aesthetically dreadful and supersteep. We had to climb a locked gate right at the start. We found a miniature camping spot (dry) about 200 m before the signposted trail turnoff. In the morning a lorry driver waved at us so probably no issues with climbing the gate. Luckily the trail is much nicer than the road. We met the settler at the lake Azul, he let us walk through his property. The few km to the first very small lake are actually an undriven MR, but very pleasant, it does not seem to be connected to the road network. After 2 km, one turns left onto a trail, there are new signposts indicating you ca go to the &quot;Frontera&quot; or the lake - go to the Frontera. Until the pass, it is very clear. After the pass, the visibility deteriorates somewhat but no bush bashing is involved. Soon after that, there is a gate saying there is no trail afer a harsh winter. We went further and it turned out there is a trail. There were some trees on it, but not too much and we lost it only for about 50 m. From setler at 11.4, the trail is much more clear. Met a seemingly lonely girl from the next homestead with whom we had a lovely chat. The trail to the border control was easy, we came there at 1530 and were let through. They told us that it would be ok to reach the Argentinian border control the next day. They too had a very ripe cherry tree but did not pick up on my appraisal of it and did not suggest I get some fruit.<br /> <br /> We met several people on the way to Argentina border. We camped there (wild permitted numbered camping sites - there was about twenty other Argentinians, the functioning toilets are unsigned immediately next to the Police building, the building that looks like the old toilets is closed). The next day we had no issues with getting a stamp and going down. The last CC part is a trail. We forded the second ford a bit earlier than suggested, it was waist deep but very slow moving. Took a bus at 1340 to El Bolson - seems to run regularly (the dog bandits there are aggressive, watch out).<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-19 to 2024-Jan-24 / 6 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR + day trip / Lotti &amp; Alex'''<br /> <br /> We did this section mostly as described by Fangwen and Tobi (El Manso to Cochamo base camp), so there is not much to add. We stayed at La Junta for 2 nights and did a very nice day trip to Cerro Bellavista (see description further down). The trails were very well maintained all the way. The only minor problems were mud and lots of horse flies. Like Fangwen and Tobi, we were happy we did the section NOBO, because the landscape gets more and more spectacular. This way it is also much easier to get to camp at La Junta without reservation, because they always reserve some space for hikers coming from the south. <br /> It was a beautiful hike and especially the area around La Junta is really spectacular and worth visiting. We even met a fellow GPT hiker there, which was great! <br /> <br /> Transportation:<br /> <br /> To start:<br /> Bus &quot;Rio Puelo&quot; from Puerto Varas to Lago Tagua-Tagua at 8:20am, then ferry to Puerto Maldonado, then bus to El Manso. We arrived at the trailhead around 1pm.<br /> <br /> after hike:<br /> Bus from end of trailhead (&quot;Cochamo base camp&quot;) to Cochamo/Puerto Montt at 1pm.<br /> <br /> Day trip to Cerro Bellavista:<br /> <br /> Start at La Junta on GPT Variant G, following the signs to &quot;Trinidad&quot;. It starts by crossing the river with the little cable car. After the walls of Trinidad, stay on the trail and follow the signs to &quot;Laguna&quot;. The official trail ends there, but there are stone cairns and ribbons marking a trail that goes up to the pass. The laguna is crowded, but we didn't meet anyone further up. The view at the pass is already great, but you can go up even further. Turn to the left and follow the stone cairns until the summit. It is not difficult, just walking and easy scrambling, and the view is absolutely spectacular.<br /> The whole tour has about 1300m of altitude difference. It took us around 5h to go up, and 3-4h down. <br /> <br /> * '''2024-01-07 to 2024-01-14: Fangwen and Tobi / 2.5 days Ventisquero Valley (Option 08 + more), 4 days El Manso to Cochamo RR / NOBO hiking.'''<br /> <br /> We did two parts along this enjoyable section, connecting them by hitchhiking and resupplying in between in Llanada Grande.<br /> <br /> The first part was hiking ~20km into the scenic Ventisquero valley (Option 08), alongside a wonderful river on an enjoyable and easy hiking trail through farms and rainforest that mostly follows an old minor road. It's often better to follow the well-marked trail rather than the GPT track files. A highlight of our trip was hiking up to a fantastic viewpoint at 1100m with a view of the whole valley, its remote side valleys and glaciated mountain peaks. The trail (900m elevation gain, 4.5km) through the thick rainforest is steep but excellent in quality and easy to follow (but the turnoff at S 42° 01.737', W 072° 05.643' is easy to miss). This and other trails in the valley are not part of the GPT files yet, but GPX files can be found on the website of Rincon Bonito (glamping accommodation for groups) that presumably created the trail. We camped by the viewpoint; what a wonderful experience! There are plenty of places to pitch up a tent, but little protection from wind. We found a wind protected camp in a dried-out puddle at (S 42° 02.705', W 072° 06.193'). Make sure to bring water, since the last reliable water source is in the valley, just before the turnoff onto the steep trail. From the viewpoint, we attempted to climb the local mountain, but beyond 1500m, it appears to require bush bashing. Our track: [[Media:GPT 22 Ventisquero Viewpoint.gpx]]. [https://rinconbonito.cl/experiencias/ The GPX on their site].<br /> The viewpoint is within the Pumalin National Park, but the whole valley seems to be private property and camping is forbidden outside official campsites, which begin quite far into the valley. There are plenty of spots to pitch up a tent nonetheless (which is what we did).<br /> For packrafters, going down the river must surely be a highlight! Rincon Bonito offers packrafting (maybe only for their guests?), they describe it as class II+.<br /> <br /> Our second part followed the regular route 22N from El Manso to the Cochamo trailhead. This was an enjoyable hike and we found the trail to be in good condition, although it gets pretty muddy around El Arco (and that's after one week of sunny weather). There is quite a bit of pointless up and down between km45 and km79. Additionally, our hiking distance was often 20-25% longer than expected, as there are many switchbacks too small to be represented on the track files. We liked hiking this section northbound, as the rainforest and the views get more and more impressive as you go along. La Junta has a lot of local hiking options (e.g. hiking into the Anfiteatro valley or on top of Cerro Trinidad), but we didn't spend any extra days because the weather was turning.<br /> <br /> Logistics: to get to the start of section 22, take the daily bus that leaves at 7.45am from Puerto Montt (stops at 8.15 in Puerto Varas at intersection el Salvador/San Pedro S 41° 19.081', W 072° 59.038', and later in Cochamo). The bus company Río Puelo has a ticket office in Puerto Montt, their WhatsApp number is +56 9 7408 9199. From there, take the ferry across Lago Tagua Tagua and the connecting bus down the valley to your respective trailhead (El Manso for the Cochamo valley, Primer Corral for the Ventisquiero valley). Note that travel is slow... We arrived at the Primer Corral at 4pm. We left a bag of food for the second half of our trip. Unfortunately it was visible from the parking lot and got stolen, so we resupplied at the Llanada Grande supermarket. The bus makes a stop there for ~15min, if you want a quick resupply there (it's a bit bigger than in El Manso). We hitchhiked to El Manso, which worked after two hours of waiting/walking (not a lot of traffic).<br /> <br /> If you are in the Llanada Grande area, go to Camping Reflejo Azul. The campsite itself is average, but it has the most beautiful river we have ever seen in our lives. Visit this truly special place before Instagram influencers find out about it and it becomes overrun by hordes of tourists. Day access is possible also for 5.000 CLP.<br /> <br /> Photos: https://www.facebook.com/groups/222224388283455/permalink/1732098767296002/?app=fbl<br /> <br /> * '''&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;2024-Jan-4 / 7.5 days / Packrafting / SOBO / RH + OP-LK-2 + RP / Lauren &amp; Sebastian&lt;/span&gt;'''<br /> <br /> Note: We were told a reservation is needed for a camp site at La Junta to be allowed into the valley from Cochamo side, so we did that. However, one of the wikiexplora entry mentioned that they were allowed in when mentioning that they wanted to camp at El Arco Refuge but we read it too late. Camp Trawen is the most expensive (15k per person), which is the reason why it’s been available on short notice. There are several other sold-out camps around for 8k-10k.<br /> <br /> Day 1: We hitchhiked to Cochamo Base Camp at 9am and reached Camp Trawen by 2pm. It would have been better to go on the El Arco Refuge straight away and camp there. It’s a touristy stretch and in our view not really worth doing, if you like the general quiet nature of the GPT.<br /> <br /> Day 2: Camped at the beach at Lago Vidal. Easy hike but lots of ups and downs.<br /> <br /> Day 3: We packrafted Lago Vidal and had a good lunch at Luisa’s place (make sure to drop by!), before continuing on to Torrentoso (not the paid camp, but on the meadow a few hundred meters after the official camp). <br /> <br /> Day 4: The bridge at wp Bridge {22N} [51.8/146] (Rio Steffen) does not exist anymore. It’s not a demanding ford but there are short steep ups and downs on both sides. We stayed near wp Settler {22N} [50.1/307].<br /> <br /> Day 5: We rivered in at wp Rio Manso. The ride was super scenic and beautiful and there were no rapids, just a bit of boiling water but nothing difficult, which might be due to different water levels compared to previous accounts. It’s 45 minutes from there to the bridge at wp Bridge {22N} [40.8+0.2/36]. We rivered out behind the bridge on the right side. There is a nice flat beach which leads to the cabin of Harv and Veronica. They let us camp on their land and even offered a hot (wood fired) shower for 2.5k per person. There is a cervezeria and shop across the road for resupply.<br /> <br /> Day 6: We took the bus at 1 pm to intersection at wp X {22-01} [25.0/187] and went on OP-MR-V (along Hunter’s estate) to Lago Azul. You will be charged 5k per person to access the lake. We crossed Lago Azul with strong waves and tailwind so we sailed to the other side in no time.<br /> <br /> Day 7: Crossed Lago de Las Rocas, Lago Inferior, and Lago Puelo to the Argentinian border control which opens at 8am next morning so we camped there. Next day we finished at Lago Puelo which is a popular tourist beach.<br /> <br /> Tip: It is a hot &amp; dusty walk to town from the beach and hitchhiking is not as easy in this part of Argentina as in Chile. Keep some small change of USD or Argentinian pesos for the bus ride to resupply in town. If you plan to continue packrafting Lago Puelo on GPT23 after resupplying, the earliest bus back to the beach reaches around 7.30am but it will be too late as the wind picks up by 8am. Lago Puelo is known for its strong gusts so it’s best to check wind forecast and paddle early morning 5.30am to cross. Therefore it may be easier to camp at one of the campsites nearer to the beach instead of staying in town. Just go there for resupplying.<br /> <br /> *'''2023 Dec OH-TL-V / Anh'''<br /> Note: the trail OH-TL-V alias Cerro Arco Iris [from La Junta] was damaged by big rocks in the last season and is completely closed. A new route or repair is not in planning.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-12-17 to 2023-12-21 / 5 days / Hiking + &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / SOBO /RR &amp; Option 01B / Roman'''<br /> <br /> Route: Hiking from Cochamó to El Manso. Bus to Lago de Las Rocas. Packrafted the lake and Lago Inferior. Hiked to Lago Puelo.<br /> <br /> Due to the border crossing, there is a thread about it on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/222224388283455/permalink/1709504102888802/. I applied online - no answer. Went to the carabineros in Cochamó they couldn't issue it, so I went without it (it worked without a problem)<br /> <br /> Started in Cochamó (there is a bus to the entry I just got him by hitchhiking so I don't know the schedule) and had a reservation for Camp Trawen (Fruit, Groceries, Electricity). This is getting checked at the entrance if you have one. The trail to the camp was a bit muddy (2 days of rain before the start) but all doable. The next day went to the northern end of Lago Vidal Gormaz and slept there at Lake {22-05} [7.9/604]. Bridge destroyed at: -41.43696, -71.96632 and Bridge {22N} [63.0/337] (Rio El Colorado). Both are crossable dry feed due to trees. Generally, there is no fording necessary after Lago Vidal Gormaz. Before yes. Packrafted Rio Manso. There were no rapids on the map, it's mentioned in the Manuel that it can be challenging. There are some rapids but all are doable and manageable (I am a beginner with kayak experience and an open deck packraft). You can get easy access to the river at -41.692561, -71.972725 this is 300m after the mark in the file. There is a dry river bed to avoid BB to get to the River. The river is fast flowing. Follow the GPS only at one point where the river splits pay extra attention: turn left as shownin the GPS: -41.698615, -71.985482 . Went out at the south side of the bride: Bridge {22N} [40.8+0.2/36] (Rio Manso) on the right side. There is a trail to the street with one gate where you can walk through on the right side. The shop Settlement, Shop, Bus {22N} [40.7/36] (El Manso) has good supplies and free WiFi. The trail to this point is very good. Based on previous comments and a chat to a local I want to skip at least to Puerto Urrutia [comment in: 2023-FEB-01 to 2023-FEB-07]. There is an official bus going all the way from Rampa Punta<br /> <br /> Maldonado -&gt; Segundo Corral. Find the schedule here: https://imgur.com/a/7MVEscb . The shop owner said the bus is normally there at 02:00 PM. The bus was there in my case at 02:30 PM. This bus stops at the large supermarket [Supermercado Llanada Grande] a great place for a last resupply). The bus also stops at Puerto Urrutia but I went all the way to Lago de Las Rocas and used OH-MR-V {22-01B} [8.2+1.9] to get to the lake. Started packrafting at 05:00 PM. The start was fine. The wind got worse during the evening and was to my capabilities on the maximum with serious waves. Strong wind from the north. It was pleasantly paddling after going through the gap at -42.069608, -71.813735. Camped at Lake, Camp {22S} [21.8/314]. Got there at 07:45 PM. Crossed the border without any problems. Packrafted Lago Inferior and got in the water here: Lake {22S} [20.9/201] at 10:00 AM. The wind got stronger but manageable. Exited the lake at 11:15 AM at -42.102244, -71.742575. The trail back to the RR is good to hike. From there, the trail is in good condition. Due to the higher water in Rio Azul fording and therefore the RR is not possible. You get also the recommendation from the Argentinien carabineros to take Option 03. I didn't want to take this and followed the RR to this point: -42.091481, -71.633667. From there I followed the trail to this point: -42.09399, -71.634188. There is an old dock [image here: https://imgur.com/a/5LMsKA1]to put in you packraft. The trail can be downloaded at the end of the comment. There I packrafted with very strong onshore wind and if it hadn't been for only 300m I wouldn't have done it to (03:15 PM):-42.096114, -71.628682 ,and walked from there to the end of GPT22.<br /> <br /> Overall: great section! It's a nice trail to hike and packrafting rRioEl Manso is a lot of fun and a great change in perspective after hiking for a few days. After that, the trail continues bto bein a good condition. The conditions for Lago de Las Rocas should be closely checked. I would definitely recommend it!<br /> <br /> Trail download: https://1drv.ms/u/s!AqzLweJ3NZW5q7YZzDoW3qlKypqwBg<br /> <br /> Contact: https://linktr.ee/RundW<br /> <br /> * '''&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;2023-Dec-03 to 2023-Dec-12 / 9 days / PACKRAFTING / NOBO &amp; SOBO / Jordan Jennings&lt;/span&gt;'''<br /> Route:<br /> <br /> took bus to Primer Corral&gt;Arroyo Ventisquero&gt;Rio Puelo (walked 13km of rapids through canyon)&gt;Lago Tagua Tagua&gt;Rio Puelo&gt;Estero Reloncavi to Cochamó (nobo) took bus back towards Primer Corral from Cochamó, asked to be dropped off near Lago Azul.. Lago Azul&gt;lago las rocas&gt;Lago Inferior&gt;Lago Puelo&gt;Lago Puelo town (sobo).<br /> <br /> Highlights:<br /> <br /> Arroyo ventisquero: is well worth a visit, packrafting or hiking. I got told that there is a hostel run by an abuela 4km further up the valley from Rincon Bonito (posh cabins) where the route on track files stops (c20km up valley from Primer Corral). Between the hostel and Rincon there are rapids, so be prepared to walk back to Rincon to put boat in water. The river from Rincon to Rio Puelo is stunning and very easy in packraft.<br /> <br /> Lago Azul: If you flip flop (as recommended if packrafting), and return back to Primer Corral for sobo travel as Jan mentions in the manual, ask the bus driver to drop you at Lago Azul, rather than taking the bus closer to the Lago las rocas trailhead/Primer Corral. The 3km walk from the bus stop to the lake is easy and I got super lucky and passed a local horse race (Carreras) on a Saturday. Maybe ask ahead when they are on?!<br /> <br /> Other comments:<br /> <br /> The hiking section bypassing Rio Puelo (first set of) rapids through canyon, the 13km or so took me all day. Parts of the trail were barely a trail, very slow kms. Although I was also a bit sick so my experience might be tainted. The alternative is taking roads on the right hand side of the river.<br /> <br /> I hiked the section between the Argentinian border patrol and lago puelo town (13km) which passed through some stunning farmland (lago puelo can get angry with wind as with any big lake). The dotted line section or shortcut which requires two river fords was impassable for me. Rio Azul was not even close to being fordable mid December. And even if you did pass, you would have to take the road to Puelo anyway.<br /> <br /> In terms of transport to Primer Corral, the bus leaves Cochamó at 10:30am and Puelo at 11:30am (same bus, which I think starts in Puerto Montt v early). From the ferry there’s another local bus that will essentially drop you wherever you want (en route) to primer corral. Super easy.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> * '''2023-Feb-18 to 2023-Feb-23 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + 22-01 / Martin &amp; Helena'''<br /> <br /> A lot has been already written, so just a few comments from our side:<br /> <br /> No problem with entering the valley in SOBO direction, until the noon aprox., saying you will spend the night at the refugio El Arco - they have some time estimate for this hike and can’t let you in if its late. By the entrance you can buy some useful things that might be hard to buy in Cochamo, like gas or peanut butter. There was also a beer truck with quite good wifi connection (only during summer). Crowds of people in both directions, quite muddy trail. Detour to the Toboganes is definitely worth it. We spend the night after all in a marked camp aprox. 4 kms before the refugio and it was a good decision - there were quite a lot of people when we passed by the next day.<br /> <br /> From the refugio its nice and easy walking. We spent the night on the southern side of Lago Vidal Gomaz where is amazing campsite Doña Luisa, for I think 5000 CLP pp. We bought there beer, some cheese and bread in the morning, and you can also charge electronics inside. It is possible to have proper breakfast or dinner, it looked all very tasty. At km N 40.7 is shop with all the basic things + great brewery next to it, definitely stop there if you are a fan.<br /> <br /> Based on other comments and our time schedule we decided to take the alternative 22-01 to Llanada Grande. This is a good resuppy spot as there is a new and big (at least in comparison to what you would expect in a place like this) supermarket that replaced the old one destroyed by fire. Good place to stay is a campsite at the end of the village, on the right side, run by really nice lady. Not expensive and if its free, you can stay for the same price in a so called refugio, that is actually just a very small room, but for us better than a tent. Hot water and electricity + possibility to buy pizza and maybe some other small things - there is actually no restaurant in the village. Some more road walking around Lago Totoral to Rio Puelo to connect back to RR. In general not very attractive part of the trail. Great restaurant in Hostal Puelo Libre with local beer and view on the river.<br /> <br /> From the port its again easy walking on the RR again. Drunk settler and quite agressive dogs out of his control at S km 7.2 so be careful. We slept half way to Las Rocas lake. We thought about taking the RR around the lake, but the landslide caused by snow (aprox. 1.5 km from the port) looked quite difficult to pass. We discovered there is possibility to cross the lake on one of the locals boat, which we did in the end. We were lucky that after waiting for some time in the port a car with locals arrived. Happily for us they arranged a boat transfer with other residents to get to the other side of the lake, where they went for a lunch. We were able to go with them, and after picking up their friends, we all hop off the boat close to the police station. Great experience and we learned a lot about this area and people living here. We paid 10k CLP. In the comments here is a contact for the guy with a boat, but without signal it must be arranged in advance, and the price might differ when not sharing the transfer with others. No problem with the border check. It took us around 4 hrs to get to the argentinian side, where everyone was super friendly as well. They offered us to camp there, but we decided to make it to Lago Puelo, which took us 2 more hrs. The landscape changes significantly on the other side where everything is more dry. No problem with the river crossing. We got off the trail directly on the main road.<br /> <br /> Contact: @martin_hanzelka @helenneka<br /> <br /> * '''2023-FEB-01 to 2023-FEB-07 / 7 days / hiking / SOBO / Cochamó - Lago Puelo / Anna &amp; Christopher '''<br /> <br /> We hitchhiked from Eco Camping El Valle to the entry of the park and arrived around 8 am. We told them that we would camp at the Refugio El Arco and explained our further route. Until la Junta there were lots of chilenean tourists, therefore the path was very good only with some muddy stretches. Like Véronica we walked to Toboganes, a waterfall/stream with beautiful rock formations. There were tons of people, but it's worth it. La junta seems to be an amazing place for rock climbing, we would have loved to have some climbing gear with us.<br /> <br /> After la Junta there were almost no more hikers. We camped next to the Refugio, as there were already two other groups of hikers sleeping in the Refugio.<br /> <br /> Until Lago grande there are still some muddy stretches and blowdowns, but generally it is a good path. From there on the path is perfectly maintained. We camped at approx. km 66 next to Río los Morros. <br /> <br /> Nice path until El Manso. We resupplied at the minimercado and camped next to the river, which was a beautiful camping spot with lots of delicious blackberrys.<br /> <br /> The next morning we arrived at Señora Ocos house around 8 am. She contacted multiple people and luckily found out that there was somebody crossing the river to our side at 11 am. The man, whose name we unfortunately forgot, was super friendly and dropped us off after the river mouth of Rio Traidor, close to where he lives. He charged 10.000 CLP p.p.<br /> <br /> The path to the first settler was mediocre and afterwards got worse and worse until it was almost pure buschwhacking. It was the worst we had so far on the GPT. Thorns.. Lots of thorns tearing away at your clothes, backpack and skin.<br /> We camped at the river at approx. km 12, which was a beautiful spot.<br /> Until the settlement Las Nieves the path continued beeing bad with lots of bush bashing. The settler told us that no locals use that path and she also told us that there are no regular boat transfers to Puerto Urrutia on weekends (it was sunday..).<br /> We wouldn't do that stretch next to Rio Puelo again and instead hitchhike from El Manso to Puerto Urrutia.<br /> <br /> At the boat transfer waypoint to Puerto Urrutia we had Entel service and contacted one lodging on the other side. They told us to go to the last house 1km back to ask for a transfer (it's the house of the man who does the boat transfer on weekdays). But we got lucky and a boat passed by and took us to the other side. The man on the boat also told us that the path from Río Traidor to Puerto Urrutia &quot;is closed&quot;.<br /> <br /> We continued to Lago verde, where we planned to camp, but it's surrounded by dense forest, apart from a private property.<br /> That spot is amazing, a little landing stage to go swimming, a great view and a very friendly owner. She even baked some delicious apple bread for us. For camping she charged us 8000 CLP p.p.. That was definetly worth it.<br /> <br /> After Lago verde there is a minimarket. We didn't check it out, but there is no resupply wp yet.<br /> <br /> After reading previous blogs and having had enough of thorns we decided to cross el Lago de Las Rocas by boat. Therefore there is a walkie talkie on the landing stage on the northern end of the lake with which you can contact Richard. We also got his number (+56958694897), if you want to contact him in advance. When we arrived at the lake, there were already lots of people waiting for the boat so we just waited with them and after some time got knocked the boat with them. The ride was really nice across the crystal clear blue water and we were charged 5000 p.p.<br /> <br /> From the southern end of the lake it's just a couple of minutes to walk to the chilenian border control. We continued on and camped at km 30 at the river. Again a really beautiful spot.<br /> <br /> The next day we passed the argentinian border control and continued to Lago Puelo.<br /> <br /> The section was really beautiful, except the part with the thorns. There are lots of streams along the whole trail, so one does not need to carry much water. <br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-29 to 2023-Feb-02 / 5 days / hiking / NOBO / RR mostly / Frank'''<br /> <br /> I got the bus-ferry-bus from Puerto Montt to Segundo Corral. To avoid the landslide at Laguna Las Rocas &amp; delays with the river ferries I walked on the road from Segundo Corral to El Manso, about 50KM. Easy but not very interesting walking. It takes a full day to get from Puerto Montt on the bus to Segundo Corral so I believe it would be better to go SOBO with an early start to get through La Junta, otherwise you need 2 additional days for travel. <br /> <br /> Stayed @ nice &amp; cheap campsite at bridge over Rio Colorado &amp; camped at El Arco. The trail approaching El Arco was muddy &amp; a bit swampy (it had been raining). It's possible to go by boat across Lago Vidal Gomez but it's an easy 3 hour walk. <br /> <br /> Got the bus again to Segundo Corral &amp; ferry to Paso Bolson. The trail across the border is generally in good condition. There is some easy bushbashing on the Chilean side for about 1KM before the border &amp; some fallen trees but they are straightforward to go over. Rio Azul was easily fordable in early February.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-10 to 2023-Jan-14 / 5 days / hiking / SOBO / RR, also GPT22-01 / Véronica '''<br /> <br /> Route: Cochamó - La Junta - Lago Vidal Gormáz - El Manso - Puerto Urrutio via Option 1 - Lago Las Rocas - Lago Puelo (Argentina) <br /> <br /> The borders of Paso El León and Paso El Bolsón are both opened again for tourists! Go for it! It is a beautiful section with wonderful people, such a contrast to where I started the GPT further north. <br /> <br /> In Cochamó, I stayed at Eco Camping El Valle, right at the entrance to the Cochamó River Valley. Paid 7000 clp, very nice campground, there are tarps over the picnic tables at each site so you have a dry place to hang out even if it rains :) Since I spent the night so close to the trailhead, it was easy to get to the guarded valley entrance (Road End {22N} [109.8/58]) early. I did not have a camping reservation for La Junta. I arrived at the trailhead at 7:30 a.m., explained my route to the staff, saying I would stay at Refugio El Arco that night. They let me through no problem. The trail to La Junta is a bit muddy, but nothing bad, my feet stayed dry in my trailrunners despite the fact it was also raining off and on. Beautiful path through the Valvidian rainforest, I really enjoyed all the green and the moss. When I reached the La Junta area, I stashed my pack in some trees and made a short detour to Las Toboganes. They are only 0.7 km off the regular route, and highly worthwhile to see! What a spectacular area, I totally see the Yosemite resemblence, and would love to go back someday. <br /> <br /> I found the trail after La Junta (all the way to Lago Vidal Gormáz) to be in good shape, contrary to what others have written. It was maybe slightly less maintained than the popular trail leading into the valley, but it was still very clear and easy to follow — not overgrown, no blowdowns, just a bit muddy in some places. Granted, it has been drier than normal so far this summer. None of the fords went above my knees, and sometimes I could cross the creeks without even getting my feet wet, all very easy. <br /> <br /> The refugio at El Arco is dark and without any furniture inside. I found it much nicer to camp in the nearby meadow just south of the trail there. There are outhouses. <br /> <br /> Nice path from Lago Vidal Gormáz all the way to El Manso. Very beautiful in this valley as well. Met a few arrieros along the way. Most of the rivers have bridges crossing them. There is a small camp at the bridge over Río Colorado. <br /> <br /> In El Manso, I topped off my food supply at the shop on the main road. It has a good selection of food items. Then I went to Señora Oco's house to try and arrange a boat transfer over Río Puelo. She and her family are very friendly and welcoming. I arrived there mid-afternoon, but she could not get in radio contact with anyone on the other side. In the evening, we heard back from Hospedaje Nancy, who charged 60,000 clp for a crossing upriver all the way to Río Traidor (where she lives). This I found too expensive for me traveling alone. Señora Oco baked some bread and I was able to buy some. She also said I was welcome to camp in the fields behind her house while waiting for a response from settlers Paulina and Jovino regarding a crossing to their place (much more direct and therefore likely much cheaper). The next morning, we still hadn't received any response from Paulina and Jovino either via radio or Whatsapp (they may have been away). Because of this, I decided to take the gravel road to Puerto Urrutia (Option 1), and forgo crossing Río Puelo, unfortunately. Despite this setback, I'm really glad I got to meet and spend time with Señora Oco and her family, they are such kind people. <br /> <br /> I was able to hitch most of the way to Puerto Urrutia, where I rejoined the regular route. The trail from there all the way to Lago Las Rocas is mostly easy and clear. There were a few confusing junctions in the vicinity of Lago Verde, so I kept a close eye on the GPS there. After crossing the road after that, the beginning of RR -TL-V {22S} [2.8/7.1+2.7] is tricky to find. There are lots of fallen trees and many forest paths. The GPS was very helpful there too until I finally found the right path. After about 700 m it merges with a nice clear path all the way to Lago Las Rocas. <br /> <br /> As has been previously reported, there is a large rockslide about 2 km in once you reach Lago Las Rocas. It didn't look overly dangerous to me, the boulders were large and seemed solid enough. I started crossing it right at the bottom where the rocks fall into the lake, as it looked to be the easiest and safest way across. I was maybe 50 meters through it, when a boat came along, and the people in it told me to hop in! What lucky timing! As we passed the rest of the rockslide, I could see the last part of it was steep, loose scree rather than big boulders. That part would have definitely been nerve-wracking to cross, and I was very grateful for the boat ride. The settlers who owned the boat live about 3 km along the trail, at a little bay/inlet in the lake. They have a nice beach and campground too. That's where I rejoined the trail. Beyond their house, the &quot;Camino Los Mosquitos,&quot; as it is locally called, gets progressively worse in terms of overgrowth and blowdowns. The trail has not been cleared since the past winter, and not been used either. The stretch between kilometers 4 and 6.5 is the worst. It felt more like pure bushwhacking than following a trail. The path was mostly burried beneath walls of downed trees and branches, it got very hard to follow at times. Lots of climbing over and under vegetation, some of it quite thorny too. Very slow and tiring. My pack got ripped up a bit and so did my clothing. Had I known the trail was this bad, I would have taken the option on the east side of Lago Las Rocas. It's hard to imagine it could be in worse shape than the regular route. <br /> <br /> When I got to the Chilean Border Control it was around 6:30 p.m., so too late to cross that day. The border agent working there was very friendly, but he couldn't get in contact with his supervisor to get approval for stamping my passport with the next day's date. So I camped back at Lago Las Rocas, and the next morning came back at 8 a.m. when the border post reopened. The trail on the Chilean side of the border was a bit rough in places, it has been neglected since the winter too. But it was not as bad as the previous stretch along Lago Las Rocas. Once I got into Argentina, it got much better. The trails in Parque Nacional Lago Puelo are well-maintained, and I met some day hikers. No issues at the Argentine Border Control. <br /> <br /> I was able to ford Río Azul easily, thanks to the dry weather. There are three branches of the river to cross (the GPS waypoints only show two of them). The middle branch is the widest and deepest. The water there went up to my upper thighs (I'm 165 cm), but the current was slow and it never felt dangerous. <br /> <br /> Now I'm skipping down to GPT32 to continue my adventure further south :) The northern sections that I hiked from 6 to 22 were simply amazing, with great weather almost the entire time. Thank you, all! <br /> <br /> * '''2022-Oct-19 to 2022-Oct-24 / 6 days / hiking / SOBO / RR / ???'''<br /> <br /> Here are the main points because our story is long :)<br /> Paso el bolson and El Leon are closed for tourists until further notice <br /> Some of trails are in bad condition because of the hard winter but they might be cleared in the following weeks. <br /> Landslide in Lago Las rocas - very dangerous part to cross. We suggest to take an optional route <br /> <br /> The trail starts in valle cochamo. We did not have any reservations but as we were in low season we were not worried. However the lady from the tourist office in Cochamo told us to arrive at the entrance of the valley between 7 &amp; 8 to avoid being rejected. At 7h50 there was nobody at the reception so we did not have any trouble, but we cannot say for the high season. <br /> You can arrange a car transfer to go the valley entrance. The numbers of the drivers are available at the tourist office.<br /> <br /> The trail until La Junta is muddy but well maintained - no worries there. Up there we met some arrieros and the locals from the camping and they told us that the trail was closed a bit further because of snow (up to 2 meters) in laguna Blanca. This is the highest part of the trail (about 1100m). The river crossings were feasible, but as they forecasted rain for the next day, we preferred to turn back in order to avoid being blocked between high rivers and snow. <br /> <br /> Back on the road between Cochamo and Puelo, we caught at about 10:30 the bus that leaves at 7:45 from Puerto Montt, to go to Rio Manso. There is a well furnished Shop where you can even find gas. <br /> We remained in the Southbound direction and went to Senora Oco's house. She was very welcoming, and her and her grandchild helped us in arranging a boat transfer for the following morning (nothing was possible the same day). We paid 50000 pesos to go from their house to Rio Traidor - close to Nancy hospedaje. Indeed, we skipped the first part of the trail as they told us that it was very closed with a lot of small trees and not used anymore. Maybe it would be cheaper to cross a bit south using the cable car or directly from Manso to Rio Traidor.<br /> <br /> Until the Rio Tigre, settler # 22N [7.7/157], the trail is visible but sometimes with some obstacles (fallen trees). After this settling, you will have to cross the Rio Tigre which might be the hardest to cross on your way if you have a lot of rain. There is a bridge indicated on the tracks but it has been swept away this winter. The best place to cross is a bit higher following the river, follow the horse track. We did not have any problem crossing, and probably the settler could help you with his horse if the river is too high. That is an advantage of the Southbound direction.<br /> <br /> After, the trail is really clear. We found the last transfer across Rio Puelo about 1 km before the point indicated on the track. It is his job to do the crossings and he also does sportive fishing if you are interested. Look for a house with a border collie with a piece of wood around the neck :) <br /> <br /> From Puerto Urrutia, the trail is clear again until the road. There is a shop at 600m on the right. Again here, the trail is closed due to fallen trees at the beginning, but the locals (last house on the right) will help you find another path. Clear trail until Lago Las Rocas. <br /> <br /> Once you reach the Lago Las rocas you will be blocked after 2km. Indeed there was a landslide this winter and you have to cross a very dangerous part of about 300 m of rocky mountain slide. It is not stabilized yet. We went through but we do not advise it. <br /> Also, there were a lot of fallen trees and the path was really tiring. The locals will probably clear the path in the following weeks. To get more information we suggest to contact the camping Playa Las Rocas on Instagram. <br /> You can also consider the other routes or arrange a boat crossing. <br /> <br /> Finally we arrived at the border crossing. Unfortunately it was closed due to the Covid, except for the very locals (people from Cochamo). Apparently Paso el Leon is closed as well for tourists. Be aware of that if you have to cross the Chilean- Argentinian borders, as small passes seem to be closed for tourists. <br /> In the end we had to go back to Puerto Montt crossing the Lago inferior with a free boat (ask the carabineros), and then the bus-ferry-bus from Segundo Corral.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> * '''&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;2021-Nov-23 &amp; 2021-Nov-25 / 2 days / Packrafting / SOBO / Estuario de Reloncavi from Ralun to Rio Puelo (Western shore) / Jan Dudeck &amp; Meylin Ubilla&lt;/span&gt;'''<br /> <br /> We paddled in two easy days the roughly 40 km southbound.<br /> <br /> Start at Ralun at Puente Petrohue: On the right side of the bridge (view in river flow direction) is a suitable put-in and good spot to camp. The gate was closed but not locked. There are signs of people occasionally camping there.<br /> <br /> Ralun to Cochamo: Packrafters in need to resupply can do this in Cochamo about 16 water kilometers from the put-in. Both, the western and eastern coast are suitable for packrafting. The eastern side is next to the main road what facilitates switching to hiking. The western side is less intervened and more scenic.<br /> <br /> Ralun to Rio Puelo: Again, the western and eastern coast are suitable for packrafting. The eastern side is next to the main road what facilitates switching to hiking but requires the crossing of a 4 km wide bay in open water. The western side is less intervened and more scenic but requires crossing the 3 km wide Estuario de Reloncavi near Rio Puelo. On the western side are also the Termas de Sotomo that are suitable for camping.<br /> <br /> Wind: On nice sunny days “viento sur” often kicks in around 10 am making southbound paddling difficult or unfeasible. We had two partially overcasted days and could paddle on the first day till 4 pm when wind became annoying strong. On the second day around 3 pm the wind and waves became unpleasant but by this time we were walking the final kilometers into Rio Puelo.<br /> <br /> GPT22: Southbound packrafters may take in Cochamo or Rio Puelo the bus to Lago TaguaTagua an get to the recommended packrafting starting point of section GPT22 halfway into this section to Flip-Flop as recommended.<br /> <br /> * '''2021-NOV-18 / 1 day / hiking / NOBO / Cochamó Valley (Lago Tagua Tagua - Lago Grande) / Tobías '''<br /> <br /> The Section between La Junta Base and Lago Vidal Gormez was very challenging. It had been raining a lot, so the Trail was very muddy and I had to cross several rivers and creeks. Went straight from Cochamó to Lago Grande and camped there in some Snow. Met only a few settlers. After reaching Lago Vidal Gormez, the Trail was easy and I enjoyed the hike a lot. Amaizing área up there!<br /> <br /> ==Season 2020/21==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> <br /> * '''2020-FEB-18 to 2020-FEB-21 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Tyler '''<br /> I didn’t have problems getting a campsite at la junta on the spot luckily. AMAZING area that I’ll be returning to again to do all the day hikes in. Aside from that, most the trail was very muddy, rainy, and unmaintained. This got a bit difficult after the 3rd day in a row. Good places to camp at the lakes over the pass SOBO. When I got down to Lago Vidal Gomez the trail improved.. I got some bread from a settler at the start of the lake. There right on the trail and super friendly and have rooms. The last ferry across Tagua Tagua leaves at 7 pm. I didn’t make it, so I slept underneath the office/bathrooms and took the ferry at 8:00 the next morning. I believe there’s another ferry at 12. <br /> <br /> * '''. 2020-Jan-09 to 2020-Jan-11 / hiking / SOBO / RR / Shaun'''<br /> <br /> Despite the austere warnings on the La Junta Camping website, I was able to make a reservation at short notice in high season, and the back and forth process only took a few hours. In Cochamó, I was warned that due to recent rain the river crossings at El Arco and another nearby river would likely be impassable. With four more days of heavy rain forecast, I decided to take the bus-ferry-bus combo to Puerto Urrutia and try to walk northbound from there with the optimistic hope that by the time I reached El Arco the river would be passable or, at least, the wait would be less. However, 10km north of the Rio Puelo crossing (service starts at 9am) my way was blocked by a high and fast river. I then retraced my steps and completed the rest of the section southbound - which was straightforward. The trail on the west side of Lago de la Roca until the frontera is a bit overgrown but still easy to see and nothing particularly slowed me down. On the Argentinian side the trail is well maintained. It is not permitted to camp on the 12km stretch between the border posts. I arrived too late to cross that day, but the Chileans stamped my passport with the next day’s date so I didn’t have to wait for the post to open at 9am. The Argentinian border guards informed me that because of the rain, the Rio Azul was too high to ford at the point on the regular hiking route just before Lago Puelo so I took the alternative route (Oh-Tl-V@22-04-#001) a few kms north and crossed over the La Pasarela bridge.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-22 to 2020-Jan-26 / 5 days / hiking / SOBO / parque de la vallee de Cochamo - La Pasarella / Arnaud '''<br /> <br /> As we arrived from Puerto Montt we were with the bus and stopped directly at the entrance of the private parque de la vallee de Cochamo.<br /> As it is private, there are some rules to get in, or they block you at the control point.<br /> The entrance is free but you need to have a reservation in one of the official camp sites there. To get the reservation, you can do it on internet (but you need to wait for the confirmation and it can be several days long), or do it directly there (red house), they give you the reservation voucher if there are places available (number seem to be limited). Then you pay the night when you reach the camp sites (6000 clp/pers).<br /> Or the other solution is to say that you sleep in the refugio del Arco. It is 23km further after the control. Then it is free and no reservation is needed, but this is possible only before 10am (after they block you). After 10am the only way to pass is to sleep in the camp sites. They block you if you do not have a<br /> reservation voucher for one camp site.<br /> This spot (la Junta) is famous among the chilenos so the access to the camp sites is really overrunned. The path is easy to walk.<br /> Once you go further than the campsites, you're alone, so it is better.<br /> The path is clearly marked. There are bridges for most of the rivers you cross. But it is very muddy.<br /> At the lago Vidal you can resupply a bit with those living there (you can also sleep in their camp sites).<br /> In El Manso you can find a minimarket with lots of things.<br /> Then, we decided to follow the road instead of the track because we were in a hurry with a deadline in El Bolson, until we reached la cruce de la rocas. There are buses or hitchiking is easy.<br /> Crossing borders was easy. There are 12km between the chilean stamp and the Argentin one that we did in 3.5 hours.<br /> At the very end we have not not crossed El Rio Azul, we walked 7 more km to the north to reach La Pasarella.<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> *In Cochamo go down towards the lake. There is a church on the left &amp; before you reach it there is a hospedaje on the right, good &amp; cheap.<br /> <br /> Really nice Cafe (Materia Cochamo) with a good selection of coffee, cake (Kuchen) &amp; sandwiches ca 50 meters before turning right to the cheap campsite.<br /> <br /> *There is a good place to stay NOBO 500 metres before the junction where the road turns towards Laguna Las Rocas. Farmhouse on RHS of road has rooms &amp; meals. Cheap, friendly &amp; good<br /> <br /> *In Segundo Corral there are two campsites. The first one is just before the school, it just says Kuchen but you can camp there. Cheap, nice family &amp; they do meals. There is a campsite after the school but the owner was drunk &amp; looking for an argument.<br /> Lots of campsites at Lago Totoral (on the road, not on RR)<br /> It's possible to camp near the Argentinian border control.<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> *2023 / Martin &amp; Helena<br /> We spent the night on the southern side of Lago Vidal Gomaz where is amazing campsite Doña Luisa, for I think 5000 CLP pp. We bought there beer, some cheese and bread in the morning, and you can also charge electronics inside. It is possible to have proper breakfast or dinner, it looked all very tasty. At km N 40.7 is shop with all the basic things + great brewery next to it, definitely stop there if you are a fan.<br /> <br /> *Zapatoria Puerto Varas.He is located in the back corner of a market like building across the street from the Santa Isabella on San Bernardo street. San Bernardo &amp; Del Salvador. I payed extra (10mil total) to have them finished and ready to go that day<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> <br /> * February 2023 / Gerald<br /> Bus lago puelo - El bolson: <br /> According to the timetable the bus is leaving from the lake every full hour from 7am till midnight<br /> <br /> * January 2023 Frank<br /> To avoid the landslide at Laguna Las Rocas you can walk on the road or get the bus to Segundo Corral then from Lago Inferior about 1.5KM from Segundo Corral there is a ferry to Paso Bolson (Chilean border control).The government subsidised ferry runs Monday-Friday only from 8-12 &amp; 2PM-6PM &amp; is only 2000 pesos. You need to radio the ferryman to arrange pickup, easily done in Segundo Corral.<br /> <br /> *2023 / Anna &amp; Christopher <br /> We decided to cross el Lago de Las Rocas by boat. Therefore there is a walkie talkie on the landing stage on the northern end of the lake with which you can contact Richard (+56958694897),we were charged 5000 p.p.<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> *2023 / Martin &amp; Helena<br /> From the port its again easy walking on the RR again. Drunk settler and quite agressive dogs out of his control at S km 7.2 so be careful. We slept half way to Las Rocas lake. <br /> <br /> *Northbound and southbound hiking is feasible. However, due to the controlled private southbound access through the La Junta área, hiking in that direction is only possible with a camping reservation, or by arriving at the checkpoint before 10am. A northbound traverse may therefore be preferred. For hikers generally heading south, it is possible to take the single ticket, half-day bus-ferry-bus combination south from Cochamó to Puerto Urrutia, hike the 120km north to Cochamó, then return to Puerto Urrutia and resume the section southwards from there.<br /> <br /> *Crossing the border is typically straightforward, however it is not permitted to camp on the 12km between the border posts. So if you arrive too late to cross, it is necessary to camp at the border post and cross the next day. In this situation, Chilean officials will stamp your passport with the next day’s date so you don’t need to wait for the office to open that morning.<br /> <br /> *Southbound access to the popular La Junta area is controlled at a private checkpoint and only granted to those with a prior camping reservation, or those arriving before 10am and therefore early enough to make it on to the free and unmanaged El Arco campsite 23km away. Reservations for La Junta can be made online at cochamo.com, but there may not be availability and the process may take several days, so hiking this section southwards may not be possible.Therefore, an option for hikers generally heading south is to take the bus-ferry-bus combination from Cochamó across Lago Tagua Tagua and on to Puerto Urrutia, hike 120km north back to Cochamó, then take the bus-ferry-bus south again and hike the remainder of the section southwards from Puerto Urrutia.<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT22 - Cochamó]]<br /> <br /> =Images=<br /> <br /> [[Archivo: | ]]<br /> <br /> {| border=&quot;1&quot; style=&quot;border-collapse:collapse&quot;<br /> |+'''GPT22: Cochamó'''<br /> | colspan=&quot;4&quot; style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| GPT22: Cochamó<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Hiking<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Packrafting<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;|Group<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; | D: Lagos Chilenos<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Total<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|'''160.6 km'''<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|'''51 h'''<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| '''136.6 km'''<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;|'''35 h'''<br /> |-<br /> | style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;|Region<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; | Chile &amp; Argentina: Los Lagos (X) &amp; Chubut<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Trails (TL)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|137.9 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|85.9%<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 20.3 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;|14.9%<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Start<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; | Cochamó<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Minor Roads (MR)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|10.8 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|6.7%<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 1.8 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 1.3%<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Finish<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; | Lago Puelo (Puerto)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Primary Roads (PR)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|9.7 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|6.0%<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 2.8 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 2.0%<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Status<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; | Published &amp; Verified<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Cross-Country (CC)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|2.2 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|1.4%<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 0.5 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 0.4%<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Traversable<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; | Dec - Apr (Maybe: Sep, Oct, Nov, May)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Bush-Bashing (BB)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| -<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;|-<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Packraft<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; | Very Useful<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Ferry (FY)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|(1.8 km)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|(1.1%)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| -<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;|-<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Connects to<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; | GPT21, GPT23<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Investigation (I)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| (1.9 km)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| (1.4%)<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Options<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; | 268 km (9 Options &amp; Variants)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Exploration (EXP)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| -<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;|-<br /> |-<br /> | <br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Hiking<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Packrafting<br /> | rowspan=&quot;4&quot; style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| <br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Total on Water<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| '''111.1 km'''<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| '''81.4%'''<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Attraction<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|4 (of 5)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 5 (of 5)<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| River (RI)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 62.5 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 45.7%<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Difficulty<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|4 (of 5)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 4 (of 5)<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Lake (LK)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 32.4 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 23.7%<br /> |-<br /> | style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;|Direction<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|Both ↓↑<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;|Both ↓↑<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Fjord (FJ)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 16.3 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;|11.9%<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Comment<br /> | colspan=&quot;7&quot; | Hiking: Flip-Flop recommended<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Character<br /> | colspan=&quot;7&quot; | Packrafting: Flip-Flop recommended<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Challenges<br /> | colspan=&quot;7&quot; | Valdivian Rain Forest, Sea Coast, Farmland, Settlers, River Packrafting, Lake Packrafting, Fjord Packrafting, Partly Overrun<br /> |}<br /> <br /> [[File:profile GPT22.PNG|frame|center|Elevation Profile of Regular Hiking Route (2019)]]<br /> <br /> [[File:profile GPT22-p.PNG|frame|center|Elevation Profile of Regular Hiking Route (2019)]]<br /> <br /> &lt;gallery&gt; <br /> File:GPT_16_Cochamó_109520254.jpg|<br /> File:GPT_16_Cochamó_109520443.jpg|<br /> File:GPT_16_Cochamó_115282465.jpg|<br /> File:GPT_16_Cochamó_115282466.jpg|<br /> File:GPT_16_Cochamó_109447503.jpg|thumb|<br /> File:GPT_16_Cochamó_101648648.jpg|thumb|<br /> File:GPT_16_Cochamó_104321335.jpg|thumb|<br /> File:Bahia ralun.jpg|thumb|<br /> File:GPT_16_Cochamó_109447491.jpg|thumb|<br /> File:GPT_16_Cochamó_109447496.jpg|thumb|<br /> &lt;/gallery&gt;<br /> <br /> [[category:Greater Patagonian Trail]]</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT32_(Cerro_Castillo)&diff=119501 2025-01-10T16:06:11Z

<p>MiaimZelt: </p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;packrafting&quot;, as above):<br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD, WHAT IS ENCLOSED IN &lt;&gt; MAKES IT BLUE):<br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/nowiki&gt;.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Overview=<br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> * '''2025 Jan 2nd to Jan 4th / 2.5 hiking days / SOBO / Hiking / Opt 2 &amp; 3, RR, Var E / Daina'''<br /> <br /> A very scenic route with good maintained trails and lots of watersources. All Campings are really nice: lots of flat spaces, sheltered from the wind, toilet, benches and access to water.<br /> <br /> Day 1: Took the bus at 8 from Coyhaique to Las Horquetas. The trail from Las Horquetas is open again. Everybody has to register at the ranger kiosk. Really easy trail until Camp before the pass. Var E is beautiful and mostly hiking on a big field of rocks, marked with cairns. At pass Peñon there was still snow, but doable without microspikes. The way down is very steep. Slept at Camp El Bosque. <br /> <br /> Day 2: Can really recommend to hike up to the nameless Laguna above El Bosque. Extremely scenic lake! Also Laguna Castillo is a real gem. Stretch of big boulders above the lake, up to the pass it gets easier. Was very warm up there and had no wind. Bring water from the lake, there is none until you reach the next Camp. Way down from the Pass is very steep with lots of scree. Hiked to Camp Neozelandes, pitched my tent and did a detour to the scenic Laguna Duff. On the way up i met a lady from the Conaf, asking where i want to sleep. Inside the NP you have to use the campgrounds.<br /> <br /> Day 3: All the way down is very easy. Had to pay 28000 pesos for 3 days, price for chileans is only a little bit cheaper. Payment possible with card or cash. At -46.115013, -72.200497 there is an open gate with a sign &quot;Bienvenido a Sendero Laguna Castillo&quot;. It's in OSM, but not part of the GPT-Tracks.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2024 Dec 13th to Dec 17th / 5 hiking days / SOBO / Hiking / Opt 2, RR, Var E, Var F, Var G / Michael and Kasia'''<br /> <br /> Quick notes: A really beautiful section with amazing views. The park is open but Las Horquetas remains closed, though many people are hiking it anyway. If not going over the final pass, Var F can be used to exit without paying though it possibly involves trespassing.<br /> <br /> CAMPS:<br /> <br /> Night 1: -46.00817, -72.10413 Camping Río Turbio (official campground, easy water access, good wind protection, nice views, can have a lot of people there) <br /> <br /> Night 2: same as Night 1<br /> <br /> Night 3: -46.06419, -72.16915 Camping El Bosque (official campground, easy water access, good wind protection, fewer spots than first camp site, very few are really flat)<br /> <br /> Night 4: -46.07194, -72.18416 Camping La Tetera (technically closed campground, water access is a little way away, no really flat spots, poor wind protection, excellent views)<br /> <br /> WATER: <br /> Water was generally easy to find.<br /> <br /> Day 01 - Dec 13th<br /> <br /> We left Coyhaique around 10:30. There are buses that go that route, but we decided to hitch instead. We entered through the Opt 2 Las Horquetas route. It took us three hitches to get to the trailhead. The trailhead has a big sign that says the route is closed. I don't know if they plan to open it this season or not. At the very beginning there is an estero. There is a bridge to cross it, a little old but stable. Shortly after there is a park ranger kiosk, but it was unoccupied. Overall the trail is in good condition, easy to follow, but sometimes muddy. Beautiful views along the way. We were fortunate and had excellent weather. There are several unmarked fords in the first 16 km along Opt 2, all were easy, knee high at most. Water was generally easy to find. At the Rio Turbio campground there were around 25 other people there.<br /> <br /> Day 02 - Dec 14th<br /> <br /> We took Var E up to Laguna Glacier Peñón. It was a great side trip. The laguna is turquoise and the mountains surrounding it are very impressive. There were still snow fields on the way to the end of the track, so we didn't go all the way, but we got past the lake and to the other side. We saw two small avalanches while we were there. We also found a bird feather, we think from a condor, that was as long as my entire arm. We really enjoyed this side trip and recommend it. Water shoes could be helpful. We didn't have ours and it was possible without, but would have been easier and faster if we had had them. Important note, the whole route is essentially a field of small boulders. It does not require any scrambling, but it is slow going compared to the trail. We did this as an out-and-back and then returned to the Rio Turbio campground for a second night. One couple came around 22:00, but otherwise no one was there.<br /> <br /> Day 03 - Dec 15th<br /> <br /> We left camp around 10:00. We were ready for the Pass 43.9 and thought with only 10 km to go until Camping El Bosque we would be in camp early, but we were surprised at how challenging the day was. The first few kilometers up to the pass went fairly quickly. There was still snow on the pass, but it was at that stage where it is getting thin and you can't tell where you might fall through, so it was slow going checking our footing. The weather was great, full sun and warm, very little wind. Getting to the pass was slow but not too difficult. We stopped at the mirador for lunch and to watch the dozens of waterfalls cascade down the mountain. The descent was more challenging. It is very steep, and there was lots of scree on the way down. In one section CONAF installed a series of ropes bolted into the rocks to hold on to. Once at the bottom there was a boulder field and then a very nice forest. Amazing views of the mountains and glaciers. Camp 48.0 is a decommissioned camping area under recuperation. Camping El Bosque is at km 49.0. At Camping El Bosque there were two other couples there that night.<br /> <br /> Day 04 - Dec 16th<br /> <br /> From Camping El Bosque we took a side route up to see a lake. On Google Maps it is called Laguna Raimundo Vargas. It is not an optional on GPT, but it is visible on OSM. The lake is not visible on OSM, but it is on satellite, which is surprising because based on measurements using Gaia, it appears to be almost twice as big as Laguna Duff. The route up is marked by carens, but it is essentially CC across talus, about 1.3 km one way. The lake and the mountains are stunning. There were lots of ice floes on the lake. We sat for about 2 hours listening to the ice crack and watching avalanches fall. We highly recommend this detour if you have the time. Going in the evening might give a nicer light. We had lunch at Camping El Bosque and then hiked as far as Camping La Tetera, which is technically closed, and camped there for the night. Three other groups passed through and two other groups camped near us at La Tetera. It rained a bit in the evening.<br /> <br /> Day 05 - Dec 17th<br /> <br /> We got up very early with the plan to cross the last pass before the wind picked up. We headed up to the lookout over Laguna Castillo. About 300m of the ascent are a rock scramble which is challenging with a heavy backpack. At points we needed both hands to navigate the rocks. We were feeling exhausted from the previous days and decided not to attempt the final pass. There was no snow remaining on the final pass that we could see. We spent a few hours at the top. Lots and lots of other hikers were coming up or going through. The main trail down is very steep and had lots of loose rock on it. With heavy backpacks it was a challenge and really hard on the knees. It also took much longer than we anticipated. About two km down from the top CONAF had a tent stationed. Three guardaparques are camped there to check tickets on the way up and to radio down when people are leaving. They asked for our names. When we said we came from Las Horquetas they just said okay.<br /> We took Var F and Var G to exit the park. Var F is clearly visible from above as you descend the main trail. The route is actually in excellent condition and is very easy to follow, however in the rain we suspect it would be very muddy. We opted to take Var G which breaks off of Var F and then rejoins it later. It goes through forest and woodland, very pretty and potentially campable in places. There were also a few places where we found water. About 2.8 km into Var F there is a sign facing downhill that says No Accesso CONAF. About 1.3 km before the road there was a gate we had to jump. 300m before the final gate we descended a hill and there were a couple buildings there. One was a baño for what looked like paid camp sites (there were picnic tables around) and one was probably a rental cabaña. We passed through two more gates that were open. At the road, the final gate was secured with a chain, but it was easy to open. On the fence outside the gate and on a second gate that was padlocked shut were two signs saying in English and Spanish “No Trespassing, Private Property”. There was also a small kiosk that looked like it could have been a ticket booth just outside the gate, but no one was in it. It is unclear if the no trespassing signs referred to the property we passed through or to a neighboring property. We didn't see anyone so we didn't have any issues, but it's something to be aware of if you leave along this route. Due to the clear no trespassing signs, the no access sign as you enter the park and the park guards near the top, I would only recommend using Var F to exit the park, not to enter it.<br /> <br /> <br /> • * '''2024-Dec-05 to 2024-Dec-06 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / MR + Opt.N + Opt.M + Opt.01/ Julien'''<br /> <br /> Start on main road very well for entry exit private fields.<br /> Same for option N and M.<br /> I had to take option 01 because I had bad weather... Option 01 is announced in TL but I think it would be better to validate it in TL+BB because I had BB on 6km with no path and many trees still on the path that I had to go around.<br /> Also watch out for the Rio Blanco, where the final crossing is still mandatory, the current was quite strong despite being in December.<br /> For the climb to Cerro Castillo from Villa Cerro Castillo I asked locals people, the passage by option F would no longer be possible because the owner of the field through which we could pass would have closed his ground to visitors. So I went through the main entrance (18000 pesos) with checkpoint entrance and when you go out, you will have my layout on the next edition of the GPT I think.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Mar-30 to 2024-Apr-02 / 3.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / Var M + RR + Var C + Var E/ Maddi and Tom'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: We got the public bus at 8am from Coyhaique to Villa Frei (600CLP) then started walking along the road towards Lago Monreal. Got a short hitch for about 5km, then walking again in light rain. Got a second hitch with a lovely couple who own a property right on Lago Monreal - they even had a key for the locked gate with cameras and drove us right up to the trailhead. As we started hiking up into the mountains the snow started to come down fairly heavily. Sheltered under a rock where some people must camp for lunch and was able to get water from a few sources along here. Stopped snowing so we took Var C, definitely recommend, amazing views over the lakes and would be an awesome spot to camp. Started on the sketchy traverse, problem for us was it was all under about half a metre of fresh snow, on top of a layer of very slippery ice. Luckily we wear hiking boots with deep tread so had fairly good grip even without microspikes. Hiking poles were lifesavers. Issues started with the descriptions of getting around the various gullies - they described using grass to climb up but for us everything was just white!!. Tom had a terrifying slip and slide 5m towards the cliff edge before arresting with his elbow and chin - his hiking poles had chosen this exact section to break so he was doing it without even poles. After this we backed down off the climb over the gully but in the end just had to go for it. I ended up carving steps out of the snow with my hands and packing the snow down so Tom could follow me up, and giving him one of my poles. If the snow hadn’t have been so fresh I think we would have had to turn around. I wish I could say it got better but as we started to head down into the valley we began to hit waist deep snow drifts. We were planning to camp here like others had but the snow was just too deep and we were worried about the cold so we decided to try to get over the pass and down into the forest for cover. Absolute battle wading through the snow, took turns breaking trail. Couldn’t see the river and unfortunately fell all the way through the snow and got my feet wet. Pass itself fairly easy to get over and then lots of shoe skiing down the other side. Dark fell as we got to the forest edge. Got confused by the GPX as it takes you right to the edge of a massive cliff - not great in the dark. Used other peoples notes and managed to find the trail on the other side of the river then just kept powering on until we found a clear spot on the old disused road at about (-45.98519,-72.10097). Collapsed into bed after a quick dinner at about 10pm - definitely the hardest day we’ve done on the whole GPT. Really wouldn’t recommend doing this section after heavy snow unless you have microspikes and probably an ice axe. Excellent navigation skills also a must due to lack of landmarks in the snow.<br /> <br /> Day 2: Woke up to frozen solid pants and shoes - it had dropped to -8 degrees overnight and was still -4 in the morning. After much smashing of our shoes and socks on rocks so we could put them on, we packed up the tent and headed off towards the tourist track. Passed Segundo camp, no one in sight. Finally thawing out when the sun came out. Took Var E up to the glacier - super long trip on rocky scree, worth going up to the lake but don’t go beyond like we did. Kept going along regular route after detour. Fair bit of snow on the pass, had to be very careful coming down as it was icy and windswept. Saw first glimpses of Cerro Castillo from behind. Camped at the old campsite just before El Bosque - still hadn’t seen anyone on the entire trail.<br /> <br /> Day 3: Did the side trip up to the Laguna behind the El Bosque campsite. Headed up to the main Laguna Castillo and was nearly blown off our feet as we came over the ridge. Hid behind a boulder for lunch while we assessed whether to bail down the mountain or attempt the high pass in the winds. As we ate they seemed to die off slightly so we legged it up the mountain. Awesome views over Villa Cerro Castillo and we could see back to the Torres del Avellano. As we hit the top of the pass the wind started to pick up again. We had to hide behind boulders between gusts and then sprint to the next one to avoid being blown off the mountain. Tricky coming down the pass in the high winds as the scree was pretty loose and very exposed to the wind. Eventually made it down and to Porteadores. Decided to head up to Neozelandés so we could go up to Laguna Duff in the morning. A few people were camped here - first people we had seen on the trail!<br /> <br /> Day 4: Plans to visit Laguna Duff were foiled as we woke up to heavy snow fall. Forecast was for even more snow so cut our losses and headed down. Visibility was terrible but passed several tour groups heading up the trail. Tried to avoid the park rangers but when we thought we were home free a guy in a Ute pulled us up as we were walking along the road towards Villa Cerro Castillo and asked where we were coming from. Took us back to the office and made us pay. Awesome section, snow and wind made it challenging but was great to have it all to ourselves until the last day.<br /> <br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''2024-Feb-16 to 2024-Feb-21 / 5.5 days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Lauren &amp; Seb'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> <br /> Day 1: After taking an Uber from Coyhaique to Villa Frei, we combined a couple of hitchhikes to wp X, Settler {31P-01} [0.0+0.3/310] and hiked to wp Lake {32} [33.6/338] to the put-in. We crossed Lago Desierto with good tail wind and camped at wp Lake {32} [38.3/337] which can get gusty on a rainy night.<br /> <br /> Day 2: We started paddling Lago Azul the next morning and very much enjoyed the pristine blue waters. The waves built up increasingly towards the shore so keep an eye out for a calmer landing spot. We then walked through a manicured garden, passing by an impressive private hacienda. The mountain bike tracks in the valley behind the hacienda are easy to walk with great views of Lago Azul and Lago La Paloma. We made camp at wp Camp {32} [52.4/713].<br /> <br /> Day 3: The next day, we were mentally gearing up for the BB section indicated in the files. *Note: We later found out there is no BB, in our opinion, as the actual 4wd track continues all the way until the END of RP-BB-A {32} [55.9+1.2]. After that, there is also no BB- only a 1.5 km walk along the river bank and through swamp land (CC would be a more accurate labelling for this part). We were very grateful for Tom’s advice to keep our fording footwear on after the fording just before the landslide. The swamp was much easier to navigate with our crocs. The rest of the way until the official Cerro Castillo trail is easy 4wd track, sometimes a bit overgrown. We decided to follow towards the southwest at wp GPT32-D, into the short BB and CC. The BB is not really BB, as shrubs are only hip high and easy to navigate. After that we joined the main trail and camped at Segundo Camping. We saw mice running around so it’s definitely advisable to hang your food on a tree if you don’t want these critters chewing through your tent.<br /> <br /> Days 4-6: After 3 days of not seeing anyone, it was a jarring contrast to meet numerous hikers on this popular stretch. Followed the scenic and easy RR until Villa Cerro Castillo, with an overnight stay at Camping Neozelandés to visit Laguna Duff. We exited the NP over a fence by following the RR and caught a hitchhike to town by noon.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-11 to 2024-Feb-14 / 3.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / Var M + RR + Var C + Opt03 / Matthias'''<br /> Day 1: (El Blanco -) Lago Monreal - valley after the traverse (km 31, 1200m). <br /> Stayed in the camping Las Confluencias (very nice people and place) in El Blanco (on ruta 7). The owner drove me to the Lago Monreal in the morning. He dropped me off right in front of the gate with camera on Var M and said: “This is the (only) way. Climb over the fence”. I did not encounter any problems, and the MR does not pass in sight of any housing. <br /> The traverse (km28-km30): You cross some steep slopes of scree and later of grass and shrubs, with some stretches where you´d better not fall. I´d recommend using microspikes if you carry for ease and safety. You do not really have to climb though. Going SOBO the route was not clear to me at the last rock (50m) before the track descends to the valley floor. Don´t try to climb over it (though there are traces of attempts), you can pass below, there is only 2m of bush-bashing through some trees, then you are on a path again.<br /> The camp in the valley was cold and very windy. <br /> <br /> Day 2: RR to Camp El Bosque<br /> Once you reach the official trail in NP, the path is relatively easy and always clear. From the camp El Bosque there is a path to a Laguna (20-30min) marked by cairns, it starts passing the toilet of the camp. There are nice views up there.<br /> Camping La Tetera (km 50.5) is officially closed for recuperation, so I did not camp there.<br /> <br /> Day 3+4: RR + Opt03<br /> At the very eastern end of Laguna Duff, there is a sheltered camp for 1 tent. With good weather a nice option.<br /> On the way down I explored the trail which is on OSM (leaves RR ca. at km 59). You pass through some gates and past the settler and the trail reaches RR just where the guardaparques are.<br /> Bought some gas from the friendly guardaparques. Hiked all the way to Cerro Castillo around noon.<br /> Stayed there in Hostal Cerro Castillo, which was the (good) recommendation of the park rangers.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Mar-01 to 2024-Mar-03 / 2.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / OH 02 + D + RR + OH E + 03 / Joscha'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: OH32-02 + OH32-D [1.0-2.6] + RR [38.8-39.6]<br /> <br /> I hitched from Puerto Chacabuco to Las Horquetas and startet there around noon. After 700 m on OH32-02 you pass by a ranger hut. You have to sign in and you will get a short explanation about the trail. You don't have to pay here, but they tell you that you will pay when leaving the park. There is plenty of water on OH32-02. I camped at Camping Rio Turbio (Segundo) at km 39.6 of RR.<br /> <br /> Day 2: RR [39.6-41.3] + OH32-E [0.0-1.6] to Laguna Glaciar Penon and back + RR [41.3-56.6] + OH32-03 [0.0-3.6]<br /> <br /> Laguna Glaciar Penon is worth the short detour on OH32-E. I crossed a bunch of small streams around the pass at km 43.9. There is some ice on top of the pass but its not very steep and therefore relatively easy to walk over it. There is no water between Laguna Cerro Castillo (km 50.9) and Camping Porteadores (at beginning of OH32-03). I camped at Camping Neozelandes.<br /> <br /> Day 3: OH32-03 to Laguna Duff and back to RR + RR [56.6-66.9]<br /> <br /> Laguna Duff is nice. I hiked there early in the morning and therefore had the whole place for myself. About 400 m before the RR joins the minor road (km 60.6) the RR branches off the official hiking trail and avoids the park entrance. You have to hop a fence to get on the minor road but therefore you don't pay the 15000 Pesos for hiking in the park.<br /> <br /> The nacional park has 4 official campgrounds (at km 39.6 and 48.9 of RR and the two marked camps on OH32-03). You are only allowed to camp at those sites. <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-23 to 2024-Feb-25 / 3 days / Hiking / SOBO / {32-M} - RR - {32-C} -RR / Lilian &amp; Rainbow'''<br /> <br /> Bus from Coyhaique to Villa Frei :<br /> <br /> Monday to Friday(8.15am, 3.30pm, 5.30pm, 7.30pm) , Saturday(8am, 2pm), i forget the fee, it is less than 1000 CLP. It takes about 35-40 minutes and it turns back to Coyhaique with no waiting. The sign on the bus doesn't write Villa Frei, it said Valle Simpson, (and final stop is Villa Frei.)<br /> <br /> Bus terminal in Coyhaique : (-45.58226, -72.07800)<br /> <br /> Bus stop in Villa Frei : (-45.75139, -72.11226)<br /> <br /> Resupply in Coyhaique:<br /> <br /> I sent a resupply box(shoes and socks) to Patagon Backpacker(hostel) in Coyhaique from Santiago some months before, they are super friendly and willing to hold my box until i arrive. You can contact them by email, they are good at speaking English, also know lot around Coyhaique.<br /> <br /> If you want to buy some warm clothes, some shops in Coyhaique. North Face and Patagonia is there, but expensive. Some clothes in Patagonia are on sale but not for hiking or not much use, lot clothes but full price, ya. North Face's staff is much friendly, and lot items on sale too, but rainproof is full price. They have tents for sale too.<br /> <br /> Good clothes is cheaper with discount, 230g gas canisters and sleeping pad at Suray Montana, friendly and not crowded. I bught a fleece jacket at here.<br /> <br /> Doite have the cheapest price sporty clothes, just beside North Face. I bught a good base layer here.<br /> <br /> Lot of supermarkets in Coyhaique. I resupply at Unimarc.<br /> <br /> They are all close to the plaza, all the shops i listed can search by Google Map.<br /> <br /> Because i just have 3 days good weather, so I don't want to do any road walking, i talk the bus to Villa Frei, then hitch to (-45.86204, -72.04816) start hiking.<br /> <br /> Locked gate and camera at {32-m} km2.33, I didn't want to take long time go with big around so i climbed it directly, didn't see any people on the whole way, so doesn't matter.<br /> <br /> RR km23.3 : cross a stream, log crossing at downstream 20m, you can go through the tiny forest to there.<br /> <br /> Km23.63 : flat spot(-45.90969, -72.05767) with some protection after a stream crossing can fit 2 tents before go into the no covers grassland.<br /> <br /> Highly recommend go for {32-C}, both ways just 10min, amazing views and a camping spot can fit 1 tent with excellent view at (-45.90744, -72.07668), but no wind protection.<br /> <br /> Km 26.63 : flat spot (-45.92066, -72.07543) can fit 2 tents with good wind protection from west by bushes.<br /> <br /> Km27.75 : old camping sandy spot(-45.92915, -72.07549) can fit 4 tents with some wind protection from west, just before the dangerous CC. I think the previous one is better.<br /> <br /> Km27.9 - km29.95 : dangerous CC traversing on side hill. A slide may cause a fall with heavy injure or death. It is doable but not recommended to everyone. Doing this part only in good weather.<br /> <br /> Km28.3 - km28.35 : for me, it is the most dangerous part in this CC, some landslide(-45.93359, -72.07668) and very loose, i can't hold a good pose and slipped down some meters, luckily i can use my hiking poles to stop the slide immediately.<br /> <br /> Km29.3 : tricky spot(-45.93822, -72.08632), huge thank you for Véronica, her comments made this much easier. Just like she said, &quot;You reach the end of the bad scree and end up in a deep gully with a vertical wall face on the other side.&quot; <br /> <br /> &quot;Get to the lowest grassy patch to the left of the vertical rock wall. The easiest way to reach that grassy patch was to go upstream a bit, then traverse on the hard slippery sand northward, instead of trying to climb vertically straight up to it. Once you reach the grass, you can use the traction and stability of vegetation to clamber up and out of the gully.&quot;<br /> <br /> Km29.55 : 1st rock wall, go around it with a clear trail at downhill side(-45.93818, -72.08940), GPX track is correct at here.<br /> <br /> Km29.7 : 2nd rock wall, NO CLIMBING, NO SCRAMBLING here, there is a trail JUST WALKING at (-45.93864, -72.09126), overgrown but just 20m easy BB, the trail is between rock wall and treeline, Sobo not easy to notice, but when you are going around the rock wall, then you'll find it. Nobo is easy to reach the trail at the other side. GPX track leads you to climb, it is not a good idea, a slide in climbing at here will mostly cause death.<br /> <br /> After 2nd rock wall, finally CC down to the valley and easy walking start.<br /> <br /> Lot of camping possibilities at the valley, but zero wind protection. Better camping before pass[32.5/1385], because after the pass is super rocky, pass is a large flat area, but too soft to camp.<br /> <br /> I camped at (-45.94901, -72.09962), some flat spots, beside the waterfall from Cerro Aislado. Nice views but cold. It is the first night with negative degree so far. Some water froze to ice at early morning around here.<br /> <br /> After pass[32.5/1385], you walking down at another valley, but with some cairns to follow. <br /> <br /> Km33.5 : trail starts, with some big cairns along it. It leads you all the way to treeline at km34.2. Sometimes it is not clear to follow and lost, but you will always find it if you pay tons of attention, cairns leads you the way.<br /> <br /> The trailhead at km34.2 is a little tricky. You need to climb up a little on a rocky slope after you cross the stream to (-45.97307, -72.10268), then go into the forest to south a little, you'll find a steep loose rocky slope going down again, go for it and you can hold some trees there. Then you join the old trail shown on GPX going south. Don't think about go to the trailhead(-45.97343, -72.10281) directly, it is on a waterfall, you can't arrive there.<br /> <br /> The old trail is in good condition for a while, then become overgrown and some blowdowns. For emergency, you can camp at (-45.97898, -72.10345), it is the first flat spot for Sobo in treeline with cover (the last one for Nobo). It can fit 2 single person tent.<br /> <br /> Lot of tiny stream flowing with clear water.<br /> <br /> When you met the rock river(-45.98185, -72.10091) at km35.33, you can CC down the river and join MR at (-45.98357, -72.10284), it is a super easy CC, not steep, no blowdowns, no wet feet, rocks are stable and not slippery.<br /> <br /> When you arrive MR, easy walking again. A gate locked by wire at km37.1, climbing over it is the fastest way.<br /> <br /> Km38.1 : start BB to riverside, but i think it is a CC, the grass just up to ankle only.<br /> <br /> I find a clear trail(-46.00113, -72.09460) without any blowdowns going south, and lead you to riverside at (-46.00216, -72.09530), then you can walk beside the river and join national park trail.<br /> <br /> National park trail is in a nice condition, nothing to mention. Some snow before and after pass[43.9/1470], but still an easy walking on snow.<br /> <br /> Km46.1 : camping spot at (-46.05228, -72.14549), it is cleared out all the stone by someone here, can fit 1 tent with excellent 360° views, but no wind protection.<br /> <br /> I camped beside the lake(-46.05780, -72.15969) for the second night, excellent spots with glacier views(you are just below it!) and views of Cerro Castillo! Peaceful and not crowded, I'm the only human there with some ducks, and they love to talking in the midnight. You can reach the lake starts at (-46.06176, -72.15672), easy walking beside a stream, all the way stay on east side and dry feet, BB less than 20 meters for total and mostly just easy CC.<br /> <br /> Km48.85 : Campsite El Bosque. Side trail to a lake under glacier at north. It is a long walk, but i highly recommend you at least take the trail go out the forest, amazing views there, both ways just 300m.<br /> <br /> Km49.95 : viewpoint of waterfall from Cerro Castillo. And i find that you can climb up to the top of waterfall! See the details at next waypoint.<br /> <br /> Km50.2 : you can climbing up this ridge to the UPPER LAKE of Cerro Castillo. From (-46.06989, -72.18148) to (-46.06905, -72.18500), then to (-46.06627, -72.18497). No trail, just CC on some rocks, stable and not steep until close to the top, the top part is steep and loose, at there you can go to right side a little bit, climbing up on grassy slope for final ascend. Amazing views there, and no camping, because the ground is too soft, but cow boy camping on huge rocks is wonderful at this place.<br /> <br /> I recorded this CC, will upload it later.<br /> <br /> Camp[50.5/1243] : Campsite La Tetera, not a good camping spot, some spots much better when you climbing up and before Laguna Castillo.<br /> <br /> After you enjoy the moment at Laguna Castillo, remember follow RR, check GPX track, dont follow the trail going beside the lake, it is a dead end trail, and if you dont want to all the way back, you can CC climbing up to join RR.<br /> <br /> Pass[53.5/1679] : excellent views here! If you are super thirsty, clear water is flowing good at (-46.07749, -72.20888), easy to collect, 10sec/L.<br /> <br /> Then all the way down to Campsite Los Porteadores, a long long way going down.<br /> <br /> Because of weather changing, so i didn't go up to Laguna Duff.<br /> <br /> Walking on a nice trail to main road, then all the way road walking to Villa Cerro Castillo.<br /> <br /> Lot of restaurants, shops and accomodation in Villa Cerro Castillo. The shop(-46.12072, -72.16115) beside the main road is the biggest one in town. Lot of biker riding, hikers and backpackers hitching on the road. Tall gas canisters and 230g gas canisters are sold in Copec gas station at (-46.12208, -72.16279) in high stock. We stayed at Nordic Patagonia(-46.12142, -72.15889), 15k CLP for a bed, 45k CLP for a double room, 8k CLP for camping with views of Cerro Castillo, including hot shower and kitchen basecamp.<br /> <br /> Maybe because of late season, never saw any flies at this section.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-10 to 2024-Feb-13 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / Las Horquetas and Lagunitas / Andrew'''<br /> <br /> Day 1 (slept at Rio Turbio)<br /> <br /> I started in Villa Cerro Castillo and hitched a ride to Las Horquetas. I left a bag at the Nordic Patagonia campground in town, it's free if you stay a night after, or CLP 1.000/day if not.<br /> <br /> Signed in at the CONAF station where the park ranger explained the official camps that are currently open, and advised not to drink unfiltered/untreated water between Rio Turbio camp to just before El Bosque camp. But others I talked to later in the hike didn't get the same message and seemed fine so not sure what was up there.<br /> <br /> Easy hike to Rio Turbio camp with some horseflies.<br /> <br /> Day 2 (slept at El Bosque)<br /> <br /> This day was my punishment for deciding to leave behind my fleece at the last moment. Cold and rainy as I went over Penon pass, but at least I got to test out my new rain jacket and rain pants. At least it wasn't very windy. Great views of waterfalls after the pass, and the rest of the day was sunny.<br /> <br /> Camped at El Bosque. Difficult but short day. Worth taking the side trail to Laguna Temprana after setting up camp.<br /> <br /> Day 3 (slept at Neozelandes)<br /> <br /> Lots of scrambling over rocks. Great panoramic views as we went over Morro Negro. As developed campsites go I think Porteadores was actually a bit nicer than Neozelandes, but Neozelandes is much crowded and puts you closer to Laguna Duff.<br /> <br /> Day 4 (back to Villa Cerro Castillo)<br /> <br /> In the morning I hiked to Laguna Duff, best scenary on the Las Horquatas section of the hike IMO, do not miss this. Afterwards I hiked back to Neozelandes, packed my stuff, and hiked back to the Villa. All downhill. Paid the CLP 16.000 fee at the Estero Parada CONAF station, then hitched a ride back (around 3pm). Had some good pizza and beers with some folks I met on the hike at Pizzeria y Hamburgueseria D-Lizia in VCC.<br /> <br /> * '''10-Feb-2024 / Hiking / SOBO / 4 days / RR + Option B (attempted) / Ella &amp; Cristopher'''<br /> Day 1, we walked through the sections of private property without running into anyone, but met other local hikers a bit afterwards who said they have previously had problems with one of the landowners on the route we took, and that he has now installed cameras. Got to the section with the traverse and attempted to take Option B - definitely do not recommend this option. It took us about 2 hours to walk less than a mile on the super steep and loose dirt/skree. Multiple dangerous moments. Part of this option also seems to pass through dense forest which looked difficult to bushwhack, but we didn't make it that far before turning back as it was getting late with no end in sight. We camped right at the beginning of Option B, where there is a flatter patch and stream that you can walk down to. It was a good view, but we realized later that a better and equally beautiful place to camp would have been where the land plateaus a bit and there are multiple small streams, on the RR about a km after you pass the start of Option B. Day 2, we woke up to super windy and rainy conditions, and waited for it to clear until about 3 pm before starting the traverse. The RR turned out to be a relatively safer route than Option B, though we were still glad we waited for the bad weather to pass before attempting. Followed advice from Veronica at the difficult parts, which worked well for us. Definitely budget extra time for this stretch. Camped right after the traverse when it drops down to the river, which you follow to cross the first pass. The area doesn't get a lot of sun so it was really cold at night, but still a nice place to camp with flat spots and a river. Day 3, trail before uniting with the CONAF area was difficult to follow at points and slow because you are walking a lot on loose rocks. We were very confused when reaching a waterfall with no visible trail, but a few cairns about. Following advice from Will, we crossed the river just before the waterfall to go up the left side of the valley. Climb through the trees and then cross a few meters of steep loose dirt/skree, and you should be able to see where the trail then continues in the forest. Some bushwhacking after this but relatively easy to follow GPS track until linking with the CONAF Las Horquetas trail. Camped in El Bosque Camping which had a toilet but no water tap (though there is a river close by). Day 4, relatively easy and super beautiful walking all day. We took the RR all the way to the road, which does in fact avoid the CONAF checkpoint so we never had to pay. Ran into other hikers who said CONAF is only charging when you leave the park. Got very lucky with a hitch to Villa Cerro Castillo, but I would not count on it and the road gets a lot of sun and I didn't see a water source. Bus from Villa Cerro Castillo leaves at 6 pm and goes to Coyhaique for 9.000.<br /> <br /> Feb 2023 Frank<br /> There is no need for any rock climbing on this route. After the gully where you climb out on grass (described by Veronica) there are two rock bands running perpendicular to the route. You can go below both of them &amp; bypass them at treeline.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-8 to 2024-Feb-11 / 3.25 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR from El Blanco and Lago Monreal + Variant M + Option 3 / Tomáš &amp; Natalie'''<br /> <br /> We started around 1500 at Coyhaique and easily hitched to El Blanco. We hitched with three cars (last went to Lago Paloma) and walked about four km in between them along Lago Monreal to Variant M. The sign against hikers scared us and it was late (1930), so we camped nearby (100 m along the fence westward). We reread other reports and decided to go for it in the morning. We first tried to go along a fence lining a small cliff about 100 metres west of the road, but it is pointless and we found ourselves on the road after a few hundred metres. We did not meet anyone. It is easy to miss RR and start on option 1, keep an eye on the GPS. We met black cows at the same place as Stiina, but they just looked omniously at us.<br /> <br /> As for the dangerous part, Tomáš ended up doing it three times as he dropped our tent poles from his backpack just before the start of the CC section. Unlike Nat (see below), he thinks the section is quite ok and he also found it quite scenic, especially the first part over the plateau. The annoying clambering is in fact only about two km long and can be done in about an hour if you know the way. It never felt dangerous to him, but he understands others see it differently. It is certainly more demanding than the average section of GPT. The description of Véronica is the best. The last obstacle (the boulder) is not entirely vertical (it feels like scrambling, not climbing), but you do need to use your hands and it is indeed exposed, down climbing NOBO is more awkward. On the other hand, it is only about seven metres distance (not elevation). We had sunny skies, in worse weather it would be a lot more annoying. The horseflies came back from the dead and died by the dozen under our merciless hands (Nat killed three accidentally just as she tied her hair back).<br /> <br /> At the end of CC after the pass, the trailhead is invisible (45.9731564S, 72.1026797W). It starts in the trees immediately from the river, about 10 m above the start of the waterfall in between two landslide/avalanche bands. Will comments that the GPX trail is exact, but since we are used to the GPX being slightly off, we could not see it, I guess we should have just trusted the GPX. There is a cairn in the creek marking the entrance but it is unclear how long it will stay there. Once you reach the overgrown MR, after a hundred metres of easy BB, one can cut the first zigzag straight down through easily passable mature forest. Once down on the road, you can camp on it, it is not used by cars ever. Once you reach the CC at 60.9, do not ford but stay on that side of the river!<br /> <br /> In the popular part of the hike, people concentrate at campings, but otherwise it does not feel too crowded (less than two dozen people met on the trails themselves per day). Until nine and from about five, you will meet almost nobody on the trails. The park is very attractive. There is good internet (Entel 4g) just before the pass at 53.5. From the other side, there is a sign saying the pass closes down in strong winds. Probably better to go there in the morning (weaker wind) or late (after six) in the afternoon (rangers have probably gone home) unless the weather is good. The sign where they turn people is probably at about 1250 altitude at roughly the treeline.<br /> <br /> To avoid paying, Nat followed the RR and was succesfull (OSM is wrong, the official trail is to the east of the GPT in the last few hundred metres). Tomáš followed the easternmost OSM trail that leaves the RR at roughly 480 altitude. The trail is rather imaginary, but it is easy walking across meadows or rarely through open forest and across several fences. His efforts were probably pointless. Tomáš also wanted to cut the walk to Villa Cerro Castillo and forded Estero El Bosque, but it was equally pointless and involved several fences.<br /> <br /> We found screwable gas cartridges in Villa Castillo at the supermarket &quot;Villarica&quot;, the last supermarket on the corner of - Bernardo Higgins and Bernardo a Alessandro, I think. They said they have them sometimes. There was a blackout for five hours during our stay but locals said that is not so common.<br /> <br /> Notes from Nat:<br /> <br /> - When in Coyhaique be sure to enjoy the bread and pizza shop called; La Tranquera Pan y Pizza (just North of the main plaza). It has a great selection of sourdough breads/Rye/whole-wheat loafs, cookies, real coffee and tasty pizza slices. ALSO don't miss the dry good store; Envasadora Aysen (45.57016° S, 72.06883° W), the good veg shop here (45.57730° S, 72.07038° W) and then the Unimarc is actually pretty good. <br /> <br /> - My views are prejudiced against the beginning of this route bcs I was sick and not in a good mood but my thoughts at the time were; &quot;If you want to &quot;enjoy&quot; section 32 then take the Las Horquetas option&quot;. I really didn't like all the sidehilling and felt you wouldn't miss out on much if you started at Horquetas. Also don't do what I did and pack twice as much as you need bcs Coyhaique &quot;might&quot; be the last place with good food (however it was 3-5x better than villa Castillo).<br /> <br /> - The first tricky part was annoying bcs it was hard to get an edge (not that there is any edge left in my shoes). It was easier to walk up it and gradually cross, all in all it didn't feel dangerous. The second tricky part did feel dangerous to me bcs I went too far climbers left of the grass staircase and ended up having to traverse the short, steep and featureless slope to get back on track, a fall seemed easy and with bad consequences. The rock scramble at the boulder did not worry me but I would not have climbed it if it was wet bcs there is a lot of algae-like material on it and some of the handholds were sloppy. <br /> <br /> - I would be very curious if one could make a new route that went up to this lake here; -45.94848, -72.07320, and then down either here; -45.95505, -72.08753 or along the ridge to here; -45.96914, -72.08724. It would be more vertical and longer but with possibly less sidehilling...<br /> <br /> - The glacier on Variant E (6km return, half of it moraine walking) is nice but not really worth it, the lake on the other hand is 100% worth the short walk (3km return, flat river rock waking).<br /> <br /> - The lake just North of Camping Bosque is also worth it if you can avoid the crowds. Both this lake and Variant E lake are technically CC but &quot;well traveled&quot; and cairned.<br /> <br /> - The trail to Laguna Duff is popular but &quot;splendid&quot;, it took less than two hours to the lake from Porteadores. Most of the trail is in the forest and then the last 1.5km (250m vert) is on a pretty obvious rock path. The camping at Neozelandés is far less crowded than other official campsites, I recommend it. I got into an argument with a CONAF officer at the lake bcs she told me it was too late to be there and I had to leave (4pm). If you want to avoid this person, then go right of the RR when it gets close to the lake headwall, she seemed to be &quot;staged&quot; at where the water leaves the lake. I originally wanted to make a traverse to the other lake but bcs of CONAF I went down to the camp to meet Tomáš and then we both went back up after she left (6ish). Once back up we made a traverse to the other lake by following a grassy slope that starts west of where the water exits the lake, you should be able to see the grassy slope on your left when you are walking to Duff. Follow it down and work yourself across, going down to where there is some grass should be quicker than traversing the rubble, it is CC, obviously. On the way down from the second lake we followed the main waterway and then cut back into the forest to reach the main trail (open forest, no BB). Rather than follow the west bank of the waterway like the GPS says we found it far easier to be in the east bank, less rubble.<br /> <br /> - We both had to walk back to Villa Castillo, no cars going in our direction but many going in opposite direction (~9am)<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-28 to 2024-Jan-31 / 4 days / Hiking / NOBO / Villa Cerro Castillo - Villa Frei / RR + Option 3 + Variant C + Variant M/ Alex &amp; Christophe'''<br /> <br /> It was another fantastic section but we don't have much to add to what has already been written. But we would still like to point out a few points:<br /> <br /> 1) At the Segundo campsite (also called Rio Turbio), mice gnawed our tent and our dry bag containing the food. It would be best to hang your food from the trees if you are sleeping at this campsite.<br /> <br /> 2) The large rock at -45.938145, -72.086171 can be avoided by doing 10 m of bush bashing just below the rock. This passage is much more visible going NOBO but it is also possible to take it going SOBO.<br /> <br /> 3) The little detour to Variant C is definitely worth it. The view of Lago Paloma and Lago Azul is truly incredible.<br /> <br /> 4) We took option M despite the right of way conflict. We passed a pick-up truck at the last gate going NOBO (the one with a padlock and a private property sign). They greeted us and gave us no problem.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-27 to 2024-Jan-29 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / option 2 + option 3 / Yannick &amp; Nolwenn'''<br /> <br /> - Trail condition : well maintained, good campsites sheltered from the wind <br /> - Water : easy to find plenty of rivers and lagunas<br /> - Camping spot : there are some designated campsites<br /> - Weather : Sunny<br /> - River crossing : easy<br /> - Resupply : in cohayque and in Villa cerro castillo, all you need<br /> - Entrance fee : 16 000 pesos per person, normally the park closes after 1pm so you can't start after that but we were a bit late and they let us through <br /> - Overall : beautiful stretch of section 32, for us it was really an amazing entrance in the Patagonian landscape as we imagined it with the Torres<br /> <br /> * '''From 2023-01-22 to 2023-01-24 // 3 days // Hiking // NOBO // RR + OP3 + OP3A + VARIANT M // Quentin Clavel'''<br /> <br /> Villa cerro castillo - entrance Estero Parada - Laguna Duff - Sendero las Horquetas - North part of NP (CC) - Lago Paloma - Villa Frei. <br /> <br /> One of my favourite section so far ! I had amazing weather and I enjoyed so much this stretch, even with few people on the sendero las Horquetas in the NP (not crowded, but obviously more than the usual sections of the GPT). <br /> <br /> Entrance fees for 3 days was 16,000 CLP for me. I had no control and have seen no guardaparque during my hike. <br /> <br /> I walked all the way up to see Laguna Duff (OPT3) definitely worth it in my opinion. Wonderful view, with still some pieces of ices floating on the Laguna, the back of Cerro Castillo and the reflects on the water were amazing. Easy to go there, as there is a trail. <br /> <br /> The second one (OPT3A) is more tricky, no trail, and a lot of rolling stones. Beautiful too and of course, no people at all (I slept there, without tent, just on a big rock, that was incredible). <br /> <br /> Then go up to the pass, it was a crazy hot day, for the first time since I'm in Patagonia, I regretted that it wouldn't be a little bit windy aha. <br /> <br /> Laguna cerro castillo Is amazing. Second pass were very nice too. Bi. I passed it early on the morning, had some snow part, doable, but as it was morning, it was icy on some parts, so I putted my crampons and that was perfect. (But doable without). <br /> <br /> Then easy trail until the end of the public part of NP (just after Segundo camping). After that the cross country part begun. Follow an old trail of the NP, some bush bashing during the forest part, and have to check often the GPS. Then you have to deal with all the rocks until the first pass. <br /> <br /> Go down on a nice valley, and go up to the second pass. Tricky part, as described previously, is the big rock. It's maybe easier to do it NOBO because you descent it, and don't face it, which can be scary. But going on the grass part is the best way. Then follow the tree level, deal with rolling stones, and everything is gonna be alright. The récompense will be the amazing view on Lago Paloma (don't miss the Mirador). <br /> <br /> I took the variant M to avoid the right of way conflict. No trouble at all on this way. You have to pass threw some gates. The last one, near a kind of central hydroelectric is the biggest, with camera and sign do not enter. Few people seen after this gate, and they were all very gentle and nice ! <br /> <br /> Anyway, I really loved this stretch ! As it's summertime at this time, I met a lot of chilenos in the NP, so happy to see even very young chilenos explore their outstanding country ! <br /> <br /> You have to be prepared to face a looooot of rolling stones on this section, sometimes it's like dancing on rocks. Can I say that the rolling stones make this stretch rock'n'roll ? Probably not. <br /> <br /> Better to wait for good conditions. I can't imagine this section on a rainy and windy day ! <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan- 11 to 2024-Jan-13/ 3 days/hiking/SOBO/ Start in Las Horquetas and later RR/ Paulina'''<br /> <br /> I started in las Horquetas, it was open even if on Conaf website this section is still closed, apparently they don't really update). When I was there ( 10 AM) nobody at the gate, so no charges. Later in the park nobody never asked me to show the entrance ticket. The same at the exit gate, they just asked me to check out ( even if I did not check in).<br /> At the beginning of Las Horquetas trail, some very easy river crossing. Almost no people, only a few hikers on the campsite.<br /> On Pass 32 [43.9/1470] still some soft snow, but I could cross it safetly.<br /> <br /> Be careful on the ridge around pass 32 [ 53.5/1679] on very windy days. <br /> I did not see any water around camping Los Porteadores, except this last section, water was available everywhere. <br /> <br /> Beautiful and very scenic section! <br /> <br /> * '''2023-12-29 to 2024-01-01 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR &amp; Variant D &amp; M / Roman'''<br /> <br /> Took a Uber from Coyhaique to Villa Frei for 17.000$. Got another lift by someone who life's there to this point: -45.8737, -72.04342. Joined via Variant M to the RR. Camped at Camp {32} [23.6/1010]. Good place you have to Ford 2 times before the Camp and 1 times directly after it. Here the -45.93357, -72.07606 Clambering in steep terrain starts and is very challenging also in combination with snow. Very steep literally climbing up there here: -45.938145, -72.086171 especially with a backpack. I needed to go very slow and cautious with 3 point technique. After that you can follow the GPS and the Kerns to this point -45.973087, -72.102771. From there a old abandoned road goes all the way to the point where the Trail( Variant D) merges with the Sendero de Chile Las Horquetas at: X {32-D} [1.0/920]. On the trial are some parts which are not perfectly visible but with GPS no problem. There are some fallen trees and quite a few small trees on the trail. I wouldn't consider it Bush Bashing (BB) because you can just raise your arms in front of your face and walk trough it. So IMHO no BB on the route. As soon as you are at X {32-D} [1.0/920] it's a &quot;touristy trail&quot; compared with the other GPT parts. Therefor the condition is excellent. Camped at Segundo Camping -46.008184, -72.104121. Next day camped at Camping Los Porteadores -46.089085, -72.235431. Snow was neither on Pass {32} [43.9/1470] or Pass {32} [53.5/1679] a problem. Next day hiked to Villa Cerro Castillo. Not a single car on the street towards it so needed to hike. The RR avoids the Entrance Cerro Castillo Park (Estero Parada) there is one gate before accessing the street where you can just hop over.<br /> <br /> Overall: really nice section and quite relaxing to have such a easy trail (the beginning is challenging due to the rock scramble). It's the most touristy part (2 groups a 7 people) but absolutely woth it. Really enjoyed it.<br /> <br /> Contact: https://linktr.ee/RundW<br /> <br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''2023-Dec-12 / 6 days / Packrafting / SOBO / RR + Variant D + Variant F / Tom Pieper'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> An Uber from Cohayique to Villa Simpson is about 9.000 Peso. From there I easily found rides to Lago Elizalde. A older man told me that there was also a camino from Lago Elizalde to Lago Azul passing cerro sombrero a couple of years ago. I really liked the walking through the valley to lago desierto. It passes a beautiful farmland landscape sprinkled with little lush patches of forest and creeks. Camping is easy there. But if you want to speed up there are also cars from time to time and hitchhiking is possible. At S 45° 52.495 W 072° 16.913 is a little shelter surrounded by some old tractors and a big mate cup installation. A farmer passing by told me I am welcome to stay there. To reach lago desierto you have to climb a locked gate (well described by Kara Davis). I crossed lago desierto and camped at the isthmus between it and lago azul. There is a nice camp spot at waypoint Lake {32} [38.3/337] surrounded by old gooseberry bushes and an abandoned van. The central lodging building is collapsed so its seems to be an abandoned place now except the cattle. Next day I crossed lago azul. The wind increased dramatically forming up to 1 m waves. There are some emergency exits on the left even after the shore gets steeper after the settlers on the lefthand side. At the end of lago azul you reach a huge private hacienda on the isthmus, with a big park like forest and buildings within. I tried to sneak between the buildings but to reach the path to the mountains you finally have to pass a big meadow. There was a greenkeeper around and it was no problem for him to let me pass. The family was not around. The track to the mountains is steep and part of a big network of mountainbike trails. This network spans nearly the entire valley! I met six young chilenos who told me that they are working the summer to maintain the trails only for that family – I have never seen such a giant mountainbike network! Incredible how much effort and money must spend here only to satisfy a family’s hobby. The Chilenos were very friendly and even turned back to offer me a ride to the end of the valley as rain increased but I kept walking. This track is in really good conditions up to the bush bashing section. And here comes the problem: 1.) the bush bashing is wrong annotated. In reality it starts for 1.2 km at the end of the annotated section 2.) the track is mostly gone were it reaches the river bed. Landslides have washed away a big part. Don’t cross the landslide! It seems super instable! When you have forded the riverbed at the landslide don’t put on your shoes, yet. The following part has turned into swamp land. I suggest to make the entire 1.2 km in your fording footwear. After that the track to the las horquetas trail is mostly overgrown or blocked by trees but still visible. It was pretty hard for me as temperatures dropped to 4 °C and at this point it had not stopped raining for 48 hr. In bad weather that’s definitely no fun. The ranger hut was my salvation as it was abandoned but open and had a stove and even some firewood. The next day the weather was perfect and I continued towards cerro Castillo. There had been recent work around Camping Rio Turbio and the track is still in good condition. Paso Penón has heaps of snow and I found myself sinking to the hips from time to time. But in good weather it is ok. The views from the pass and the following valley even outcompeted the view from laguna castillo. After the paso penón the rest is fine. I used Variant F to descend. As mentioned before it now follows a different way in the end due to right of way conflict and you reach the street at approximately half way between villa cerro Castillo and the national park entrance.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> <br /> * '''05-Apr-2023 / Hiking / SOBO / Martin &amp; Helena'''<br /> <br /> We really enjoyed this one. It's definitely worth waiting for good weather, not only for safe traverse of the steep part in the northern part of the park and following obstacles that are quite demanding but also for the views that were just incredible.<br /> <br /> Starting from Villa Frei in the late afternoon, we made it on that day to the turn before Lago La Paloma, where we camped right behind a fence, before a little river, that you need to cross to follow the RR. There are 2 settlements, but still far enough, so no problem. You have to cross one fence and a gate on the way up. To avoid right-of-way conflict, we followed Cristopher &amp; Anna's advice (thanks guys!) and turned right after the first gate behind the beginning of the optional trail. From there you just need to follow MR, cross a few gates and you will end up on a fenced field with bee hives on one side. Crossing them will take you directly to RR, so no bush-bashing is necessary. From there, the trail is pretty straightforward. We liked the view from Option B viewpoint and in good conditions it must be a perfect spot for camping, definitely doable in one day. The steep traverse didn't feel that dangerous for us, but we had really good conditions. The next obstacle, already described by others, is at the end of the traverse. We followed there a small ridge that will take you to the beginning of the grass parts. It's a little steep, but doable. From there we followed the grass parts, which create almost 'stairs' allowing you to climb up. It's again steep, but you can use your hands to pull yourself up, holding the grass patches. After that is the last challenging part, a rock that you need to climb over. We got there already after sunset and without an option to explore the best and safest way over, we decided to follow the old overgrown trail, that descends down without the need to climb over the rock. It seemed to be hard in the beginning, but after we got through the first few trees (without any leaves, just branches), we found a little strip without them, that takes you all the way down to the river, where we camped. It took us around 15 min to get down, so it might be a good alternative. From there you just need to walk through a little part of the forest and then continue by the river, so you are actually avoiding also the descent down, which some described as challenging as well.<br /> <br /> After the first marked pass and descent in rocky terrain, the CC part connects to an old trail, that later becomes a MR. The connection was easy to find by following the GPS. We had no problems passing around the rangers house, again by following the track files, at first through the forest and later around the river. From there the trail connects to the official way which makes navigation easy. We spent the night in the official campsite around 2 km before Laguna Carro Castillo, which is the only one open. There were 5-6 other tents, no ranger. The next day the weather got way way worse, which made us skip the last pass and go down from the laguna via one of the official routes. We met a ranger on the way up, pointing us to the official trail around yellow cairns, to sign off from the park. With no intention to pay on our way from the park, we actually followed some old trail (according to the old signs we met) that took us to the main road, right in front of the bridge. We had to cross one fence, but no other problem. It's a faster and safe way from the park.<br /> <br /> * '''5 to 7 of February 2023 / Will / SOBO / 3 days'''<br /> <br /> Amazing section! I was worried about the tricky part, but sticking to the gpx track it didn't feel dangerous to me. Though I did have to leave the track to find easier ways around the cliffs.<br /> <br /> There weren't any buses south out of Coyhaique on Sunday (except maybe early morning?). I ended up taking an Uber to villa frei, for a bearable 14000 pesos. The road walk was beautiful except for the wind trying to blow me into the cars. I caught a ride to Lago Monreal, from where I walked back up to variant L and then to the 23.6 campsite.<br /> <br /> I didn't have any right of way trouble, I just had to pass through a few unlocked gates with no people or buildings in sight. There were even a few groups of day hikers who passed by my camp on the way to the Lago Paloma mirador (variant B - must see!).<br /> <br /> I also took variant D up to the glacier lake, worth it if it fits your schedule. I didn't have time to keep going up to the glacier itself, it looked like steeper rocky cross country.<br /> <br /> Even in the touristy parts the trail was surprisingly slow and rocky. I ran into a few rangers, who look like normal hikers except with red and white baseball hats. They were ok with me not having a ticket once I explained my weird route.<br /> <br /> * '''15.02.23 -18.02.23 / Anna &amp; Christopher / SOBO'''<br /> Coyhaique - Villa Cerro Castillo<br /> <br /> We hitchhiked from Coyhaique to Lago Paloma and started walking around 13:30 pm following the main path.<br /> <br /> The trail at the beginning is pretty good. At the junction with the option at km 17,5 you can walk further uphill along the fence for a couple of meters to enter the fence through a gate. This option is not in the gpx files. We decided to follow that to avoid the settlers after all.Then you can follow the dirtroad through two more gates until you reach a fence that you have to jump to the right to get to a meadow with beehives. There is another gate there and then you reach the main route again. In total we only had to jump two fences.<br /> <br /> Then we followed the main route. Soon after we went through the gate of the National park Cerro Castillo and we (unfortunately) met two guardians of the park. After some back and forth they made us turn around, telling us that this path is closed and we have to enter the park via the main entrance and pay the 30.000 clp. So we had to take the option to las Horquetas.<br /> <br /> After a few good km on a dirtroad, the path of option 1 gets bad. It seems like it hasn't been used for a long time. It was often hard to find and involved some bushbashing. It took us quite some time to get through there. Once you are at the river it gets much better. We forded the river next to the entrance to avoid the detour until Horquetas. The option was not very nice. Mostly just walking in the forest with BB so we would definetly recommend to try the main route.<br /> <br /> The entrance closes at 2 pm but the guards there were much nicer than the first two, and it was also no problem to get in at 3 pm. We had to register us and pay the 30.000 clp p.p. though. The rest of the trek we were not asked to show the tickets. The park guardians tell you that there is no water crossing both passes and you have to carry it from the official camps, which is simply not true. There is only no water after Laguna Castillo.<br /> <br /> At the exit (following the RR) we had to register us again. From there we planned to hitchhike to Villa Cerro Castillo, but there were no cars passing by. In the afternoon/evening it's probably easier to get a ride, because lots of cars parked at the exit. We would recommend Option E to avoid the dull roadwalk to Villa Cerro Castillo.<br /> <br /> We stayed at Camping El Rincon, which was only 4.000 clp p.p., with no electricity, but the owner washed our clothes after we asked and we received it dry the next morning :)<br /> <br /> * '''18 to 21 of January 2023 / Véronica / GPT32 RR SOBO / 3.5 days'''<br /> <br /> Route: Villa Freí - Lago La Paloma - north part of Parque Nacional Cerro Castillo - Las Horquetas trail (south part of Parque Nacional Cerro Castillo) - Villa Cerro Castillo<br /> First off I want to say that I think this section deserves a 5 on the Attractiveness Scale. It is simply mind-blowingly beautiful and definitely on par with other sections further north that have a 5 on this scale. I also think the Difficulty Rating should be upped to a 5 as well, due to the technical, and arguably dangerous at times, section in the northern part of the park on the Regular Route. Wish I had someone with me during this stretch, but oh well, such is life.<br /> <br /> I was lucky and caught a hitch most of the way to Lago La Paloma on the first day. It was hot and I don't think the road walk has any water sources until you get to the end. I then followed the new RR which bypasses the problematic right-of-way settler in the Lago Monreal area. However, this new detour is not fun. It involves climbing over (or crawling through/under) multiple barbed wire fences. I lost count after the 5th or 6th one. Also, the path and cross-country area are full of thorny plants, they got everywhere on my pack and clothing. I think it would just be better to take Option 32-L and chat with the settler instead to try and get through. Once you reach RH-MR-V {32} [18.9+4.7], it's all good, easy walking until the camp at 23.6 km.<br /> <br /> I reccomend taking Option 32-A after the campsite instead of the CC straight through the cow pasture. It is wet and muddy, whereas 32-A remains dry and easy to follow in the forest at the edge of the meadow. I also strongly recommend taking the short detour to the mirador at the end of Option 32-B. The views there of the cliffs and mountains surrounding Lago La Paloma are incredible. You could even camp there if you brought sufficient water and the weather is calm.<br /> <br /> Now for the difficult part in the 8-km cross-country section. This section was physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding. The first pass is at S 45° 55.740', W 072° 04.501'. It is easy walking up past the treeline into the alpine up to this point. The first challenge is a steep and unstable scree traverse, which begins at S 45° 56.019', W 072° 04.567'. Follow the GPS tracks here. At first I tried to go lower, right along the treeline, which was a big mistake that got me stuck in a terrible gully of slippery hard-packed sand. Very treacherous and scary trying to traverse it on all fours. After that ordeal, I scrambled back up to the altitude of the GPS tracks. This first scree traverse lasts about a km, the rocks are loose and it is very steep. I was tense and went very slowly. Got harassed by tábanos the whole way, but at least the weather was good.<br /> <br /> Then at S 45° 56.288', W 072° 05.184', you reach the end of the bad scree and end up in a deep gully with a vertical wall face on the other side. Figuring out how to get up that cliff was hard for me. I left my pack at the bottom and tried climbing up various different ways with no success, only tiring myself out and getting myself in precarious situations where I could barely climb back down. I finally figured out the best way was to try and get to the lowest grassy patch to the left of the vertical rock wall. The easiest way to reach that grassy patch was to go upstream a bit, then traverse on the hard slippery sand northward, instead of trying to climb vertically straight up to it. Once you reach the grass, you can use the traction and stability of vegetation to clamber up and out of the gully.<br /> <br /> The next big obstacle is at S 45° 56.320', W 072° 05.446'. Like others have written, this is the vertical rock wall that spans up and down the mountain and that you have to climb over. I scouted ways up without my pack at first, trying to find the easiest way. At least with this rock wall, the handholds and footholds are solid — no slippery gravel/sand/scree. But it does require actual rock climbing moves. If you fall you would likely tumble down the mountain, so please be very careful. A light backpack makes it relatively safer and easier.<br /> <br /> On the other side of this wall, you can finally see where the trees end, and the lovely river you are supposed to climb down to reach. But there is still more scree to traverse here, and it is slow and unstable again. I tried taking a shortcut down a shallow gully filled with grass. I figured it would be safer than the rocks, but it was very steep and got unexpectedly muddy at one point, and I ended up slipping and sliding down the mountainside about 10 meters before being able to stop myself. Didn't get seriously hurt, just bruised up, but it really shook me and just added to the stress and fear of this whole section. So I guess my advice here is to again follow the GPS tracks across the scree and go down gradually to the river instead of trying to go straight down.<br /> <br /> Once you reach the riverbed, it is easy walking to the top of the pass, with occasional cairns (and some good swimming holes). Down the south side of the pass, there are still a couple scree sections, but not nearly as bad as before. Lots of boulders, so slow going, but at least they felt more solid.<br /> <br /> As Martin Lizondo has written, finding the start of RH-MR-V {32} [34.1+1.7] is tricky. It is not a minor road, it is an old footpath. The cross-country section ends at a creek as it turns into a high and steep waterfall. You have to cross the creek and look up to find a faint, overgrown trail that goes up into the forest. Once you find it though, it is simple enough to follow. There is a stretch though of several hundred meters where it is more of a bushwhack than anything else, nature has taken over.<br /> <br /> I followed the regular route that cuts through the forest to Río Turbío, I assume this is to avoid the ranger station nearby. The &quot;bushbashing&quot; section is easy through a mature forest, and then you just follow the bouldery riverbank.<br /> <br /> Once you get to the popular Las Horquetas trail, everything is easy until the end of the section. Some snow at the top of the first pass (Paso Peñón), but very manageable. The views of the saw-toothed mountains, lakes, and glaciers are spectacular. Despite reports of the park being &quot;overrun,&quot; I only met a handful of other hikers in this trail, and most of them after Laguna Castillo. No rangers at all.<br /> <br /> I think the Regular Route in its current configuration avoids the blue payment tent at the end of the park trail, but I didn't know that when I passed through, and ended up just following the riverbank down to the minor road to be safe (and avoid paying the ridiculous 30,000 clp access fee). The road walk to Cerro Castillo was Easy and uneventful.<br /> <br /> * '''23/02/2023 - 25/02/2023 / RR SOBO / Louis, Rémi &amp; Noé :'''<br /> <br /> We started at Lago La Paloma, taking the bus from Coyhaique to Villa Frei (leaves at 8:15,15:30,17:30&amp;19:30 from monday to friday and at 8:00 and 14:00 on saturday (no bus on sunday)). Then we hitchiked to the lake without problem and we camped there. Ready to start in the morning the next day.<br /> <br /> Day 1 - Campamento Rio Turbio - 26.5km - +1800m/-1200m A big day but we hadnt the choice : heavy rain was announced for the next day... Cross country is demanding, better follow the tracks all the way long. A great camp site if you want to split this day is at the end of Option B. No water, windy but incredible view. The waypoint camp before is nice too.<br /> <br /> Day 2 - Campamento El Bosque - 10km - +800m/-800m The 2 camps sites on the GPT at47.8 and at 50.3 are now forbidden. The new campsite is approx at km 49, in the middle. There is guardaparques, but no need to show the permit for us.<br /> <br /> Day 3 - Cerro Castillo - 11km - +800m/-1500m The pass after Cerro Castillo was closed due to the wind. If you want to go to the other side, you have to get down at the park entrance and to go up again at the other entrance. We just went to the town. The regular route going down from there, from the Cerro Castillo, is not the one on the GPT. Actually, it goes more on the west side. At the end, there is a guardaparque, we checked out (even though we didn’t checked in) but no need to pay. Fortunately. Luck was with us.<br /> <br /> * '''23/02/2023 - 25/02/2023 / RR NOBO / Jakub+Veronika:'''<br /> <br /> 1) Lago La Paloma, right of way conflict on RH (32, km 17.5): Owner of the land (and nearby houses) is called Cesar, according to him, the right way is by the mud road (OH 32-L) and not on the trail, which passes some 20m next to his house. The reason why there was a conflict might have been caused by Cesar's relative who didn't like tourists walking on their land.<br /> 2) Trail has been changed 3 years ago because of right of way conflict between CONAF and private owners on the OH (32-E). The new official trail (with official park entrance) leads on OH (32-E) for the first 2km, then turns right and goes down towards Rio Ibáñez to RR (32, km 85), well marked by metal yellow triangles.<br /> <br /> We've walked all section 32 from Villa Frei to Villa Cerro Castillo. The part from Lago Paloma to Rio Turbio is very difficult and might be even dangerous (especially in bad weather). The CC travers on the stones (in our case with strong wind and snow) was the hardest part. The MR leading down to the valley is partially overgrown. The second part is well marked with good camping possibilities. After heavy rains on Sunday 25th, the park has been closed for more than a week. There are 2 alerts on the road (see above).<br /> <br /> * '''Feb 17 RR 3 days SOBO Frank'''<br /> <br /> Walked from Villa Frei. After about 12KM there is a food truck next to the road. Owners live there so should open for you. The owner of the private land wasn't there so had no access issues. You can camp in a big meadow @ 1250 metres or in good weather at a pass @ about 1325 metres (not marked on track file) just before the difficult CC section begins. Followed Veronica's advice to get up the gully on grass which worked well, thanks Veronica. There is no need for any rock climbing on this route. After the gully there are two rock bands running perpendicular to the route. You can go below both of them &amp; bypass them at treeline. The second bypass is not very obvious but stay at the treeline &amp; you will get through easily. After the pass, descending scree you come to a waterfall. Go left into the forest immediately before the waterfall - you may see a small cairn marking the spot. Just footprints at first but pick up a small trail as you go in. Leaving the park the RR to the left goes through private land. The optional route straight down is now the main trail, it goes down to a checkpoint just before the road. Checkpoint is at a stile over a fence so can't be avoided. It is run as a private 'concession' from CONAF. The workers were friendly &amp; didn't charge me anything. However next year the concession will be run by a different company so depends who is there.<br /> <br /> * ''' Note on Options 4, 7 and 8:'''<br /> GPT32 Option 4: is the gravel road to Lago Elizalde and Lago el Desierto. A subsidized bus travels this route 2 or 3 times per week.<br /> GPT32 Option 7 and 8: Are routes published on Wikiloc and/or www.suda.Io. This means someone took these routes in the last years but not much more information are available.<br /> (Source Jan Dudeck: https://www.facebook.com/groups/222224388283455/posts/1498106867361861/ )<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> * '''2022 Feb: 05-07, SoBo, RR, Kris&amp;Stiina'''<br /> <br /> We continued into this section straight from the previous one - 31H and the start of it, about first 16km, is like the whole previous section - dirt road. We hiked about 5 of those 16km and hitched the rest which I think was possible quite easy because it was weekend and a lot of cars with families were going to the Lago La Paloma.<br /> <br /> The interesting part started once we were at the gate after crossing the outflow of Lago Monreal. The big sign was posted there stating that this is not some Sendero de Chile and that passing through here is strictly forbidden. We saw a guy at the gate when we were approaching, but as it was lunch time for us we stayed at the stream. Afterwards the guy was gone and there was no phone signal to call the nr. that Martin Lizondo has provided. After considering options of different routes we decided to keep it cool and climbed over the gate with fingers crossed. There were houses a few hundred meters up the road, but nobody seemed to be at home at that point, perhaps working in the field somewhere in the back, so we walked through the forbidden land without anyone intercepting, luck was with us. A few more gates later we climbed up into the forest and finally the Cerro Castillo National park with a big old welcoming sign. We stayed at the first marked campsite at 22,7km, there is a stream.<br /> <br /> Next morning as we were having our breakfast about 30 cows showed up and were completely dazzled by our presence. They stared at us for about 15min until they finally relaxed a bit, but not fully. As we were packing our camp some sudden movement must have scared them and they all went running for their lives as if a Kraken himself was after them, silly cows, we thought. Once we were all packed and ready to go we crossed the stream into the next meadow, and saw all the cows about 200m to our left. I am not exactly sure how cows work, but as soon as they saw us they organized a gang and all of them started running right at us. We of course were standing our ground so the cows would stop just 5m from us and look all tough. I would try to scare them away by counter attack in the form of a shouting, hiking pole waving lunatic. It worked to some extent, as we could slowly walk out of it, but the cows kept persistently be really close and walk/run at us. I guess they were trying to protect their pasture, maybe someone can enlighten me about cow-dynamics.<br /> <br /> After the great battle of 2022, we disappeared in the forest and enjoyed the nice forest path while it lasted. Once out of the three line the path disappeared so we more or less followed the GPS marking. Neither of our maps showed the mentioned old path descending down into the valley, it was actually matching with the GPS, more or less. Up to the first pass, which is not marked, but is at about 26,8km the cross country was easy and then as mentioned before it got pretty difficult. If it would just be steep scree slope it would be alright, but this one had hard packed sand under the scree or sometimes no scree on it so it was very slippery (in dry conditions). Lots of prayers went to the Gods of Friction which helped us with traversing the treacherous slopes, with plenty of chances to become a statistic. I don’t think that that traverse is possible in wet conditions, not without crampons. And as for every good cake there is always a cherry on top, which was a little rock climbing session, which I personally didn’t mind, but I am not sure other hikers would appreciate. After that we still had to descend a steep scree down to the river. If there is a potential trail or option to go down the valley after the pass and then follow the river bank up, I think it is definitely a better, faster and safer option, especially if weather is not favorable. And looking from above down the valley it seemed like a feasible option to follow the river as the river itself was easily crossable and we didn’t spot any cliffs there, maybe next time.<br /> <br /> After reaching the river at the valley bottom the way up to the second pass was easy and straight forward, even though still “sin sendero”. The way down from the pass is steep and bouldery but not dangerous and after a short bit some first signs of an old trail can be noticed, some cairs appear. Then once the trail gets down to the tree line there are a few bushy places, but nothing too bad and the closer to the actual trail you get the better it becomes. We also somewhat followed the GPS track but stayed more in the forest rather than beach to avoid the ranger hut.<br /> <br /> Once we made it to the Las Horquetas trail all our worries were behind us and we could enjoy the nice trail and magnificent views. I don’t think I have ever seen tree line ending almost at the edge of the glacier in Europe it was happening a century ago, pretty cool stuff. We camped at the “segundo camping” with many other hikers, none doing the GPT though. And an interesting thing we observed was that people would just drink straight from the silty glacier stream without filtering or treating their water at all. Observation was made of different groups of people at different campsites. Is that a Chilean thing? Very impressive gut, if they can do it, unless ignorance is a bliss or they knew something that we didn’t.<br /> <br /> Nevertheless, two more mountain passes and we were heading down to Villa Cerro Castillo, with crowds of day-hikers that had come up to the Mirador Cerro Castillo. From there we actually didn’t follow the GPS track but headed down straight to the town. The ticket office with the park official is actually around this area: (46º 6.7520' S, 72º 12.0032' W). And the trail leading there is the official trail. The one that seemed on the map like the official, was actually not in use, not sure why. The satellite view on Gaia and info on the maps is somehow outdated. We tried to sneak past the office to avoid all explaining we had to do, but it’s kind of strategically placed so it wasn’t possible and we ended up just talking to the girl that was making sure everyone is checking out of the park. We had to pay 18.000 pesos per person which is the ticket for foreigners that want to go up to the mirador. We didn’t spill the beans about camping in the park and our small backpacks kept the suspicion low, so in the end it all worked out pretty good. From there it is still almost 5km to the town on a very dusty road, but with all the day hikers leaving a hitch was not a problem.<br /> <br /> The town is really nice with plenty of shops and accommodations options. The only thing we didn’t manage to find was the threaded gas canister, but we found a few half-empty ones left in the Nordic Patagonia mess tent.<br /> <br /> 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<br /> * '''2021-Dec-18 to 2021-Dec-22 / Option 6 (Valle Balboa), Regular Route &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;(Packrafting Lago Desierto and Lago Azul)&lt;/span&gt; and &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Option 9 (Packrafting Lago Paloma)&lt;/span&gt; / Northbound and Westbound / Meylin and Jan'''&lt;/span&gt;.<br /> <br /> General Remark:<br /> This route provides an attractive alternative to the overrun Cerro Castillo trail. The popular Cerro Castillo trail is also highly regulated (obligatory camp sites, closed in suboptimal weather) and costly (27’000 CLP entrence fee) therefore this alternative should be considered by hikers and packrafters.<br /> At the upper terminus of the Valle Balboa is a 5 km long and 400 m wide pasture at an altitude of 1100 m. To utilize this pasture for cattle summer grazing, settlers build a 18 km long trail through the forrest along the Rio Balboa.<br /> This very scenic Valle Balboa trail was hiked and published on Wikiexplora by Tobias Hellwig and Daniel Mahn. But the southbound descent down to Rio Ibañez was made by climbing down with a rope in very steep terrain because the location of the descending trail was not yet documented. <br /> Therefore we investigate this route in the opposite direction to search the southern trailhead to incorporate a feasible hiking traverse from Rio Balboa to Rio Ibanez in the GPT network.<br /> <br /> Summary of Northbound Investigation:<br /> Tobias Hellwig suggested where the southern trailhead may be located. A detailed analysis of satellite images and elevation profiles supported this and a local resident confirmed this assumption. After an hour of searching we found the southern trailhead. This trail terminates at a 400 m by 60 m pasture at abandoned camp (“Camp A”) from where no trail appears to continue. <br /> To continue through the last section of forrest we bush-bashed through very steep terrain and continued trail-less through a rather open forrest until reaching open terrain (“Entry Forrest Valle Ibanez”). From this point we traversed the open terrain on a slightly higher route than recorded by Tobias Hellwig and Daniel Mahn and meet the previously recorded route at the descent into the Valle Balboa (“Exit Forrest Valle Balboa”).<br /> From this point we followed closely the previously recorded route in the Valle Balboa from where we packrafted westbound over Lago Desierto, Lago Azul and Lago Paloma.<br /> <br /> Recommendation for Southbound Hikers and Packrafters:<br /> Hikers that wish to bypass the Cerro Castillo trail may either road-walk 25.5 km from Villa Frei via Lago Elizalde to Lago Desierto (GPT32 Option 4) or take the bus from Coyhaique to Lago Caro and leave the bus just after the bridge over Rio Paloma.<br /> Alternatively hikers may walk along the lakes Lago Paloma, Lago Azul and Lago Desierto (GPT32 Option 5) but bypass the buildings at the trail start to avoid a right-of-way dispute (see yellow arrow on the image that first follows the beach of Lago Paloma and than sneakers in between some trees to the trail).<br /> Packrafters best paddle the three lakes to get to Rio Balboa. Note that the predominant wind direction is westbound.<br /> After reaching the western end of Lago Desierto hikers and packrafters closely follow the route of GPT32 Option 6. Note that the multiple river crossings of Rio Balboa may become impassable after heavy rain and are generally easier in the morning (due to snow and glacier melting water that reaches it maximum in the evening).<br /> After reaching open terrain at Kilometer 24 (“Exit Forrest Valle Balboa”) hikers and packrafters traverse 5 km open terrain to the waypoint “Entry Forrest Valle Ibanez” while enjoying the wide open view into Valle Ibanez. Starting from Kilometer 24 do not follow any more track “EXP-OP-TL-V {32-06} [0.0+30.6]”.<br /> After entering the rather open forrest best follow the 8 waypoints of “Proposed Improvement for Investigation”. This bush-bashing route probably avoids the very steep descent that we struggled to get up with our heavy packrafting gear. When reaching the trail (either “Record 1” or “Record 2”) follow the generally well-visible and well-maintained trail to “Exit Forrest Valle Ibanez”.<br /> Note that that “Record 1” and “Record 2” includes all our searching, so don’t take these tracks as an instruction but use your common sense to follow only the relevant parts.<br /> When reaching Rio Ibanez packrafters can float on the river towards Cerro Castillo while hikers must walk along the northern side of Rio Ibanez to Cerro Castillo.<br /> As an add-on hikers and packrafters may take GPT32 Option 3 to visit a less frequented trail of Parque Cerro Castillo.<br /> <br /> (Note: taken from here https://www.facebook.com/groups/222224388283455/posts/1256244101548140/ - now the options are part of the GPT Track files, the Facebook post includes pictures.)<br /> <br /> ==Season 2020/21==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> * '''Section 32, Option 7: Valle Balboa. Southbound. 11 days (including waiting out a snow storm). Party (3): Mum, Sis and I.'''<br /> <br /> After walking Section 35 we emerged in Cochrane to a world changed by the virus. We retreated to the now unfriendly Chili Chico and caught the ferry across to Ibáñez in the morning. For my mum and sister, getting back to Santiago to catch a flight home had been the priority, but on the way they shifted more to the stance I was taking: what was the point? Get stuck in Australia, or here? Patagonia didn't seem all that bad, and apart from facemasks and hand sanitiser, there were no shortages like back home. By the time we reached Coyhaique we'd all decided to stay a week or so to hatch a plan. We met up with Aldo and camped in his backyard for almost a week. I helped build his house a bit, but time was mostly filled with playing chess, dice, cards and guitar. The atmosphere seemed to encourage a lethargic state, blurring the days together and bending time. Finally however, we packed and walked into the town centre to make a start on the interesting option #007 of Section 32 through Valle Balboa, (traversing roughly from Lago Desierto to Río Ibáñez). With the virus and public transport on hold, it seemed unlikely the bus to Villa Freí (that we took last time for the RR of Section 32) would be running. We asked a taxi driver for a quote to drive us out. We grabbed some more supplies, and then caught a taxi with a much friendlier driver to Lago Elizalde ($15k). The driver showed us a great public camping spot on the shore of the lake. There were many established camp sites back from [close to] the beach. It was such a nice spot that we decided to lay back and spend the afternoon and night there.<br /> <br /> In the morning, we walked the road to Río Paloma, scoring a lift for 5ks or so. We camped by the river not far before the end of the road.<br /> <br /> In the morning we walked the last bit of the public road to where it ends at the very rickety bridge over Río Mogote. There is a nice little camping spot here (-45.91100, -72.31823). Climbing over the locked gate, we walked the private road to the ford. We tossed up visiting Lago Desierto and the people living next to it, but with the virus decided against it. This meant we didn't actually have to cross the river, instead locating the old road to the south. (The track files follow the road, but it is no longer used by vehicles and it is actually easier to head back down the main road a couple of hundred metres to where a cattle trail exists (-45.91601, -72.30806)).<br /> <br /> Following this distinct road for some time, it seemed to be used for horse riding tours as there were coloured signs like &quot;Spanglish&quot; and &quot;Toobooku&quot; on the side. You will soon reach the gate included in the track files. Here there is also access to a bridge across Estero Balboa. It looks like you can then access trails most of the way up to Cerró Negro. This might be interesting if someone wants to explore.<br /> <br /> A couple hundred metres after the gate the old road ends and an obvious trail continues to a miskept farmhouse. Continue along the well defined trail that gets a bit scrubby/overgrown before entering the forest. The trail is then very well maintained although quite muddy in spots (I could see it being quite bad after rain). You will need to ford a tributary not marked in the track files (-45.95592, -72.35114). Shortly afterwards is a junction (-45.95654, -72.35216). The route up the side valley could be explored if someone wants - we went only a short way to a corral. The track will dip back down to the river where there is an established camp (-45.97039, -72.35461). Continuing up the valley, there are many more established camps - the best are generally in close proximity to the fords.<br /> <br /> The first time you cross the estero is about here: (-45.98105, -72.36205). There is only one ford, not two as the track files indicate. At the next couple of fords, the actual track deviates slightly from the track files. If you follow the current track files, you will avoid crossing the river at all, but will end up bush bashing briefly. We crossed the next two fords, but by staying on the west side of the river they should also be easily avoidable.<br /> <br /> The trail exits the forest (-46.02116, -72.42538)(the camp marked in the track files here is a swamp - go further up the valley!) from where it is cross country walking, not actually a trail as indicated. We camped next to the puesto which incorporates some pieces of a crashed plane (we found another piece whist exploring, but not the actual crash site). The route up to the Laguna Campana is also open and straight forward.<br /> <br /> We waited out a rainy day only to wake to a snow storm the next!... and the next!. We ended up waiting 4 nights experimenting with some different bread recipes whilst we waited out the inclement weather.<br /> <br /> Finally a sunny day! Continue up the valley, CC walking past an old corral. At the Nacimiento del Estero Balboa you again briefly enter the trees. Like the previous marked camp, again this whole area was very swampy and I didn't see a suitable place to camp. The camp included in the track files is in the middle of a swamp! We picked up fragments of a track heading up through the trees, but I think it is very vague or overgrown. That said, we had nearly a foot of snow in places so we could have easily missed things! There is a very obvious section of track here : (-46.05648, -72.47298). You'll quickly exit the trees (-46.05923, -72.47005) and start a long CC section in the alpine. We found some sections of trail, but for us it was mostly cross country walking. Plenty of water options the whole way.<br /> <br /> When you enter the forest after completing the alpine section (-46.08687, -72.43537), you will be bush bashing for a long time! There was no discernible track even when we criss-crossed over the track files searching for it (no snow here anymore). Approaching the deep gorge, I decided to lead us a different, less steep way. This worked well and we camped at a very nice spot by the stream at the bottom (-46.09414, -72.42582).<br /> <br /> The next day we were debating simply following the river down (I wish we had!). Instead, we headed straight up the other side of the gorge. We located part of an old track here (-46.09685, -72.42463) but quickly lost it as we passed through the saddle (I think maybe it continues north?). Rejoining the suggested investigation route (EXP-OP-TL-I@32-07-#003), there is a good stream (-46.10202, -72.42403) and some camping on its banks.<br /> <br /> After some horrible bush bashing, we finally made it to a ravine gashing steeply down the mountain (-46.10598, -72.41534). There were many drops and it was impossible to go directly down. We later found out that the only other party to do this part had a rope! I can't really recommend going down here [and my sister can't recommend it at all! - &quot;This is shit!&quot;] Again, I'd recommend taking the main valley. The climbs we did were much more difficult than those on the northern part of Section 32 RR that people complain about. Also, if doing this option, it would be much easier travelling north! You could also consult the settlers on a better route. We finally reached the bottom where it opens up after about ~6hrs!<br /> <br /> Continuing, if you do follow EXP-OP-TL-V@32-07A-#003, the track files indicate there is a trail, but it is not quite so. There are CC sections and a labyrinth of cattle trails. You will need to use them to your advantage where they exist, and leave them when they go the wrong way. We went this way for a little while, but then tried following a primary cattle track that seemed to be heading directly down to the river... but we got stopped by a swamp (-46.11623, -72.41080). Continuing along EXP-OP-TL-V@32-07A-#003, you will get CC walking from the woods (after a cliff) about here: (-46.11546, -72.42372) If we were there again we would follow EXP-OP-CC-A@32-07-#004 down past the settler to the river. It then looked easy to walk along the river north to the cable car.<br /> <br /> The cable car: Don't use this by yourself! Don't use it if you are only two! Use it with three people minimum! I can't stress this enough. There is a lot of fiction and the locals we talked to here don't even consider it safe. They used the boat which has its own steel cable allowing you to tack across with relative ease. You will get wet feet if using the boat.<br /> <br /> Taking the cable car, we only just made it across with one in the car and two hauling on the rope, and at one point it looked like my sister might get stranded on the far side (she had a nightmare that night!).<br /> <br /> Carretera Austral: We waited the entire day by the Carretera Austral. Finally catching a colectivo late in the afternoon. With the virus, it was hard/imposible to hitchhike. We paid an inflated price ($3kpp) for transport to Cerró Castillo.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2020-March-6 / Ty &amp; America / 4.5 Days SOBO RR. Start @ El Blanco'''<br /> <br /> We started in El Blanco, opting to hike by Lago Montreal, which was pretty nice. No traffic though, so if you’re wanting a hitch the regular start in Villa freí may be a better option. Settlers in Lago Montreal are super friendly. There’s a bit of water there as you pass by the lake. We camped there. I recommend going further to the marked camp though because the next day is a big challenge. RH-CC-A@32-25.2+7.9 Is the Cruz of the section. After this all good. I do not recommend doing this unless you’re very comfortable on your feet and have a lightweight pack.<br /> <br /> -stick to the treeline/marked path on this. The traversing is tough, but completely doable. 2-3 km in is the gully with the very difficult climb. Keep the the grassy patch, getting to the base of it was the most dangerous part for us. Very slippery rock. I had America drop her pack. High risk, but I was MUCH more comfortable.<br /> <br /> -about a k after is the second dangerous area. This is a straight rock wall that spans all the way up&amp; down the mountain. The only way through is to climb around. I checked below it and didn’t find a way through the trees. I took both Sanita &amp; America’s packs through this section; as again, it’s very high risk..with an actual climbing move involved. Again, it’s important you’re very comfortable with your pack to get through these parts.<br /> <br /> After these dangerous sections we were wiped out and camped in the valley before the pass. Lots of places to camp with good water. Be aware of slight rockfall risk. There’s an amazing place to camp with ideal conditions at the top of the pass.<br /> <br /> Going on, all smooth, both marked camps on the way up the second pass are actually closed...there’s an open camp right between the two.<br /> <br /> Amazing places to camp up by Laguna Castillo.<br /> <br /> We snuck around the riverbed once we saw the blue tent at the bottom (where you might have to pay) and got by with no problems.<br /> <br /> * '''Jan 2020 GPT32 South 7days / Felix'''<br /> <br /> Coyhaique to Villa Freí: There is a bus from the bus terminal in Coyhaique to Villa Freí. From there it was a hot dusty road.<br /> <br /> Accessing the park : You have to pass through 4 private properties to enter the first sector of the park. We met some people. Had short friendly chats, but no problems with access. Just before you enter the park (where there are two trail options) there is easy access to the river via a cow trail. However water in general was no issue and I didn't carry water for the entire 7 days through the park.<br /> <br /> The camp site used to be an official campsite before the sector was closed due to access problems. The dunny is in great shape.<br /> <br /> Through the first sector : The trail is in great shape until after the mirador. You then cut upwards into the alpine which is also easy walking. After passing through a saddle, you contour around above the treeline. This is the most difficult part of the section. Quite a bit of step scree traversing. Not for everyone. Once you drop into the valley waking is again easier. There are some occasional cairns that become more and more frequent as you drop into the other valley. As you contour left an intermittent trail is evident. When you enter the lenga forest (-45.97321, -72.10278) there is a great trail down that turns into a road here : (-45.97886, -72.10358) (Jan: maybe you want to update the track files to reflect this?) Then is road walking to join the popular walk.<br /> <br /> Popular sector of Cerró Castillo : There are some side trips not included in the track files. They're on the map you get. Note that the old Bosque site (-46.06197, -72.16016) and La Tetera (-46.07200, -72.18390) are now closed. You can not camp there. For most people this means camping at the new el Bosque : (-46.06418, -72.16964)(Jan : maybe you want to update the track files?) Get to Laguna Cerró Castillo before 12 to beat the walkers heading up for the day. But this shouldn't be an issue as you need to cross the pass early : an important thing we would have liked to know is that the pass (-46.08030, -72.21103) can be closed in the afternoon due to strong winds. There is literally a ranger there that can turn people around. Not much water over the pass either. And the poza cerca mirador doesn't look welcoming. Carry water here. In the next valley there were more rangers and we saw some people get checked for permits. It's a shame this park is now being comercialalised :(<br /> <br /> Getting back to Coyhaique : Not much traffic. The last bus heads back at 6pm<br /> <br /> I'll try upload some map photos and a breakdown of the entrance fees when I get the photos off my camera.<br /> <br /> Cheers, Felix.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-18 and 19 / Regular Hiking Southbound / Martin Lizondo'''<br /> <br /> The starting minor road gets into the private propiety of Pedro Sangüesa (+56 9 9099 9083) at 45º 52' 15,55&quot; S, 72º 2' 46,28&quot; O. He didn’t like people to pass through and denied that there was a trail, but it turned out to be a Conaf’s well signed area. He said in the future he will ask for money, but finally left me pass for no charge. I met other day hikers going to « El Mirador ». Snow was easy at the passes. The trail was in good conditions until the cross country. There are two spots which I consider dangerous, so I don’t recomend doing this section alone: 1) the gps tracks passes through a very vertical rocky (nearly climbing). I was scared and I can’t recommend doing it, except you asume this risk. I could see later in a map that the original route went all way down in the valley through lenga forest, but if there was a trail it’s invisible now. 2) When the cross country leaves the tree line and becomes a small trail into the lenga forest at 45º 58' 23,54&quot; S, 72º 6' 10,02&quot; O (“minor road” starts later, despite the gps track info); it’s very stepy and unmaintained. I made a mistake and started to follow the stream all way down, but you have to look up and search the beginning of the hidden path. It’s very vertical and easy to fell down, because of recent land slides. Be extremely carefull. The rest of Cerro Castillo from Las Horquetas is well maintained, beautifull and enjoyable. Cons: Lots of people. When leaving at the Nezoelandes entrance, you’ll have to pass near to the payment cabin. I didn’ t have to pay, but it was because I spent only a short time in the park. The cost for foreigners is normaly CLP 29,000.<br /> <br /> * '''Jan 2020 / RH Northbound / Matthieu'''<br /> <br /> No technical difficulties in the park, just following the trail and enjoying the views.<br /> <br /> To follow the GPT northbound, leave the parc trail to go north. It is an &quot;old sendero&quot; in the forest, but well maintained and easy to follow during the beginning (it is marked on maps of the parc). In this direction, no problem to leave the forest in a safe spot, but southbound, looking behind, seemed hard to find the entrance of the forest and of the safe trail ! No technical difficulties until the first pass, rocky terrain like the rest of the park. <br /> <br /> The dangerous part is indeed between the 2 passes. You dont go in the valley in front of you but follow the altitude line until the pass that you see at the right side of the valley. Very steepy rolling stones path. I was a little bit afraid. I tried to be smarter than the tracks, trying more uphill... this was a dangerous mistake that took me long to repair and go back to the tracks. There are indeed two river crossing (no dangerous waterstream) but they are circled by cliffs, so not easily crossable. <br /> The track follow mostly the tree line (I.e the separations between the little trees and the stones) So my recommendations : <br /> - follow the gps tracks : they follow the tree line who is safer with a solid ground and grass. Sometimes you have to cross the stones, no choice, so go slowly, choose your paces wisely and it's doable. Try to aim for the grounds of grass in the middle, which are solid, or the stones with foam on them, which mostly didn't move for a while. For the rivercrossing, it aims a good spot with no need to climb down or up.<br /> - choose a good weather day : for me it was sunny and no wind, so perfect day, and it was already mentally hard (not speaking of the horseflies getting you crazy during the hard moments !). I wouldn't try it with rain or big wind in this river of rolling stones. <br /> - if you don't feel it, easy escape by the normal trail of the parc<br /> <br /> However, I can assure that the prize for the effort, going northbound, is amazing !! But I won't spoil ! <br /> After the second pass, no technical difficulties, you find a Conaf trail easily, and I even cross some tourists with a guide.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Nov-29/ Lea Geibel, Kevin Moe/ 3days / Northbound / Regular Hiking Route with OH-MR-V (Villa Cerro Castillo to Las Horquetas)'''<br /> <br /> The section follows the rather popular tourist Hiking route Las Horquetas for the first two days, meaning there will be less solitude but also rather well maintained trails. The national park and the region around Cerro Castillo was very impressive, we especially enjoyed to take all the side trails and visit the numerous beautiful glacier lagoons. The only unpleasant part of the hike was the organization of the national park. The exorbitant high entrance fees are in no relation to the other parks, which is due to a high ratio of private land in the area but makes the park rather unattractive for tourists. some rangers seemed poorly informed and couldn't give much information (e.g. insisted that passes were &quot;closed&quot; and only after asking numerous times agreed to check with his colleagues that told that they are &quot;open&quot;). They also said it is not possible to hike the regular route of the GPT, because we have to check out of the NP at the checkpoint Las Horquetas. There is an optional hiking route continuing North from there. Due to bad weather coming up we ended up not finishing the northern stretch of the trail and just followed the entire Las Horquetas Route at the Carretera Austral.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Nov-29 / Lea Geibel, Kevin Moe'''<br /> <br /> Snow line is at around 1200 Meters but all passes are safely traversable.<br /> The National Park Entrance Fee got raised to 29000 CLP per person for overnight hikes in season 19/20. The park generally seemed very poorly organized, we were told the passes are &quot;closed&quot; at first, whereas they were easy and safe to traverse. The ranger insisted that we could not hike the normal route northbound but have to sign out of the park at the Las Horquetas checkpoint. In high season, the ranger station in the park is manned, so maybe it is possible so sign out there and head northbound.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Nov-12 / Eva Havlová'''<br /> <br /> There is still lots of snow in the National Park. I arrived to Villa Cerro Castillo 3 days ago (Novembre 12, 2019) and planed to hike nortbound but rangers didn't let me go. I saw the pass they were talking about (avalanche risk) and I don't think any avalanche could occur, but the thought is that there is lots of water running down and the trail is like a stream. They said it might be possible to do it next week.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2018/19==<br /> <br /> * '''2019 Jan/ Oilrik / Northbound'''<br /> <br /> We ended up doing the normal Cerro Castillo hike as the weather was forecasting heavy rain and snow so we did not want to be on the pass. The regular trail is just gorgeous and the park is beautiful. The trail in the north is not on the new CONAF maps but is marked on the old ones.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2017/18==<br /> <br /> * '''Route description by Kara Davis after Season 2017/18:'''<br /> <br /> A sandy beach with a visible structure in the grass is the take-out for Lago Elizalde. After exiting, make your way through the farmland until encountering a gravel road that leads past the house at the top of the hill up to Ruta X-686.<br /> <br /> Ruta X-686 is a lightly trafficked but well-formed gravel road that is fenced on either side. After crossing the Río Paloma, Ruta X-686 makes a sharp left and begins to climb. 4 km after the sharp left turn, cross a bridge to the left and climb to a wooden gate. If you descend the steep slope to the left of the gate, there is camping under some trees.<br /> <br /> The wooden gate marks the beginning of a very long driveway to a house located near the lake. The route takes you along this driveway until a river crossing. After crossing the river, walk northeast along its shore towards the Río Paloma. After reaching the end of the fenceline near the Río Paloma, turn east and walk along the fenceline until reaching Lago Desierto. At the river outlet, there is a nice beach to put in to Lago Desierto.<br /> <br /> There is no camping along the shores of Lago Desierto. The take-out is a rocky beach at the base of a bluff. Walk up the bluff and cross country through the farmland to Lago Azul. At the east end of the farm, descend down a road to a rocky beach at the Lago Azul shoreline with a metal structure.<br /> <br /> There are a couple of potential camping options along the shoreline of Lago Azul. There are also several residences on the north shore. The take-out is a long rocky beach set before a well manicured forest. On the east end of the land near Lago La Paloma is an expensive looking house surrounded by several other buildings.<br /> <br /> There is a 4WD track to the west of the smaller red house located south of the big residence. Ascend the steep climb on a well-formed road that is criss-crossed with several smaller tracks labeled in english with wooden signs. Due to the steep slopes on either side of the cut out road, there is no camping here.<br /> <br /> Eventually, the route turns off of the road onto an overgrown 4WD track. Camping off the track is still difficult because of prickly vegetation and steep terrain. This track ends 2.5 km from where the Regular Packrafting Route joins the Regular Hiking Route. From here, the route involves some bushwhacking and following a small trail as it winds in and out of existence. Just before joining with the Regular Hiking Route, the route widens into an old 4WD track that passes some destroyed structures.<br /> <br /> The routes join up at a large rock cairn and continues to follow a 4WD track until reaching a large wooden sign with a map of the Reserva Nacional Cerro Castillo. Here there is also a campsite and ranger station. There is a 5.000 CLP fee to enter the reserve.<br /> <br /> The route from here is a popular track for backpackers with designated campsites. The trail is well-formed and winds through the forest. When the trail becomes less obvious, the way is shown with yellow markers. In this area there is a designated campsite with a latrine.<br /> <br /> At treeline, follow the cairns and rocks painted with white and red stripes through the scree up and over the first pass (approximate elevation 1.450 m). After the steep descent, reenter the trees. There is a campsite, Camping El Bosque, soon after reaching treeline (approximately elevation 940 m) with water and a latrine.<br /> <br /> The trail begins to wind up through the forest toward Laguna Castillo. The sights from Laguna Castillo, which is at the base of the pass, are stunning. There are two tracks that climb up to the pass. Make sure to take the path that climbs to the south instead of continuing southeast over the obvious saddle.<br /> <br /> The track down to Ruta X-720 is well formed, marked, and popular, but occasionally braided. Follow it until reaching the wooden stile with a rangers hut. From there join Ruta X-720, a dirt road which leads to Highway 7 and Villa Cerro Castillo.<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> *Town: Villa Cerro Castillo. Villa Cerro Castillo has several restaurants, small markets, and plenty of lodging options, including a popular backpacker camping destination on the east side of town.<br /> *2024-Dec / Michael and Kasia <br /> We stayed at Hospedaje Gemita on Ramón Freire next door to Camping Castillo, 20.000 pp for room in a shared cabaña. The cabaña had 4 rooms (2 doubles, 2 singles), a well equipped kitchen, hot shower. Not allowed to do laundry in the Hospedaje, but there is a lavaderia in town. The hosts, Gemita and Pedro, are very nice. They have also spent a lot of time in Los Avellanos on horseback. Maria, one of the settlers in the valley in Avellanos is a cousin of Pedro.<br /> <br /> We found gas in four shops, two had the threaded canisters for stoves, one was 6.000 for a 300 ml tank, the other was the COPEC across the highway from town, 4.000 a tank. The others just had refills, cheapest was the supermercado on the highway, 2.700 for a refill canister.<br /> <br /> There is a Banco de Santander ATM in the COPEC on the west side of the highway.<br /> <br /> Just on the other side of the highway on the road to the park there is a fruit and vegetable shop that also sells frutos secos and nuts in bulk. He had the best prices.<br /> <br /> *2024-Mar /Joscha<br /> <br /> Shop in Villa Cerro Castillo at -46.12201, -72.161708 has pasta, ramen, oats, chips, cookies, olive oil, peanuts, peanut butter, bread and some more stuff.<br /> <br /> *Lovely yum restaurant in Coyhaique: Restaurant DaGus, Lautaro 82, 5950000 Coyhaique. Little hidden gem. -45.86411, -72.04916<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> *2024-Dec Buses Sao Paolo passes through Villa Cerro Castillo for Coyhaique every day around noon, 8.000 pp; Buses ECA passes through Villa Cerro Castillo for Coyhaique Thursdays and Mondays songs 11:30, 8.000 pp.<br /> *Buses to Villa Frei from Coyhaique bus terminal: Monday 7:30, 8:15, 15:30, 17:00, 19:30 Tuesday to Friday 8:15, 15:30, 17:30, 19:30 Saturday 08:00 and 14:00. No bus on Sunday. It takes about 30 minutes to get to Villa Frei &amp; the bus generally turns around immediately &amp; goes back to Coyhaique.<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> *2023/ Martin &amp; Helena<br /> To avoid right-of-way conflict, we followed Cristopher &amp; Anna's advice (thanks guys!) and turned right after the first gate behind the beginning of the optional trail. From there you just need to follow MR, cross a few gates and you will end up on a fenced field with bee hives on one side. <br /> <br /> *2023/ Jakub+Veronika:<br /> 1) Lago La Paloma, right of way conflict on RH (32, km 17.5): Owner of the land (and nearby houses) is called Cesar, according to him, the right way is by the mud road (OH 32-L) and not on the trail, which passes some 20m next to his house. The reason why there was a conflict might have been caused by Cesar's relative who didn't like tourists walking on their land.<br /> 2) Trail has been changed 3 years ago because of right of way conflict between CONAF and private owners on the OH (32-E). The new official trail (with official park entrance) leads on OH (32-E) for the first 2km, then turns right and goes down towards Rio Ibáñez to RR (32, km 85), well marked by metal yellow triangles.<br /> <br /> *2023 / Anna &amp; Christopher <br /> The entrance closes at 2 pm but the guards there were much nicer than the first two, and it was also no problem to get in at 3 pm. We had to register us and pay the 30.000 clp p.p. though. The rest of the trek we were not asked to show the tickets. <br /> <br /> *2020 / Martin Lizondo<br /> The starting minor road gets into the private propiety of Pedro Sangüesa (+56 9 9099 9083) at 45º 52' 15,55&quot; S, 72º 2' 46,28&quot; O. He didn’t like people to pass through and denied that there was a trail, but it turned out to be a Conaf’s well signed area. He said in the future he will ask for money, but finally left me pass for no charge.<br /> (...)<br /> When leaving at the Nezoelandes entrance, you’ll have to pass near to the payment cabin. I didn’ t have to pay, but it was because I spent only a short time in the park. The cost for foreigners is normaly CLP 29,000.<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT32 - Cerro Castillo]]<br /> <br /> =Images=</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT32_(Cerro_Castillo)&diff=119500 2025-01-10T16:05:39Z

<p>MiaimZelt: /* Season 2024/25 */</p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;packrafting&quot;, as above):<br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD, WHAT IS ENCLOSED IN &lt;&gt; MAKES IT BLUE):<br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/nowiki&gt;.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Overview=<br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> * '''2025 Jan 2nd to Jan 4th / 2.5 hiking days / SOBO / Hiking / Opt 2 &amp; 3, RR, Var E / Daina'''<br /> <br /> A very scenic route with good maintained trails and lots of watersources. All Campings are really nice: lots of flat spaces, sheltered from the wind, toilet, benches and access to water.<br /> <br /> Day 1: Took the bus at 8 from Coyhaique to Las Horquetas. The trail from Las Horquetas is open again. Everybody has to register at the ranger kiosk. Really easy trail until Camp before the pass. Var E is beautiful and mostly hiking on a big field of rocks, marked with cairns. At pass Peñon there was still snow, but doable without microspikes. The way down is very steep. Slept at Camp El Bosque. <br /> <br /> Day 2: Can really recommend to hike up to the nameless Laguna above El Bosque. Extremely scenic lake! Also Laguna Castillo is a real gem. Stretch of big boulders above the lake, up to the pass it gets easier. Was very warm up there and had no wind. Bring water from the lake, there is none until you reach the next Camp. Way down from the Pass is very steep with lots of scree. Hiked to Camp Neozelandes, pitched my tent and did a detour to the scenic Laguna Duff. On the way up i met a lady from the Conaf, asking where i want to sleep. Inside the NP you have to use the campgrounds.<br /> <br /> Day 3: All the way down is very easy. Had to pay 28000 pesos for 3 days, price for chileans is only a little bit cheaper. Payment possible with card or cash. At -46.115013, -72.200497 there is an open gate with a sign &quot;Bienvenido a Sendero Laguna Castillo&quot;. It's in OSM, but not part of the GPT-Tracks.<br /> <br /> <br /> *2024 Dec 13th to Dec 17th / 5 hiking days / SOBO / Hiking / Opt 2, RR, Var E, Var F, Var G / Michael and Kasia<br /> <br /> Quick notes: A really beautiful section with amazing views. The park is open but Las Horquetas remains closed, though many people are hiking it anyway. If not going over the final pass, Var F can be used to exit without paying though it possibly involves trespassing.<br /> <br /> CAMPS:<br /> <br /> Night 1: -46.00817, -72.10413 Camping Río Turbio (official campground, easy water access, good wind protection, nice views, can have a lot of people there) <br /> <br /> Night 2: same as Night 1<br /> <br /> Night 3: -46.06419, -72.16915 Camping El Bosque (official campground, easy water access, good wind protection, fewer spots than first camp site, very few are really flat)<br /> <br /> Night 4: -46.07194, -72.18416 Camping La Tetera (technically closed campground, water access is a little way away, no really flat spots, poor wind protection, excellent views)<br /> <br /> WATER: <br /> Water was generally easy to find.<br /> <br /> Day 01 - Dec 13th<br /> <br /> We left Coyhaique around 10:30. There are buses that go that route, but we decided to hitch instead. We entered through the Opt 2 Las Horquetas route. It took us three hitches to get to the trailhead. The trailhead has a big sign that says the route is closed. I don't know if they plan to open it this season or not. At the very beginning there is an estero. There is a bridge to cross it, a little old but stable. Shortly after there is a park ranger kiosk, but it was unoccupied. Overall the trail is in good condition, easy to follow, but sometimes muddy. Beautiful views along the way. We were fortunate and had excellent weather. There are several unmarked fords in the first 16 km along Opt 2, all were easy, knee high at most. Water was generally easy to find. At the Rio Turbio campground there were around 25 other people there.<br /> <br /> Day 02 - Dec 14th<br /> <br /> We took Var E up to Laguna Glacier Peñón. It was a great side trip. The laguna is turquoise and the mountains surrounding it are very impressive. There were still snow fields on the way to the end of the track, so we didn't go all the way, but we got past the lake and to the other side. We saw two small avalanches while we were there. We also found a bird feather, we think from a condor, that was as long as my entire arm. We really enjoyed this side trip and recommend it. Water shoes could be helpful. We didn't have ours and it was possible without, but would have been easier and faster if we had had them. Important note, the whole route is essentially a field of small boulders. It does not require any scrambling, but it is slow going compared to the trail. We did this as an out-and-back and then returned to the Rio Turbio campground for a second night. One couple came around 22:00, but otherwise no one was there.<br /> <br /> Day 03 - Dec 15th<br /> <br /> We left camp around 10:00. We were ready for the Pass 43.9 and thought with only 10 km to go until Camping El Bosque we would be in camp early, but we were surprised at how challenging the day was. The first few kilometers up to the pass went fairly quickly. There was still snow on the pass, but it was at that stage where it is getting thin and you can't tell where you might fall through, so it was slow going checking our footing. The weather was great, full sun and warm, very little wind. Getting to the pass was slow but not too difficult. We stopped at the mirador for lunch and to watch the dozens of waterfalls cascade down the mountain. The descent was more challenging. It is very steep, and there was lots of scree on the way down. In one section CONAF installed a series of ropes bolted into the rocks to hold on to. Once at the bottom there was a boulder field and then a very nice forest. Amazing views of the mountains and glaciers. Camp 48.0 is a decommissioned camping area under recuperation. Camping El Bosque is at km 49.0. At Camping El Bosque there were two other couples there that night.<br /> <br /> Day 04 - Dec 16th<br /> <br /> From Camping El Bosque we took a side route up to see a lake. On Google Maps it is called Laguna Raimundo Vargas. It is not an optional on GPT, but it is visible on OSM. The lake is not visible on OSM, but it is on satellite, which is surprising because based on measurements using Gaia, it appears to be almost twice as big as Laguna Duff. The route up is marked by carens, but it is essentially CC across talus, about 1.3 km one way. The lake and the mountains are stunning. There were lots of ice floes on the lake. We sat for about 2 hours listening to the ice crack and watching avalanches fall. We highly recommend this detour if you have the time. Going in the evening might give a nicer light. We had lunch at Camping El Bosque and then hiked as far as Camping La Tetera, which is technically closed, and camped there for the night. Three other groups passed through and two other groups camped near us at La Tetera. It rained a bit in the evening.<br /> <br /> Day 05 - Dec 17th<br /> <br /> We got up very early with the plan to cross the last pass before the wind picked up. We headed up to the lookout over Laguna Castillo. About 300m of the ascent are a rock scramble which is challenging with a heavy backpack. At points we needed both hands to navigate the rocks. We were feeling exhausted from the previous days and decided not to attempt the final pass. There was no snow remaining on the final pass that we could see. We spent a few hours at the top. Lots and lots of other hikers were coming up or going through. The main trail down is very steep and had lots of loose rock on it. With heavy backpacks it was a challenge and really hard on the knees. It also took much longer than we anticipated. About two km down from the top CONAF had a tent stationed. Three guardaparques are camped there to check tickets on the way up and to radio down when people are leaving. They asked for our names. When we said we came from Las Horquetas they just said okay.<br /> We took Var F and Var G to exit the park. Var F is clearly visible from above as you descend the main trail. The route is actually in excellent condition and is very easy to follow, however in the rain we suspect it would be very muddy. We opted to take Var G which breaks off of Var F and then rejoins it later. It goes through forest and woodland, very pretty and potentially campable in places. There were also a few places where we found water. About 2.8 km into Var F there is a sign facing downhill that says No Accesso CONAF. About 1.3 km before the road there was a gate we had to jump. 300m before the final gate we descended a hill and there were a couple buildings there. One was a baño for what looked like paid camp sites (there were picnic tables around) and one was probably a rental cabaña. We passed through two more gates that were open. At the road, the final gate was secured with a chain, but it was easy to open. On the fence outside the gate and on a second gate that was padlocked shut were two signs saying in English and Spanish “No Trespassing, Private Property”. There was also a small kiosk that looked like it could have been a ticket booth just outside the gate, but no one was in it. It is unclear if the no trespassing signs referred to the property we passed through or to a neighboring property. We didn't see anyone so we didn't have any issues, but it's something to be aware of if you leave along this route. Due to the clear no trespassing signs, the no access sign as you enter the park and the park guards near the top, I would only recommend using Var F to exit the park, not to enter it.<br /> <br /> <br /> • 2024-Dec-05 to 2024-Dec-06 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / MR + Opt.N + Opt.M + Opt.01/ Julien <br /> <br /> Start on main road very well for entry exit private fields.<br /> Same for option N and M.<br /> I had to take option 01 because I had bad weather... Option 01 is announced in TL but I think it would be better to validate it in TL+BB because I had BB on 6km with no path and many trees still on the path that I had to go around.<br /> Also watch out for the Rio Blanco, where the final crossing is still mandatory, the current was quite strong despite being in December.<br /> For the climb to Cerro Castillo from Villa Cerro Castillo I asked locals people, the passage by option F would no longer be possible because the owner of the field through which we could pass would have closed his ground to visitors. So I went through the main entrance (18000 pesos) with checkpoint entrance and when you go out, you will have my layout on the next edition of the GPT I think.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Mar-30 to 2024-Apr-02 / 3.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / Var M + RR + Var C + Var E/ Maddi and Tom'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: We got the public bus at 8am from Coyhaique to Villa Frei (600CLP) then started walking along the road towards Lago Monreal. Got a short hitch for about 5km, then walking again in light rain. Got a second hitch with a lovely couple who own a property right on Lago Monreal - they even had a key for the locked gate with cameras and drove us right up to the trailhead. As we started hiking up into the mountains the snow started to come down fairly heavily. Sheltered under a rock where some people must camp for lunch and was able to get water from a few sources along here. Stopped snowing so we took Var C, definitely recommend, amazing views over the lakes and would be an awesome spot to camp. Started on the sketchy traverse, problem for us was it was all under about half a metre of fresh snow, on top of a layer of very slippery ice. Luckily we wear hiking boots with deep tread so had fairly good grip even without microspikes. Hiking poles were lifesavers. Issues started with the descriptions of getting around the various gullies - they described using grass to climb up but for us everything was just white!!. Tom had a terrifying slip and slide 5m towards the cliff edge before arresting with his elbow and chin - his hiking poles had chosen this exact section to break so he was doing it without even poles. After this we backed down off the climb over the gully but in the end just had to go for it. I ended up carving steps out of the snow with my hands and packing the snow down so Tom could follow me up, and giving him one of my poles. If the snow hadn’t have been so fresh I think we would have had to turn around. I wish I could say it got better but as we started to head down into the valley we began to hit waist deep snow drifts. We were planning to camp here like others had but the snow was just too deep and we were worried about the cold so we decided to try to get over the pass and down into the forest for cover. Absolute battle wading through the snow, took turns breaking trail. Couldn’t see the river and unfortunately fell all the way through the snow and got my feet wet. Pass itself fairly easy to get over and then lots of shoe skiing down the other side. Dark fell as we got to the forest edge. Got confused by the GPX as it takes you right to the edge of a massive cliff - not great in the dark. Used other peoples notes and managed to find the trail on the other side of the river then just kept powering on until we found a clear spot on the old disused road at about (-45.98519,-72.10097). Collapsed into bed after a quick dinner at about 10pm - definitely the hardest day we’ve done on the whole GPT. Really wouldn’t recommend doing this section after heavy snow unless you have microspikes and probably an ice axe. Excellent navigation skills also a must due to lack of landmarks in the snow.<br /> <br /> Day 2: Woke up to frozen solid pants and shoes - it had dropped to -8 degrees overnight and was still -4 in the morning. After much smashing of our shoes and socks on rocks so we could put them on, we packed up the tent and headed off towards the tourist track. Passed Segundo camp, no one in sight. Finally thawing out when the sun came out. Took Var E up to the glacier - super long trip on rocky scree, worth going up to the lake but don’t go beyond like we did. Kept going along regular route after detour. Fair bit of snow on the pass, had to be very careful coming down as it was icy and windswept. Saw first glimpses of Cerro Castillo from behind. Camped at the old campsite just before El Bosque - still hadn’t seen anyone on the entire trail.<br /> <br /> Day 3: Did the side trip up to the Laguna behind the El Bosque campsite. Headed up to the main Laguna Castillo and was nearly blown off our feet as we came over the ridge. Hid behind a boulder for lunch while we assessed whether to bail down the mountain or attempt the high pass in the winds. As we ate they seemed to die off slightly so we legged it up the mountain. Awesome views over Villa Cerro Castillo and we could see back to the Torres del Avellano. As we hit the top of the pass the wind started to pick up again. We had to hide behind boulders between gusts and then sprint to the next one to avoid being blown off the mountain. Tricky coming down the pass in the high winds as the scree was pretty loose and very exposed to the wind. Eventually made it down and to Porteadores. Decided to head up to Neozelandés so we could go up to Laguna Duff in the morning. A few people were camped here - first people we had seen on the trail!<br /> <br /> Day 4: Plans to visit Laguna Duff were foiled as we woke up to heavy snow fall. Forecast was for even more snow so cut our losses and headed down. Visibility was terrible but passed several tour groups heading up the trail. Tried to avoid the park rangers but when we thought we were home free a guy in a Ute pulled us up as we were walking along the road towards Villa Cerro Castillo and asked where we were coming from. Took us back to the office and made us pay. Awesome section, snow and wind made it challenging but was great to have it all to ourselves until the last day.<br /> <br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''2024-Feb-16 to 2024-Feb-21 / 5.5 days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Lauren &amp; Seb'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> <br /> Day 1: After taking an Uber from Coyhaique to Villa Frei, we combined a couple of hitchhikes to wp X, Settler {31P-01} [0.0+0.3/310] and hiked to wp Lake {32} [33.6/338] to the put-in. We crossed Lago Desierto with good tail wind and camped at wp Lake {32} [38.3/337] which can get gusty on a rainy night.<br /> <br /> Day 2: We started paddling Lago Azul the next morning and very much enjoyed the pristine blue waters. The waves built up increasingly towards the shore so keep an eye out for a calmer landing spot. We then walked through a manicured garden, passing by an impressive private hacienda. The mountain bike tracks in the valley behind the hacienda are easy to walk with great views of Lago Azul and Lago La Paloma. We made camp at wp Camp {32} [52.4/713].<br /> <br /> Day 3: The next day, we were mentally gearing up for the BB section indicated in the files. *Note: We later found out there is no BB, in our opinion, as the actual 4wd track continues all the way until the END of RP-BB-A {32} [55.9+1.2]. After that, there is also no BB- only a 1.5 km walk along the river bank and through swamp land (CC would be a more accurate labelling for this part). We were very grateful for Tom’s advice to keep our fording footwear on after the fording just before the landslide. The swamp was much easier to navigate with our crocs. The rest of the way until the official Cerro Castillo trail is easy 4wd track, sometimes a bit overgrown. We decided to follow towards the southwest at wp GPT32-D, into the short BB and CC. The BB is not really BB, as shrubs are only hip high and easy to navigate. After that we joined the main trail and camped at Segundo Camping. We saw mice running around so it’s definitely advisable to hang your food on a tree if you don’t want these critters chewing through your tent.<br /> <br /> Days 4-6: After 3 days of not seeing anyone, it was a jarring contrast to meet numerous hikers on this popular stretch. Followed the scenic and easy RR until Villa Cerro Castillo, with an overnight stay at Camping Neozelandés to visit Laguna Duff. We exited the NP over a fence by following the RR and caught a hitchhike to town by noon.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-11 to 2024-Feb-14 / 3.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / Var M + RR + Var C + Opt03 / Matthias'''<br /> Day 1: (El Blanco -) Lago Monreal - valley after the traverse (km 31, 1200m). <br /> Stayed in the camping Las Confluencias (very nice people and place) in El Blanco (on ruta 7). The owner drove me to the Lago Monreal in the morning. He dropped me off right in front of the gate with camera on Var M and said: “This is the (only) way. Climb over the fence”. I did not encounter any problems, and the MR does not pass in sight of any housing. <br /> The traverse (km28-km30): You cross some steep slopes of scree and later of grass and shrubs, with some stretches where you´d better not fall. I´d recommend using microspikes if you carry for ease and safety. You do not really have to climb though. Going SOBO the route was not clear to me at the last rock (50m) before the track descends to the valley floor. Don´t try to climb over it (though there are traces of attempts), you can pass below, there is only 2m of bush-bashing through some trees, then you are on a path again.<br /> The camp in the valley was cold and very windy. <br /> <br /> Day 2: RR to Camp El Bosque<br /> Once you reach the official trail in NP, the path is relatively easy and always clear. From the camp El Bosque there is a path to a Laguna (20-30min) marked by cairns, it starts passing the toilet of the camp. There are nice views up there.<br /> Camping La Tetera (km 50.5) is officially closed for recuperation, so I did not camp there.<br /> <br /> Day 3+4: RR + Opt03<br /> At the very eastern end of Laguna Duff, there is a sheltered camp for 1 tent. With good weather a nice option.<br /> On the way down I explored the trail which is on OSM (leaves RR ca. at km 59). You pass through some gates and past the settler and the trail reaches RR just where the guardaparques are.<br /> Bought some gas from the friendly guardaparques. Hiked all the way to Cerro Castillo around noon.<br /> Stayed there in Hostal Cerro Castillo, which was the (good) recommendation of the park rangers.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Mar-01 to 2024-Mar-03 / 2.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / OH 02 + D + RR + OH E + 03 / Joscha'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: OH32-02 + OH32-D [1.0-2.6] + RR [38.8-39.6]<br /> <br /> I hitched from Puerto Chacabuco to Las Horquetas and startet there around noon. After 700 m on OH32-02 you pass by a ranger hut. You have to sign in and you will get a short explanation about the trail. You don't have to pay here, but they tell you that you will pay when leaving the park. There is plenty of water on OH32-02. I camped at Camping Rio Turbio (Segundo) at km 39.6 of RR.<br /> <br /> Day 2: RR [39.6-41.3] + OH32-E [0.0-1.6] to Laguna Glaciar Penon and back + RR [41.3-56.6] + OH32-03 [0.0-3.6]<br /> <br /> Laguna Glaciar Penon is worth the short detour on OH32-E. I crossed a bunch of small streams around the pass at km 43.9. There is some ice on top of the pass but its not very steep and therefore relatively easy to walk over it. There is no water between Laguna Cerro Castillo (km 50.9) and Camping Porteadores (at beginning of OH32-03). I camped at Camping Neozelandes.<br /> <br /> Day 3: OH32-03 to Laguna Duff and back to RR + RR [56.6-66.9]<br /> <br /> Laguna Duff is nice. I hiked there early in the morning and therefore had the whole place for myself. About 400 m before the RR joins the minor road (km 60.6) the RR branches off the official hiking trail and avoids the park entrance. You have to hop a fence to get on the minor road but therefore you don't pay the 15000 Pesos for hiking in the park.<br /> <br /> The nacional park has 4 official campgrounds (at km 39.6 and 48.9 of RR and the two marked camps on OH32-03). You are only allowed to camp at those sites. <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-23 to 2024-Feb-25 / 3 days / Hiking / SOBO / {32-M} - RR - {32-C} -RR / Lilian &amp; Rainbow'''<br /> <br /> Bus from Coyhaique to Villa Frei :<br /> <br /> Monday to Friday(8.15am, 3.30pm, 5.30pm, 7.30pm) , Saturday(8am, 2pm), i forget the fee, it is less than 1000 CLP. It takes about 35-40 minutes and it turns back to Coyhaique with no waiting. The sign on the bus doesn't write Villa Frei, it said Valle Simpson, (and final stop is Villa Frei.)<br /> <br /> Bus terminal in Coyhaique : (-45.58226, -72.07800)<br /> <br /> Bus stop in Villa Frei : (-45.75139, -72.11226)<br /> <br /> Resupply in Coyhaique:<br /> <br /> I sent a resupply box(shoes and socks) to Patagon Backpacker(hostel) in Coyhaique from Santiago some months before, they are super friendly and willing to hold my box until i arrive. You can contact them by email, they are good at speaking English, also know lot around Coyhaique.<br /> <br /> If you want to buy some warm clothes, some shops in Coyhaique. North Face and Patagonia is there, but expensive. Some clothes in Patagonia are on sale but not for hiking or not much use, lot clothes but full price, ya. North Face's staff is much friendly, and lot items on sale too, but rainproof is full price. They have tents for sale too.<br /> <br /> Good clothes is cheaper with discount, 230g gas canisters and sleeping pad at Suray Montana, friendly and not crowded. I bught a fleece jacket at here.<br /> <br /> Doite have the cheapest price sporty clothes, just beside North Face. I bught a good base layer here.<br /> <br /> Lot of supermarkets in Coyhaique. I resupply at Unimarc.<br /> <br /> They are all close to the plaza, all the shops i listed can search by Google Map.<br /> <br /> Because i just have 3 days good weather, so I don't want to do any road walking, i talk the bus to Villa Frei, then hitch to (-45.86204, -72.04816) start hiking.<br /> <br /> Locked gate and camera at {32-m} km2.33, I didn't want to take long time go with big around so i climbed it directly, didn't see any people on the whole way, so doesn't matter.<br /> <br /> RR km23.3 : cross a stream, log crossing at downstream 20m, you can go through the tiny forest to there.<br /> <br /> Km23.63 : flat spot(-45.90969, -72.05767) with some protection after a stream crossing can fit 2 tents before go into the no covers grassland.<br /> <br /> Highly recommend go for {32-C}, both ways just 10min, amazing views and a camping spot can fit 1 tent with excellent view at (-45.90744, -72.07668), but no wind protection.<br /> <br /> Km 26.63 : flat spot (-45.92066, -72.07543) can fit 2 tents with good wind protection from west by bushes.<br /> <br /> Km27.75 : old camping sandy spot(-45.92915, -72.07549) can fit 4 tents with some wind protection from west, just before the dangerous CC. I think the previous one is better.<br /> <br /> Km27.9 - km29.95 : dangerous CC traversing on side hill. A slide may cause a fall with heavy injure or death. It is doable but not recommended to everyone. Doing this part only in good weather.<br /> <br /> Km28.3 - km28.35 : for me, it is the most dangerous part in this CC, some landslide(-45.93359, -72.07668) and very loose, i can't hold a good pose and slipped down some meters, luckily i can use my hiking poles to stop the slide immediately.<br /> <br /> Km29.3 : tricky spot(-45.93822, -72.08632), huge thank you for Véronica, her comments made this much easier. Just like she said, &quot;You reach the end of the bad scree and end up in a deep gully with a vertical wall face on the other side.&quot; <br /> <br /> &quot;Get to the lowest grassy patch to the left of the vertical rock wall. The easiest way to reach that grassy patch was to go upstream a bit, then traverse on the hard slippery sand northward, instead of trying to climb vertically straight up to it. Once you reach the grass, you can use the traction and stability of vegetation to clamber up and out of the gully.&quot;<br /> <br /> Km29.55 : 1st rock wall, go around it with a clear trail at downhill side(-45.93818, -72.08940), GPX track is correct at here.<br /> <br /> Km29.7 : 2nd rock wall, NO CLIMBING, NO SCRAMBLING here, there is a trail JUST WALKING at (-45.93864, -72.09126), overgrown but just 20m easy BB, the trail is between rock wall and treeline, Sobo not easy to notice, but when you are going around the rock wall, then you'll find it. Nobo is easy to reach the trail at the other side. GPX track leads you to climb, it is not a good idea, a slide in climbing at here will mostly cause death.<br /> <br /> After 2nd rock wall, finally CC down to the valley and easy walking start.<br /> <br /> Lot of camping possibilities at the valley, but zero wind protection. Better camping before pass[32.5/1385], because after the pass is super rocky, pass is a large flat area, but too soft to camp.<br /> <br /> I camped at (-45.94901, -72.09962), some flat spots, beside the waterfall from Cerro Aislado. Nice views but cold. It is the first night with negative degree so far. Some water froze to ice at early morning around here.<br /> <br /> After pass[32.5/1385], you walking down at another valley, but with some cairns to follow. <br /> <br /> Km33.5 : trail starts, with some big cairns along it. It leads you all the way to treeline at km34.2. Sometimes it is not clear to follow and lost, but you will always find it if you pay tons of attention, cairns leads you the way.<br /> <br /> The trailhead at km34.2 is a little tricky. You need to climb up a little on a rocky slope after you cross the stream to (-45.97307, -72.10268), then go into the forest to south a little, you'll find a steep loose rocky slope going down again, go for it and you can hold some trees there. Then you join the old trail shown on GPX going south. Don't think about go to the trailhead(-45.97343, -72.10281) directly, it is on a waterfall, you can't arrive there.<br /> <br /> The old trail is in good condition for a while, then become overgrown and some blowdowns. For emergency, you can camp at (-45.97898, -72.10345), it is the first flat spot for Sobo in treeline with cover (the last one for Nobo). It can fit 2 single person tent.<br /> <br /> Lot of tiny stream flowing with clear water.<br /> <br /> When you met the rock river(-45.98185, -72.10091) at km35.33, you can CC down the river and join MR at (-45.98357, -72.10284), it is a super easy CC, not steep, no blowdowns, no wet feet, rocks are stable and not slippery.<br /> <br /> When you arrive MR, easy walking again. A gate locked by wire at km37.1, climbing over it is the fastest way.<br /> <br /> Km38.1 : start BB to riverside, but i think it is a CC, the grass just up to ankle only.<br /> <br /> I find a clear trail(-46.00113, -72.09460) without any blowdowns going south, and lead you to riverside at (-46.00216, -72.09530), then you can walk beside the river and join national park trail.<br /> <br /> National park trail is in a nice condition, nothing to mention. Some snow before and after pass[43.9/1470], but still an easy walking on snow.<br /> <br /> Km46.1 : camping spot at (-46.05228, -72.14549), it is cleared out all the stone by someone here, can fit 1 tent with excellent 360° views, but no wind protection.<br /> <br /> I camped beside the lake(-46.05780, -72.15969) for the second night, excellent spots with glacier views(you are just below it!) and views of Cerro Castillo! Peaceful and not crowded, I'm the only human there with some ducks, and they love to talking in the midnight. You can reach the lake starts at (-46.06176, -72.15672), easy walking beside a stream, all the way stay on east side and dry feet, BB less than 20 meters for total and mostly just easy CC.<br /> <br /> Km48.85 : Campsite El Bosque. Side trail to a lake under glacier at north. It is a long walk, but i highly recommend you at least take the trail go out the forest, amazing views there, both ways just 300m.<br /> <br /> Km49.95 : viewpoint of waterfall from Cerro Castillo. And i find that you can climb up to the top of waterfall! See the details at next waypoint.<br /> <br /> Km50.2 : you can climbing up this ridge to the UPPER LAKE of Cerro Castillo. From (-46.06989, -72.18148) to (-46.06905, -72.18500), then to (-46.06627, -72.18497). No trail, just CC on some rocks, stable and not steep until close to the top, the top part is steep and loose, at there you can go to right side a little bit, climbing up on grassy slope for final ascend. Amazing views there, and no camping, because the ground is too soft, but cow boy camping on huge rocks is wonderful at this place.<br /> <br /> I recorded this CC, will upload it later.<br /> <br /> Camp[50.5/1243] : Campsite La Tetera, not a good camping spot, some spots much better when you climbing up and before Laguna Castillo.<br /> <br /> After you enjoy the moment at Laguna Castillo, remember follow RR, check GPX track, dont follow the trail going beside the lake, it is a dead end trail, and if you dont want to all the way back, you can CC climbing up to join RR.<br /> <br /> Pass[53.5/1679] : excellent views here! If you are super thirsty, clear water is flowing good at (-46.07749, -72.20888), easy to collect, 10sec/L.<br /> <br /> Then all the way down to Campsite Los Porteadores, a long long way going down.<br /> <br /> Because of weather changing, so i didn't go up to Laguna Duff.<br /> <br /> Walking on a nice trail to main road, then all the way road walking to Villa Cerro Castillo.<br /> <br /> Lot of restaurants, shops and accomodation in Villa Cerro Castillo. The shop(-46.12072, -72.16115) beside the main road is the biggest one in town. Lot of biker riding, hikers and backpackers hitching on the road. Tall gas canisters and 230g gas canisters are sold in Copec gas station at (-46.12208, -72.16279) in high stock. We stayed at Nordic Patagonia(-46.12142, -72.15889), 15k CLP for a bed, 45k CLP for a double room, 8k CLP for camping with views of Cerro Castillo, including hot shower and kitchen basecamp.<br /> <br /> Maybe because of late season, never saw any flies at this section.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-10 to 2024-Feb-13 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / Las Horquetas and Lagunitas / Andrew'''<br /> <br /> Day 1 (slept at Rio Turbio)<br /> <br /> I started in Villa Cerro Castillo and hitched a ride to Las Horquetas. I left a bag at the Nordic Patagonia campground in town, it's free if you stay a night after, or CLP 1.000/day if not.<br /> <br /> Signed in at the CONAF station where the park ranger explained the official camps that are currently open, and advised not to drink unfiltered/untreated water between Rio Turbio camp to just before El Bosque camp. But others I talked to later in the hike didn't get the same message and seemed fine so not sure what was up there.<br /> <br /> Easy hike to Rio Turbio camp with some horseflies.<br /> <br /> Day 2 (slept at El Bosque)<br /> <br /> This day was my punishment for deciding to leave behind my fleece at the last moment. Cold and rainy as I went over Penon pass, but at least I got to test out my new rain jacket and rain pants. At least it wasn't very windy. Great views of waterfalls after the pass, and the rest of the day was sunny.<br /> <br /> Camped at El Bosque. Difficult but short day. Worth taking the side trail to Laguna Temprana after setting up camp.<br /> <br /> Day 3 (slept at Neozelandes)<br /> <br /> Lots of scrambling over rocks. Great panoramic views as we went over Morro Negro. As developed campsites go I think Porteadores was actually a bit nicer than Neozelandes, but Neozelandes is much crowded and puts you closer to Laguna Duff.<br /> <br /> Day 4 (back to Villa Cerro Castillo)<br /> <br /> In the morning I hiked to Laguna Duff, best scenary on the Las Horquatas section of the hike IMO, do not miss this. Afterwards I hiked back to Neozelandes, packed my stuff, and hiked back to the Villa. All downhill. Paid the CLP 16.000 fee at the Estero Parada CONAF station, then hitched a ride back (around 3pm). Had some good pizza and beers with some folks I met on the hike at Pizzeria y Hamburgueseria D-Lizia in VCC.<br /> <br /> * '''10-Feb-2024 / Hiking / SOBO / 4 days / RR + Option B (attempted) / Ella &amp; Cristopher'''<br /> Day 1, we walked through the sections of private property without running into anyone, but met other local hikers a bit afterwards who said they have previously had problems with one of the landowners on the route we took, and that he has now installed cameras. Got to the section with the traverse and attempted to take Option B - definitely do not recommend this option. It took us about 2 hours to walk less than a mile on the super steep and loose dirt/skree. Multiple dangerous moments. Part of this option also seems to pass through dense forest which looked difficult to bushwhack, but we didn't make it that far before turning back as it was getting late with no end in sight. We camped right at the beginning of Option B, where there is a flatter patch and stream that you can walk down to. It was a good view, but we realized later that a better and equally beautiful place to camp would have been where the land plateaus a bit and there are multiple small streams, on the RR about a km after you pass the start of Option B. Day 2, we woke up to super windy and rainy conditions, and waited for it to clear until about 3 pm before starting the traverse. The RR turned out to be a relatively safer route than Option B, though we were still glad we waited for the bad weather to pass before attempting. Followed advice from Veronica at the difficult parts, which worked well for us. Definitely budget extra time for this stretch. Camped right after the traverse when it drops down to the river, which you follow to cross the first pass. The area doesn't get a lot of sun so it was really cold at night, but still a nice place to camp with flat spots and a river. Day 3, trail before uniting with the CONAF area was difficult to follow at points and slow because you are walking a lot on loose rocks. We were very confused when reaching a waterfall with no visible trail, but a few cairns about. Following advice from Will, we crossed the river just before the waterfall to go up the left side of the valley. Climb through the trees and then cross a few meters of steep loose dirt/skree, and you should be able to see where the trail then continues in the forest. Some bushwhacking after this but relatively easy to follow GPS track until linking with the CONAF Las Horquetas trail. Camped in El Bosque Camping which had a toilet but no water tap (though there is a river close by). Day 4, relatively easy and super beautiful walking all day. We took the RR all the way to the road, which does in fact avoid the CONAF checkpoint so we never had to pay. Ran into other hikers who said CONAF is only charging when you leave the park. Got very lucky with a hitch to Villa Cerro Castillo, but I would not count on it and the road gets a lot of sun and I didn't see a water source. Bus from Villa Cerro Castillo leaves at 6 pm and goes to Coyhaique for 9.000.<br /> <br /> Feb 2023 Frank<br /> There is no need for any rock climbing on this route. After the gully where you climb out on grass (described by Veronica) there are two rock bands running perpendicular to the route. You can go below both of them &amp; bypass them at treeline.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-8 to 2024-Feb-11 / 3.25 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR from El Blanco and Lago Monreal + Variant M + Option 3 / Tomáš &amp; Natalie'''<br /> <br /> We started around 1500 at Coyhaique and easily hitched to El Blanco. We hitched with three cars (last went to Lago Paloma) and walked about four km in between them along Lago Monreal to Variant M. The sign against hikers scared us and it was late (1930), so we camped nearby (100 m along the fence westward). We reread other reports and decided to go for it in the morning. We first tried to go along a fence lining a small cliff about 100 metres west of the road, but it is pointless and we found ourselves on the road after a few hundred metres. We did not meet anyone. It is easy to miss RR and start on option 1, keep an eye on the GPS. We met black cows at the same place as Stiina, but they just looked omniously at us.<br /> <br /> As for the dangerous part, Tomáš ended up doing it three times as he dropped our tent poles from his backpack just before the start of the CC section. Unlike Nat (see below), he thinks the section is quite ok and he also found it quite scenic, especially the first part over the plateau. The annoying clambering is in fact only about two km long and can be done in about an hour if you know the way. It never felt dangerous to him, but he understands others see it differently. It is certainly more demanding than the average section of GPT. The description of Véronica is the best. The last obstacle (the boulder) is not entirely vertical (it feels like scrambling, not climbing), but you do need to use your hands and it is indeed exposed, down climbing NOBO is more awkward. On the other hand, it is only about seven metres distance (not elevation). We had sunny skies, in worse weather it would be a lot more annoying. The horseflies came back from the dead and died by the dozen under our merciless hands (Nat killed three accidentally just as she tied her hair back).<br /> <br /> At the end of CC after the pass, the trailhead is invisible (45.9731564S, 72.1026797W). It starts in the trees immediately from the river, about 10 m above the start of the waterfall in between two landslide/avalanche bands. Will comments that the GPX trail is exact, but since we are used to the GPX being slightly off, we could not see it, I guess we should have just trusted the GPX. There is a cairn in the creek marking the entrance but it is unclear how long it will stay there. Once you reach the overgrown MR, after a hundred metres of easy BB, one can cut the first zigzag straight down through easily passable mature forest. Once down on the road, you can camp on it, it is not used by cars ever. Once you reach the CC at 60.9, do not ford but stay on that side of the river!<br /> <br /> In the popular part of the hike, people concentrate at campings, but otherwise it does not feel too crowded (less than two dozen people met on the trails themselves per day). Until nine and from about five, you will meet almost nobody on the trails. The park is very attractive. There is good internet (Entel 4g) just before the pass at 53.5. From the other side, there is a sign saying the pass closes down in strong winds. Probably better to go there in the morning (weaker wind) or late (after six) in the afternoon (rangers have probably gone home) unless the weather is good. The sign where they turn people is probably at about 1250 altitude at roughly the treeline.<br /> <br /> To avoid paying, Nat followed the RR and was succesfull (OSM is wrong, the official trail is to the east of the GPT in the last few hundred metres). Tomáš followed the easternmost OSM trail that leaves the RR at roughly 480 altitude. The trail is rather imaginary, but it is easy walking across meadows or rarely through open forest and across several fences. His efforts were probably pointless. Tomáš also wanted to cut the walk to Villa Cerro Castillo and forded Estero El Bosque, but it was equally pointless and involved several fences.<br /> <br /> We found screwable gas cartridges in Villa Castillo at the supermarket &quot;Villarica&quot;, the last supermarket on the corner of - Bernardo Higgins and Bernardo a Alessandro, I think. They said they have them sometimes. There was a blackout for five hours during our stay but locals said that is not so common.<br /> <br /> Notes from Nat:<br /> <br /> - When in Coyhaique be sure to enjoy the bread and pizza shop called; La Tranquera Pan y Pizza (just North of the main plaza). It has a great selection of sourdough breads/Rye/whole-wheat loafs, cookies, real coffee and tasty pizza slices. ALSO don't miss the dry good store; Envasadora Aysen (45.57016° S, 72.06883° W), the good veg shop here (45.57730° S, 72.07038° W) and then the Unimarc is actually pretty good. <br /> <br /> - My views are prejudiced against the beginning of this route bcs I was sick and not in a good mood but my thoughts at the time were; &quot;If you want to &quot;enjoy&quot; section 32 then take the Las Horquetas option&quot;. I really didn't like all the sidehilling and felt you wouldn't miss out on much if you started at Horquetas. Also don't do what I did and pack twice as much as you need bcs Coyhaique &quot;might&quot; be the last place with good food (however it was 3-5x better than villa Castillo).<br /> <br /> - The first tricky part was annoying bcs it was hard to get an edge (not that there is any edge left in my shoes). It was easier to walk up it and gradually cross, all in all it didn't feel dangerous. The second tricky part did feel dangerous to me bcs I went too far climbers left of the grass staircase and ended up having to traverse the short, steep and featureless slope to get back on track, a fall seemed easy and with bad consequences. The rock scramble at the boulder did not worry me but I would not have climbed it if it was wet bcs there is a lot of algae-like material on it and some of the handholds were sloppy. <br /> <br /> - I would be very curious if one could make a new route that went up to this lake here; -45.94848, -72.07320, and then down either here; -45.95505, -72.08753 or along the ridge to here; -45.96914, -72.08724. It would be more vertical and longer but with possibly less sidehilling...<br /> <br /> - The glacier on Variant E (6km return, half of it moraine walking) is nice but not really worth it, the lake on the other hand is 100% worth the short walk (3km return, flat river rock waking).<br /> <br /> - The lake just North of Camping Bosque is also worth it if you can avoid the crowds. Both this lake and Variant E lake are technically CC but &quot;well traveled&quot; and cairned.<br /> <br /> - The trail to Laguna Duff is popular but &quot;splendid&quot;, it took less than two hours to the lake from Porteadores. Most of the trail is in the forest and then the last 1.5km (250m vert) is on a pretty obvious rock path. The camping at Neozelandés is far less crowded than other official campsites, I recommend it. I got into an argument with a CONAF officer at the lake bcs she told me it was too late to be there and I had to leave (4pm). If you want to avoid this person, then go right of the RR when it gets close to the lake headwall, she seemed to be &quot;staged&quot; at where the water leaves the lake. I originally wanted to make a traverse to the other lake but bcs of CONAF I went down to the camp to meet Tomáš and then we both went back up after she left (6ish). Once back up we made a traverse to the other lake by following a grassy slope that starts west of where the water exits the lake, you should be able to see the grassy slope on your left when you are walking to Duff. Follow it down and work yourself across, going down to where there is some grass should be quicker than traversing the rubble, it is CC, obviously. On the way down from the second lake we followed the main waterway and then cut back into the forest to reach the main trail (open forest, no BB). Rather than follow the west bank of the waterway like the GPS says we found it far easier to be in the east bank, less rubble.<br /> <br /> - We both had to walk back to Villa Castillo, no cars going in our direction but many going in opposite direction (~9am)<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-28 to 2024-Jan-31 / 4 days / Hiking / NOBO / Villa Cerro Castillo - Villa Frei / RR + Option 3 + Variant C + Variant M/ Alex &amp; Christophe'''<br /> <br /> It was another fantastic section but we don't have much to add to what has already been written. But we would still like to point out a few points:<br /> <br /> 1) At the Segundo campsite (also called Rio Turbio), mice gnawed our tent and our dry bag containing the food. It would be best to hang your food from the trees if you are sleeping at this campsite.<br /> <br /> 2) The large rock at -45.938145, -72.086171 can be avoided by doing 10 m of bush bashing just below the rock. This passage is much more visible going NOBO but it is also possible to take it going SOBO.<br /> <br /> 3) The little detour to Variant C is definitely worth it. The view of Lago Paloma and Lago Azul is truly incredible.<br /> <br /> 4) We took option M despite the right of way conflict. We passed a pick-up truck at the last gate going NOBO (the one with a padlock and a private property sign). They greeted us and gave us no problem.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-27 to 2024-Jan-29 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / option 2 + option 3 / Yannick &amp; Nolwenn'''<br /> <br /> - Trail condition : well maintained, good campsites sheltered from the wind <br /> - Water : easy to find plenty of rivers and lagunas<br /> - Camping spot : there are some designated campsites<br /> - Weather : Sunny<br /> - River crossing : easy<br /> - Resupply : in cohayque and in Villa cerro castillo, all you need<br /> - Entrance fee : 16 000 pesos per person, normally the park closes after 1pm so you can't start after that but we were a bit late and they let us through <br /> - Overall : beautiful stretch of section 32, for us it was really an amazing entrance in the Patagonian landscape as we imagined it with the Torres<br /> <br /> * '''From 2023-01-22 to 2023-01-24 // 3 days // Hiking // NOBO // RR + OP3 + OP3A + VARIANT M // Quentin Clavel'''<br /> <br /> Villa cerro castillo - entrance Estero Parada - Laguna Duff - Sendero las Horquetas - North part of NP (CC) - Lago Paloma - Villa Frei. <br /> <br /> One of my favourite section so far ! I had amazing weather and I enjoyed so much this stretch, even with few people on the sendero las Horquetas in the NP (not crowded, but obviously more than the usual sections of the GPT). <br /> <br /> Entrance fees for 3 days was 16,000 CLP for me. I had no control and have seen no guardaparque during my hike. <br /> <br /> I walked all the way up to see Laguna Duff (OPT3) definitely worth it in my opinion. Wonderful view, with still some pieces of ices floating on the Laguna, the back of Cerro Castillo and the reflects on the water were amazing. Easy to go there, as there is a trail. <br /> <br /> The second one (OPT3A) is more tricky, no trail, and a lot of rolling stones. Beautiful too and of course, no people at all (I slept there, without tent, just on a big rock, that was incredible). <br /> <br /> Then go up to the pass, it was a crazy hot day, for the first time since I'm in Patagonia, I regretted that it wouldn't be a little bit windy aha. <br /> <br /> Laguna cerro castillo Is amazing. Second pass were very nice too. Bi. I passed it early on the morning, had some snow part, doable, but as it was morning, it was icy on some parts, so I putted my crampons and that was perfect. (But doable without). <br /> <br /> Then easy trail until the end of the public part of NP (just after Segundo camping). After that the cross country part begun. Follow an old trail of the NP, some bush bashing during the forest part, and have to check often the GPS. Then you have to deal with all the rocks until the first pass. <br /> <br /> Go down on a nice valley, and go up to the second pass. Tricky part, as described previously, is the big rock. It's maybe easier to do it NOBO because you descent it, and don't face it, which can be scary. But going on the grass part is the best way. Then follow the tree level, deal with rolling stones, and everything is gonna be alright. The récompense will be the amazing view on Lago Paloma (don't miss the Mirador). <br /> <br /> I took the variant M to avoid the right of way conflict. No trouble at all on this way. You have to pass threw some gates. The last one, near a kind of central hydroelectric is the biggest, with camera and sign do not enter. Few people seen after this gate, and they were all very gentle and nice ! <br /> <br /> Anyway, I really loved this stretch ! As it's summertime at this time, I met a lot of chilenos in the NP, so happy to see even very young chilenos explore their outstanding country ! <br /> <br /> You have to be prepared to face a looooot of rolling stones on this section, sometimes it's like dancing on rocks. Can I say that the rolling stones make this stretch rock'n'roll ? Probably not. <br /> <br /> Better to wait for good conditions. I can't imagine this section on a rainy and windy day ! <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan- 11 to 2024-Jan-13/ 3 days/hiking/SOBO/ Start in Las Horquetas and later RR/ Paulina'''<br /> <br /> I started in las Horquetas, it was open even if on Conaf website this section is still closed, apparently they don't really update). When I was there ( 10 AM) nobody at the gate, so no charges. Later in the park nobody never asked me to show the entrance ticket. The same at the exit gate, they just asked me to check out ( even if I did not check in).<br /> At the beginning of Las Horquetas trail, some very easy river crossing. Almost no people, only a few hikers on the campsite.<br /> On Pass 32 [43.9/1470] still some soft snow, but I could cross it safetly.<br /> <br /> Be careful on the ridge around pass 32 [ 53.5/1679] on very windy days. <br /> I did not see any water around camping Los Porteadores, except this last section, water was available everywhere. <br /> <br /> Beautiful and very scenic section! <br /> <br /> * '''2023-12-29 to 2024-01-01 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR &amp; Variant D &amp; M / Roman'''<br /> <br /> Took a Uber from Coyhaique to Villa Frei for 17.000$. Got another lift by someone who life's there to this point: -45.8737, -72.04342. Joined via Variant M to the RR. Camped at Camp {32} [23.6/1010]. Good place you have to Ford 2 times before the Camp and 1 times directly after it. Here the -45.93357, -72.07606 Clambering in steep terrain starts and is very challenging also in combination with snow. Very steep literally climbing up there here: -45.938145, -72.086171 especially with a backpack. I needed to go very slow and cautious with 3 point technique. After that you can follow the GPS and the Kerns to this point -45.973087, -72.102771. From there a old abandoned road goes all the way to the point where the Trail( Variant D) merges with the Sendero de Chile Las Horquetas at: X {32-D} [1.0/920]. On the trial are some parts which are not perfectly visible but with GPS no problem. There are some fallen trees and quite a few small trees on the trail. I wouldn't consider it Bush Bashing (BB) because you can just raise your arms in front of your face and walk trough it. So IMHO no BB on the route. As soon as you are at X {32-D} [1.0/920] it's a &quot;touristy trail&quot; compared with the other GPT parts. Therefor the condition is excellent. Camped at Segundo Camping -46.008184, -72.104121. Next day camped at Camping Los Porteadores -46.089085, -72.235431. Snow was neither on Pass {32} [43.9/1470] or Pass {32} [53.5/1679] a problem. Next day hiked to Villa Cerro Castillo. Not a single car on the street towards it so needed to hike. The RR avoids the Entrance Cerro Castillo Park (Estero Parada) there is one gate before accessing the street where you can just hop over.<br /> <br /> Overall: really nice section and quite relaxing to have such a easy trail (the beginning is challenging due to the rock scramble). It's the most touristy part (2 groups a 7 people) but absolutely woth it. Really enjoyed it.<br /> <br /> Contact: https://linktr.ee/RundW<br /> <br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''2023-Dec-12 / 6 days / Packrafting / SOBO / RR + Variant D + Variant F / Tom Pieper'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> An Uber from Cohayique to Villa Simpson is about 9.000 Peso. From there I easily found rides to Lago Elizalde. A older man told me that there was also a camino from Lago Elizalde to Lago Azul passing cerro sombrero a couple of years ago. I really liked the walking through the valley to lago desierto. It passes a beautiful farmland landscape sprinkled with little lush patches of forest and creeks. Camping is easy there. But if you want to speed up there are also cars from time to time and hitchhiking is possible. At S 45° 52.495 W 072° 16.913 is a little shelter surrounded by some old tractors and a big mate cup installation. A farmer passing by told me I am welcome to stay there. To reach lago desierto you have to climb a locked gate (well described by Kara Davis). I crossed lago desierto and camped at the isthmus between it and lago azul. There is a nice camp spot at waypoint Lake {32} [38.3/337] surrounded by old gooseberry bushes and an abandoned van. The central lodging building is collapsed so its seems to be an abandoned place now except the cattle. Next day I crossed lago azul. The wind increased dramatically forming up to 1 m waves. There are some emergency exits on the left even after the shore gets steeper after the settlers on the lefthand side. At the end of lago azul you reach a huge private hacienda on the isthmus, with a big park like forest and buildings within. I tried to sneak between the buildings but to reach the path to the mountains you finally have to pass a big meadow. There was a greenkeeper around and it was no problem for him to let me pass. The family was not around. The track to the mountains is steep and part of a big network of mountainbike trails. This network spans nearly the entire valley! I met six young chilenos who told me that they are working the summer to maintain the trails only for that family – I have never seen such a giant mountainbike network! Incredible how much effort and money must spend here only to satisfy a family’s hobby. The Chilenos were very friendly and even turned back to offer me a ride to the end of the valley as rain increased but I kept walking. This track is in really good conditions up to the bush bashing section. And here comes the problem: 1.) the bush bashing is wrong annotated. In reality it starts for 1.2 km at the end of the annotated section 2.) the track is mostly gone were it reaches the river bed. Landslides have washed away a big part. Don’t cross the landslide! It seems super instable! When you have forded the riverbed at the landslide don’t put on your shoes, yet. The following part has turned into swamp land. I suggest to make the entire 1.2 km in your fording footwear. After that the track to the las horquetas trail is mostly overgrown or blocked by trees but still visible. It was pretty hard for me as temperatures dropped to 4 °C and at this point it had not stopped raining for 48 hr. In bad weather that’s definitely no fun. The ranger hut was my salvation as it was abandoned but open and had a stove and even some firewood. The next day the weather was perfect and I continued towards cerro Castillo. There had been recent work around Camping Rio Turbio and the track is still in good condition. Paso Penón has heaps of snow and I found myself sinking to the hips from time to time. But in good weather it is ok. The views from the pass and the following valley even outcompeted the view from laguna castillo. After the paso penón the rest is fine. I used Variant F to descend. As mentioned before it now follows a different way in the end due to right of way conflict and you reach the street at approximately half way between villa cerro Castillo and the national park entrance.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> <br /> * '''05-Apr-2023 / Hiking / SOBO / Martin &amp; Helena'''<br /> <br /> We really enjoyed this one. It's definitely worth waiting for good weather, not only for safe traverse of the steep part in the northern part of the park and following obstacles that are quite demanding but also for the views that were just incredible.<br /> <br /> Starting from Villa Frei in the late afternoon, we made it on that day to the turn before Lago La Paloma, where we camped right behind a fence, before a little river, that you need to cross to follow the RR. There are 2 settlements, but still far enough, so no problem. You have to cross one fence and a gate on the way up. To avoid right-of-way conflict, we followed Cristopher &amp; Anna's advice (thanks guys!) and turned right after the first gate behind the beginning of the optional trail. From there you just need to follow MR, cross a few gates and you will end up on a fenced field with bee hives on one side. Crossing them will take you directly to RR, so no bush-bashing is necessary. From there, the trail is pretty straightforward. We liked the view from Option B viewpoint and in good conditions it must be a perfect spot for camping, definitely doable in one day. The steep traverse didn't feel that dangerous for us, but we had really good conditions. The next obstacle, already described by others, is at the end of the traverse. We followed there a small ridge that will take you to the beginning of the grass parts. It's a little steep, but doable. From there we followed the grass parts, which create almost 'stairs' allowing you to climb up. It's again steep, but you can use your hands to pull yourself up, holding the grass patches. After that is the last challenging part, a rock that you need to climb over. We got there already after sunset and without an option to explore the best and safest way over, we decided to follow the old overgrown trail, that descends down without the need to climb over the rock. It seemed to be hard in the beginning, but after we got through the first few trees (without any leaves, just branches), we found a little strip without them, that takes you all the way down to the river, where we camped. It took us around 15 min to get down, so it might be a good alternative. From there you just need to walk through a little part of the forest and then continue by the river, so you are actually avoiding also the descent down, which some described as challenging as well.<br /> <br /> After the first marked pass and descent in rocky terrain, the CC part connects to an old trail, that later becomes a MR. The connection was easy to find by following the GPS. We had no problems passing around the rangers house, again by following the track files, at first through the forest and later around the river. From there the trail connects to the official way which makes navigation easy. We spent the night in the official campsite around 2 km before Laguna Carro Castillo, which is the only one open. There were 5-6 other tents, no ranger. The next day the weather got way way worse, which made us skip the last pass and go down from the laguna via one of the official routes. We met a ranger on the way up, pointing us to the official trail around yellow cairns, to sign off from the park. With no intention to pay on our way from the park, we actually followed some old trail (according to the old signs we met) that took us to the main road, right in front of the bridge. We had to cross one fence, but no other problem. It's a faster and safe way from the park.<br /> <br /> * '''5 to 7 of February 2023 / Will / SOBO / 3 days'''<br /> <br /> Amazing section! I was worried about the tricky part, but sticking to the gpx track it didn't feel dangerous to me. Though I did have to leave the track to find easier ways around the cliffs.<br /> <br /> There weren't any buses south out of Coyhaique on Sunday (except maybe early morning?). I ended up taking an Uber to villa frei, for a bearable 14000 pesos. The road walk was beautiful except for the wind trying to blow me into the cars. I caught a ride to Lago Monreal, from where I walked back up to variant L and then to the 23.6 campsite.<br /> <br /> I didn't have any right of way trouble, I just had to pass through a few unlocked gates with no people or buildings in sight. There were even a few groups of day hikers who passed by my camp on the way to the Lago Paloma mirador (variant B - must see!).<br /> <br /> I also took variant D up to the glacier lake, worth it if it fits your schedule. I didn't have time to keep going up to the glacier itself, it looked like steeper rocky cross country.<br /> <br /> Even in the touristy parts the trail was surprisingly slow and rocky. I ran into a few rangers, who look like normal hikers except with red and white baseball hats. They were ok with me not having a ticket once I explained my weird route.<br /> <br /> * '''15.02.23 -18.02.23 / Anna &amp; Christopher / SOBO'''<br /> Coyhaique - Villa Cerro Castillo<br /> <br /> We hitchhiked from Coyhaique to Lago Paloma and started walking around 13:30 pm following the main path.<br /> <br /> The trail at the beginning is pretty good. At the junction with the option at km 17,5 you can walk further uphill along the fence for a couple of meters to enter the fence through a gate. This option is not in the gpx files. We decided to follow that to avoid the settlers after all.Then you can follow the dirtroad through two more gates until you reach a fence that you have to jump to the right to get to a meadow with beehives. There is another gate there and then you reach the main route again. In total we only had to jump two fences.<br /> <br /> Then we followed the main route. Soon after we went through the gate of the National park Cerro Castillo and we (unfortunately) met two guardians of the park. After some back and forth they made us turn around, telling us that this path is closed and we have to enter the park via the main entrance and pay the 30.000 clp. So we had to take the option to las Horquetas.<br /> <br /> After a few good km on a dirtroad, the path of option 1 gets bad. It seems like it hasn't been used for a long time. It was often hard to find and involved some bushbashing. It took us quite some time to get through there. Once you are at the river it gets much better. We forded the river next to the entrance to avoid the detour until Horquetas. The option was not very nice. Mostly just walking in the forest with BB so we would definetly recommend to try the main route.<br /> <br /> The entrance closes at 2 pm but the guards there were much nicer than the first two, and it was also no problem to get in at 3 pm. We had to register us and pay the 30.000 clp p.p. though. The rest of the trek we were not asked to show the tickets. The park guardians tell you that there is no water crossing both passes and you have to carry it from the official camps, which is simply not true. There is only no water after Laguna Castillo.<br /> <br /> At the exit (following the RR) we had to register us again. From there we planned to hitchhike to Villa Cerro Castillo, but there were no cars passing by. In the afternoon/evening it's probably easier to get a ride, because lots of cars parked at the exit. We would recommend Option E to avoid the dull roadwalk to Villa Cerro Castillo.<br /> <br /> We stayed at Camping El Rincon, which was only 4.000 clp p.p., with no electricity, but the owner washed our clothes after we asked and we received it dry the next morning :)<br /> <br /> * '''18 to 21 of January 2023 / Véronica / GPT32 RR SOBO / 3.5 days'''<br /> <br /> Route: Villa Freí - Lago La Paloma - north part of Parque Nacional Cerro Castillo - Las Horquetas trail (south part of Parque Nacional Cerro Castillo) - Villa Cerro Castillo<br /> First off I want to say that I think this section deserves a 5 on the Attractiveness Scale. It is simply mind-blowingly beautiful and definitely on par with other sections further north that have a 5 on this scale. I also think the Difficulty Rating should be upped to a 5 as well, due to the technical, and arguably dangerous at times, section in the northern part of the park on the Regular Route. Wish I had someone with me during this stretch, but oh well, such is life.<br /> <br /> I was lucky and caught a hitch most of the way to Lago La Paloma on the first day. It was hot and I don't think the road walk has any water sources until you get to the end. I then followed the new RR which bypasses the problematic right-of-way settler in the Lago Monreal area. However, this new detour is not fun. It involves climbing over (or crawling through/under) multiple barbed wire fences. I lost count after the 5th or 6th one. Also, the path and cross-country area are full of thorny plants, they got everywhere on my pack and clothing. I think it would just be better to take Option 32-L and chat with the settler instead to try and get through. Once you reach RH-MR-V {32} [18.9+4.7], it's all good, easy walking until the camp at 23.6 km.<br /> <br /> I reccomend taking Option 32-A after the campsite instead of the CC straight through the cow pasture. It is wet and muddy, whereas 32-A remains dry and easy to follow in the forest at the edge of the meadow. I also strongly recommend taking the short detour to the mirador at the end of Option 32-B. The views there of the cliffs and mountains surrounding Lago La Paloma are incredible. You could even camp there if you brought sufficient water and the weather is calm.<br /> <br /> Now for the difficult part in the 8-km cross-country section. This section was physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding. The first pass is at S 45° 55.740', W 072° 04.501'. It is easy walking up past the treeline into the alpine up to this point. The first challenge is a steep and unstable scree traverse, which begins at S 45° 56.019', W 072° 04.567'. Follow the GPS tracks here. At first I tried to go lower, right along the treeline, which was a big mistake that got me stuck in a terrible gully of slippery hard-packed sand. Very treacherous and scary trying to traverse it on all fours. After that ordeal, I scrambled back up to the altitude of the GPS tracks. This first scree traverse lasts about a km, the rocks are loose and it is very steep. I was tense and went very slowly. Got harassed by tábanos the whole way, but at least the weather was good.<br /> <br /> Then at S 45° 56.288', W 072° 05.184', you reach the end of the bad scree and end up in a deep gully with a vertical wall face on the other side. Figuring out how to get up that cliff was hard for me. I left my pack at the bottom and tried climbing up various different ways with no success, only tiring myself out and getting myself in precarious situations where I could barely climb back down. I finally figured out the best way was to try and get to the lowest grassy patch to the left of the vertical rock wall. The easiest way to reach that grassy patch was to go upstream a bit, then traverse on the hard slippery sand northward, instead of trying to climb vertically straight up to it. Once you reach the grass, you can use the traction and stability of vegetation to clamber up and out of the gully.<br /> <br /> The next big obstacle is at S 45° 56.320', W 072° 05.446'. Like others have written, this is the vertical rock wall that spans up and down the mountain and that you have to climb over. I scouted ways up without my pack at first, trying to find the easiest way. At least with this rock wall, the handholds and footholds are solid — no slippery gravel/sand/scree. But it does require actual rock climbing moves. If you fall you would likely tumble down the mountain, so please be very careful. A light backpack makes it relatively safer and easier.<br /> <br /> On the other side of this wall, you can finally see where the trees end, and the lovely river you are supposed to climb down to reach. But there is still more scree to traverse here, and it is slow and unstable again. I tried taking a shortcut down a shallow gully filled with grass. I figured it would be safer than the rocks, but it was very steep and got unexpectedly muddy at one point, and I ended up slipping and sliding down the mountainside about 10 meters before being able to stop myself. Didn't get seriously hurt, just bruised up, but it really shook me and just added to the stress and fear of this whole section. So I guess my advice here is to again follow the GPS tracks across the scree and go down gradually to the river instead of trying to go straight down.<br /> <br /> Once you reach the riverbed, it is easy walking to the top of the pass, with occasional cairns (and some good swimming holes). Down the south side of the pass, there are still a couple scree sections, but not nearly as bad as before. Lots of boulders, so slow going, but at least they felt more solid.<br /> <br /> As Martin Lizondo has written, finding the start of RH-MR-V {32} [34.1+1.7] is tricky. It is not a minor road, it is an old footpath. The cross-country section ends at a creek as it turns into a high and steep waterfall. You have to cross the creek and look up to find a faint, overgrown trail that goes up into the forest. Once you find it though, it is simple enough to follow. There is a stretch though of several hundred meters where it is more of a bushwhack than anything else, nature has taken over.<br /> <br /> I followed the regular route that cuts through the forest to Río Turbío, I assume this is to avoid the ranger station nearby. The &quot;bushbashing&quot; section is easy through a mature forest, and then you just follow the bouldery riverbank.<br /> <br /> Once you get to the popular Las Horquetas trail, everything is easy until the end of the section. Some snow at the top of the first pass (Paso Peñón), but very manageable. The views of the saw-toothed mountains, lakes, and glaciers are spectacular. Despite reports of the park being &quot;overrun,&quot; I only met a handful of other hikers in this trail, and most of them after Laguna Castillo. No rangers at all.<br /> <br /> I think the Regular Route in its current configuration avoids the blue payment tent at the end of the park trail, but I didn't know that when I passed through, and ended up just following the riverbank down to the minor road to be safe (and avoid paying the ridiculous 30,000 clp access fee). The road walk to Cerro Castillo was Easy and uneventful.<br /> <br /> * '''23/02/2023 - 25/02/2023 / RR SOBO / Louis, Rémi &amp; Noé :'''<br /> <br /> We started at Lago La Paloma, taking the bus from Coyhaique to Villa Frei (leaves at 8:15,15:30,17:30&amp;19:30 from monday to friday and at 8:00 and 14:00 on saturday (no bus on sunday)). Then we hitchiked to the lake without problem and we camped there. Ready to start in the morning the next day.<br /> <br /> Day 1 - Campamento Rio Turbio - 26.5km - +1800m/-1200m A big day but we hadnt the choice : heavy rain was announced for the next day... Cross country is demanding, better follow the tracks all the way long. A great camp site if you want to split this day is at the end of Option B. No water, windy but incredible view. The waypoint camp before is nice too.<br /> <br /> Day 2 - Campamento El Bosque - 10km - +800m/-800m The 2 camps sites on the GPT at47.8 and at 50.3 are now forbidden. The new campsite is approx at km 49, in the middle. There is guardaparques, but no need to show the permit for us.<br /> <br /> Day 3 - Cerro Castillo - 11km - +800m/-1500m The pass after Cerro Castillo was closed due to the wind. If you want to go to the other side, you have to get down at the park entrance and to go up again at the other entrance. We just went to the town. The regular route going down from there, from the Cerro Castillo, is not the one on the GPT. Actually, it goes more on the west side. At the end, there is a guardaparque, we checked out (even though we didn’t checked in) but no need to pay. Fortunately. Luck was with us.<br /> <br /> * '''23/02/2023 - 25/02/2023 / RR NOBO / Jakub+Veronika:'''<br /> <br /> 1) Lago La Paloma, right of way conflict on RH (32, km 17.5): Owner of the land (and nearby houses) is called Cesar, according to him, the right way is by the mud road (OH 32-L) and not on the trail, which passes some 20m next to his house. The reason why there was a conflict might have been caused by Cesar's relative who didn't like tourists walking on their land.<br /> 2) Trail has been changed 3 years ago because of right of way conflict between CONAF and private owners on the OH (32-E). The new official trail (with official park entrance) leads on OH (32-E) for the first 2km, then turns right and goes down towards Rio Ibáñez to RR (32, km 85), well marked by metal yellow triangles.<br /> <br /> We've walked all section 32 from Villa Frei to Villa Cerro Castillo. The part from Lago Paloma to Rio Turbio is very difficult and might be even dangerous (especially in bad weather). The CC travers on the stones (in our case with strong wind and snow) was the hardest part. The MR leading down to the valley is partially overgrown. The second part is well marked with good camping possibilities. After heavy rains on Sunday 25th, the park has been closed for more than a week. There are 2 alerts on the road (see above).<br /> <br /> * '''Feb 17 RR 3 days SOBO Frank'''<br /> <br /> Walked from Villa Frei. After about 12KM there is a food truck next to the road. Owners live there so should open for you. The owner of the private land wasn't there so had no access issues. You can camp in a big meadow @ 1250 metres or in good weather at a pass @ about 1325 metres (not marked on track file) just before the difficult CC section begins. Followed Veronica's advice to get up the gully on grass which worked well, thanks Veronica. There is no need for any rock climbing on this route. After the gully there are two rock bands running perpendicular to the route. You can go below both of them &amp; bypass them at treeline. The second bypass is not very obvious but stay at the treeline &amp; you will get through easily. After the pass, descending scree you come to a waterfall. Go left into the forest immediately before the waterfall - you may see a small cairn marking the spot. Just footprints at first but pick up a small trail as you go in. Leaving the park the RR to the left goes through private land. The optional route straight down is now the main trail, it goes down to a checkpoint just before the road. Checkpoint is at a stile over a fence so can't be avoided. It is run as a private 'concession' from CONAF. The workers were friendly &amp; didn't charge me anything. However next year the concession will be run by a different company so depends who is there.<br /> <br /> * ''' Note on Options 4, 7 and 8:'''<br /> GPT32 Option 4: is the gravel road to Lago Elizalde and Lago el Desierto. A subsidized bus travels this route 2 or 3 times per week.<br /> GPT32 Option 7 and 8: Are routes published on Wikiloc and/or www.suda.Io. This means someone took these routes in the last years but not much more information are available.<br /> (Source Jan Dudeck: https://www.facebook.com/groups/222224388283455/posts/1498106867361861/ )<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> * '''2022 Feb: 05-07, SoBo, RR, Kris&amp;Stiina'''<br /> <br /> We continued into this section straight from the previous one - 31H and the start of it, about first 16km, is like the whole previous section - dirt road. We hiked about 5 of those 16km and hitched the rest which I think was possible quite easy because it was weekend and a lot of cars with families were going to the Lago La Paloma.<br /> <br /> The interesting part started once we were at the gate after crossing the outflow of Lago Monreal. The big sign was posted there stating that this is not some Sendero de Chile and that passing through here is strictly forbidden. We saw a guy at the gate when we were approaching, but as it was lunch time for us we stayed at the stream. Afterwards the guy was gone and there was no phone signal to call the nr. that Martin Lizondo has provided. After considering options of different routes we decided to keep it cool and climbed over the gate with fingers crossed. There were houses a few hundred meters up the road, but nobody seemed to be at home at that point, perhaps working in the field somewhere in the back, so we walked through the forbidden land without anyone intercepting, luck was with us. A few more gates later we climbed up into the forest and finally the Cerro Castillo National park with a big old welcoming sign. We stayed at the first marked campsite at 22,7km, there is a stream.<br /> <br /> Next morning as we were having our breakfast about 30 cows showed up and were completely dazzled by our presence. They stared at us for about 15min until they finally relaxed a bit, but not fully. As we were packing our camp some sudden movement must have scared them and they all went running for their lives as if a Kraken himself was after them, silly cows, we thought. Once we were all packed and ready to go we crossed the stream into the next meadow, and saw all the cows about 200m to our left. I am not exactly sure how cows work, but as soon as they saw us they organized a gang and all of them started running right at us. We of course were standing our ground so the cows would stop just 5m from us and look all tough. I would try to scare them away by counter attack in the form of a shouting, hiking pole waving lunatic. It worked to some extent, as we could slowly walk out of it, but the cows kept persistently be really close and walk/run at us. I guess they were trying to protect their pasture, maybe someone can enlighten me about cow-dynamics.<br /> <br /> After the great battle of 2022, we disappeared in the forest and enjoyed the nice forest path while it lasted. Once out of the three line the path disappeared so we more or less followed the GPS marking. Neither of our maps showed the mentioned old path descending down into the valley, it was actually matching with the GPS, more or less. Up to the first pass, which is not marked, but is at about 26,8km the cross country was easy and then as mentioned before it got pretty difficult. If it would just be steep scree slope it would be alright, but this one had hard packed sand under the scree or sometimes no scree on it so it was very slippery (in dry conditions). Lots of prayers went to the Gods of Friction which helped us with traversing the treacherous slopes, with plenty of chances to become a statistic. I don’t think that that traverse is possible in wet conditions, not without crampons. And as for every good cake there is always a cherry on top, which was a little rock climbing session, which I personally didn’t mind, but I am not sure other hikers would appreciate. After that we still had to descend a steep scree down to the river. If there is a potential trail or option to go down the valley after the pass and then follow the river bank up, I think it is definitely a better, faster and safer option, especially if weather is not favorable. And looking from above down the valley it seemed like a feasible option to follow the river as the river itself was easily crossable and we didn’t spot any cliffs there, maybe next time.<br /> <br /> After reaching the river at the valley bottom the way up to the second pass was easy and straight forward, even though still “sin sendero”. The way down from the pass is steep and bouldery but not dangerous and after a short bit some first signs of an old trail can be noticed, some cairs appear. Then once the trail gets down to the tree line there are a few bushy places, but nothing too bad and the closer to the actual trail you get the better it becomes. We also somewhat followed the GPS track but stayed more in the forest rather than beach to avoid the ranger hut.<br /> <br /> Once we made it to the Las Horquetas trail all our worries were behind us and we could enjoy the nice trail and magnificent views. I don’t think I have ever seen tree line ending almost at the edge of the glacier in Europe it was happening a century ago, pretty cool stuff. We camped at the “segundo camping” with many other hikers, none doing the GPT though. And an interesting thing we observed was that people would just drink straight from the silty glacier stream without filtering or treating their water at all. Observation was made of different groups of people at different campsites. Is that a Chilean thing? Very impressive gut, if they can do it, unless ignorance is a bliss or they knew something that we didn’t.<br /> <br /> Nevertheless, two more mountain passes and we were heading down to Villa Cerro Castillo, with crowds of day-hikers that had come up to the Mirador Cerro Castillo. From there we actually didn’t follow the GPS track but headed down straight to the town. The ticket office with the park official is actually around this area: (46º 6.7520' S, 72º 12.0032' W). And the trail leading there is the official trail. The one that seemed on the map like the official, was actually not in use, not sure why. The satellite view on Gaia and info on the maps is somehow outdated. We tried to sneak past the office to avoid all explaining we had to do, but it’s kind of strategically placed so it wasn’t possible and we ended up just talking to the girl that was making sure everyone is checking out of the park. We had to pay 18.000 pesos per person which is the ticket for foreigners that want to go up to the mirador. We didn’t spill the beans about camping in the park and our small backpacks kept the suspicion low, so in the end it all worked out pretty good. From there it is still almost 5km to the town on a very dusty road, but with all the day hikers leaving a hitch was not a problem.<br /> <br /> The town is really nice with plenty of shops and accommodations options. The only thing we didn’t manage to find was the threaded gas canister, but we found a few half-empty ones left in the Nordic Patagonia mess tent.<br /> <br /> 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<br /> * '''2021-Dec-18 to 2021-Dec-22 / Option 6 (Valle Balboa), Regular Route &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;(Packrafting Lago Desierto and Lago Azul)&lt;/span&gt; and &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Option 9 (Packrafting Lago Paloma)&lt;/span&gt; / Northbound and Westbound / Meylin and Jan'''&lt;/span&gt;.<br /> <br /> General Remark:<br /> This route provides an attractive alternative to the overrun Cerro Castillo trail. The popular Cerro Castillo trail is also highly regulated (obligatory camp sites, closed in suboptimal weather) and costly (27’000 CLP entrence fee) therefore this alternative should be considered by hikers and packrafters.<br /> At the upper terminus of the Valle Balboa is a 5 km long and 400 m wide pasture at an altitude of 1100 m. To utilize this pasture for cattle summer grazing, settlers build a 18 km long trail through the forrest along the Rio Balboa.<br /> This very scenic Valle Balboa trail was hiked and published on Wikiexplora by Tobias Hellwig and Daniel Mahn. But the southbound descent down to Rio Ibañez was made by climbing down with a rope in very steep terrain because the location of the descending trail was not yet documented. <br /> Therefore we investigate this route in the opposite direction to search the southern trailhead to incorporate a feasible hiking traverse from Rio Balboa to Rio Ibanez in the GPT network.<br /> <br /> Summary of Northbound Investigation:<br /> Tobias Hellwig suggested where the southern trailhead may be located. A detailed analysis of satellite images and elevation profiles supported this and a local resident confirmed this assumption. After an hour of searching we found the southern trailhead. This trail terminates at a 400 m by 60 m pasture at abandoned camp (“Camp A”) from where no trail appears to continue. <br /> To continue through the last section of forrest we bush-bashed through very steep terrain and continued trail-less through a rather open forrest until reaching open terrain (“Entry Forrest Valle Ibanez”). From this point we traversed the open terrain on a slightly higher route than recorded by Tobias Hellwig and Daniel Mahn and meet the previously recorded route at the descent into the Valle Balboa (“Exit Forrest Valle Balboa”).<br /> From this point we followed closely the previously recorded route in the Valle Balboa from where we packrafted westbound over Lago Desierto, Lago Azul and Lago Paloma.<br /> <br /> Recommendation for Southbound Hikers and Packrafters:<br /> Hikers that wish to bypass the Cerro Castillo trail may either road-walk 25.5 km from Villa Frei via Lago Elizalde to Lago Desierto (GPT32 Option 4) or take the bus from Coyhaique to Lago Caro and leave the bus just after the bridge over Rio Paloma.<br /> Alternatively hikers may walk along the lakes Lago Paloma, Lago Azul and Lago Desierto (GPT32 Option 5) but bypass the buildings at the trail start to avoid a right-of-way dispute (see yellow arrow on the image that first follows the beach of Lago Paloma and than sneakers in between some trees to the trail).<br /> Packrafters best paddle the three lakes to get to Rio Balboa. Note that the predominant wind direction is westbound.<br /> After reaching the western end of Lago Desierto hikers and packrafters closely follow the route of GPT32 Option 6. Note that the multiple river crossings of Rio Balboa may become impassable after heavy rain and are generally easier in the morning (due to snow and glacier melting water that reaches it maximum in the evening).<br /> After reaching open terrain at Kilometer 24 (“Exit Forrest Valle Balboa”) hikers and packrafters traverse 5 km open terrain to the waypoint “Entry Forrest Valle Ibanez” while enjoying the wide open view into Valle Ibanez. Starting from Kilometer 24 do not follow any more track “EXP-OP-TL-V {32-06} [0.0+30.6]”.<br /> After entering the rather open forrest best follow the 8 waypoints of “Proposed Improvement for Investigation”. This bush-bashing route probably avoids the very steep descent that we struggled to get up with our heavy packrafting gear. When reaching the trail (either “Record 1” or “Record 2”) follow the generally well-visible and well-maintained trail to “Exit Forrest Valle Ibanez”.<br /> Note that that “Record 1” and “Record 2” includes all our searching, so don’t take these tracks as an instruction but use your common sense to follow only the relevant parts.<br /> When reaching Rio Ibanez packrafters can float on the river towards Cerro Castillo while hikers must walk along the northern side of Rio Ibanez to Cerro Castillo.<br /> As an add-on hikers and packrafters may take GPT32 Option 3 to visit a less frequented trail of Parque Cerro Castillo.<br /> <br /> (Note: taken from here https://www.facebook.com/groups/222224388283455/posts/1256244101548140/ - now the options are part of the GPT Track files, the Facebook post includes pictures.)<br /> <br /> ==Season 2020/21==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> * '''Section 32, Option 7: Valle Balboa. Southbound. 11 days (including waiting out a snow storm). Party (3): Mum, Sis and I.'''<br /> <br /> After walking Section 35 we emerged in Cochrane to a world changed by the virus. We retreated to the now unfriendly Chili Chico and caught the ferry across to Ibáñez in the morning. For my mum and sister, getting back to Santiago to catch a flight home had been the priority, but on the way they shifted more to the stance I was taking: what was the point? Get stuck in Australia, or here? Patagonia didn't seem all that bad, and apart from facemasks and hand sanitiser, there were no shortages like back home. By the time we reached Coyhaique we'd all decided to stay a week or so to hatch a plan. We met up with Aldo and camped in his backyard for almost a week. I helped build his house a bit, but time was mostly filled with playing chess, dice, cards and guitar. The atmosphere seemed to encourage a lethargic state, blurring the days together and bending time. Finally however, we packed and walked into the town centre to make a start on the interesting option #007 of Section 32 through Valle Balboa, (traversing roughly from Lago Desierto to Río Ibáñez). With the virus and public transport on hold, it seemed unlikely the bus to Villa Freí (that we took last time for the RR of Section 32) would be running. We asked a taxi driver for a quote to drive us out. We grabbed some more supplies, and then caught a taxi with a much friendlier driver to Lago Elizalde ($15k). The driver showed us a great public camping spot on the shore of the lake. There were many established camp sites back from [close to] the beach. It was such a nice spot that we decided to lay back and spend the afternoon and night there.<br /> <br /> In the morning, we walked the road to Río Paloma, scoring a lift for 5ks or so. We camped by the river not far before the end of the road.<br /> <br /> In the morning we walked the last bit of the public road to where it ends at the very rickety bridge over Río Mogote. There is a nice little camping spot here (-45.91100, -72.31823). Climbing over the locked gate, we walked the private road to the ford. We tossed up visiting Lago Desierto and the people living next to it, but with the virus decided against it. This meant we didn't actually have to cross the river, instead locating the old road to the south. (The track files follow the road, but it is no longer used by vehicles and it is actually easier to head back down the main road a couple of hundred metres to where a cattle trail exists (-45.91601, -72.30806)).<br /> <br /> Following this distinct road for some time, it seemed to be used for horse riding tours as there were coloured signs like &quot;Spanglish&quot; and &quot;Toobooku&quot; on the side. You will soon reach the gate included in the track files. Here there is also access to a bridge across Estero Balboa. It looks like you can then access trails most of the way up to Cerró Negro. This might be interesting if someone wants to explore.<br /> <br /> A couple hundred metres after the gate the old road ends and an obvious trail continues to a miskept farmhouse. Continue along the well defined trail that gets a bit scrubby/overgrown before entering the forest. The trail is then very well maintained although quite muddy in spots (I could see it being quite bad after rain). You will need to ford a tributary not marked in the track files (-45.95592, -72.35114). Shortly afterwards is a junction (-45.95654, -72.35216). The route up the side valley could be explored if someone wants - we went only a short way to a corral. The track will dip back down to the river where there is an established camp (-45.97039, -72.35461). Continuing up the valley, there are many more established camps - the best are generally in close proximity to the fords.<br /> <br /> The first time you cross the estero is about here: (-45.98105, -72.36205). There is only one ford, not two as the track files indicate. At the next couple of fords, the actual track deviates slightly from the track files. If you follow the current track files, you will avoid crossing the river at all, but will end up bush bashing briefly. We crossed the next two fords, but by staying on the west side of the river they should also be easily avoidable.<br /> <br /> The trail exits the forest (-46.02116, -72.42538)(the camp marked in the track files here is a swamp - go further up the valley!) from where it is cross country walking, not actually a trail as indicated. We camped next to the puesto which incorporates some pieces of a crashed plane (we found another piece whist exploring, but not the actual crash site). The route up to the Laguna Campana is also open and straight forward.<br /> <br /> We waited out a rainy day only to wake to a snow storm the next!... and the next!. We ended up waiting 4 nights experimenting with some different bread recipes whilst we waited out the inclement weather.<br /> <br /> Finally a sunny day! Continue up the valley, CC walking past an old corral. At the Nacimiento del Estero Balboa you again briefly enter the trees. Like the previous marked camp, again this whole area was very swampy and I didn't see a suitable place to camp. The camp included in the track files is in the middle of a swamp! We picked up fragments of a track heading up through the trees, but I think it is very vague or overgrown. That said, we had nearly a foot of snow in places so we could have easily missed things! There is a very obvious section of track here : (-46.05648, -72.47298). You'll quickly exit the trees (-46.05923, -72.47005) and start a long CC section in the alpine. We found some sections of trail, but for us it was mostly cross country walking. Plenty of water options the whole way.<br /> <br /> When you enter the forest after completing the alpine section (-46.08687, -72.43537), you will be bush bashing for a long time! There was no discernible track even when we criss-crossed over the track files searching for it (no snow here anymore). Approaching the deep gorge, I decided to lead us a different, less steep way. This worked well and we camped at a very nice spot by the stream at the bottom (-46.09414, -72.42582).<br /> <br /> The next day we were debating simply following the river down (I wish we had!). Instead, we headed straight up the other side of the gorge. We located part of an old track here (-46.09685, -72.42463) but quickly lost it as we passed through the saddle (I think maybe it continues north?). Rejoining the suggested investigation route (EXP-OP-TL-I@32-07-#003), there is a good stream (-46.10202, -72.42403) and some camping on its banks.<br /> <br /> After some horrible bush bashing, we finally made it to a ravine gashing steeply down the mountain (-46.10598, -72.41534). There were many drops and it was impossible to go directly down. We later found out that the only other party to do this part had a rope! I can't really recommend going down here [and my sister can't recommend it at all! - &quot;This is shit!&quot;] Again, I'd recommend taking the main valley. The climbs we did were much more difficult than those on the northern part of Section 32 RR that people complain about. Also, if doing this option, it would be much easier travelling north! You could also consult the settlers on a better route. We finally reached the bottom where it opens up after about ~6hrs!<br /> <br /> Continuing, if you do follow EXP-OP-TL-V@32-07A-#003, the track files indicate there is a trail, but it is not quite so. There are CC sections and a labyrinth of cattle trails. You will need to use them to your advantage where they exist, and leave them when they go the wrong way. We went this way for a little while, but then tried following a primary cattle track that seemed to be heading directly down to the river... but we got stopped by a swamp (-46.11623, -72.41080). Continuing along EXP-OP-TL-V@32-07A-#003, you will get CC walking from the woods (after a cliff) about here: (-46.11546, -72.42372) If we were there again we would follow EXP-OP-CC-A@32-07-#004 down past the settler to the river. It then looked easy to walk along the river north to the cable car.<br /> <br /> The cable car: Don't use this by yourself! Don't use it if you are only two! Use it with three people minimum! I can't stress this enough. There is a lot of fiction and the locals we talked to here don't even consider it safe. They used the boat which has its own steel cable allowing you to tack across with relative ease. You will get wet feet if using the boat.<br /> <br /> Taking the cable car, we only just made it across with one in the car and two hauling on the rope, and at one point it looked like my sister might get stranded on the far side (she had a nightmare that night!).<br /> <br /> Carretera Austral: We waited the entire day by the Carretera Austral. Finally catching a colectivo late in the afternoon. With the virus, it was hard/imposible to hitchhike. We paid an inflated price ($3kpp) for transport to Cerró Castillo.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2020-March-6 / Ty &amp; America / 4.5 Days SOBO RR. Start @ El Blanco'''<br /> <br /> We started in El Blanco, opting to hike by Lago Montreal, which was pretty nice. No traffic though, so if you’re wanting a hitch the regular start in Villa freí may be a better option. Settlers in Lago Montreal are super friendly. There’s a bit of water there as you pass by the lake. We camped there. I recommend going further to the marked camp though because the next day is a big challenge. RH-CC-A@32-25.2+7.9 Is the Cruz of the section. After this all good. I do not recommend doing this unless you’re very comfortable on your feet and have a lightweight pack.<br /> <br /> -stick to the treeline/marked path on this. The traversing is tough, but completely doable. 2-3 km in is the gully with the very difficult climb. Keep the the grassy patch, getting to the base of it was the most dangerous part for us. Very slippery rock. I had America drop her pack. High risk, but I was MUCH more comfortable.<br /> <br /> -about a k after is the second dangerous area. This is a straight rock wall that spans all the way up&amp; down the mountain. The only way through is to climb around. I checked below it and didn’t find a way through the trees. I took both Sanita &amp; America’s packs through this section; as again, it’s very high risk..with an actual climbing move involved. Again, it’s important you’re very comfortable with your pack to get through these parts.<br /> <br /> After these dangerous sections we were wiped out and camped in the valley before the pass. Lots of places to camp with good water. Be aware of slight rockfall risk. There’s an amazing place to camp with ideal conditions at the top of the pass.<br /> <br /> Going on, all smooth, both marked camps on the way up the second pass are actually closed...there’s an open camp right between the two.<br /> <br /> Amazing places to camp up by Laguna Castillo.<br /> <br /> We snuck around the riverbed once we saw the blue tent at the bottom (where you might have to pay) and got by with no problems.<br /> <br /> * '''Jan 2020 GPT32 South 7days / Felix'''<br /> <br /> Coyhaique to Villa Freí: There is a bus from the bus terminal in Coyhaique to Villa Freí. From there it was a hot dusty road.<br /> <br /> Accessing the park : You have to pass through 4 private properties to enter the first sector of the park. We met some people. Had short friendly chats, but no problems with access. Just before you enter the park (where there are two trail options) there is easy access to the river via a cow trail. However water in general was no issue and I didn't carry water for the entire 7 days through the park.<br /> <br /> The camp site used to be an official campsite before the sector was closed due to access problems. The dunny is in great shape.<br /> <br /> Through the first sector : The trail is in great shape until after the mirador. You then cut upwards into the alpine which is also easy walking. After passing through a saddle, you contour around above the treeline. This is the most difficult part of the section. Quite a bit of step scree traversing. Not for everyone. Once you drop into the valley waking is again easier. There are some occasional cairns that become more and more frequent as you drop into the other valley. As you contour left an intermittent trail is evident. When you enter the lenga forest (-45.97321, -72.10278) there is a great trail down that turns into a road here : (-45.97886, -72.10358) (Jan: maybe you want to update the track files to reflect this?) Then is road walking to join the popular walk.<br /> <br /> Popular sector of Cerró Castillo : There are some side trips not included in the track files. They're on the map you get. Note that the old Bosque site (-46.06197, -72.16016) and La Tetera (-46.07200, -72.18390) are now closed. You can not camp there. For most people this means camping at the new el Bosque : (-46.06418, -72.16964)(Jan : maybe you want to update the track files?) Get to Laguna Cerró Castillo before 12 to beat the walkers heading up for the day. But this shouldn't be an issue as you need to cross the pass early : an important thing we would have liked to know is that the pass (-46.08030, -72.21103) can be closed in the afternoon due to strong winds. There is literally a ranger there that can turn people around. Not much water over the pass either. And the poza cerca mirador doesn't look welcoming. Carry water here. In the next valley there were more rangers and we saw some people get checked for permits. It's a shame this park is now being comercialalised :(<br /> <br /> Getting back to Coyhaique : Not much traffic. The last bus heads back at 6pm<br /> <br /> I'll try upload some map photos and a breakdown of the entrance fees when I get the photos off my camera.<br /> <br /> Cheers, Felix.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-18 and 19 / Regular Hiking Southbound / Martin Lizondo'''<br /> <br /> The starting minor road gets into the private propiety of Pedro Sangüesa (+56 9 9099 9083) at 45º 52' 15,55&quot; S, 72º 2' 46,28&quot; O. He didn’t like people to pass through and denied that there was a trail, but it turned out to be a Conaf’s well signed area. He said in the future he will ask for money, but finally left me pass for no charge. I met other day hikers going to « El Mirador ». Snow was easy at the passes. The trail was in good conditions until the cross country. There are two spots which I consider dangerous, so I don’t recomend doing this section alone: 1) the gps tracks passes through a very vertical rocky (nearly climbing). I was scared and I can’t recommend doing it, except you asume this risk. I could see later in a map that the original route went all way down in the valley through lenga forest, but if there was a trail it’s invisible now. 2) When the cross country leaves the tree line and becomes a small trail into the lenga forest at 45º 58' 23,54&quot; S, 72º 6' 10,02&quot; O (“minor road” starts later, despite the gps track info); it’s very stepy and unmaintained. I made a mistake and started to follow the stream all way down, but you have to look up and search the beginning of the hidden path. It’s very vertical and easy to fell down, because of recent land slides. Be extremely carefull. The rest of Cerro Castillo from Las Horquetas is well maintained, beautifull and enjoyable. Cons: Lots of people. When leaving at the Nezoelandes entrance, you’ll have to pass near to the payment cabin. I didn’ t have to pay, but it was because I spent only a short time in the park. The cost for foreigners is normaly CLP 29,000.<br /> <br /> * '''Jan 2020 / RH Northbound / Matthieu'''<br /> <br /> No technical difficulties in the park, just following the trail and enjoying the views.<br /> <br /> To follow the GPT northbound, leave the parc trail to go north. It is an &quot;old sendero&quot; in the forest, but well maintained and easy to follow during the beginning (it is marked on maps of the parc). In this direction, no problem to leave the forest in a safe spot, but southbound, looking behind, seemed hard to find the entrance of the forest and of the safe trail ! No technical difficulties until the first pass, rocky terrain like the rest of the park. <br /> <br /> The dangerous part is indeed between the 2 passes. You dont go in the valley in front of you but follow the altitude line until the pass that you see at the right side of the valley. Very steepy rolling stones path. I was a little bit afraid. I tried to be smarter than the tracks, trying more uphill... this was a dangerous mistake that took me long to repair and go back to the tracks. There are indeed two river crossing (no dangerous waterstream) but they are circled by cliffs, so not easily crossable. <br /> The track follow mostly the tree line (I.e the separations between the little trees and the stones) So my recommendations : <br /> - follow the gps tracks : they follow the tree line who is safer with a solid ground and grass. Sometimes you have to cross the stones, no choice, so go slowly, choose your paces wisely and it's doable. Try to aim for the grounds of grass in the middle, which are solid, or the stones with foam on them, which mostly didn't move for a while. For the rivercrossing, it aims a good spot with no need to climb down or up.<br /> - choose a good weather day : for me it was sunny and no wind, so perfect day, and it was already mentally hard (not speaking of the horseflies getting you crazy during the hard moments !). I wouldn't try it with rain or big wind in this river of rolling stones. <br /> - if you don't feel it, easy escape by the normal trail of the parc<br /> <br /> However, I can assure that the prize for the effort, going northbound, is amazing !! But I won't spoil ! <br /> After the second pass, no technical difficulties, you find a Conaf trail easily, and I even cross some tourists with a guide.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Nov-29/ Lea Geibel, Kevin Moe/ 3days / Northbound / Regular Hiking Route with OH-MR-V (Villa Cerro Castillo to Las Horquetas)'''<br /> <br /> The section follows the rather popular tourist Hiking route Las Horquetas for the first two days, meaning there will be less solitude but also rather well maintained trails. The national park and the region around Cerro Castillo was very impressive, we especially enjoyed to take all the side trails and visit the numerous beautiful glacier lagoons. The only unpleasant part of the hike was the organization of the national park. The exorbitant high entrance fees are in no relation to the other parks, which is due to a high ratio of private land in the area but makes the park rather unattractive for tourists. some rangers seemed poorly informed and couldn't give much information (e.g. insisted that passes were &quot;closed&quot; and only after asking numerous times agreed to check with his colleagues that told that they are &quot;open&quot;). They also said it is not possible to hike the regular route of the GPT, because we have to check out of the NP at the checkpoint Las Horquetas. There is an optional hiking route continuing North from there. Due to bad weather coming up we ended up not finishing the northern stretch of the trail and just followed the entire Las Horquetas Route at the Carretera Austral.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Nov-29 / Lea Geibel, Kevin Moe'''<br /> <br /> Snow line is at around 1200 Meters but all passes are safely traversable.<br /> The National Park Entrance Fee got raised to 29000 CLP per person for overnight hikes in season 19/20. The park generally seemed very poorly organized, we were told the passes are &quot;closed&quot; at first, whereas they were easy and safe to traverse. The ranger insisted that we could not hike the normal route northbound but have to sign out of the park at the Las Horquetas checkpoint. In high season, the ranger station in the park is manned, so maybe it is possible so sign out there and head northbound.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Nov-12 / Eva Havlová'''<br /> <br /> There is still lots of snow in the National Park. I arrived to Villa Cerro Castillo 3 days ago (Novembre 12, 2019) and planed to hike nortbound but rangers didn't let me go. I saw the pass they were talking about (avalanche risk) and I don't think any avalanche could occur, but the thought is that there is lots of water running down and the trail is like a stream. They said it might be possible to do it next week.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2018/19==<br /> <br /> * '''2019 Jan/ Oilrik / Northbound'''<br /> <br /> We ended up doing the normal Cerro Castillo hike as the weather was forecasting heavy rain and snow so we did not want to be on the pass. The regular trail is just gorgeous and the park is beautiful. The trail in the north is not on the new CONAF maps but is marked on the old ones.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2017/18==<br /> <br /> * '''Route description by Kara Davis after Season 2017/18:'''<br /> <br /> A sandy beach with a visible structure in the grass is the take-out for Lago Elizalde. After exiting, make your way through the farmland until encountering a gravel road that leads past the house at the top of the hill up to Ruta X-686.<br /> <br /> Ruta X-686 is a lightly trafficked but well-formed gravel road that is fenced on either side. After crossing the Río Paloma, Ruta X-686 makes a sharp left and begins to climb. 4 km after the sharp left turn, cross a bridge to the left and climb to a wooden gate. If you descend the steep slope to the left of the gate, there is camping under some trees.<br /> <br /> The wooden gate marks the beginning of a very long driveway to a house located near the lake. The route takes you along this driveway until a river crossing. After crossing the river, walk northeast along its shore towards the Río Paloma. After reaching the end of the fenceline near the Río Paloma, turn east and walk along the fenceline until reaching Lago Desierto. At the river outlet, there is a nice beach to put in to Lago Desierto.<br /> <br /> There is no camping along the shores of Lago Desierto. The take-out is a rocky beach at the base of a bluff. Walk up the bluff and cross country through the farmland to Lago Azul. At the east end of the farm, descend down a road to a rocky beach at the Lago Azul shoreline with a metal structure.<br /> <br /> There are a couple of potential camping options along the shoreline of Lago Azul. There are also several residences on the north shore. The take-out is a long rocky beach set before a well manicured forest. On the east end of the land near Lago La Paloma is an expensive looking house surrounded by several other buildings.<br /> <br /> There is a 4WD track to the west of the smaller red house located south of the big residence. Ascend the steep climb on a well-formed road that is criss-crossed with several smaller tracks labeled in english with wooden signs. Due to the steep slopes on either side of the cut out road, there is no camping here.<br /> <br /> Eventually, the route turns off of the road onto an overgrown 4WD track. Camping off the track is still difficult because of prickly vegetation and steep terrain. This track ends 2.5 km from where the Regular Packrafting Route joins the Regular Hiking Route. From here, the route involves some bushwhacking and following a small trail as it winds in and out of existence. Just before joining with the Regular Hiking Route, the route widens into an old 4WD track that passes some destroyed structures.<br /> <br /> The routes join up at a large rock cairn and continues to follow a 4WD track until reaching a large wooden sign with a map of the Reserva Nacional Cerro Castillo. Here there is also a campsite and ranger station. There is a 5.000 CLP fee to enter the reserve.<br /> <br /> The route from here is a popular track for backpackers with designated campsites. The trail is well-formed and winds through the forest. When the trail becomes less obvious, the way is shown with yellow markers. In this area there is a designated campsite with a latrine.<br /> <br /> At treeline, follow the cairns and rocks painted with white and red stripes through the scree up and over the first pass (approximate elevation 1.450 m). After the steep descent, reenter the trees. There is a campsite, Camping El Bosque, soon after reaching treeline (approximately elevation 940 m) with water and a latrine.<br /> <br /> The trail begins to wind up through the forest toward Laguna Castillo. The sights from Laguna Castillo, which is at the base of the pass, are stunning. There are two tracks that climb up to the pass. Make sure to take the path that climbs to the south instead of continuing southeast over the obvious saddle.<br /> <br /> The track down to Ruta X-720 is well formed, marked, and popular, but occasionally braided. Follow it until reaching the wooden stile with a rangers hut. From there join Ruta X-720, a dirt road which leads to Highway 7 and Villa Cerro Castillo.<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> *Town: Villa Cerro Castillo. Villa Cerro Castillo has several restaurants, small markets, and plenty of lodging options, including a popular backpacker camping destination on the east side of town.<br /> *2024-Dec / Michael and Kasia <br /> We stayed at Hospedaje Gemita on Ramón Freire next door to Camping Castillo, 20.000 pp for room in a shared cabaña. The cabaña had 4 rooms (2 doubles, 2 singles), a well equipped kitchen, hot shower. Not allowed to do laundry in the Hospedaje, but there is a lavaderia in town. The hosts, Gemita and Pedro, are very nice. They have also spent a lot of time in Los Avellanos on horseback. Maria, one of the settlers in the valley in Avellanos is a cousin of Pedro.<br /> <br /> We found gas in four shops, two had the threaded canisters for stoves, one was 6.000 for a 300 ml tank, the other was the COPEC across the highway from town, 4.000 a tank. The others just had refills, cheapest was the supermercado on the highway, 2.700 for a refill canister.<br /> <br /> There is a Banco de Santander ATM in the COPEC on the west side of the highway.<br /> <br /> Just on the other side of the highway on the road to the park there is a fruit and vegetable shop that also sells frutos secos and nuts in bulk. He had the best prices.<br /> <br /> *2024-Mar /Joscha<br /> <br /> Shop in Villa Cerro Castillo at -46.12201, -72.161708 has pasta, ramen, oats, chips, cookies, olive oil, peanuts, peanut butter, bread and some more stuff.<br /> <br /> *Lovely yum restaurant in Coyhaique: Restaurant DaGus, Lautaro 82, 5950000 Coyhaique. Little hidden gem. -45.86411, -72.04916<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> *2024-Dec Buses Sao Paolo passes through Villa Cerro Castillo for Coyhaique every day around noon, 8.000 pp; Buses ECA passes through Villa Cerro Castillo for Coyhaique Thursdays and Mondays songs 11:30, 8.000 pp.<br /> *Buses to Villa Frei from Coyhaique bus terminal: Monday 7:30, 8:15, 15:30, 17:00, 19:30 Tuesday to Friday 8:15, 15:30, 17:30, 19:30 Saturday 08:00 and 14:00. No bus on Sunday. It takes about 30 minutes to get to Villa Frei &amp; the bus generally turns around immediately &amp; goes back to Coyhaique.<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> *2023/ Martin &amp; Helena<br /> To avoid right-of-way conflict, we followed Cristopher &amp; Anna's advice (thanks guys!) and turned right after the first gate behind the beginning of the optional trail. From there you just need to follow MR, cross a few gates and you will end up on a fenced field with bee hives on one side. <br /> <br /> *2023/ Jakub+Veronika:<br /> 1) Lago La Paloma, right of way conflict on RH (32, km 17.5): Owner of the land (and nearby houses) is called Cesar, according to him, the right way is by the mud road (OH 32-L) and not on the trail, which passes some 20m next to his house. The reason why there was a conflict might have been caused by Cesar's relative who didn't like tourists walking on their land.<br /> 2) Trail has been changed 3 years ago because of right of way conflict between CONAF and private owners on the OH (32-E). The new official trail (with official park entrance) leads on OH (32-E) for the first 2km, then turns right and goes down towards Rio Ibáñez to RR (32, km 85), well marked by metal yellow triangles.<br /> <br /> *2023 / Anna &amp; Christopher <br /> The entrance closes at 2 pm but the guards there were much nicer than the first two, and it was also no problem to get in at 3 pm. We had to register us and pay the 30.000 clp p.p. though. The rest of the trek we were not asked to show the tickets. <br /> <br /> *2020 / Martin Lizondo<br /> The starting minor road gets into the private propiety of Pedro Sangüesa (+56 9 9099 9083) at 45º 52' 15,55&quot; S, 72º 2' 46,28&quot; O. He didn’t like people to pass through and denied that there was a trail, but it turned out to be a Conaf’s well signed area. He said in the future he will ask for money, but finally left me pass for no charge.<br /> (...)<br /> When leaving at the Nezoelandes entrance, you’ll have to pass near to the payment cabin. I didn’ t have to pay, but it was because I spent only a short time in the park. The cost for foreigners is normaly CLP 29,000.<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT32 - Cerro Castillo]]<br /> <br /> =Images=</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT32_(Cerro_Castillo)&diff=119499 2025-01-10T16:05:06Z

<p>MiaimZelt: /* Season 2024/25 */</p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;packrafting&quot;, as above):<br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD, WHAT IS ENCLOSED IN &lt;&gt; MAKES IT BLUE):<br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/nowiki&gt;.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Overview=<br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> *2025 Jan 2nd to Jan 4th / 2.5 hiking days / SOBO / Hiking / Opt 2 &amp; 3, RR, Var E / Daina<br /> <br /> A very scenic route with good maintained trails and lots of watersources. All Campings are really nice: lots of flat spaces, sheltered from the wind, toilet, benches and access to water.<br /> <br /> Day 1: Took the bus at 8 from Coyhaique to Las Horquetas. The trail from Las Horquetas is open again. Everybody has to register at the ranger kiosk. Really easy trail until Camp before the pass. Var E is beautiful and mostly hiking on a big field of rocks, marked with cairns. At pass Peñon there was still snow, but doable without microspikes. The way down is very steep. Slept at Camp El Bosque. <br /> <br /> Day 2: Can really recommend to hike up to the nameless Laguna above El Bosque. Extremely scenic lake! Also Laguna Castillo is a real gem. Stretch of big boulders above the lake, up to the pass it gets easier. Was very warm up there and had no wind. Bring water from the lake, there is none until you reach the next Camp. Way down from the Pass is very steep with lots of scree. Hiked to Camp Neozelandes, pitched my tent and did a detour to the scenic Laguna Duff. On the way up i met a lady from the Conaf, asking where i want to sleep. Inside the NP you have to use the campgrounds.<br /> <br /> Day 3: All the way down is very easy. Had to pay 28000 pesos for 3 days, price for chileans is only a little bit cheaper. Payment possible with card or cash. At -46.115013, -72.200497 there is an open gate with a sign &quot;Bienvenido a Sendero Laguna Castillo&quot;. It's in OSM, but not part of the GPT-Tracks.<br /> <br /> <br /> *2024 Dec 13th to Dec 17th / 5 hiking days / SOBO / Hiking / Opt 2, RR, Var E, Var F, Var G / Michael and Kasia<br /> <br /> Quick notes: A really beautiful section with amazing views. The park is open but Las Horquetas remains closed, though many people are hiking it anyway. If not going over the final pass, Var F can be used to exit without paying though it possibly involves trespassing.<br /> <br /> CAMPS:<br /> <br /> Night 1: -46.00817, -72.10413 Camping Río Turbio (official campground, easy water access, good wind protection, nice views, can have a lot of people there) <br /> <br /> Night 2: same as Night 1<br /> <br /> Night 3: -46.06419, -72.16915 Camping El Bosque (official campground, easy water access, good wind protection, fewer spots than first camp site, very few are really flat)<br /> <br /> Night 4: -46.07194, -72.18416 Camping La Tetera (technically closed campground, water access is a little way away, no really flat spots, poor wind protection, excellent views)<br /> <br /> WATER: <br /> Water was generally easy to find.<br /> <br /> Day 01 - Dec 13th<br /> <br /> We left Coyhaique around 10:30. There are buses that go that route, but we decided to hitch instead. We entered through the Opt 2 Las Horquetas route. It took us three hitches to get to the trailhead. The trailhead has a big sign that says the route is closed. I don't know if they plan to open it this season or not. At the very beginning there is an estero. There is a bridge to cross it, a little old but stable. Shortly after there is a park ranger kiosk, but it was unoccupied. Overall the trail is in good condition, easy to follow, but sometimes muddy. Beautiful views along the way. We were fortunate and had excellent weather. There are several unmarked fords in the first 16 km along Opt 2, all were easy, knee high at most. Water was generally easy to find. At the Rio Turbio campground there were around 25 other people there.<br /> <br /> Day 02 - Dec 14th<br /> <br /> We took Var E up to Laguna Glacier Peñón. It was a great side trip. The laguna is turquoise and the mountains surrounding it are very impressive. There were still snow fields on the way to the end of the track, so we didn't go all the way, but we got past the lake and to the other side. We saw two small avalanches while we were there. We also found a bird feather, we think from a condor, that was as long as my entire arm. We really enjoyed this side trip and recommend it. Water shoes could be helpful. We didn't have ours and it was possible without, but would have been easier and faster if we had had them. Important note, the whole route is essentially a field of small boulders. It does not require any scrambling, but it is slow going compared to the trail. We did this as an out-and-back and then returned to the Rio Turbio campground for a second night. One couple came around 22:00, but otherwise no one was there.<br /> <br /> Day 03 - Dec 15th<br /> <br /> We left camp around 10:00. We were ready for the Pass 43.9 and thought with only 10 km to go until Camping El Bosque we would be in camp early, but we were surprised at how challenging the day was. The first few kilometers up to the pass went fairly quickly. There was still snow on the pass, but it was at that stage where it is getting thin and you can't tell where you might fall through, so it was slow going checking our footing. The weather was great, full sun and warm, very little wind. Getting to the pass was slow but not too difficult. We stopped at the mirador for lunch and to watch the dozens of waterfalls cascade down the mountain. The descent was more challenging. It is very steep, and there was lots of scree on the way down. In one section CONAF installed a series of ropes bolted into the rocks to hold on to. Once at the bottom there was a boulder field and then a very nice forest. Amazing views of the mountains and glaciers. Camp 48.0 is a decommissioned camping area under recuperation. Camping El Bosque is at km 49.0. At Camping El Bosque there were two other couples there that night.<br /> <br /> Day 04 - Dec 16th<br /> <br /> From Camping El Bosque we took a side route up to see a lake. On Google Maps it is called Laguna Raimundo Vargas. It is not an optional on GPT, but it is visible on OSM. The lake is not visible on OSM, but it is on satellite, which is surprising because based on measurements using Gaia, it appears to be almost twice as big as Laguna Duff. The route up is marked by carens, but it is essentially CC across talus, about 1.3 km one way. The lake and the mountains are stunning. There were lots of ice floes on the lake. We sat for about 2 hours listening to the ice crack and watching avalanches fall. We highly recommend this detour if you have the time. Going in the evening might give a nicer light. We had lunch at Camping El Bosque and then hiked as far as Camping La Tetera, which is technically closed, and camped there for the night. Three other groups passed through and two other groups camped near us at La Tetera. It rained a bit in the evening.<br /> <br /> Day 05 - Dec 17th<br /> <br /> We got up very early with the plan to cross the last pass before the wind picked up. We headed up to the lookout over Laguna Castillo. About 300m of the ascent are a rock scramble which is challenging with a heavy backpack. At points we needed both hands to navigate the rocks. We were feeling exhausted from the previous days and decided not to attempt the final pass. There was no snow remaining on the final pass that we could see. We spent a few hours at the top. Lots and lots of other hikers were coming up or going through. The main trail down is very steep and had lots of loose rock on it. With heavy backpacks it was a challenge and really hard on the knees. It also took much longer than we anticipated. About two km down from the top CONAF had a tent stationed. Three guardaparques are camped there to check tickets on the way up and to radio down when people are leaving. They asked for our names. When we said we came from Las Horquetas they just said okay.<br /> We took Var F and Var G to exit the park. Var F is clearly visible from above as you descend the main trail. The route is actually in excellent condition and is very easy to follow, however in the rain we suspect it would be very muddy. We opted to take Var G which breaks off of Var F and then rejoins it later. It goes through forest and woodland, very pretty and potentially campable in places. There were also a few places where we found water. About 2.8 km into Var F there is a sign facing downhill that says No Accesso CONAF. About 1.3 km before the road there was a gate we had to jump. 300m before the final gate we descended a hill and there were a couple buildings there. One was a baño for what looked like paid camp sites (there were picnic tables around) and one was probably a rental cabaña. We passed through two more gates that were open. At the road, the final gate was secured with a chain, but it was easy to open. On the fence outside the gate and on a second gate that was padlocked shut were two signs saying in English and Spanish “No Trespassing, Private Property”. There was also a small kiosk that looked like it could have been a ticket booth just outside the gate, but no one was in it. It is unclear if the no trespassing signs referred to the property we passed through or to a neighboring property. We didn't see anyone so we didn't have any issues, but it's something to be aware of if you leave along this route. Due to the clear no trespassing signs, the no access sign as you enter the park and the park guards near the top, I would only recommend using Var F to exit the park, not to enter it.<br /> <br /> <br /> • 2024-Dec-05 to 2024-Dec-06 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / MR + Opt.N + Opt.M + Opt.01/ Julien <br /> <br /> Start on main road very well for entry exit private fields.<br /> Same for option N and M.<br /> I had to take option 01 because I had bad weather... Option 01 is announced in TL but I think it would be better to validate it in TL+BB because I had BB on 6km with no path and many trees still on the path that I had to go around.<br /> Also watch out for the Rio Blanco, where the final crossing is still mandatory, the current was quite strong despite being in December.<br /> For the climb to Cerro Castillo from Villa Cerro Castillo I asked locals people, the passage by option F would no longer be possible because the owner of the field through which we could pass would have closed his ground to visitors. So I went through the main entrance (18000 pesos) with checkpoint entrance and when you go out, you will have my layout on the next edition of the GPT I think.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Mar-30 to 2024-Apr-02 / 3.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / Var M + RR + Var C + Var E/ Maddi and Tom'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: We got the public bus at 8am from Coyhaique to Villa Frei (600CLP) then started walking along the road towards Lago Monreal. Got a short hitch for about 5km, then walking again in light rain. Got a second hitch with a lovely couple who own a property right on Lago Monreal - they even had a key for the locked gate with cameras and drove us right up to the trailhead. As we started hiking up into the mountains the snow started to come down fairly heavily. Sheltered under a rock where some people must camp for lunch and was able to get water from a few sources along here. Stopped snowing so we took Var C, definitely recommend, amazing views over the lakes and would be an awesome spot to camp. Started on the sketchy traverse, problem for us was it was all under about half a metre of fresh snow, on top of a layer of very slippery ice. Luckily we wear hiking boots with deep tread so had fairly good grip even without microspikes. Hiking poles were lifesavers. Issues started with the descriptions of getting around the various gullies - they described using grass to climb up but for us everything was just white!!. Tom had a terrifying slip and slide 5m towards the cliff edge before arresting with his elbow and chin - his hiking poles had chosen this exact section to break so he was doing it without even poles. After this we backed down off the climb over the gully but in the end just had to go for it. I ended up carving steps out of the snow with my hands and packing the snow down so Tom could follow me up, and giving him one of my poles. If the snow hadn’t have been so fresh I think we would have had to turn around. I wish I could say it got better but as we started to head down into the valley we began to hit waist deep snow drifts. We were planning to camp here like others had but the snow was just too deep and we were worried about the cold so we decided to try to get over the pass and down into the forest for cover. Absolute battle wading through the snow, took turns breaking trail. Couldn’t see the river and unfortunately fell all the way through the snow and got my feet wet. Pass itself fairly easy to get over and then lots of shoe skiing down the other side. Dark fell as we got to the forest edge. Got confused by the GPX as it takes you right to the edge of a massive cliff - not great in the dark. Used other peoples notes and managed to find the trail on the other side of the river then just kept powering on until we found a clear spot on the old disused road at about (-45.98519,-72.10097). Collapsed into bed after a quick dinner at about 10pm - definitely the hardest day we’ve done on the whole GPT. Really wouldn’t recommend doing this section after heavy snow unless you have microspikes and probably an ice axe. Excellent navigation skills also a must due to lack of landmarks in the snow.<br /> <br /> Day 2: Woke up to frozen solid pants and shoes - it had dropped to -8 degrees overnight and was still -4 in the morning. After much smashing of our shoes and socks on rocks so we could put them on, we packed up the tent and headed off towards the tourist track. Passed Segundo camp, no one in sight. Finally thawing out when the sun came out. Took Var E up to the glacier - super long trip on rocky scree, worth going up to the lake but don’t go beyond like we did. Kept going along regular route after detour. Fair bit of snow on the pass, had to be very careful coming down as it was icy and windswept. Saw first glimpses of Cerro Castillo from behind. Camped at the old campsite just before El Bosque - still hadn’t seen anyone on the entire trail.<br /> <br /> Day 3: Did the side trip up to the Laguna behind the El Bosque campsite. Headed up to the main Laguna Castillo and was nearly blown off our feet as we came over the ridge. Hid behind a boulder for lunch while we assessed whether to bail down the mountain or attempt the high pass in the winds. As we ate they seemed to die off slightly so we legged it up the mountain. Awesome views over Villa Cerro Castillo and we could see back to the Torres del Avellano. As we hit the top of the pass the wind started to pick up again. We had to hide behind boulders between gusts and then sprint to the next one to avoid being blown off the mountain. Tricky coming down the pass in the high winds as the scree was pretty loose and very exposed to the wind. Eventually made it down and to Porteadores. Decided to head up to Neozelandés so we could go up to Laguna Duff in the morning. A few people were camped here - first people we had seen on the trail!<br /> <br /> Day 4: Plans to visit Laguna Duff were foiled as we woke up to heavy snow fall. Forecast was for even more snow so cut our losses and headed down. Visibility was terrible but passed several tour groups heading up the trail. Tried to avoid the park rangers but when we thought we were home free a guy in a Ute pulled us up as we were walking along the road towards Villa Cerro Castillo and asked where we were coming from. Took us back to the office and made us pay. Awesome section, snow and wind made it challenging but was great to have it all to ourselves until the last day.<br /> <br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''2024-Feb-16 to 2024-Feb-21 / 5.5 days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Lauren &amp; Seb'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> <br /> Day 1: After taking an Uber from Coyhaique to Villa Frei, we combined a couple of hitchhikes to wp X, Settler {31P-01} [0.0+0.3/310] and hiked to wp Lake {32} [33.6/338] to the put-in. We crossed Lago Desierto with good tail wind and camped at wp Lake {32} [38.3/337] which can get gusty on a rainy night.<br /> <br /> Day 2: We started paddling Lago Azul the next morning and very much enjoyed the pristine blue waters. The waves built up increasingly towards the shore so keep an eye out for a calmer landing spot. We then walked through a manicured garden, passing by an impressive private hacienda. The mountain bike tracks in the valley behind the hacienda are easy to walk with great views of Lago Azul and Lago La Paloma. We made camp at wp Camp {32} [52.4/713].<br /> <br /> Day 3: The next day, we were mentally gearing up for the BB section indicated in the files. *Note: We later found out there is no BB, in our opinion, as the actual 4wd track continues all the way until the END of RP-BB-A {32} [55.9+1.2]. After that, there is also no BB- only a 1.5 km walk along the river bank and through swamp land (CC would be a more accurate labelling for this part). We were very grateful for Tom’s advice to keep our fording footwear on after the fording just before the landslide. The swamp was much easier to navigate with our crocs. The rest of the way until the official Cerro Castillo trail is easy 4wd track, sometimes a bit overgrown. We decided to follow towards the southwest at wp GPT32-D, into the short BB and CC. The BB is not really BB, as shrubs are only hip high and easy to navigate. After that we joined the main trail and camped at Segundo Camping. We saw mice running around so it’s definitely advisable to hang your food on a tree if you don’t want these critters chewing through your tent.<br /> <br /> Days 4-6: After 3 days of not seeing anyone, it was a jarring contrast to meet numerous hikers on this popular stretch. Followed the scenic and easy RR until Villa Cerro Castillo, with an overnight stay at Camping Neozelandés to visit Laguna Duff. We exited the NP over a fence by following the RR and caught a hitchhike to town by noon.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-11 to 2024-Feb-14 / 3.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / Var M + RR + Var C + Opt03 / Matthias'''<br /> Day 1: (El Blanco -) Lago Monreal - valley after the traverse (km 31, 1200m). <br /> Stayed in the camping Las Confluencias (very nice people and place) in El Blanco (on ruta 7). The owner drove me to the Lago Monreal in the morning. He dropped me off right in front of the gate with camera on Var M and said: “This is the (only) way. Climb over the fence”. I did not encounter any problems, and the MR does not pass in sight of any housing. <br /> The traverse (km28-km30): You cross some steep slopes of scree and later of grass and shrubs, with some stretches where you´d better not fall. I´d recommend using microspikes if you carry for ease and safety. You do not really have to climb though. Going SOBO the route was not clear to me at the last rock (50m) before the track descends to the valley floor. Don´t try to climb over it (though there are traces of attempts), you can pass below, there is only 2m of bush-bashing through some trees, then you are on a path again.<br /> The camp in the valley was cold and very windy. <br /> <br /> Day 2: RR to Camp El Bosque<br /> Once you reach the official trail in NP, the path is relatively easy and always clear. From the camp El Bosque there is a path to a Laguna (20-30min) marked by cairns, it starts passing the toilet of the camp. There are nice views up there.<br /> Camping La Tetera (km 50.5) is officially closed for recuperation, so I did not camp there.<br /> <br /> Day 3+4: RR + Opt03<br /> At the very eastern end of Laguna Duff, there is a sheltered camp for 1 tent. With good weather a nice option.<br /> On the way down I explored the trail which is on OSM (leaves RR ca. at km 59). You pass through some gates and past the settler and the trail reaches RR just where the guardaparques are.<br /> Bought some gas from the friendly guardaparques. Hiked all the way to Cerro Castillo around noon.<br /> Stayed there in Hostal Cerro Castillo, which was the (good) recommendation of the park rangers.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Mar-01 to 2024-Mar-03 / 2.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / OH 02 + D + RR + OH E + 03 / Joscha'''<br /> <br /> Day 1: OH32-02 + OH32-D [1.0-2.6] + RR [38.8-39.6]<br /> <br /> I hitched from Puerto Chacabuco to Las Horquetas and startet there around noon. After 700 m on OH32-02 you pass by a ranger hut. You have to sign in and you will get a short explanation about the trail. You don't have to pay here, but they tell you that you will pay when leaving the park. There is plenty of water on OH32-02. I camped at Camping Rio Turbio (Segundo) at km 39.6 of RR.<br /> <br /> Day 2: RR [39.6-41.3] + OH32-E [0.0-1.6] to Laguna Glaciar Penon and back + RR [41.3-56.6] + OH32-03 [0.0-3.6]<br /> <br /> Laguna Glaciar Penon is worth the short detour on OH32-E. I crossed a bunch of small streams around the pass at km 43.9. There is some ice on top of the pass but its not very steep and therefore relatively easy to walk over it. There is no water between Laguna Cerro Castillo (km 50.9) and Camping Porteadores (at beginning of OH32-03). I camped at Camping Neozelandes.<br /> <br /> Day 3: OH32-03 to Laguna Duff and back to RR + RR [56.6-66.9]<br /> <br /> Laguna Duff is nice. I hiked there early in the morning and therefore had the whole place for myself. About 400 m before the RR joins the minor road (km 60.6) the RR branches off the official hiking trail and avoids the park entrance. You have to hop a fence to get on the minor road but therefore you don't pay the 15000 Pesos for hiking in the park.<br /> <br /> The nacional park has 4 official campgrounds (at km 39.6 and 48.9 of RR and the two marked camps on OH32-03). You are only allowed to camp at those sites. <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-23 to 2024-Feb-25 / 3 days / Hiking / SOBO / {32-M} - RR - {32-C} -RR / Lilian &amp; Rainbow'''<br /> <br /> Bus from Coyhaique to Villa Frei :<br /> <br /> Monday to Friday(8.15am, 3.30pm, 5.30pm, 7.30pm) , Saturday(8am, 2pm), i forget the fee, it is less than 1000 CLP. It takes about 35-40 minutes and it turns back to Coyhaique with no waiting. The sign on the bus doesn't write Villa Frei, it said Valle Simpson, (and final stop is Villa Frei.)<br /> <br /> Bus terminal in Coyhaique : (-45.58226, -72.07800)<br /> <br /> Bus stop in Villa Frei : (-45.75139, -72.11226)<br /> <br /> Resupply in Coyhaique:<br /> <br /> I sent a resupply box(shoes and socks) to Patagon Backpacker(hostel) in Coyhaique from Santiago some months before, they are super friendly and willing to hold my box until i arrive. You can contact them by email, they are good at speaking English, also know lot around Coyhaique.<br /> <br /> If you want to buy some warm clothes, some shops in Coyhaique. North Face and Patagonia is there, but expensive. Some clothes in Patagonia are on sale but not for hiking or not much use, lot clothes but full price, ya. North Face's staff is much friendly, and lot items on sale too, but rainproof is full price. They have tents for sale too.<br /> <br /> Good clothes is cheaper with discount, 230g gas canisters and sleeping pad at Suray Montana, friendly and not crowded. I bught a fleece jacket at here.<br /> <br /> Doite have the cheapest price sporty clothes, just beside North Face. I bught a good base layer here.<br /> <br /> Lot of supermarkets in Coyhaique. I resupply at Unimarc.<br /> <br /> They are all close to the plaza, all the shops i listed can search by Google Map.<br /> <br /> Because i just have 3 days good weather, so I don't want to do any road walking, i talk the bus to Villa Frei, then hitch to (-45.86204, -72.04816) start hiking.<br /> <br /> Locked gate and camera at {32-m} km2.33, I didn't want to take long time go with big around so i climbed it directly, didn't see any people on the whole way, so doesn't matter.<br /> <br /> RR km23.3 : cross a stream, log crossing at downstream 20m, you can go through the tiny forest to there.<br /> <br /> Km23.63 : flat spot(-45.90969, -72.05767) with some protection after a stream crossing can fit 2 tents before go into the no covers grassland.<br /> <br /> Highly recommend go for {32-C}, both ways just 10min, amazing views and a camping spot can fit 1 tent with excellent view at (-45.90744, -72.07668), but no wind protection.<br /> <br /> Km 26.63 : flat spot (-45.92066, -72.07543) can fit 2 tents with good wind protection from west by bushes.<br /> <br /> Km27.75 : old camping sandy spot(-45.92915, -72.07549) can fit 4 tents with some wind protection from west, just before the dangerous CC. I think the previous one is better.<br /> <br /> Km27.9 - km29.95 : dangerous CC traversing on side hill. A slide may cause a fall with heavy injure or death. It is doable but not recommended to everyone. Doing this part only in good weather.<br /> <br /> Km28.3 - km28.35 : for me, it is the most dangerous part in this CC, some landslide(-45.93359, -72.07668) and very loose, i can't hold a good pose and slipped down some meters, luckily i can use my hiking poles to stop the slide immediately.<br /> <br /> Km29.3 : tricky spot(-45.93822, -72.08632), huge thank you for Véronica, her comments made this much easier. Just like she said, &quot;You reach the end of the bad scree and end up in a deep gully with a vertical wall face on the other side.&quot; <br /> <br /> &quot;Get to the lowest grassy patch to the left of the vertical rock wall. The easiest way to reach that grassy patch was to go upstream a bit, then traverse on the hard slippery sand northward, instead of trying to climb vertically straight up to it. Once you reach the grass, you can use the traction and stability of vegetation to clamber up and out of the gully.&quot;<br /> <br /> Km29.55 : 1st rock wall, go around it with a clear trail at downhill side(-45.93818, -72.08940), GPX track is correct at here.<br /> <br /> Km29.7 : 2nd rock wall, NO CLIMBING, NO SCRAMBLING here, there is a trail JUST WALKING at (-45.93864, -72.09126), overgrown but just 20m easy BB, the trail is between rock wall and treeline, Sobo not easy to notice, but when you are going around the rock wall, then you'll find it. Nobo is easy to reach the trail at the other side. GPX track leads you to climb, it is not a good idea, a slide in climbing at here will mostly cause death.<br /> <br /> After 2nd rock wall, finally CC down to the valley and easy walking start.<br /> <br /> Lot of camping possibilities at the valley, but zero wind protection. Better camping before pass[32.5/1385], because after the pass is super rocky, pass is a large flat area, but too soft to camp.<br /> <br /> I camped at (-45.94901, -72.09962), some flat spots, beside the waterfall from Cerro Aislado. Nice views but cold. It is the first night with negative degree so far. Some water froze to ice at early morning around here.<br /> <br /> After pass[32.5/1385], you walking down at another valley, but with some cairns to follow. <br /> <br /> Km33.5 : trail starts, with some big cairns along it. It leads you all the way to treeline at km34.2. Sometimes it is not clear to follow and lost, but you will always find it if you pay tons of attention, cairns leads you the way.<br /> <br /> The trailhead at km34.2 is a little tricky. You need to climb up a little on a rocky slope after you cross the stream to (-45.97307, -72.10268), then go into the forest to south a little, you'll find a steep loose rocky slope going down again, go for it and you can hold some trees there. Then you join the old trail shown on GPX going south. Don't think about go to the trailhead(-45.97343, -72.10281) directly, it is on a waterfall, you can't arrive there.<br /> <br /> The old trail is in good condition for a while, then become overgrown and some blowdowns. For emergency, you can camp at (-45.97898, -72.10345), it is the first flat spot for Sobo in treeline with cover (the last one for Nobo). It can fit 2 single person tent.<br /> <br /> Lot of tiny stream flowing with clear water.<br /> <br /> When you met the rock river(-45.98185, -72.10091) at km35.33, you can CC down the river and join MR at (-45.98357, -72.10284), it is a super easy CC, not steep, no blowdowns, no wet feet, rocks are stable and not slippery.<br /> <br /> When you arrive MR, easy walking again. A gate locked by wire at km37.1, climbing over it is the fastest way.<br /> <br /> Km38.1 : start BB to riverside, but i think it is a CC, the grass just up to ankle only.<br /> <br /> I find a clear trail(-46.00113, -72.09460) without any blowdowns going south, and lead you to riverside at (-46.00216, -72.09530), then you can walk beside the river and join national park trail.<br /> <br /> National park trail is in a nice condition, nothing to mention. Some snow before and after pass[43.9/1470], but still an easy walking on snow.<br /> <br /> Km46.1 : camping spot at (-46.05228, -72.14549), it is cleared out all the stone by someone here, can fit 1 tent with excellent 360° views, but no wind protection.<br /> <br /> I camped beside the lake(-46.05780, -72.15969) for the second night, excellent spots with glacier views(you are just below it!) and views of Cerro Castillo! Peaceful and not crowded, I'm the only human there with some ducks, and they love to talking in the midnight. You can reach the lake starts at (-46.06176, -72.15672), easy walking beside a stream, all the way stay on east side and dry feet, BB less than 20 meters for total and mostly just easy CC.<br /> <br /> Km48.85 : Campsite El Bosque. Side trail to a lake under glacier at north. It is a long walk, but i highly recommend you at least take the trail go out the forest, amazing views there, both ways just 300m.<br /> <br /> Km49.95 : viewpoint of waterfall from Cerro Castillo. And i find that you can climb up to the top of waterfall! See the details at next waypoint.<br /> <br /> Km50.2 : you can climbing up this ridge to the UPPER LAKE of Cerro Castillo. From (-46.06989, -72.18148) to (-46.06905, -72.18500), then to (-46.06627, -72.18497). No trail, just CC on some rocks, stable and not steep until close to the top, the top part is steep and loose, at there you can go to right side a little bit, climbing up on grassy slope for final ascend. Amazing views there, and no camping, because the ground is too soft, but cow boy camping on huge rocks is wonderful at this place.<br /> <br /> I recorded this CC, will upload it later.<br /> <br /> Camp[50.5/1243] : Campsite La Tetera, not a good camping spot, some spots much better when you climbing up and before Laguna Castillo.<br /> <br /> After you enjoy the moment at Laguna Castillo, remember follow RR, check GPX track, dont follow the trail going beside the lake, it is a dead end trail, and if you dont want to all the way back, you can CC climbing up to join RR.<br /> <br /> Pass[53.5/1679] : excellent views here! If you are super thirsty, clear water is flowing good at (-46.07749, -72.20888), easy to collect, 10sec/L.<br /> <br /> Then all the way down to Campsite Los Porteadores, a long long way going down.<br /> <br /> Because of weather changing, so i didn't go up to Laguna Duff.<br /> <br /> Walking on a nice trail to main road, then all the way road walking to Villa Cerro Castillo.<br /> <br /> Lot of restaurants, shops and accomodation in Villa Cerro Castillo. The shop(-46.12072, -72.16115) beside the main road is the biggest one in town. Lot of biker riding, hikers and backpackers hitching on the road. Tall gas canisters and 230g gas canisters are sold in Copec gas station at (-46.12208, -72.16279) in high stock. We stayed at Nordic Patagonia(-46.12142, -72.15889), 15k CLP for a bed, 45k CLP for a double room, 8k CLP for camping with views of Cerro Castillo, including hot shower and kitchen basecamp.<br /> <br /> Maybe because of late season, never saw any flies at this section.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-10 to 2024-Feb-13 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / Las Horquetas and Lagunitas / Andrew'''<br /> <br /> Day 1 (slept at Rio Turbio)<br /> <br /> I started in Villa Cerro Castillo and hitched a ride to Las Horquetas. I left a bag at the Nordic Patagonia campground in town, it's free if you stay a night after, or CLP 1.000/day if not.<br /> <br /> Signed in at the CONAF station where the park ranger explained the official camps that are currently open, and advised not to drink unfiltered/untreated water between Rio Turbio camp to just before El Bosque camp. But others I talked to later in the hike didn't get the same message and seemed fine so not sure what was up there.<br /> <br /> Easy hike to Rio Turbio camp with some horseflies.<br /> <br /> Day 2 (slept at El Bosque)<br /> <br /> This day was my punishment for deciding to leave behind my fleece at the last moment. Cold and rainy as I went over Penon pass, but at least I got to test out my new rain jacket and rain pants. At least it wasn't very windy. Great views of waterfalls after the pass, and the rest of the day was sunny.<br /> <br /> Camped at El Bosque. Difficult but short day. Worth taking the side trail to Laguna Temprana after setting up camp.<br /> <br /> Day 3 (slept at Neozelandes)<br /> <br /> Lots of scrambling over rocks. Great panoramic views as we went over Morro Negro. As developed campsites go I think Porteadores was actually a bit nicer than Neozelandes, but Neozelandes is much crowded and puts you closer to Laguna Duff.<br /> <br /> Day 4 (back to Villa Cerro Castillo)<br /> <br /> In the morning I hiked to Laguna Duff, best scenary on the Las Horquatas section of the hike IMO, do not miss this. Afterwards I hiked back to Neozelandes, packed my stuff, and hiked back to the Villa. All downhill. Paid the CLP 16.000 fee at the Estero Parada CONAF station, then hitched a ride back (around 3pm). Had some good pizza and beers with some folks I met on the hike at Pizzeria y Hamburgueseria D-Lizia in VCC.<br /> <br /> * '''10-Feb-2024 / Hiking / SOBO / 4 days / RR + Option B (attempted) / Ella &amp; Cristopher'''<br /> Day 1, we walked through the sections of private property without running into anyone, but met other local hikers a bit afterwards who said they have previously had problems with one of the landowners on the route we took, and that he has now installed cameras. Got to the section with the traverse and attempted to take Option B - definitely do not recommend this option. It took us about 2 hours to walk less than a mile on the super steep and loose dirt/skree. Multiple dangerous moments. Part of this option also seems to pass through dense forest which looked difficult to bushwhack, but we didn't make it that far before turning back as it was getting late with no end in sight. We camped right at the beginning of Option B, where there is a flatter patch and stream that you can walk down to. It was a good view, but we realized later that a better and equally beautiful place to camp would have been where the land plateaus a bit and there are multiple small streams, on the RR about a km after you pass the start of Option B. Day 2, we woke up to super windy and rainy conditions, and waited for it to clear until about 3 pm before starting the traverse. The RR turned out to be a relatively safer route than Option B, though we were still glad we waited for the bad weather to pass before attempting. Followed advice from Veronica at the difficult parts, which worked well for us. Definitely budget extra time for this stretch. Camped right after the traverse when it drops down to the river, which you follow to cross the first pass. The area doesn't get a lot of sun so it was really cold at night, but still a nice place to camp with flat spots and a river. Day 3, trail before uniting with the CONAF area was difficult to follow at points and slow because you are walking a lot on loose rocks. We were very confused when reaching a waterfall with no visible trail, but a few cairns about. Following advice from Will, we crossed the river just before the waterfall to go up the left side of the valley. Climb through the trees and then cross a few meters of steep loose dirt/skree, and you should be able to see where the trail then continues in the forest. Some bushwhacking after this but relatively easy to follow GPS track until linking with the CONAF Las Horquetas trail. Camped in El Bosque Camping which had a toilet but no water tap (though there is a river close by). Day 4, relatively easy and super beautiful walking all day. We took the RR all the way to the road, which does in fact avoid the CONAF checkpoint so we never had to pay. Ran into other hikers who said CONAF is only charging when you leave the park. Got very lucky with a hitch to Villa Cerro Castillo, but I would not count on it and the road gets a lot of sun and I didn't see a water source. Bus from Villa Cerro Castillo leaves at 6 pm and goes to Coyhaique for 9.000.<br /> <br /> Feb 2023 Frank<br /> There is no need for any rock climbing on this route. After the gully where you climb out on grass (described by Veronica) there are two rock bands running perpendicular to the route. You can go below both of them &amp; bypass them at treeline.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-8 to 2024-Feb-11 / 3.25 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR from El Blanco and Lago Monreal + Variant M + Option 3 / Tomáš &amp; Natalie'''<br /> <br /> We started around 1500 at Coyhaique and easily hitched to El Blanco. We hitched with three cars (last went to Lago Paloma) and walked about four km in between them along Lago Monreal to Variant M. The sign against hikers scared us and it was late (1930), so we camped nearby (100 m along the fence westward). We reread other reports and decided to go for it in the morning. We first tried to go along a fence lining a small cliff about 100 metres west of the road, but it is pointless and we found ourselves on the road after a few hundred metres. We did not meet anyone. It is easy to miss RR and start on option 1, keep an eye on the GPS. We met black cows at the same place as Stiina, but they just looked omniously at us.<br /> <br /> As for the dangerous part, Tomáš ended up doing it three times as he dropped our tent poles from his backpack just before the start of the CC section. Unlike Nat (see below), he thinks the section is quite ok and he also found it quite scenic, especially the first part over the plateau. The annoying clambering is in fact only about two km long and can be done in about an hour if you know the way. It never felt dangerous to him, but he understands others see it differently. It is certainly more demanding than the average section of GPT. The description of Véronica is the best. The last obstacle (the boulder) is not entirely vertical (it feels like scrambling, not climbing), but you do need to use your hands and it is indeed exposed, down climbing NOBO is more awkward. On the other hand, it is only about seven metres distance (not elevation). We had sunny skies, in worse weather it would be a lot more annoying. The horseflies came back from the dead and died by the dozen under our merciless hands (Nat killed three accidentally just as she tied her hair back).<br /> <br /> At the end of CC after the pass, the trailhead is invisible (45.9731564S, 72.1026797W). It starts in the trees immediately from the river, about 10 m above the start of the waterfall in between two landslide/avalanche bands. Will comments that the GPX trail is exact, but since we are used to the GPX being slightly off, we could not see it, I guess we should have just trusted the GPX. There is a cairn in the creek marking the entrance but it is unclear how long it will stay there. Once you reach the overgrown MR, after a hundred metres of easy BB, one can cut the first zigzag straight down through easily passable mature forest. Once down on the road, you can camp on it, it is not used by cars ever. Once you reach the CC at 60.9, do not ford but stay on that side of the river!<br /> <br /> In the popular part of the hike, people concentrate at campings, but otherwise it does not feel too crowded (less than two dozen people met on the trails themselves per day). Until nine and from about five, you will meet almost nobody on the trails. The park is very attractive. There is good internet (Entel 4g) just before the pass at 53.5. From the other side, there is a sign saying the pass closes down in strong winds. Probably better to go there in the morning (weaker wind) or late (after six) in the afternoon (rangers have probably gone home) unless the weather is good. The sign where they turn people is probably at about 1250 altitude at roughly the treeline.<br /> <br /> To avoid paying, Nat followed the RR and was succesfull (OSM is wrong, the official trail is to the east of the GPT in the last few hundred metres). Tomáš followed the easternmost OSM trail that leaves the RR at roughly 480 altitude. The trail is rather imaginary, but it is easy walking across meadows or rarely through open forest and across several fences. His efforts were probably pointless. Tomáš also wanted to cut the walk to Villa Cerro Castillo and forded Estero El Bosque, but it was equally pointless and involved several fences.<br /> <br /> We found screwable gas cartridges in Villa Castillo at the supermarket &quot;Villarica&quot;, the last supermarket on the corner of - Bernardo Higgins and Bernardo a Alessandro, I think. They said they have them sometimes. There was a blackout for five hours during our stay but locals said that is not so common.<br /> <br /> Notes from Nat:<br /> <br /> - When in Coyhaique be sure to enjoy the bread and pizza shop called; La Tranquera Pan y Pizza (just North of the main plaza). It has a great selection of sourdough breads/Rye/whole-wheat loafs, cookies, real coffee and tasty pizza slices. ALSO don't miss the dry good store; Envasadora Aysen (45.57016° S, 72.06883° W), the good veg shop here (45.57730° S, 72.07038° W) and then the Unimarc is actually pretty good. <br /> <br /> - My views are prejudiced against the beginning of this route bcs I was sick and not in a good mood but my thoughts at the time were; &quot;If you want to &quot;enjoy&quot; section 32 then take the Las Horquetas option&quot;. I really didn't like all the sidehilling and felt you wouldn't miss out on much if you started at Horquetas. Also don't do what I did and pack twice as much as you need bcs Coyhaique &quot;might&quot; be the last place with good food (however it was 3-5x better than villa Castillo).<br /> <br /> - The first tricky part was annoying bcs it was hard to get an edge (not that there is any edge left in my shoes). It was easier to walk up it and gradually cross, all in all it didn't feel dangerous. The second tricky part did feel dangerous to me bcs I went too far climbers left of the grass staircase and ended up having to traverse the short, steep and featureless slope to get back on track, a fall seemed easy and with bad consequences. The rock scramble at the boulder did not worry me but I would not have climbed it if it was wet bcs there is a lot of algae-like material on it and some of the handholds were sloppy. <br /> <br /> - I would be very curious if one could make a new route that went up to this lake here; -45.94848, -72.07320, and then down either here; -45.95505, -72.08753 or along the ridge to here; -45.96914, -72.08724. It would be more vertical and longer but with possibly less sidehilling...<br /> <br /> - The glacier on Variant E (6km return, half of it moraine walking) is nice but not really worth it, the lake on the other hand is 100% worth the short walk (3km return, flat river rock waking).<br /> <br /> - The lake just North of Camping Bosque is also worth it if you can avoid the crowds. Both this lake and Variant E lake are technically CC but &quot;well traveled&quot; and cairned.<br /> <br /> - The trail to Laguna Duff is popular but &quot;splendid&quot;, it took less than two hours to the lake from Porteadores. Most of the trail is in the forest and then the last 1.5km (250m vert) is on a pretty obvious rock path. The camping at Neozelandés is far less crowded than other official campsites, I recommend it. I got into an argument with a CONAF officer at the lake bcs she told me it was too late to be there and I had to leave (4pm). If you want to avoid this person, then go right of the RR when it gets close to the lake headwall, she seemed to be &quot;staged&quot; at where the water leaves the lake. I originally wanted to make a traverse to the other lake but bcs of CONAF I went down to the camp to meet Tomáš and then we both went back up after she left (6ish). Once back up we made a traverse to the other lake by following a grassy slope that starts west of where the water exits the lake, you should be able to see the grassy slope on your left when you are walking to Duff. Follow it down and work yourself across, going down to where there is some grass should be quicker than traversing the rubble, it is CC, obviously. On the way down from the second lake we followed the main waterway and then cut back into the forest to reach the main trail (open forest, no BB). Rather than follow the west bank of the waterway like the GPS says we found it far easier to be in the east bank, less rubble.<br /> <br /> - We both had to walk back to Villa Castillo, no cars going in our direction but many going in opposite direction (~9am)<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-28 to 2024-Jan-31 / 4 days / Hiking / NOBO / Villa Cerro Castillo - Villa Frei / RR + Option 3 + Variant C + Variant M/ Alex &amp; Christophe'''<br /> <br /> It was another fantastic section but we don't have much to add to what has already been written. But we would still like to point out a few points:<br /> <br /> 1) At the Segundo campsite (also called Rio Turbio), mice gnawed our tent and our dry bag containing the food. It would be best to hang your food from the trees if you are sleeping at this campsite.<br /> <br /> 2) The large rock at -45.938145, -72.086171 can be avoided by doing 10 m of bush bashing just below the rock. This passage is much more visible going NOBO but it is also possible to take it going SOBO.<br /> <br /> 3) The little detour to Variant C is definitely worth it. The view of Lago Paloma and Lago Azul is truly incredible.<br /> <br /> 4) We took option M despite the right of way conflict. We passed a pick-up truck at the last gate going NOBO (the one with a padlock and a private property sign). They greeted us and gave us no problem.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-27 to 2024-Jan-29 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / option 2 + option 3 / Yannick &amp; Nolwenn'''<br /> <br /> - Trail condition : well maintained, good campsites sheltered from the wind <br /> - Water : easy to find plenty of rivers and lagunas<br /> - Camping spot : there are some designated campsites<br /> - Weather : Sunny<br /> - River crossing : easy<br /> - Resupply : in cohayque and in Villa cerro castillo, all you need<br /> - Entrance fee : 16 000 pesos per person, normally the park closes after 1pm so you can't start after that but we were a bit late and they let us through <br /> - Overall : beautiful stretch of section 32, for us it was really an amazing entrance in the Patagonian landscape as we imagined it with the Torres<br /> <br /> * '''From 2023-01-22 to 2023-01-24 // 3 days // Hiking // NOBO // RR + OP3 + OP3A + VARIANT M // Quentin Clavel'''<br /> <br /> Villa cerro castillo - entrance Estero Parada - Laguna Duff - Sendero las Horquetas - North part of NP (CC) - Lago Paloma - Villa Frei. <br /> <br /> One of my favourite section so far ! I had amazing weather and I enjoyed so much this stretch, even with few people on the sendero las Horquetas in the NP (not crowded, but obviously more than the usual sections of the GPT). <br /> <br /> Entrance fees for 3 days was 16,000 CLP for me. I had no control and have seen no guardaparque during my hike. <br /> <br /> I walked all the way up to see Laguna Duff (OPT3) definitely worth it in my opinion. Wonderful view, with still some pieces of ices floating on the Laguna, the back of Cerro Castillo and the reflects on the water were amazing. Easy to go there, as there is a trail. <br /> <br /> The second one (OPT3A) is more tricky, no trail, and a lot of rolling stones. Beautiful too and of course, no people at all (I slept there, without tent, just on a big rock, that was incredible). <br /> <br /> Then go up to the pass, it was a crazy hot day, for the first time since I'm in Patagonia, I regretted that it wouldn't be a little bit windy aha. <br /> <br /> Laguna cerro castillo Is amazing. Second pass were very nice too. Bi. I passed it early on the morning, had some snow part, doable, but as it was morning, it was icy on some parts, so I putted my crampons and that was perfect. (But doable without). <br /> <br /> Then easy trail until the end of the public part of NP (just after Segundo camping). After that the cross country part begun. Follow an old trail of the NP, some bush bashing during the forest part, and have to check often the GPS. Then you have to deal with all the rocks until the first pass. <br /> <br /> Go down on a nice valley, and go up to the second pass. Tricky part, as described previously, is the big rock. It's maybe easier to do it NOBO because you descent it, and don't face it, which can be scary. But going on the grass part is the best way. Then follow the tree level, deal with rolling stones, and everything is gonna be alright. The récompense will be the amazing view on Lago Paloma (don't miss the Mirador). <br /> <br /> I took the variant M to avoid the right of way conflict. No trouble at all on this way. You have to pass threw some gates. The last one, near a kind of central hydroelectric is the biggest, with camera and sign do not enter. Few people seen after this gate, and they were all very gentle and nice ! <br /> <br /> Anyway, I really loved this stretch ! As it's summertime at this time, I met a lot of chilenos in the NP, so happy to see even very young chilenos explore their outstanding country ! <br /> <br /> You have to be prepared to face a looooot of rolling stones on this section, sometimes it's like dancing on rocks. Can I say that the rolling stones make this stretch rock'n'roll ? Probably not. <br /> <br /> Better to wait for good conditions. I can't imagine this section on a rainy and windy day ! <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan- 11 to 2024-Jan-13/ 3 days/hiking/SOBO/ Start in Las Horquetas and later RR/ Paulina'''<br /> <br /> I started in las Horquetas, it was open even if on Conaf website this section is still closed, apparently they don't really update). When I was there ( 10 AM) nobody at the gate, so no charges. Later in the park nobody never asked me to show the entrance ticket. The same at the exit gate, they just asked me to check out ( even if I did not check in).<br /> At the beginning of Las Horquetas trail, some very easy river crossing. Almost no people, only a few hikers on the campsite.<br /> On Pass 32 [43.9/1470] still some soft snow, but I could cross it safetly.<br /> <br /> Be careful on the ridge around pass 32 [ 53.5/1679] on very windy days. <br /> I did not see any water around camping Los Porteadores, except this last section, water was available everywhere. <br /> <br /> Beautiful and very scenic section! <br /> <br /> * '''2023-12-29 to 2024-01-01 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR &amp; Variant D &amp; M / Roman'''<br /> <br /> Took a Uber from Coyhaique to Villa Frei for 17.000$. Got another lift by someone who life's there to this point: -45.8737, -72.04342. Joined via Variant M to the RR. Camped at Camp {32} [23.6/1010]. Good place you have to Ford 2 times before the Camp and 1 times directly after it. Here the -45.93357, -72.07606 Clambering in steep terrain starts and is very challenging also in combination with snow. Very steep literally climbing up there here: -45.938145, -72.086171 especially with a backpack. I needed to go very slow and cautious with 3 point technique. After that you can follow the GPS and the Kerns to this point -45.973087, -72.102771. From there a old abandoned road goes all the way to the point where the Trail( Variant D) merges with the Sendero de Chile Las Horquetas at: X {32-D} [1.0/920]. On the trial are some parts which are not perfectly visible but with GPS no problem. There are some fallen trees and quite a few small trees on the trail. I wouldn't consider it Bush Bashing (BB) because you can just raise your arms in front of your face and walk trough it. So IMHO no BB on the route. As soon as you are at X {32-D} [1.0/920] it's a &quot;touristy trail&quot; compared with the other GPT parts. Therefor the condition is excellent. Camped at Segundo Camping -46.008184, -72.104121. Next day camped at Camping Los Porteadores -46.089085, -72.235431. Snow was neither on Pass {32} [43.9/1470] or Pass {32} [53.5/1679] a problem. Next day hiked to Villa Cerro Castillo. Not a single car on the street towards it so needed to hike. The RR avoids the Entrance Cerro Castillo Park (Estero Parada) there is one gate before accessing the street where you can just hop over.<br /> <br /> Overall: really nice section and quite relaxing to have such a easy trail (the beginning is challenging due to the rock scramble). It's the most touristy part (2 groups a 7 people) but absolutely woth it. Really enjoyed it.<br /> <br /> Contact: https://linktr.ee/RundW<br /> <br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''2023-Dec-12 / 6 days / Packrafting / SOBO / RR + Variant D + Variant F / Tom Pieper'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> An Uber from Cohayique to Villa Simpson is about 9.000 Peso. From there I easily found rides to Lago Elizalde. A older man told me that there was also a camino from Lago Elizalde to Lago Azul passing cerro sombrero a couple of years ago. I really liked the walking through the valley to lago desierto. It passes a beautiful farmland landscape sprinkled with little lush patches of forest and creeks. Camping is easy there. But if you want to speed up there are also cars from time to time and hitchhiking is possible. At S 45° 52.495 W 072° 16.913 is a little shelter surrounded by some old tractors and a big mate cup installation. A farmer passing by told me I am welcome to stay there. To reach lago desierto you have to climb a locked gate (well described by Kara Davis). I crossed lago desierto and camped at the isthmus between it and lago azul. There is a nice camp spot at waypoint Lake {32} [38.3/337] surrounded by old gooseberry bushes and an abandoned van. The central lodging building is collapsed so its seems to be an abandoned place now except the cattle. Next day I crossed lago azul. The wind increased dramatically forming up to 1 m waves. There are some emergency exits on the left even after the shore gets steeper after the settlers on the lefthand side. At the end of lago azul you reach a huge private hacienda on the isthmus, with a big park like forest and buildings within. I tried to sneak between the buildings but to reach the path to the mountains you finally have to pass a big meadow. There was a greenkeeper around and it was no problem for him to let me pass. The family was not around. The track to the mountains is steep and part of a big network of mountainbike trails. This network spans nearly the entire valley! I met six young chilenos who told me that they are working the summer to maintain the trails only for that family – I have never seen such a giant mountainbike network! Incredible how much effort and money must spend here only to satisfy a family’s hobby. The Chilenos were very friendly and even turned back to offer me a ride to the end of the valley as rain increased but I kept walking. This track is in really good conditions up to the bush bashing section. And here comes the problem: 1.) the bush bashing is wrong annotated. In reality it starts for 1.2 km at the end of the annotated section 2.) the track is mostly gone were it reaches the river bed. Landslides have washed away a big part. Don’t cross the landslide! It seems super instable! When you have forded the riverbed at the landslide don’t put on your shoes, yet. The following part has turned into swamp land. I suggest to make the entire 1.2 km in your fording footwear. After that the track to the las horquetas trail is mostly overgrown or blocked by trees but still visible. It was pretty hard for me as temperatures dropped to 4 °C and at this point it had not stopped raining for 48 hr. In bad weather that’s definitely no fun. The ranger hut was my salvation as it was abandoned but open and had a stove and even some firewood. The next day the weather was perfect and I continued towards cerro Castillo. There had been recent work around Camping Rio Turbio and the track is still in good condition. Paso Penón has heaps of snow and I found myself sinking to the hips from time to time. But in good weather it is ok. The views from the pass and the following valley even outcompeted the view from laguna castillo. After the paso penón the rest is fine. I used Variant F to descend. As mentioned before it now follows a different way in the end due to right of way conflict and you reach the street at approximately half way between villa cerro Castillo and the national park entrance.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> <br /> * '''05-Apr-2023 / Hiking / SOBO / Martin &amp; Helena'''<br /> <br /> We really enjoyed this one. It's definitely worth waiting for good weather, not only for safe traverse of the steep part in the northern part of the park and following obstacles that are quite demanding but also for the views that were just incredible.<br /> <br /> Starting from Villa Frei in the late afternoon, we made it on that day to the turn before Lago La Paloma, where we camped right behind a fence, before a little river, that you need to cross to follow the RR. There are 2 settlements, but still far enough, so no problem. You have to cross one fence and a gate on the way up. To avoid right-of-way conflict, we followed Cristopher &amp; Anna's advice (thanks guys!) and turned right after the first gate behind the beginning of the optional trail. From there you just need to follow MR, cross a few gates and you will end up on a fenced field with bee hives on one side. Crossing them will take you directly to RR, so no bush-bashing is necessary. From there, the trail is pretty straightforward. We liked the view from Option B viewpoint and in good conditions it must be a perfect spot for camping, definitely doable in one day. The steep traverse didn't feel that dangerous for us, but we had really good conditions. The next obstacle, already described by others, is at the end of the traverse. We followed there a small ridge that will take you to the beginning of the grass parts. It's a little steep, but doable. From there we followed the grass parts, which create almost 'stairs' allowing you to climb up. It's again steep, but you can use your hands to pull yourself up, holding the grass patches. After that is the last challenging part, a rock that you need to climb over. We got there already after sunset and without an option to explore the best and safest way over, we decided to follow the old overgrown trail, that descends down without the need to climb over the rock. It seemed to be hard in the beginning, but after we got through the first few trees (without any leaves, just branches), we found a little strip without them, that takes you all the way down to the river, where we camped. It took us around 15 min to get down, so it might be a good alternative. From there you just need to walk through a little part of the forest and then continue by the river, so you are actually avoiding also the descent down, which some described as challenging as well.<br /> <br /> After the first marked pass and descent in rocky terrain, the CC part connects to an old trail, that later becomes a MR. The connection was easy to find by following the GPS. We had no problems passing around the rangers house, again by following the track files, at first through the forest and later around the river. From there the trail connects to the official way which makes navigation easy. We spent the night in the official campsite around 2 km before Laguna Carro Castillo, which is the only one open. There were 5-6 other tents, no ranger. The next day the weather got way way worse, which made us skip the last pass and go down from the laguna via one of the official routes. We met a ranger on the way up, pointing us to the official trail around yellow cairns, to sign off from the park. With no intention to pay on our way from the park, we actually followed some old trail (according to the old signs we met) that took us to the main road, right in front of the bridge. We had to cross one fence, but no other problem. It's a faster and safe way from the park.<br /> <br /> * '''5 to 7 of February 2023 / Will / SOBO / 3 days'''<br /> <br /> Amazing section! I was worried about the tricky part, but sticking to the gpx track it didn't feel dangerous to me. Though I did have to leave the track to find easier ways around the cliffs.<br /> <br /> There weren't any buses south out of Coyhaique on Sunday (except maybe early morning?). I ended up taking an Uber to villa frei, for a bearable 14000 pesos. The road walk was beautiful except for the wind trying to blow me into the cars. I caught a ride to Lago Monreal, from where I walked back up to variant L and then to the 23.6 campsite.<br /> <br /> I didn't have any right of way trouble, I just had to pass through a few unlocked gates with no people or buildings in sight. There were even a few groups of day hikers who passed by my camp on the way to the Lago Paloma mirador (variant B - must see!).<br /> <br /> I also took variant D up to the glacier lake, worth it if it fits your schedule. I didn't have time to keep going up to the glacier itself, it looked like steeper rocky cross country.<br /> <br /> Even in the touristy parts the trail was surprisingly slow and rocky. I ran into a few rangers, who look like normal hikers except with red and white baseball hats. They were ok with me not having a ticket once I explained my weird route.<br /> <br /> * '''15.02.23 -18.02.23 / Anna &amp; Christopher / SOBO'''<br /> Coyhaique - Villa Cerro Castillo<br /> <br /> We hitchhiked from Coyhaique to Lago Paloma and started walking around 13:30 pm following the main path.<br /> <br /> The trail at the beginning is pretty good. At the junction with the option at km 17,5 you can walk further uphill along the fence for a couple of meters to enter the fence through a gate. This option is not in the gpx files. We decided to follow that to avoid the settlers after all.Then you can follow the dirtroad through two more gates until you reach a fence that you have to jump to the right to get to a meadow with beehives. There is another gate there and then you reach the main route again. In total we only had to jump two fences.<br /> <br /> Then we followed the main route. Soon after we went through the gate of the National park Cerro Castillo and we (unfortunately) met two guardians of the park. After some back and forth they made us turn around, telling us that this path is closed and we have to enter the park via the main entrance and pay the 30.000 clp. So we had to take the option to las Horquetas.<br /> <br /> After a few good km on a dirtroad, the path of option 1 gets bad. It seems like it hasn't been used for a long time. It was often hard to find and involved some bushbashing. It took us quite some time to get through there. Once you are at the river it gets much better. We forded the river next to the entrance to avoid the detour until Horquetas. The option was not very nice. Mostly just walking in the forest with BB so we would definetly recommend to try the main route.<br /> <br /> The entrance closes at 2 pm but the guards there were much nicer than the first two, and it was also no problem to get in at 3 pm. We had to register us and pay the 30.000 clp p.p. though. The rest of the trek we were not asked to show the tickets. The park guardians tell you that there is no water crossing both passes and you have to carry it from the official camps, which is simply not true. There is only no water after Laguna Castillo.<br /> <br /> At the exit (following the RR) we had to register us again. From there we planned to hitchhike to Villa Cerro Castillo, but there were no cars passing by. In the afternoon/evening it's probably easier to get a ride, because lots of cars parked at the exit. We would recommend Option E to avoid the dull roadwalk to Villa Cerro Castillo.<br /> <br /> We stayed at Camping El Rincon, which was only 4.000 clp p.p., with no electricity, but the owner washed our clothes after we asked and we received it dry the next morning :)<br /> <br /> * '''18 to 21 of January 2023 / Véronica / GPT32 RR SOBO / 3.5 days'''<br /> <br /> Route: Villa Freí - Lago La Paloma - north part of Parque Nacional Cerro Castillo - Las Horquetas trail (south part of Parque Nacional Cerro Castillo) - Villa Cerro Castillo<br /> First off I want to say that I think this section deserves a 5 on the Attractiveness Scale. It is simply mind-blowingly beautiful and definitely on par with other sections further north that have a 5 on this scale. I also think the Difficulty Rating should be upped to a 5 as well, due to the technical, and arguably dangerous at times, section in the northern part of the park on the Regular Route. Wish I had someone with me during this stretch, but oh well, such is life.<br /> <br /> I was lucky and caught a hitch most of the way to Lago La Paloma on the first day. It was hot and I don't think the road walk has any water sources until you get to the end. I then followed the new RR which bypasses the problematic right-of-way settler in the Lago Monreal area. However, this new detour is not fun. It involves climbing over (or crawling through/under) multiple barbed wire fences. I lost count after the 5th or 6th one. Also, the path and cross-country area are full of thorny plants, they got everywhere on my pack and clothing. I think it would just be better to take Option 32-L and chat with the settler instead to try and get through. Once you reach RH-MR-V {32} [18.9+4.7], it's all good, easy walking until the camp at 23.6 km.<br /> <br /> I reccomend taking Option 32-A after the campsite instead of the CC straight through the cow pasture. It is wet and muddy, whereas 32-A remains dry and easy to follow in the forest at the edge of the meadow. I also strongly recommend taking the short detour to the mirador at the end of Option 32-B. The views there of the cliffs and mountains surrounding Lago La Paloma are incredible. You could even camp there if you brought sufficient water and the weather is calm.<br /> <br /> Now for the difficult part in the 8-km cross-country section. This section was physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding. The first pass is at S 45° 55.740', W 072° 04.501'. It is easy walking up past the treeline into the alpine up to this point. The first challenge is a steep and unstable scree traverse, which begins at S 45° 56.019', W 072° 04.567'. Follow the GPS tracks here. At first I tried to go lower, right along the treeline, which was a big mistake that got me stuck in a terrible gully of slippery hard-packed sand. Very treacherous and scary trying to traverse it on all fours. After that ordeal, I scrambled back up to the altitude of the GPS tracks. This first scree traverse lasts about a km, the rocks are loose and it is very steep. I was tense and went very slowly. Got harassed by tábanos the whole way, but at least the weather was good.<br /> <br /> Then at S 45° 56.288', W 072° 05.184', you reach the end of the bad scree and end up in a deep gully with a vertical wall face on the other side. Figuring out how to get up that cliff was hard for me. I left my pack at the bottom and tried climbing up various different ways with no success, only tiring myself out and getting myself in precarious situations where I could barely climb back down. I finally figured out the best way was to try and get to the lowest grassy patch to the left of the vertical rock wall. The easiest way to reach that grassy patch was to go upstream a bit, then traverse on the hard slippery sand northward, instead of trying to climb vertically straight up to it. Once you reach the grass, you can use the traction and stability of vegetation to clamber up and out of the gully.<br /> <br /> The next big obstacle is at S 45° 56.320', W 072° 05.446'. Like others have written, this is the vertical rock wall that spans up and down the mountain and that you have to climb over. I scouted ways up without my pack at first, trying to find the easiest way. At least with this rock wall, the handholds and footholds are solid — no slippery gravel/sand/scree. But it does require actual rock climbing moves. If you fall you would likely tumble down the mountain, so please be very careful. A light backpack makes it relatively safer and easier.<br /> <br /> On the other side of this wall, you can finally see where the trees end, and the lovely river you are supposed to climb down to reach. But there is still more scree to traverse here, and it is slow and unstable again. I tried taking a shortcut down a shallow gully filled with grass. I figured it would be safer than the rocks, but it was very steep and got unexpectedly muddy at one point, and I ended up slipping and sliding down the mountainside about 10 meters before being able to stop myself. Didn't get seriously hurt, just bruised up, but it really shook me and just added to the stress and fear of this whole section. So I guess my advice here is to again follow the GPS tracks across the scree and go down gradually to the river instead of trying to go straight down.<br /> <br /> Once you reach the riverbed, it is easy walking to the top of the pass, with occasional cairns (and some good swimming holes). Down the south side of the pass, there are still a couple scree sections, but not nearly as bad as before. Lots of boulders, so slow going, but at least they felt more solid.<br /> <br /> As Martin Lizondo has written, finding the start of RH-MR-V {32} [34.1+1.7] is tricky. It is not a minor road, it is an old footpath. The cross-country section ends at a creek as it turns into a high and steep waterfall. You have to cross the creek and look up to find a faint, overgrown trail that goes up into the forest. Once you find it though, it is simple enough to follow. There is a stretch though of several hundred meters where it is more of a bushwhack than anything else, nature has taken over.<br /> <br /> I followed the regular route that cuts through the forest to Río Turbío, I assume this is to avoid the ranger station nearby. The &quot;bushbashing&quot; section is easy through a mature forest, and then you just follow the bouldery riverbank.<br /> <br /> Once you get to the popular Las Horquetas trail, everything is easy until the end of the section. Some snow at the top of the first pass (Paso Peñón), but very manageable. The views of the saw-toothed mountains, lakes, and glaciers are spectacular. Despite reports of the park being &quot;overrun,&quot; I only met a handful of other hikers in this trail, and most of them after Laguna Castillo. No rangers at all.<br /> <br /> I think the Regular Route in its current configuration avoids the blue payment tent at the end of the park trail, but I didn't know that when I passed through, and ended up just following the riverbank down to the minor road to be safe (and avoid paying the ridiculous 30,000 clp access fee). The road walk to Cerro Castillo was Easy and uneventful.<br /> <br /> * '''23/02/2023 - 25/02/2023 / RR SOBO / Louis, Rémi &amp; Noé :'''<br /> <br /> We started at Lago La Paloma, taking the bus from Coyhaique to Villa Frei (leaves at 8:15,15:30,17:30&amp;19:30 from monday to friday and at 8:00 and 14:00 on saturday (no bus on sunday)). Then we hitchiked to the lake without problem and we camped there. Ready to start in the morning the next day.<br /> <br /> Day 1 - Campamento Rio Turbio - 26.5km - +1800m/-1200m A big day but we hadnt the choice : heavy rain was announced for the next day... Cross country is demanding, better follow the tracks all the way long. A great camp site if you want to split this day is at the end of Option B. No water, windy but incredible view. The waypoint camp before is nice too.<br /> <br /> Day 2 - Campamento El Bosque - 10km - +800m/-800m The 2 camps sites on the GPT at47.8 and at 50.3 are now forbidden. The new campsite is approx at km 49, in the middle. There is guardaparques, but no need to show the permit for us.<br /> <br /> Day 3 - Cerro Castillo - 11km - +800m/-1500m The pass after Cerro Castillo was closed due to the wind. If you want to go to the other side, you have to get down at the park entrance and to go up again at the other entrance. We just went to the town. The regular route going down from there, from the Cerro Castillo, is not the one on the GPT. Actually, it goes more on the west side. At the end, there is a guardaparque, we checked out (even though we didn’t checked in) but no need to pay. Fortunately. Luck was with us.<br /> <br /> * '''23/02/2023 - 25/02/2023 / RR NOBO / Jakub+Veronika:'''<br /> <br /> 1) Lago La Paloma, right of way conflict on RH (32, km 17.5): Owner of the land (and nearby houses) is called Cesar, according to him, the right way is by the mud road (OH 32-L) and not on the trail, which passes some 20m next to his house. The reason why there was a conflict might have been caused by Cesar's relative who didn't like tourists walking on their land.<br /> 2) Trail has been changed 3 years ago because of right of way conflict between CONAF and private owners on the OH (32-E). The new official trail (with official park entrance) leads on OH (32-E) for the first 2km, then turns right and goes down towards Rio Ibáñez to RR (32, km 85), well marked by metal yellow triangles.<br /> <br /> We've walked all section 32 from Villa Frei to Villa Cerro Castillo. The part from Lago Paloma to Rio Turbio is very difficult and might be even dangerous (especially in bad weather). The CC travers on the stones (in our case with strong wind and snow) was the hardest part. The MR leading down to the valley is partially overgrown. The second part is well marked with good camping possibilities. After heavy rains on Sunday 25th, the park has been closed for more than a week. There are 2 alerts on the road (see above).<br /> <br /> * '''Feb 17 RR 3 days SOBO Frank'''<br /> <br /> Walked from Villa Frei. After about 12KM there is a food truck next to the road. Owners live there so should open for you. The owner of the private land wasn't there so had no access issues. You can camp in a big meadow @ 1250 metres or in good weather at a pass @ about 1325 metres (not marked on track file) just before the difficult CC section begins. Followed Veronica's advice to get up the gully on grass which worked well, thanks Veronica. There is no need for any rock climbing on this route. After the gully there are two rock bands running perpendicular to the route. You can go below both of them &amp; bypass them at treeline. The second bypass is not very obvious but stay at the treeline &amp; you will get through easily. After the pass, descending scree you come to a waterfall. Go left into the forest immediately before the waterfall - you may see a small cairn marking the spot. Just footprints at first but pick up a small trail as you go in. Leaving the park the RR to the left goes through private land. The optional route straight down is now the main trail, it goes down to a checkpoint just before the road. Checkpoint is at a stile over a fence so can't be avoided. It is run as a private 'concession' from CONAF. The workers were friendly &amp; didn't charge me anything. However next year the concession will be run by a different company so depends who is there.<br /> <br /> * ''' Note on Options 4, 7 and 8:'''<br /> GPT32 Option 4: is the gravel road to Lago Elizalde and Lago el Desierto. A subsidized bus travels this route 2 or 3 times per week.<br /> GPT32 Option 7 and 8: Are routes published on Wikiloc and/or www.suda.Io. This means someone took these routes in the last years but not much more information are available.<br /> (Source Jan Dudeck: https://www.facebook.com/groups/222224388283455/posts/1498106867361861/ )<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> * '''2022 Feb: 05-07, SoBo, RR, Kris&amp;Stiina'''<br /> <br /> We continued into this section straight from the previous one - 31H and the start of it, about first 16km, is like the whole previous section - dirt road. We hiked about 5 of those 16km and hitched the rest which I think was possible quite easy because it was weekend and a lot of cars with families were going to the Lago La Paloma.<br /> <br /> The interesting part started once we were at the gate after crossing the outflow of Lago Monreal. The big sign was posted there stating that this is not some Sendero de Chile and that passing through here is strictly forbidden. We saw a guy at the gate when we were approaching, but as it was lunch time for us we stayed at the stream. Afterwards the guy was gone and there was no phone signal to call the nr. that Martin Lizondo has provided. After considering options of different routes we decided to keep it cool and climbed over the gate with fingers crossed. There were houses a few hundred meters up the road, but nobody seemed to be at home at that point, perhaps working in the field somewhere in the back, so we walked through the forbidden land without anyone intercepting, luck was with us. A few more gates later we climbed up into the forest and finally the Cerro Castillo National park with a big old welcoming sign. We stayed at the first marked campsite at 22,7km, there is a stream.<br /> <br /> Next morning as we were having our breakfast about 30 cows showed up and were completely dazzled by our presence. They stared at us for about 15min until they finally relaxed a bit, but not fully. As we were packing our camp some sudden movement must have scared them and they all went running for their lives as if a Kraken himself was after them, silly cows, we thought. Once we were all packed and ready to go we crossed the stream into the next meadow, and saw all the cows about 200m to our left. I am not exactly sure how cows work, but as soon as they saw us they organized a gang and all of them started running right at us. We of course were standing our ground so the cows would stop just 5m from us and look all tough. I would try to scare them away by counter attack in the form of a shouting, hiking pole waving lunatic. It worked to some extent, as we could slowly walk out of it, but the cows kept persistently be really close and walk/run at us. I guess they were trying to protect their pasture, maybe someone can enlighten me about cow-dynamics.<br /> <br /> After the great battle of 2022, we disappeared in the forest and enjoyed the nice forest path while it lasted. Once out of the three line the path disappeared so we more or less followed the GPS marking. Neither of our maps showed the mentioned old path descending down into the valley, it was actually matching with the GPS, more or less. Up to the first pass, which is not marked, but is at about 26,8km the cross country was easy and then as mentioned before it got pretty difficult. If it would just be steep scree slope it would be alright, but this one had hard packed sand under the scree or sometimes no scree on it so it was very slippery (in dry conditions). Lots of prayers went to the Gods of Friction which helped us with traversing the treacherous slopes, with plenty of chances to become a statistic. I don’t think that that traverse is possible in wet conditions, not without crampons. And as for every good cake there is always a cherry on top, which was a little rock climbing session, which I personally didn’t mind, but I am not sure other hikers would appreciate. After that we still had to descend a steep scree down to the river. If there is a potential trail or option to go down the valley after the pass and then follow the river bank up, I think it is definitely a better, faster and safer option, especially if weather is not favorable. And looking from above down the valley it seemed like a feasible option to follow the river as the river itself was easily crossable and we didn’t spot any cliffs there, maybe next time.<br /> <br /> After reaching the river at the valley bottom the way up to the second pass was easy and straight forward, even though still “sin sendero”. The way down from the pass is steep and bouldery but not dangerous and after a short bit some first signs of an old trail can be noticed, some cairs appear. Then once the trail gets down to the tree line there are a few bushy places, but nothing too bad and the closer to the actual trail you get the better it becomes. We also somewhat followed the GPS track but stayed more in the forest rather than beach to avoid the ranger hut.<br /> <br /> Once we made it to the Las Horquetas trail all our worries were behind us and we could enjoy the nice trail and magnificent views. I don’t think I have ever seen tree line ending almost at the edge of the glacier in Europe it was happening a century ago, pretty cool stuff. We camped at the “segundo camping” with many other hikers, none doing the GPT though. And an interesting thing we observed was that people would just drink straight from the silty glacier stream without filtering or treating their water at all. Observation was made of different groups of people at different campsites. Is that a Chilean thing? Very impressive gut, if they can do it, unless ignorance is a bliss or they knew something that we didn’t.<br /> <br /> Nevertheless, two more mountain passes and we were heading down to Villa Cerro Castillo, with crowds of day-hikers that had come up to the Mirador Cerro Castillo. From there we actually didn’t follow the GPS track but headed down straight to the town. The ticket office with the park official is actually around this area: (46º 6.7520' S, 72º 12.0032' W). And the trail leading there is the official trail. The one that seemed on the map like the official, was actually not in use, not sure why. The satellite view on Gaia and info on the maps is somehow outdated. We tried to sneak past the office to avoid all explaining we had to do, but it’s kind of strategically placed so it wasn’t possible and we ended up just talking to the girl that was making sure everyone is checking out of the park. We had to pay 18.000 pesos per person which is the ticket for foreigners that want to go up to the mirador. We didn’t spill the beans about camping in the park and our small backpacks kept the suspicion low, so in the end it all worked out pretty good. From there it is still almost 5km to the town on a very dusty road, but with all the day hikers leaving a hitch was not a problem.<br /> <br /> The town is really nice with plenty of shops and accommodations options. The only thing we didn’t manage to find was the threaded gas canister, but we found a few half-empty ones left in the Nordic Patagonia mess tent.<br /> <br /> 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<br /> * '''2021-Dec-18 to 2021-Dec-22 / Option 6 (Valle Balboa), Regular Route &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;(Packrafting Lago Desierto and Lago Azul)&lt;/span&gt; and &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Option 9 (Packrafting Lago Paloma)&lt;/span&gt; / Northbound and Westbound / Meylin and Jan'''&lt;/span&gt;.<br /> <br /> General Remark:<br /> This route provides an attractive alternative to the overrun Cerro Castillo trail. The popular Cerro Castillo trail is also highly regulated (obligatory camp sites, closed in suboptimal weather) and costly (27’000 CLP entrence fee) therefore this alternative should be considered by hikers and packrafters.<br /> At the upper terminus of the Valle Balboa is a 5 km long and 400 m wide pasture at an altitude of 1100 m. To utilize this pasture for cattle summer grazing, settlers build a 18 km long trail through the forrest along the Rio Balboa.<br /> This very scenic Valle Balboa trail was hiked and published on Wikiexplora by Tobias Hellwig and Daniel Mahn. But the southbound descent down to Rio Ibañez was made by climbing down with a rope in very steep terrain because the location of the descending trail was not yet documented. <br /> Therefore we investigate this route in the opposite direction to search the southern trailhead to incorporate a feasible hiking traverse from Rio Balboa to Rio Ibanez in the GPT network.<br /> <br /> Summary of Northbound Investigation:<br /> Tobias Hellwig suggested where the southern trailhead may be located. A detailed analysis of satellite images and elevation profiles supported this and a local resident confirmed this assumption. After an hour of searching we found the southern trailhead. This trail terminates at a 400 m by 60 m pasture at abandoned camp (“Camp A”) from where no trail appears to continue. <br /> To continue through the last section of forrest we bush-bashed through very steep terrain and continued trail-less through a rather open forrest until reaching open terrain (“Entry Forrest Valle Ibanez”). From this point we traversed the open terrain on a slightly higher route than recorded by Tobias Hellwig and Daniel Mahn and meet the previously recorded route at the descent into the Valle Balboa (“Exit Forrest Valle Balboa”).<br /> From this point we followed closely the previously recorded route in the Valle Balboa from where we packrafted westbound over Lago Desierto, Lago Azul and Lago Paloma.<br /> <br /> Recommendation for Southbound Hikers and Packrafters:<br /> Hikers that wish to bypass the Cerro Castillo trail may either road-walk 25.5 km from Villa Frei via Lago Elizalde to Lago Desierto (GPT32 Option 4) or take the bus from Coyhaique to Lago Caro and leave the bus just after the bridge over Rio Paloma.<br /> Alternatively hikers may walk along the lakes Lago Paloma, Lago Azul and Lago Desierto (GPT32 Option 5) but bypass the buildings at the trail start to avoid a right-of-way dispute (see yellow arrow on the image that first follows the beach of Lago Paloma and than sneakers in between some trees to the trail).<br /> Packrafters best paddle the three lakes to get to Rio Balboa. Note that the predominant wind direction is westbound.<br /> After reaching the western end of Lago Desierto hikers and packrafters closely follow the route of GPT32 Option 6. Note that the multiple river crossings of Rio Balboa may become impassable after heavy rain and are generally easier in the morning (due to snow and glacier melting water that reaches it maximum in the evening).<br /> After reaching open terrain at Kilometer 24 (“Exit Forrest Valle Balboa”) hikers and packrafters traverse 5 km open terrain to the waypoint “Entry Forrest Valle Ibanez” while enjoying the wide open view into Valle Ibanez. Starting from Kilometer 24 do not follow any more track “EXP-OP-TL-V {32-06} [0.0+30.6]”.<br /> After entering the rather open forrest best follow the 8 waypoints of “Proposed Improvement for Investigation”. This bush-bashing route probably avoids the very steep descent that we struggled to get up with our heavy packrafting gear. When reaching the trail (either “Record 1” or “Record 2”) follow the generally well-visible and well-maintained trail to “Exit Forrest Valle Ibanez”.<br /> Note that that “Record 1” and “Record 2” includes all our searching, so don’t take these tracks as an instruction but use your common sense to follow only the relevant parts.<br /> When reaching Rio Ibanez packrafters can float on the river towards Cerro Castillo while hikers must walk along the northern side of Rio Ibanez to Cerro Castillo.<br /> As an add-on hikers and packrafters may take GPT32 Option 3 to visit a less frequented trail of Parque Cerro Castillo.<br /> <br /> (Note: taken from here https://www.facebook.com/groups/222224388283455/posts/1256244101548140/ - now the options are part of the GPT Track files, the Facebook post includes pictures.)<br /> <br /> ==Season 2020/21==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> * '''Section 32, Option 7: Valle Balboa. Southbound. 11 days (including waiting out a snow storm). Party (3): Mum, Sis and I.'''<br /> <br /> After walking Section 35 we emerged in Cochrane to a world changed by the virus. We retreated to the now unfriendly Chili Chico and caught the ferry across to Ibáñez in the morning. For my mum and sister, getting back to Santiago to catch a flight home had been the priority, but on the way they shifted more to the stance I was taking: what was the point? Get stuck in Australia, or here? Patagonia didn't seem all that bad, and apart from facemasks and hand sanitiser, there were no shortages like back home. By the time we reached Coyhaique we'd all decided to stay a week or so to hatch a plan. We met up with Aldo and camped in his backyard for almost a week. I helped build his house a bit, but time was mostly filled with playing chess, dice, cards and guitar. The atmosphere seemed to encourage a lethargic state, blurring the days together and bending time. Finally however, we packed and walked into the town centre to make a start on the interesting option #007 of Section 32 through Valle Balboa, (traversing roughly from Lago Desierto to Río Ibáñez). With the virus and public transport on hold, it seemed unlikely the bus to Villa Freí (that we took last time for the RR of Section 32) would be running. We asked a taxi driver for a quote to drive us out. We grabbed some more supplies, and then caught a taxi with a much friendlier driver to Lago Elizalde ($15k). The driver showed us a great public camping spot on the shore of the lake. There were many established camp sites back from [close to] the beach. It was such a nice spot that we decided to lay back and spend the afternoon and night there.<br /> <br /> In the morning, we walked the road to Río Paloma, scoring a lift for 5ks or so. We camped by the river not far before the end of the road.<br /> <br /> In the morning we walked the last bit of the public road to where it ends at the very rickety bridge over Río Mogote. There is a nice little camping spot here (-45.91100, -72.31823). Climbing over the locked gate, we walked the private road to the ford. We tossed up visiting Lago Desierto and the people living next to it, but with the virus decided against it. This meant we didn't actually have to cross the river, instead locating the old road to the south. (The track files follow the road, but it is no longer used by vehicles and it is actually easier to head back down the main road a couple of hundred metres to where a cattle trail exists (-45.91601, -72.30806)).<br /> <br /> Following this distinct road for some time, it seemed to be used for horse riding tours as there were coloured signs like &quot;Spanglish&quot; and &quot;Toobooku&quot; on the side. You will soon reach the gate included in the track files. Here there is also access to a bridge across Estero Balboa. It looks like you can then access trails most of the way up to Cerró Negro. This might be interesting if someone wants to explore.<br /> <br /> A couple hundred metres after the gate the old road ends and an obvious trail continues to a miskept farmhouse. Continue along the well defined trail that gets a bit scrubby/overgrown before entering the forest. The trail is then very well maintained although quite muddy in spots (I could see it being quite bad after rain). You will need to ford a tributary not marked in the track files (-45.95592, -72.35114). Shortly afterwards is a junction (-45.95654, -72.35216). The route up the side valley could be explored if someone wants - we went only a short way to a corral. The track will dip back down to the river where there is an established camp (-45.97039, -72.35461). Continuing up the valley, there are many more established camps - the best are generally in close proximity to the fords.<br /> <br /> The first time you cross the estero is about here: (-45.98105, -72.36205). There is only one ford, not two as the track files indicate. At the next couple of fords, the actual track deviates slightly from the track files. If you follow the current track files, you will avoid crossing the river at all, but will end up bush bashing briefly. We crossed the next two fords, but by staying on the west side of the river they should also be easily avoidable.<br /> <br /> The trail exits the forest (-46.02116, -72.42538)(the camp marked in the track files here is a swamp - go further up the valley!) from where it is cross country walking, not actually a trail as indicated. We camped next to the puesto which incorporates some pieces of a crashed plane (we found another piece whist exploring, but not the actual crash site). The route up to the Laguna Campana is also open and straight forward.<br /> <br /> We waited out a rainy day only to wake to a snow storm the next!... and the next!. We ended up waiting 4 nights experimenting with some different bread recipes whilst we waited out the inclement weather.<br /> <br /> Finally a sunny day! Continue up the valley, CC walking past an old corral. At the Nacimiento del Estero Balboa you again briefly enter the trees. Like the previous marked camp, again this whole area was very swampy and I didn't see a suitable place to camp. The camp included in the track files is in the middle of a swamp! We picked up fragments of a track heading up through the trees, but I think it is very vague or overgrown. That said, we had nearly a foot of snow in places so we could have easily missed things! There is a very obvious section of track here : (-46.05648, -72.47298). You'll quickly exit the trees (-46.05923, -72.47005) and start a long CC section in the alpine. We found some sections of trail, but for us it was mostly cross country walking. Plenty of water options the whole way.<br /> <br /> When you enter the forest after completing the alpine section (-46.08687, -72.43537), you will be bush bashing for a long time! There was no discernible track even when we criss-crossed over the track files searching for it (no snow here anymore). Approaching the deep gorge, I decided to lead us a different, less steep way. This worked well and we camped at a very nice spot by the stream at the bottom (-46.09414, -72.42582).<br /> <br /> The next day we were debating simply following the river down (I wish we had!). Instead, we headed straight up the other side of the gorge. We located part of an old track here (-46.09685, -72.42463) but quickly lost it as we passed through the saddle (I think maybe it continues north?). Rejoining the suggested investigation route (EXP-OP-TL-I@32-07-#003), there is a good stream (-46.10202, -72.42403) and some camping on its banks.<br /> <br /> After some horrible bush bashing, we finally made it to a ravine gashing steeply down the mountain (-46.10598, -72.41534). There were many drops and it was impossible to go directly down. We later found out that the only other party to do this part had a rope! I can't really recommend going down here [and my sister can't recommend it at all! - &quot;This is shit!&quot;] Again, I'd recommend taking the main valley. The climbs we did were much more difficult than those on the northern part of Section 32 RR that people complain about. Also, if doing this option, it would be much easier travelling north! You could also consult the settlers on a better route. We finally reached the bottom where it opens up after about ~6hrs!<br /> <br /> Continuing, if you do follow EXP-OP-TL-V@32-07A-#003, the track files indicate there is a trail, but it is not quite so. There are CC sections and a labyrinth of cattle trails. You will need to use them to your advantage where they exist, and leave them when they go the wrong way. We went this way for a little while, but then tried following a primary cattle track that seemed to be heading directly down to the river... but we got stopped by a swamp (-46.11623, -72.41080). Continuing along EXP-OP-TL-V@32-07A-#003, you will get CC walking from the woods (after a cliff) about here: (-46.11546, -72.42372) If we were there again we would follow EXP-OP-CC-A@32-07-#004 down past the settler to the river. It then looked easy to walk along the river north to the cable car.<br /> <br /> The cable car: Don't use this by yourself! Don't use it if you are only two! Use it with three people minimum! I can't stress this enough. There is a lot of fiction and the locals we talked to here don't even consider it safe. They used the boat which has its own steel cable allowing you to tack across with relative ease. You will get wet feet if using the boat.<br /> <br /> Taking the cable car, we only just made it across with one in the car and two hauling on the rope, and at one point it looked like my sister might get stranded on the far side (she had a nightmare that night!).<br /> <br /> Carretera Austral: We waited the entire day by the Carretera Austral. Finally catching a colectivo late in the afternoon. With the virus, it was hard/imposible to hitchhike. We paid an inflated price ($3kpp) for transport to Cerró Castillo.<br /> <br /> <br /> * '''2020-March-6 / Ty &amp; America / 4.5 Days SOBO RR. Start @ El Blanco'''<br /> <br /> We started in El Blanco, opting to hike by Lago Montreal, which was pretty nice. No traffic though, so if you’re wanting a hitch the regular start in Villa freí may be a better option. Settlers in Lago Montreal are super friendly. There’s a bit of water there as you pass by the lake. We camped there. I recommend going further to the marked camp though because the next day is a big challenge. RH-CC-A@32-25.2+7.9 Is the Cruz of the section. After this all good. I do not recommend doing this unless you’re very comfortable on your feet and have a lightweight pack.<br /> <br /> -stick to the treeline/marked path on this. The traversing is tough, but completely doable. 2-3 km in is the gully with the very difficult climb. Keep the the grassy patch, getting to the base of it was the most dangerous part for us. Very slippery rock. I had America drop her pack. High risk, but I was MUCH more comfortable.<br /> <br /> -about a k after is the second dangerous area. This is a straight rock wall that spans all the way up&amp; down the mountain. The only way through is to climb around. I checked below it and didn’t find a way through the trees. I took both Sanita &amp; America’s packs through this section; as again, it’s very high risk..with an actual climbing move involved. Again, it’s important you’re very comfortable with your pack to get through these parts.<br /> <br /> After these dangerous sections we were wiped out and camped in the valley before the pass. Lots of places to camp with good water. Be aware of slight rockfall risk. There’s an amazing place to camp with ideal conditions at the top of the pass.<br /> <br /> Going on, all smooth, both marked camps on the way up the second pass are actually closed...there’s an open camp right between the two.<br /> <br /> Amazing places to camp up by Laguna Castillo.<br /> <br /> We snuck around the riverbed once we saw the blue tent at the bottom (where you might have to pay) and got by with no problems.<br /> <br /> * '''Jan 2020 GPT32 South 7days / Felix'''<br /> <br /> Coyhaique to Villa Freí: There is a bus from the bus terminal in Coyhaique to Villa Freí. From there it was a hot dusty road.<br /> <br /> Accessing the park : You have to pass through 4 private properties to enter the first sector of the park. We met some people. Had short friendly chats, but no problems with access. Just before you enter the park (where there are two trail options) there is easy access to the river via a cow trail. However water in general was no issue and I didn't carry water for the entire 7 days through the park.<br /> <br /> The camp site used to be an official campsite before the sector was closed due to access problems. The dunny is in great shape.<br /> <br /> Through the first sector : The trail is in great shape until after the mirador. You then cut upwards into the alpine which is also easy walking. After passing through a saddle, you contour around above the treeline. This is the most difficult part of the section. Quite a bit of step scree traversing. Not for everyone. Once you drop into the valley waking is again easier. There are some occasional cairns that become more and more frequent as you drop into the other valley. As you contour left an intermittent trail is evident. When you enter the lenga forest (-45.97321, -72.10278) there is a great trail down that turns into a road here : (-45.97886, -72.10358) (Jan: maybe you want to update the track files to reflect this?) Then is road walking to join the popular walk.<br /> <br /> Popular sector of Cerró Castillo : There are some side trips not included in the track files. They're on the map you get. Note that the old Bosque site (-46.06197, -72.16016) and La Tetera (-46.07200, -72.18390) are now closed. You can not camp there. For most people this means camping at the new el Bosque : (-46.06418, -72.16964)(Jan : maybe you want to update the track files?) Get to Laguna Cerró Castillo before 12 to beat the walkers heading up for the day. But this shouldn't be an issue as you need to cross the pass early : an important thing we would have liked to know is that the pass (-46.08030, -72.21103) can be closed in the afternoon due to strong winds. There is literally a ranger there that can turn people around. Not much water over the pass either. And the poza cerca mirador doesn't look welcoming. Carry water here. In the next valley there were more rangers and we saw some people get checked for permits. It's a shame this park is now being comercialalised :(<br /> <br /> Getting back to Coyhaique : Not much traffic. The last bus heads back at 6pm<br /> <br /> I'll try upload some map photos and a breakdown of the entrance fees when I get the photos off my camera.<br /> <br /> Cheers, Felix.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-18 and 19 / Regular Hiking Southbound / Martin Lizondo'''<br /> <br /> The starting minor road gets into the private propiety of Pedro Sangüesa (+56 9 9099 9083) at 45º 52' 15,55&quot; S, 72º 2' 46,28&quot; O. He didn’t like people to pass through and denied that there was a trail, but it turned out to be a Conaf’s well signed area. He said in the future he will ask for money, but finally left me pass for no charge. I met other day hikers going to « El Mirador ». Snow was easy at the passes. The trail was in good conditions until the cross country. There are two spots which I consider dangerous, so I don’t recomend doing this section alone: 1) the gps tracks passes through a very vertical rocky (nearly climbing). I was scared and I can’t recommend doing it, except you asume this risk. I could see later in a map that the original route went all way down in the valley through lenga forest, but if there was a trail it’s invisible now. 2) When the cross country leaves the tree line and becomes a small trail into the lenga forest at 45º 58' 23,54&quot; S, 72º 6' 10,02&quot; O (“minor road” starts later, despite the gps track info); it’s very stepy and unmaintained. I made a mistake and started to follow the stream all way down, but you have to look up and search the beginning of the hidden path. It’s very vertical and easy to fell down, because of recent land slides. Be extremely carefull. The rest of Cerro Castillo from Las Horquetas is well maintained, beautifull and enjoyable. Cons: Lots of people. When leaving at the Nezoelandes entrance, you’ll have to pass near to the payment cabin. I didn’ t have to pay, but it was because I spent only a short time in the park. The cost for foreigners is normaly CLP 29,000.<br /> <br /> * '''Jan 2020 / RH Northbound / Matthieu'''<br /> <br /> No technical difficulties in the park, just following the trail and enjoying the views.<br /> <br /> To follow the GPT northbound, leave the parc trail to go north. It is an &quot;old sendero&quot; in the forest, but well maintained and easy to follow during the beginning (it is marked on maps of the parc). In this direction, no problem to leave the forest in a safe spot, but southbound, looking behind, seemed hard to find the entrance of the forest and of the safe trail ! No technical difficulties until the first pass, rocky terrain like the rest of the park. <br /> <br /> The dangerous part is indeed between the 2 passes. You dont go in the valley in front of you but follow the altitude line until the pass that you see at the right side of the valley. Very steepy rolling stones path. I was a little bit afraid. I tried to be smarter than the tracks, trying more uphill... this was a dangerous mistake that took me long to repair and go back to the tracks. There are indeed two river crossing (no dangerous waterstream) but they are circled by cliffs, so not easily crossable. <br /> The track follow mostly the tree line (I.e the separations between the little trees and the stones) So my recommendations : <br /> - follow the gps tracks : they follow the tree line who is safer with a solid ground and grass. Sometimes you have to cross the stones, no choice, so go slowly, choose your paces wisely and it's doable. Try to aim for the grounds of grass in the middle, which are solid, or the stones with foam on them, which mostly didn't move for a while. For the rivercrossing, it aims a good spot with no need to climb down or up.<br /> - choose a good weather day : for me it was sunny and no wind, so perfect day, and it was already mentally hard (not speaking of the horseflies getting you crazy during the hard moments !). I wouldn't try it with rain or big wind in this river of rolling stones. <br /> - if you don't feel it, easy escape by the normal trail of the parc<br /> <br /> However, I can assure that the prize for the effort, going northbound, is amazing !! But I won't spoil ! <br /> After the second pass, no technical difficulties, you find a Conaf trail easily, and I even cross some tourists with a guide.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Nov-29/ Lea Geibel, Kevin Moe/ 3days / Northbound / Regular Hiking Route with OH-MR-V (Villa Cerro Castillo to Las Horquetas)'''<br /> <br /> The section follows the rather popular tourist Hiking route Las Horquetas for the first two days, meaning there will be less solitude but also rather well maintained trails. The national park and the region around Cerro Castillo was very impressive, we especially enjoyed to take all the side trails and visit the numerous beautiful glacier lagoons. The only unpleasant part of the hike was the organization of the national park. The exorbitant high entrance fees are in no relation to the other parks, which is due to a high ratio of private land in the area but makes the park rather unattractive for tourists. some rangers seemed poorly informed and couldn't give much information (e.g. insisted that passes were &quot;closed&quot; and only after asking numerous times agreed to check with his colleagues that told that they are &quot;open&quot;). They also said it is not possible to hike the regular route of the GPT, because we have to check out of the NP at the checkpoint Las Horquetas. There is an optional hiking route continuing North from there. Due to bad weather coming up we ended up not finishing the northern stretch of the trail and just followed the entire Las Horquetas Route at the Carretera Austral.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Nov-29 / Lea Geibel, Kevin Moe'''<br /> <br /> Snow line is at around 1200 Meters but all passes are safely traversable.<br /> The National Park Entrance Fee got raised to 29000 CLP per person for overnight hikes in season 19/20. The park generally seemed very poorly organized, we were told the passes are &quot;closed&quot; at first, whereas they were easy and safe to traverse. The ranger insisted that we could not hike the normal route northbound but have to sign out of the park at the Las Horquetas checkpoint. In high season, the ranger station in the park is manned, so maybe it is possible so sign out there and head northbound.<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Nov-12 / Eva Havlová'''<br /> <br /> There is still lots of snow in the National Park. I arrived to Villa Cerro Castillo 3 days ago (Novembre 12, 2019) and planed to hike nortbound but rangers didn't let me go. I saw the pass they were talking about (avalanche risk) and I don't think any avalanche could occur, but the thought is that there is lots of water running down and the trail is like a stream. They said it might be possible to do it next week.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2018/19==<br /> <br /> * '''2019 Jan/ Oilrik / Northbound'''<br /> <br /> We ended up doing the normal Cerro Castillo hike as the weather was forecasting heavy rain and snow so we did not want to be on the pass. The regular trail is just gorgeous and the park is beautiful. The trail in the north is not on the new CONAF maps but is marked on the old ones.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2017/18==<br /> <br /> * '''Route description by Kara Davis after Season 2017/18:'''<br /> <br /> A sandy beach with a visible structure in the grass is the take-out for Lago Elizalde. After exiting, make your way through the farmland until encountering a gravel road that leads past the house at the top of the hill up to Ruta X-686.<br /> <br /> Ruta X-686 is a lightly trafficked but well-formed gravel road that is fenced on either side. After crossing the Río Paloma, Ruta X-686 makes a sharp left and begins to climb. 4 km after the sharp left turn, cross a bridge to the left and climb to a wooden gate. If you descend the steep slope to the left of the gate, there is camping under some trees.<br /> <br /> The wooden gate marks the beginning of a very long driveway to a house located near the lake. The route takes you along this driveway until a river crossing. After crossing the river, walk northeast along its shore towards the Río Paloma. After reaching the end of the fenceline near the Río Paloma, turn east and walk along the fenceline until reaching Lago Desierto. At the river outlet, there is a nice beach to put in to Lago Desierto.<br /> <br /> There is no camping along the shores of Lago Desierto. The take-out is a rocky beach at the base of a bluff. Walk up the bluff and cross country through the farmland to Lago Azul. At the east end of the farm, descend down a road to a rocky beach at the Lago Azul shoreline with a metal structure.<br /> <br /> There are a couple of potential camping options along the shoreline of Lago Azul. There are also several residences on the north shore. The take-out is a long rocky beach set before a well manicured forest. On the east end of the land near Lago La Paloma is an expensive looking house surrounded by several other buildings.<br /> <br /> There is a 4WD track to the west of the smaller red house located south of the big residence. Ascend the steep climb on a well-formed road that is criss-crossed with several smaller tracks labeled in english with wooden signs. Due to the steep slopes on either side of the cut out road, there is no camping here.<br /> <br /> Eventually, the route turns off of the road onto an overgrown 4WD track. Camping off the track is still difficult because of prickly vegetation and steep terrain. This track ends 2.5 km from where the Regular Packrafting Route joins the Regular Hiking Route. From here, the route involves some bushwhacking and following a small trail as it winds in and out of existence. Just before joining with the Regular Hiking Route, the route widens into an old 4WD track that passes some destroyed structures.<br /> <br /> The routes join up at a large rock cairn and continues to follow a 4WD track until reaching a large wooden sign with a map of the Reserva Nacional Cerro Castillo. Here there is also a campsite and ranger station. There is a 5.000 CLP fee to enter the reserve.<br /> <br /> The route from here is a popular track for backpackers with designated campsites. The trail is well-formed and winds through the forest. When the trail becomes less obvious, the way is shown with yellow markers. In this area there is a designated campsite with a latrine.<br /> <br /> At treeline, follow the cairns and rocks painted with white and red stripes through the scree up and over the first pass (approximate elevation 1.450 m). After the steep descent, reenter the trees. There is a campsite, Camping El Bosque, soon after reaching treeline (approximately elevation 940 m) with water and a latrine.<br /> <br /> The trail begins to wind up through the forest toward Laguna Castillo. The sights from Laguna Castillo, which is at the base of the pass, are stunning. There are two tracks that climb up to the pass. Make sure to take the path that climbs to the south instead of continuing southeast over the obvious saddle.<br /> <br /> The track down to Ruta X-720 is well formed, marked, and popular, but occasionally braided. Follow it until reaching the wooden stile with a rangers hut. From there join Ruta X-720, a dirt road which leads to Highway 7 and Villa Cerro Castillo.<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> *Town: Villa Cerro Castillo. Villa Cerro Castillo has several restaurants, small markets, and plenty of lodging options, including a popular backpacker camping destination on the east side of town.<br /> *2024-Dec / Michael and Kasia <br /> We stayed at Hospedaje Gemita on Ramón Freire next door to Camping Castillo, 20.000 pp for room in a shared cabaña. The cabaña had 4 rooms (2 doubles, 2 singles), a well equipped kitchen, hot shower. Not allowed to do laundry in the Hospedaje, but there is a lavaderia in town. The hosts, Gemita and Pedro, are very nice. They have also spent a lot of time in Los Avellanos on horseback. Maria, one of the settlers in the valley in Avellanos is a cousin of Pedro.<br /> <br /> We found gas in four shops, two had the threaded canisters for stoves, one was 6.000 for a 300 ml tank, the other was the COPEC across the highway from town, 4.000 a tank. The others just had refills, cheapest was the supermercado on the highway, 2.700 for a refill canister.<br /> <br /> There is a Banco de Santander ATM in the COPEC on the west side of the highway.<br /> <br /> Just on the other side of the highway on the road to the park there is a fruit and vegetable shop that also sells frutos secos and nuts in bulk. He had the best prices.<br /> <br /> *2024-Mar /Joscha<br /> <br /> Shop in Villa Cerro Castillo at -46.12201, -72.161708 has pasta, ramen, oats, chips, cookies, olive oil, peanuts, peanut butter, bread and some more stuff.<br /> <br /> *Lovely yum restaurant in Coyhaique: Restaurant DaGus, Lautaro 82, 5950000 Coyhaique. Little hidden gem. -45.86411, -72.04916<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> *2024-Dec Buses Sao Paolo passes through Villa Cerro Castillo for Coyhaique every day around noon, 8.000 pp; Buses ECA passes through Villa Cerro Castillo for Coyhaique Thursdays and Mondays songs 11:30, 8.000 pp.<br /> *Buses to Villa Frei from Coyhaique bus terminal: Monday 7:30, 8:15, 15:30, 17:00, 19:30 Tuesday to Friday 8:15, 15:30, 17:30, 19:30 Saturday 08:00 and 14:00. No bus on Sunday. It takes about 30 minutes to get to Villa Frei &amp; the bus generally turns around immediately &amp; goes back to Coyhaique.<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> *2023/ Martin &amp; Helena<br /> To avoid right-of-way conflict, we followed Cristopher &amp; Anna's advice (thanks guys!) and turned right after the first gate behind the beginning of the optional trail. From there you just need to follow MR, cross a few gates and you will end up on a fenced field with bee hives on one side. <br /> <br /> *2023/ Jakub+Veronika:<br /> 1) Lago La Paloma, right of way conflict on RH (32, km 17.5): Owner of the land (and nearby houses) is called Cesar, according to him, the right way is by the mud road (OH 32-L) and not on the trail, which passes some 20m next to his house. The reason why there was a conflict might have been caused by Cesar's relative who didn't like tourists walking on their land.<br /> 2) Trail has been changed 3 years ago because of right of way conflict between CONAF and private owners on the OH (32-E). The new official trail (with official park entrance) leads on OH (32-E) for the first 2km, then turns right and goes down towards Rio Ibáñez to RR (32, km 85), well marked by metal yellow triangles.<br /> <br /> *2023 / Anna &amp; Christopher <br /> The entrance closes at 2 pm but the guards there were much nicer than the first two, and it was also no problem to get in at 3 pm. We had to register us and pay the 30.000 clp p.p. though. The rest of the trek we were not asked to show the tickets. <br /> <br /> *2020 / Martin Lizondo<br /> The starting minor road gets into the private propiety of Pedro Sangüesa (+56 9 9099 9083) at 45º 52' 15,55&quot; S, 72º 2' 46,28&quot; O. He didn’t like people to pass through and denied that there was a trail, but it turned out to be a Conaf’s well signed area. He said in the future he will ask for money, but finally left me pass for no charge.<br /> (...)<br /> When leaving at the Nezoelandes entrance, you’ll have to pass near to the payment cabin. I didn’ t have to pay, but it was because I spent only a short time in the park. The cost for foreigners is normaly CLP 29,000.<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT32 - Cerro Castillo]]<br /> <br /> =Images=</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT22_(Cochamo)&diff=119070 2024-12-11T15:57:44Z

<p>MiaimZelt: /* Season 2024/25 */</p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;packrafting&quot;, as above):<br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD, WHAT IS ENCLOSED IN &lt;&gt; MAKES IT BLUE):<br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/nowiki&gt;.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Overview=<br /> * General advice : The Regular Route is best hiked between December and April. The primary obstacles are high river levels early in the season and after rain. During the peak period of January and February it may be difficult to obtain a camping reservation at La Junta which could prevent a southbound traverse (but people were usually let through when they say they go all the way to El Arco).<br /> <br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> * '''From 2024-12-04 to 2024-12-10 // 6.5 days //Hiking // NOBO // RR + Pasarela option, Option 2 (Lago de las Rocas east side) + Gravelroad between Llanada Grande and Rio Manso // Daina'''<br /> <br /> In general: no dofficult river crossings, the biggest challenge was the mud between Rio Manso and La Junta. Navigation was mostly without difficulties.<br /> <br /> Day 1: Easy trail to the argentinian border. Arrived at 5pm and needed to wait until next morning for the stamp. Camped at the beautiful and free camping next to the carabinieros. <br /> <br /> Day 2: Got my stamp and continued. Lovely trail with nice vies until the chiliean carabinieros. Easy bordercrossing. Took the alternative at the east side around Laguna de las Rocas. At some point i saw a sign, indicating the trail is closed due to fallen trees. I continued, the trail got wider. Then i reached the farm of german settlers. A woman (Vivi) approached me and we talked. She told me, my GPX-Track is wrong, because it want's me to cross their private property. Last days people climbed over locked fences, what bothers them. Should walk outside of the fence. On the other side Vivi waited for me and asked me to walk the original trail with her daughter. Got invited to lunch, later her daughter walked with me on the original trail (indicated by a sign &quot;Lago Azul 6km&quot;), while she cleared it with a machete. I did record it with my Smartphone. Sent it to Jan, you also can find it in the facebook group. <br /> After the ford of a river the trail in the dense forest was partly covered under fallen trees. Several times i needed to check the GPS. Camped at a tiny lake near Lago Azul.<br /> <br /> Day 3: Didn't follow the GPS around Lago Azul, because it lead's through the property of a settler. Instead i stayed outside of the fenced area. Found signs indicating i'm on the right track, directly before i reached the shore of the lake. The path up to the gravel road was partly overgrown, but doable. <br /> <br /> Walked on the gravel road, later i got a hitch to the supermarket in Llanada Grande. Very good shop for a full resupply. After resupply i didn't find a hitch, walked 3 hours until a very nice chilean took me the last kilometers. Stayed at Camp {22N} [45.2/44].<br /> <br /> Day 4: Due to the steep up and downs + the mud i was much slower than expected. Met 2 very nice settlers on horseback. Bridge {22N} [51.8/146] (Rio Steffen) has a cable car instead of a bridge. Settler warned me about it. Didn't know how to get inside, because it drives away when you don't hold the rope at the same time. Decided to ford the river instead, was knee-deep. 4 more easy fords along my way to the nice campside at Bridge {22N} [63.0/337] (Rio El Colorado).<br /> <br /> Day 5: Trail was in better conditions the next hours. At Torrentoso there is a open shelter with lots of space for tents around. Along Lago Vidal the trail got muddy again. Bridge {22N} [80.9/645] doesn't exist, but very easy to ford. The forst half of the ascent to Lago Grande was easy, but the second half was very muddy and challenging. Wanted to camp at Lago Grande but, Camp {22N} [83.8/1001] is fully covered under a huge downfall of several big trees. Trail along Lago Grande is in poor condition (fallen trees + mud). Camp {22N} [84.9/1012] is a beautiful campspot.<br /> <br /> Day 6: Began with the poor trail. Directly after camp, there is a hole where the trail should be. Campspot near the tiny lake. Later one more huge downfall. Trail improves a little bit until El Arco, but due to mud i was very slow. 4 easy fords until the refuge. Rio Arco was knee-deep, easy ford. Met the first hikers directly after the crossing. Mud was getting even more, improved at the descent. Ford Rio Traidor was not difficult, again knee-deep. Ford Rio La Junta could be avoided, because above Toboganes there is a bridge. Didn't know. Could stay at Camp Trawen (13mil), was plenty of space for more tents. They have a small kiosk. Toboganes waterfall is worth to be visited. <br /> <br /> Day 7: Easy trail in the beaufiful rainforest from La Junta to the reception. Hiked on the gravel road and luckily i got a hitch to Puerto Varas.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> <br /> * '''From 2024-02-19 to 2024-02-24 // 6 days // Hiking // NOBO // RR + Option 2, 1B, 1 + Variant I, J // Quentin Clavel'''<br /> <br /> Lago Puelo - lago de las rocas (east) - Lago Azul - Lago Totoral - Llana Grande - El Manso - Lago Vidal Gormaz - La Junta - Toboganes - mirador Arcoiris - Anfiteatro - Cerro Trinidad - Cochamo <br /> <br /> The section begin with the crossing of Rio Azul, wich was not difficult at this time of the year. Then easy track to the lovely Argentinia border, I slept on the camping there. 8 more kilometers to arrive to the carabineros office. Easy border, nice people. <br /> <br /> Then due to the landslide on the RR (carabineros confirm me that the track is still not praticable there) I continued along Lago de Las Rocas, on the eastern side, following the option 2. Pretty easy to follow.<br /> <br /> At some point there is a junction, with a sign indicate Lago Azul - 6Km on the right. I followed it, even if it get me out of the GPX file (and the nice and easy to follow track). Not sure it was a great idea, I ended up on a sort of small bush-bashing areas that I managed to pass threw and after few kilometers, finally found back the option track, clear and easy, and continue my way.<br /> <br /> Then you arrive to a big farm, the one from Jonas, a German native arriving here when he was a child, grow up there and have now a family, living in nature, along the lake, cultivating fruits and vegetables, and selling woods. Very nice man, interesting discussions ! After his farm, you'll follow the valley but keep the left in the woods straight after his farm, if not you'll arrive in a big swampy area. <br /> <br /> The track is less obvious and there's a lot of fallen trees. Few check on the GPS was necessary. Then you reach the Lago Azul. The GPX file is going inside the property of a settler. He's a nice guy but his dogs less, one bites me ! (Not hardly, but still!). Just be more careful than me going there, or go around the property. <br /> <br /> One last hard push to reach a gravel road, that you will follow until El Manso (30km a bit boring), but easy to find camping and food, especially around Lago Totoral. Resupply at Llana Grande, big supermarket with everything you need. <br /> <br /> At El Manso, there's a minimarket next to the cervecería wich is a place where you can camp. The track is quite easy to follow, and quite physical with all the ups and downs. I had rain for two days and this stretch was muddy, especially along the Lago Vidal Gormaz. Then it becomes VERY muddy until La Junta. I had the feelings I will never finish this stretch, and I felt few times in the mud. <br /> <br /> I was definitely not presentable when I arrived in La Junta, and the contrast was huge with all people well dressed with clean sports clothes who smell good the fresh perfume of lavenderia ahaha. <br /> <br /> I wanted to do Arco iris, but the track is closed because of a landslide. So I opt for the glaciar Paloma wich was surprisingly technical and steep. <br /> But the surrounding worth it, the glaciar Is amazing, the fact that you can enter into it is mad ! I slept up there, there's a little circle with rocks to put your tent. <br /> <br /> Then I reached Cochamo and enjoyed great food, confortable hostel and relaxing atmosphere<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-09 to 2024-Feb-16 / 7,5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Gerald'''<br /> <br /> First: I wouldn't do it if there was a lot of rain. Did it after a week of rain in 2019 and it was a mud hell until El Arco. Now it seems at least until junta the trail improved (not sure). For those who don't own a trekking pole, organize a stick early... you won't have mich fun with the muddy situation otherwise.<br /> <br /> The bus leaving Puerto Varas at 8:30 (Bus stop at -41.31617, -72.985396) charged 7k. Surprisingly they drove me to the trailhead, last time i had to walk from the bridge, guess it depends on the bus. If you want to get a seat you should probably take the bus in Puerto Montt, had to stay the whole ride. Seems like they will also stop along the way if you wave (check the cochamo insta for an overview of the schedule and route of the bus).<br /> Arrived at the checkpoint at 11:45. After explaining my trip and that i will stay at El Arco they let me pass (without a reservation). They just ask you to register before you go.<br /> Stopped at la junta to make a coffee and enjoy the view. They sell veggies they grow on site.<br /> If i remember rights from Rio Trador on it gets really muddy. It rained 4 days ago and mud was not a big issue until that river. <br /> <br /> Anyway, arrived quite late at 8pm at the shelter. There is a path to the right to a place to pitch couple of tents. After Rio Traidor (-41.407173, -72.092915) would also be a nice place to camp<br /> <br /> In average only 2 tabano/day annoyed me, what a time we live in... Finally<br /> <br /> Dona Luisa has a nice spot on the southern side of the lake Vidal gormaz.<br /> To give you idea, here a short pricelist:<br /> 5k camping, <br /> 3k for a beer (brahma or Sol), <br /> 7k for a bottle of wine, <br /> 12k for dinner (meat, salad and bread), <br /> 1.5k for cheese<br /> <br /> Camping at the settlement Steffen looked nice. Unfortunately i chose a spot next to a way too curious bull...<br /> <br /> The camping at the brewery in El Manso is not worth a penny (they charge 5k). It's basically a dry piece of land full of goose shit. Engine on petrol runs untill 10pm. Only wifi is positive. I couldn't find a good spot to camp nearby. I would camp way before. Bus supposed to arrive between 14:30 and 15:00. Luckily a car took me to Puerto Urrutia where i continued. Hostel Puelo Libre looked nice next to the beautiful river. Hiked until the north west side of lago las rocas.<br /> <br /> Ricardo (?) offered me a ride for free to the other end of the landslide. But I chose to cross the whole lake by boat. He charged 30k (I was alone). The radio is not anymore at the &quot;port&quot;, but you can walk to his house (just continue the MR, first house at around [-42.019089, -71.861245] to your left, if you want to avoid the dogs take the small trail to your left once you see it).<br /> <br /> Leaving Chile without the PDI document was not an issue (I requested the paper 5 days in advance and only got an auto response...). They did not even ask. Good views on the lake from now on. Spend an extra day at the camp next to the AR border control. All in all, nice hike! <br /> <br /> Missed the bus to El bolson by 5mins. Seems like it's more towards x:30h. I think they run every hour. Got a ride with a car for 1k to the city. If someone is fancying good sourdough bread i can recommend &quot;El Obrador&quot;<br /> <br /> The Post office is also doing Westernunion here (check Googlemaps reviews for more Infos)<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-03 to 2024-Feb-09 / Lilian'''<br /> <br /> If you decide stay at Segundo Corral, and take the boat to Argentina.<br /> <br /> NO NO NO <br /> <br /> NO NO NO<br /> <br /> DON'T DON'T DON'T stay at Mari Mari Peni Camping, (or another name) Amancays Camping.<br /> <br /> I saved a girl hiker almost RAPED by the campground owner, and I'm pointed by a rifle gun force me to stop helping her at the night on 07/02. About the details, i type it and upload later.<br /> <br /> It is already reported to Chile carabineros and Consulate in Chile.<br /> <br /> * '''GPT22 2024-01-31 to 2024-02-05 / 5,5 days days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Cochamó options/ Tomáš &amp; Natalie'''<br /> <br /> After a month and a half, we finally did something standard! From Puerto Varras (the bus stop on Avenida Vicente Perez Rosales just after Antonio Varras street) we took a bus at 8:38 going from Puerto Mont that went all the way to the end of MR to the &quot;Road end&quot; waypoint (aka the trailhead). At our hostel (Casa Apel), they told us it would arrive at 8:45. Not sure if this is the same bus that others said would pass Puerto Varras at 8:15 or if it just goes to the road end only in high season. It was 7000 per person - I think they might charge double for backpacks, it seemed expensive but happy they took us all the way.<br /> <br /> We were at the entrance at 11 AM and were let through for free when we told them we were going to El Arco. Nat worries this excuse won't last long. The way to La Junta is really busy (met maybe 50 people and about ten horses), easy and without many views as it goes through a forest. When we reached La Junta, we decided that the valley is too special to just walk on by, so we decided to try our luck and ask for camping in order to do the side trips. We asked all the campsites and only La Junta let us stay, 8000 CLP per person. Nat says it is important not to spread the word as they were nice people and did us a favor even though they were not supposed to allow people without reservations to stay. So, do not expect to be let in. We had a numbered site so I think they genuinely had some places free. If nobody had places, after ford 98.9, there is a maze of paths and mini-meadows on the left where I saw somebody camp illegally. If you hide your packs well for the day and then camp from dusk till dawn, you would probably get away with it. Alternatively there are some flat spots in Trinidad valley two hours up - if you start so that you would arrive by dusk, you should meet nobody.<br /> <br /> The side trips are steep but not challenging, many people take them. We went to Paloma [November 2024: in our suggestions and in OSM, like the next option too] in the evening, it can be done in three hours there and back if you do not stop (we did). We started going up at 1715 and saw last person going down at 1830 or so. It is quite splendid and fun, there are a couple of places you have to use a fixed rope. OSM says there is a route to Cerro La Junta. It is probably an exit route for climbers, I did not see any traces of it, but it looked like it was possible. If it is, one could probably continue all the way to Cerro Capicua.<br /> <br /> Arco Iris is still closed. If it were open I think one could follow the ridge, which is not very steep or outcroppy, all the way north to above GPT21 - only there is probably no way down [November 2024: in the Facebook group, it was said that somebody died there and that is why it is close, so maybe there is nothing wrong with the path, but it is closed officially for sure].<br /> <br /> The next morning I went to the Trinidad Valley and all the way up to Cerro Bella Vista and Nat went ahead to escape the approaching rain. The roundtrip takes about 7-8 hours. There is a marked travelled trail to the pass (&quot;El Paso&quot;), the last 300 vertical meters or so are marked by cairns. You will need your hands occasionally, but it is not exposed or particularly hard - SAC 4. The views are well worth it. It seemed most people only go to La Laguna (lake just under the pass). We started at 6 AM and I met the first people on my way down around noon at La Laguna. The way up through Camping Vista Hermosa (the current GPT track) is not supposed to be used by people not staying at the campsite. The proper way up seems to be the more western trail that is marked on OSM. Going back down trough camping Bella Vista was without issues though. They told Natalie you are not supposed to use their cable car (the one more upstream). Tomáš thinks you should use it as it is the only one that you can use without going through either of the campsites (the downstream one goes directly from La Junta campsite). No horseflies by now!<br /> <br /> I left the camping at 15:30, and met only one group of hikers all the way up to the second Camp waypoint at Lago Grande. It is a nice camp, bigger than the first, but no good water sources. Wild legal camping, if I get it right. Refuge El Arco is unmanned, it is just a simple wooden hut. I would only use it in case of severe rain. The way up was almost all dry after two weeks of no rain. Mostly through forest, with some nice views of the valley, a few more fords than indicated, but they could all be jumped.<br /> <br /> The next day it rained (5mm?) from 4 AM till 11 AM but it was not enough to make the trails substantially muddy. Nat had camped under a tree on a bench at Doña Luisa (5mil) and despite the rain was mostly dry without a tent. Tomáš had camped at Lago Grande and the tent got very wet (but not his sleeping bag). The bridge before Lago Vidal is not there but there was a nice log. There are some pre-colonization rock paintings after Lago Vidal, one probably needs to make a sidetrip to see them based on the information signs near Torrentoso (trail 22-10 was signposted; trails in the valley are well maintained so I assume the option is good to go). On the last meadow before the gone bridge at 51.8, there was a cherry tree that still had very tasty miniature cherries in the beginning of February. It is behind the house to the left of the trail, maybe 40 m from it. I discovered it by going south of the house (nobody seemed to be in it). Do not miss the turnoff of the trail from the meadow - I went straight, there was initially a trail but petered out into a landslide. Camp at 45.2 is nice but bring water (reach it by turning left from the trail cca 50-100 m beyond the imaginary shortest route from the trail to the camp, that way you avoid any vegetation, there is an opening in the fence (-41.70438, -71.99186). Finally met Natalie after two days of escaping rain, she found a dry spot under the tree canopies there. Shop in El Manso is better than expected (has good veges and fruit) but not as good as the one in Llanada Grande. El Manso also is besides a cerveceria with wifi (you have to buy the beer). The bus only came at 1530 despite being told it comes at 1pm. In almost three hours of waiting, we did not manage to hitch a car. <br /> <br /> The bus indeed stops at Llanada Grande for 10 minutes or so - it is not really enough to orientate yourself and buy lots of supplies. The supermarket had lots of nectarines! Should you want to go to Puerto Urutia, the bus does not go there so you need to get off and walk the minor road there. We could not get reliable Entel internet reception anywhere in the valley (calls were fine) along the bus route.<br /> <br /> We went to Primer Corral to do 22-08. The first few km are not a pleasant road to walk on. We decided to turn back as bad weather was coming in two days and it did not seem worth it. Not sure how far the road for cars goes. There seems to be regular but sparse traffic on it.<br /> <br /> We walked back for about an hour on the main road before getting a hitch for the last 3 km to turnoff to 22-02, as others indicated the RR is badly passable due to a landslide. The MR we walked was aesthetically dreadful and supersteep. We had to climb a locked gate right at the start. We found a miniature camping spot (dry) about 200 m before the signposted trail turnoff. In the morning a lorry driver waved at us so probably no issues with climbing the gate. Luckily the trail is much nicer than the road. We met the settler at the lake Azul, he let us walk through his property. The few km to the first very small lake are actually an undriven MR, but very pleasant, it does not seem to be connected to the road network. After 2 km, one turns left onto a trail, there are new signposts indicating you ca go to the &quot;Frontera&quot; or the lake - go to the Frontera. Until the pass, it is very clear. After the pass, the visibility deteriorates somewhat but no bush bashing is involved. Soon after that, there is a gate saying there is no trail afer a harsh winter. We went further and it turned out there is a trail. There were some trees on it, but not too much and we lost it only for about 50 m. From setler at 11.4, the trail is much more clear. Met a seemingly lonely girl from the next homestead with whom we had a lovely chat. The trail to the border control was easy, we came there at 1530 and were let through. They told us that it would be ok to reach the Argentinian border control the next day. They too had a very ripe cherry tree but did not pick up on my appraisal of it and did not suggest I get some fruit.<br /> <br /> We met several people on the way to Argentina border. We camped there (wild permitted numbered camping sites - there was about twenty other Argentinians, the functioning toilets are unsigned immediately next to the Police building, the building that looks like the old toilets is closed). The next day we had no issues with getting a stamp and going down. The last CC part is a trail. We forded the second ford a bit earlier than suggested, it was waist deep but very slow moving. Took a bus at 1340 to El Bolson - seems to run regularly (the dog bandits there are aggressive, watch out).<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-19 to 2024-Jan-24 / 6 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR + day trip / Lotti &amp; Alex'''<br /> <br /> We did this section mostly as described by Fangwen and Tobi (El Manso to Cochamo base camp), so there is not much to add. We stayed at La Junta for 2 nights and did a very nice day trip to Cerro Bellavista (see description further down). The trails were very well maintained all the way. The only minor problems were mud and lots of horse flies. Like Fangwen and Tobi, we were happy we did the section NOBO, because the landscape gets more and more spectacular. This way it is also much easier to get to camp at La Junta without reservation, because they always reserve some space for hikers coming from the south. <br /> It was a beautiful hike and especially the area around La Junta is really spectacular and worth visiting. We even met a fellow GPT hiker there, which was great! <br /> <br /> Transportation:<br /> <br /> To start:<br /> Bus &quot;Rio Puelo&quot; from Puerto Varas to Lago Tagua-Tagua at 8:20am, then ferry to Puerto Maldonado, then bus to El Manso. We arrived at the trailhead around 1pm.<br /> <br /> after hike:<br /> Bus from end of trailhead (&quot;Cochamo base camp&quot;) to Cochamo/Puerto Montt at 1pm.<br /> <br /> Day trip to Cerro Bellavista:<br /> <br /> Start at La Junta on GPT Variant G, following the signs to &quot;Trinidad&quot;. It starts by crossing the river with the little cable car. After the walls of Trinidad, stay on the trail and follow the signs to &quot;Laguna&quot;. The official trail ends there, but there are stone cairns and ribbons marking a trail that goes up to the pass. The laguna is crowded, but we didn't meet anyone further up. The view at the pass is already great, but you can go up even further. Turn to the left and follow the stone cairns until the summit. It is not difficult, just walking and easy scrambling, and the view is absolutely spectacular.<br /> The whole tour has about 1300m of altitude difference. It took us around 5h to go up, and 3-4h down. <br /> <br /> * '''2024-01-07 to 2024-01-14: Fangwen and Tobi / 2.5 days Ventisquero Valley (Option 08 + more), 4 days El Manso to Cochamo RR / NOBO hiking.'''<br /> <br /> We did two parts along this enjoyable section, connecting them by hitchhiking and resupplying in between in Llanada Grande.<br /> <br /> The first part was hiking ~20km into the scenic Ventisquero valley (Option 08), alongside a wonderful river on an enjoyable and easy hiking trail through farms and rainforest that mostly follows an old minor road. It's often better to follow the well-marked trail rather than the GPT track files. A highlight of our trip was hiking up to a fantastic viewpoint at 1100m with a view of the whole valley, its remote side valleys and glaciated mountain peaks. The trail (900m elevation gain, 4.5km) through the thick rainforest is steep but excellent in quality and easy to follow (but the turnoff at S 42° 01.737', W 072° 05.643' is easy to miss). This and other trails in the valley are not part of the GPT files yet, but GPX files can be found on the website of Rincon Bonito (glamping accommodation for groups) that presumably created the trail. We camped by the viewpoint; what a wonderful experience! There are plenty of places to pitch up a tent, but little protection from wind. We found a wind protected camp in a dried-out puddle at (S 42° 02.705', W 072° 06.193'). Make sure to bring water, since the last reliable water source is in the valley, just before the turnoff onto the steep trail. From the viewpoint, we attempted to climb the local mountain, but beyond 1500m, it appears to require bush bashing. Our track: [[Media:GPT 22 Ventisquero Viewpoint.gpx]]. [https://rinconbonito.cl/experiencias/ The GPX on their site].<br /> The viewpoint is within the Pumalin National Park, but the whole valley seems to be private property and camping is forbidden outside official campsites, which begin quite far into the valley. There are plenty of spots to pitch up a tent nonetheless (which is what we did).<br /> For packrafters, going down the river must surely be a highlight! Rincon Bonito offers packrafting (maybe only for their guests?), they describe it as class II+.<br /> <br /> Our second part followed the regular route 22N from El Manso to the Cochamo trailhead. This was an enjoyable hike and we found the trail to be in good condition, although it gets pretty muddy around El Arco (and that's after one week of sunny weather). There is quite a bit of pointless up and down between km45 and km79. Additionally, our hiking distance was often 20-25% longer than expected, as there are many switchbacks too small to be represented on the track files. We liked hiking this section northbound, as the rainforest and the views get more and more impressive as you go along. La Junta has a lot of local hiking options (e.g. hiking into the Anfiteatro valley or on top of Cerro Trinidad), but we didn't spend any extra days because the weather was turning.<br /> <br /> Logistics: to get to the start of section 22, take the daily bus that leaves at 7.45am from Puerto Montt (stops at 8.15 in Puerto Varas at intersection el Salvador/San Pedro S 41° 19.081', W 072° 59.038', and later in Cochamo). The bus company Río Puelo has a ticket office in Puerto Montt, their WhatsApp number is +56 9 7408 9199. From there, take the ferry across Lago Tagua Tagua and the connecting bus down the valley to your respective trailhead (El Manso for the Cochamo valley, Primer Corral for the Ventisquiero valley). Note that travel is slow... We arrived at the Primer Corral at 4pm. We left a bag of food for the second half of our trip. Unfortunately it was visible from the parking lot and got stolen, so we resupplied at the Llanada Grande supermarket. The bus makes a stop there for ~15min, if you want a quick resupply there (it's a bit bigger than in El Manso). We hitchhiked to El Manso, which worked after two hours of waiting/walking (not a lot of traffic).<br /> <br /> If you are in the Llanada Grande area, go to Camping Reflejo Azul. The campsite itself is average, but it has the most beautiful river we have ever seen in our lives. Visit this truly special place before Instagram influencers find out about it and it becomes overrun by hordes of tourists. Day access is possible also for 5.000 CLP.<br /> <br /> Photos: https://www.facebook.com/groups/222224388283455/permalink/1732098767296002/?app=fbl<br /> <br /> * '''&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;2024-Jan-4 / 7.5 days / Packrafting / SOBO / RH + OP-LK-2 + RP / Lauren &amp; Sebastian&lt;/span&gt;'''<br /> <br /> Note: We were told a reservation is needed for a camp site at La Junta to be allowed into the valley from Cochamo side, so we did that. However, one of the wikiexplora entry mentioned that they were allowed in when mentioning that they wanted to camp at El Arco Refuge but we read it too late. Camp Trawen is the most expensive (15k per person), which is the reason why it’s been available on short notice. There are several other sold-out camps around for 8k-10k.<br /> <br /> Day 1: We hitchhiked to Cochamo Base Camp at 9am and reached Camp Trawen by 2pm. It would have been better to go on the El Arco Refuge straight away and camp there. It’s a touristy stretch and in our view not really worth doing, if you like the general quiet nature of the GPT.<br /> <br /> Day 2: Camped at the beach at Lago Vidal. Easy hike but lots of ups and downs.<br /> <br /> Day 3: We packrafted Lago Vidal and had a good lunch at Luisa’s place (make sure to drop by!), before continuing on to Torrentoso (not the paid camp, but on the meadow a few hundred meters after the official camp). <br /> <br /> Day 4: The bridge at wp Bridge {22N} [51.8/146] (Rio Steffen) does not exist anymore. It’s not a demanding ford but there are short steep ups and downs on both sides. We stayed near wp Settler {22N} [50.1/307].<br /> <br /> Day 5: We rivered in at wp Rio Manso. The ride was super scenic and beautiful and there were no rapids, just a bit of boiling water but nothing difficult, which might be due to different water levels compared to previous accounts. It’s 45 minutes from there to the bridge at wp Bridge {22N} [40.8+0.2/36]. We rivered out behind the bridge on the right side. There is a nice flat beach which leads to the cabin of Harv and Veronica. They let us camp on their land and even offered a hot (wood fired) shower for 2.5k per person. There is a cervezeria and shop across the road for resupply.<br /> <br /> Day 6: We took the bus at 1 pm to intersection at wp X {22-01} [25.0/187] and went on OP-MR-V (along Hunter’s estate) to Lago Azul. You will be charged 5k per person to access the lake. We crossed Lago Azul with strong waves and tailwind so we sailed to the other side in no time.<br /> <br /> Day 7: Crossed Lago de Las Rocas, Lago Inferior, and Lago Puelo to the Argentinian border control which opens at 8am next morning so we camped there. Next day we finished at Lago Puelo which is a popular tourist beach.<br /> <br /> Tip: It is a hot &amp; dusty walk to town from the beach and hitchhiking is not as easy in this part of Argentina as in Chile. Keep some small change of USD or Argentinian pesos for the bus ride to resupply in town. If you plan to continue packrafting Lago Puelo on GPT23 after resupplying, the earliest bus back to the beach reaches around 7.30am but it will be too late as the wind picks up by 8am. Lago Puelo is known for its strong gusts so it’s best to check wind forecast and paddle early morning 5.30am to cross. Therefore it may be easier to camp at one of the campsites nearer to the beach instead of staying in town. Just go there for resupplying.<br /> <br /> *'''2023 Dec OH-TL-V / Anh'''<br /> Note: the trail OH-TL-V alias Cerro Arco Iris [from La Junta] was damaged by big rocks in the last season and is completely closed. A new route or repair is not in planning.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-12-17 to 2023-12-21 / 5 days / Hiking + &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / SOBO /RR &amp; Option 01B / Roman'''<br /> <br /> Route: Hiking from Cochamó to El Manso. Bus to Lago de Las Rocas. Packrafted the lake and Lago Inferior. Hiked to Lago Puelo.<br /> <br /> Due to the border crossing, there is a thread about it on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/222224388283455/permalink/1709504102888802/. I applied online - no answer. Went to the carabineros in Cochamó they couldn't issue it, so I went without it (it worked without a problem)<br /> <br /> Started in Cochamó (there is a bus to the entry I just got him by hitchhiking so I don't know the schedule) and had a reservation for Camp Trawen (Fruit, Groceries, Electricity). This is getting checked at the entrance if you have one. The trail to the camp was a bit muddy (2 days of rain before the start) but all doable. The next day went to the northern end of Lago Vidal Gormaz and slept there at Lake {22-05} [7.9/604]. Bridge destroyed at: -41.43696, -71.96632 and Bridge {22N} [63.0/337] (Rio El Colorado). Both are crossable dry feed due to trees. Generally, there is no fording necessary after Lago Vidal Gormaz. Before yes. Packrafted Rio Manso. There were no rapids on the map, it's mentioned in the Manuel that it can be challenging. There are some rapids but all are doable and manageable (I am a beginner with kayak experience and an open deck packraft). You can get easy access to the river at -41.692561, -71.972725 this is 300m after the mark in the file. There is a dry river bed to avoid BB to get to the River. The river is fast flowing. Follow the GPS only at one point where the river splits pay extra attention: turn left as shownin the GPS: -41.698615, -71.985482 . Went out at the south side of the bride: Bridge {22N} [40.8+0.2/36] (Rio Manso) on the right side. There is a trail to the street with one gate where you can walk through on the right side. The shop Settlement, Shop, Bus {22N} [40.7/36] (El Manso) has good supplies and free WiFi. The trail to this point is very good. Based on previous comments and a chat to a local I want to skip at least to Puerto Urrutia [comment in: 2023-FEB-01 to 2023-FEB-07]. There is an official bus going all the way from Rampa Punta<br /> <br /> Maldonado -&gt; Segundo Corral. Find the schedule here: https://imgur.com/a/7MVEscb . The shop owner said the bus is normally there at 02:00 PM. The bus was there in my case at 02:30 PM. This bus stops at the large supermarket [Supermercado Llanada Grande] a great place for a last resupply). The bus also stops at Puerto Urrutia but I went all the way to Lago de Las Rocas and used OH-MR-V {22-01B} [8.2+1.9] to get to the lake. Started packrafting at 05:00 PM. The start was fine. The wind got worse during the evening and was to my capabilities on the maximum with serious waves. Strong wind from the north. It was pleasantly paddling after going through the gap at -42.069608, -71.813735. Camped at Lake, Camp {22S} [21.8/314]. Got there at 07:45 PM. Crossed the border without any problems. Packrafted Lago Inferior and got in the water here: Lake {22S} [20.9/201] at 10:00 AM. The wind got stronger but manageable. Exited the lake at 11:15 AM at -42.102244, -71.742575. The trail back to the RR is good to hike. From there, the trail is in good condition. Due to the higher water in Rio Azul fording and therefore the RR is not possible. You get also the recommendation from the Argentinien carabineros to take Option 03. I didn't want to take this and followed the RR to this point: -42.091481, -71.633667. From there I followed the trail to this point: -42.09399, -71.634188. There is an old dock [image here: https://imgur.com/a/5LMsKA1]to put in you packraft. The trail can be downloaded at the end of the comment. There I packrafted with very strong onshore wind and if it hadn't been for only 300m I wouldn't have done it to (03:15 PM):-42.096114, -71.628682 ,and walked from there to the end of GPT22.<br /> <br /> Overall: great section! It's a nice trail to hike and packrafting rRioEl Manso is a lot of fun and a great change in perspective after hiking for a few days. After that, the trail continues bto bein a good condition. The conditions for Lago de Las Rocas should be closely checked. I would definitely recommend it!<br /> <br /> Trail download: https://1drv.ms/u/s!AqzLweJ3NZW5q7YZzDoW3qlKypqwBg<br /> <br /> Contact: https://linktr.ee/RundW<br /> <br /> * '''&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;2023-Dec-03 to 2023-Dec-12 / 9 days / PACKRAFTING / NOBO &amp; SOBO / Jordan Jennings&lt;/span&gt;'''<br /> Route:<br /> <br /> took bus to Primer Corral&gt;Arroyo Ventisquero&gt;Rio Puelo (walked 13km of rapids through canyon)&gt;Lago Tagua Tagua&gt;Rio Puelo&gt;Estero Reloncavi to Cochamó (nobo) took bus back towards Primer Corral from Cochamó, asked to be dropped off near Lago Azul.. Lago Azul&gt;lago las rocas&gt;Lago Inferior&gt;Lago Puelo&gt;Lago Puelo town (sobo).<br /> <br /> Highlights:<br /> <br /> Arroyo ventisquero: is well worth a visit, packrafting or hiking. I got told that there is a hostel run by an abuela 4km further up the valley from Rincon Bonito (posh cabins) where the route on track files stops (c20km up valley from Primer Corral). Between the hostel and Rincon there are rapids, so be prepared to walk back to Rincon to put boat in water. The river from Rincon to Rio Puelo is stunning and very easy in packraft.<br /> <br /> Lago Azul: If you flip flop (as recommended if packrafting), and return back to Primer Corral for sobo travel as Jan mentions in the manual, ask the bus driver to drop you at Lago Azul, rather than taking the bus closer to the Lago las rocas trailhead/Primer Corral. The 3km walk from the bus stop to the lake is easy and I got super lucky and passed a local horse race (Carreras) on a Saturday. Maybe ask ahead when they are on?!<br /> <br /> Other comments:<br /> <br /> The hiking section bypassing Rio Puelo (first set of) rapids through canyon, the 13km or so took me all day. Parts of the trail were barely a trail, very slow kms. Although I was also a bit sick so my experience might be tainted. The alternative is taking roads on the right hand side of the river.<br /> <br /> I hiked the section between the Argentinian border patrol and lago puelo town (13km) which passed through some stunning farmland (lago puelo can get angry with wind as with any big lake). The dotted line section or shortcut which requires two river fords was impassable for me. Rio Azul was not even close to being fordable mid December. And even if you did pass, you would have to take the road to Puelo anyway.<br /> <br /> In terms of transport to Primer Corral, the bus leaves Cochamó at 10:30am and Puelo at 11:30am (same bus, which I think starts in Puerto Montt v early). From the ferry there’s another local bus that will essentially drop you wherever you want (en route) to primer corral. Super easy.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> * '''2023-Feb-18 to 2023-Feb-23 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + 22-01 / Martin &amp; Helena'''<br /> <br /> A lot has been already written, so just a few comments from our side:<br /> <br /> No problem with entering the valley in SOBO direction, until the noon aprox., saying you will spend the night at the refugio El Arco - they have some time estimate for this hike and can’t let you in if its late. By the entrance you can buy some useful things that might be hard to buy in Cochamo, like gas or peanut butter. There was also a beer truck with quite good wifi connection (only during summer). Crowds of people in both directions, quite muddy trail. Detour to the Toboganes is definitely worth it. We spend the night after all in a marked camp aprox. 4 kms before the refugio and it was a good decision - there were quite a lot of people when we passed by the next day.<br /> <br /> From the refugio its nice and easy walking. We spent the night on the southern side of Lago Vidal Gomaz where is amazing campsite Doña Luisa, for I think 5000 CLP pp. We bought there beer, some cheese and bread in the morning, and you can also charge electronics inside. It is possible to have proper breakfast or dinner, it looked all very tasty. At km N 40.7 is shop with all the basic things + great brewery next to it, definitely stop there if you are a fan.<br /> <br /> Based on other comments and our time schedule we decided to take the alternative 22-01 to Llanada Grande. This is a good resuppy spot as there is a new and big (at least in comparison to what you would expect in a place like this) supermarket that replaced the old one destroyed by fire. Good place to stay is a campsite at the end of the village, on the right side, run by really nice lady. Not expensive and if its free, you can stay for the same price in a so called refugio, that is actually just a very small room, but for us better than a tent. Hot water and electricity + possibility to buy pizza and maybe some other small things - there is actually no restaurant in the village. Some more road walking around Lago Totoral to Rio Puelo to connect back to RR. In general not very attractive part of the trail. Great restaurant in Hostal Puelo Libre with local beer and view on the river.<br /> <br /> From the port its again easy walking on the RR again. Drunk settler and quite agressive dogs out of his control at S km 7.2 so be careful. We slept half way to Las Rocas lake. We thought about taking the RR around the lake, but the landslide caused by snow (aprox. 1.5 km from the port) looked quite difficult to pass. We discovered there is possibility to cross the lake on one of the locals boat, which we did in the end. We were lucky that after waiting for some time in the port a car with locals arrived. Happily for us they arranged a boat transfer with other residents to get to the other side of the lake, where they went for a lunch. We were able to go with them, and after picking up their friends, we all hop off the boat close to the police station. Great experience and we learned a lot about this area and people living here. We paid 10k CLP. In the comments here is a contact for the guy with a boat, but without signal it must be arranged in advance, and the price might differ when not sharing the transfer with others. No problem with the border check. It took us around 4 hrs to get to the argentinian side, where everyone was super friendly as well. They offered us to camp there, but we decided to make it to Lago Puelo, which took us 2 more hrs. The landscape changes significantly on the other side where everything is more dry. No problem with the river crossing. We got off the trail directly on the main road.<br /> <br /> Contact: @martin_hanzelka @helenneka<br /> <br /> * '''2023-FEB-01 to 2023-FEB-07 / 7 days / hiking / SOBO / Cochamó - Lago Puelo / Anna &amp; Christopher '''<br /> <br /> We hitchhiked from Eco Camping El Valle to the entry of the park and arrived around 8 am. We told them that we would camp at the Refugio El Arco and explained our further route. Until la Junta there were lots of chilenean tourists, therefore the path was very good only with some muddy stretches. Like Véronica we walked to Toboganes, a waterfall/stream with beautiful rock formations. There were tons of people, but it's worth it. La junta seems to be an amazing place for rock climbing, we would have loved to have some climbing gear with us.<br /> <br /> After la Junta there were almost no more hikers. We camped next to the Refugio, as there were already two other groups of hikers sleeping in the Refugio.<br /> <br /> Until Lago grande there are still some muddy stretches and blowdowns, but generally it is a good path. From there on the path is perfectly maintained. We camped at approx. km 66 next to Río los Morros. <br /> <br /> Nice path until El Manso. We resupplied at the minimercado and camped next to the river, which was a beautiful camping spot with lots of delicious blackberrys.<br /> <br /> The next morning we arrived at Señora Ocos house around 8 am. She contacted multiple people and luckily found out that there was somebody crossing the river to our side at 11 am. The man, whose name we unfortunately forgot, was super friendly and dropped us off after the river mouth of Rio Traidor, close to where he lives. He charged 10.000 CLP p.p.<br /> <br /> The path to the first settler was mediocre and afterwards got worse and worse until it was almost pure buschwhacking. It was the worst we had so far on the GPT. Thorns.. Lots of thorns tearing away at your clothes, backpack and skin.<br /> We camped at the river at approx. km 12, which was a beautiful spot.<br /> Until the settlement Las Nieves the path continued beeing bad with lots of bush bashing. The settler told us that no locals use that path and she also told us that there are no regular boat transfers to Puerto Urrutia on weekends (it was sunday..).<br /> We wouldn't do that stretch next to Rio Puelo again and instead hitchhike from El Manso to Puerto Urrutia.<br /> <br /> At the boat transfer waypoint to Puerto Urrutia we had Entel service and contacted one lodging on the other side. They told us to go to the last house 1km back to ask for a transfer (it's the house of the man who does the boat transfer on weekdays). But we got lucky and a boat passed by and took us to the other side. The man on the boat also told us that the path from Río Traidor to Puerto Urrutia &quot;is closed&quot;.<br /> <br /> We continued to Lago verde, where we planned to camp, but it's surrounded by dense forest, apart from a private property.<br /> That spot is amazing, a little landing stage to go swimming, a great view and a very friendly owner. She even baked some delicious apple bread for us. For camping she charged us 8000 CLP p.p.. That was definetly worth it.<br /> <br /> After Lago verde there is a minimarket. We didn't check it out, but there is no resupply wp yet.<br /> <br /> After reading previous blogs and having had enough of thorns we decided to cross el Lago de Las Rocas by boat. Therefore there is a walkie talkie on the landing stage on the northern end of the lake with which you can contact Richard. We also got his number (+56958694897), if you want to contact him in advance. When we arrived at the lake, there were already lots of people waiting for the boat so we just waited with them and after some time got knocked the boat with them. The ride was really nice across the crystal clear blue water and we were charged 5000 p.p.<br /> <br /> From the southern end of the lake it's just a couple of minutes to walk to the chilenian border control. We continued on and camped at km 30 at the river. Again a really beautiful spot.<br /> <br /> The next day we passed the argentinian border control and continued to Lago Puelo.<br /> <br /> The section was really beautiful, except the part with the thorns. There are lots of streams along the whole trail, so one does not need to carry much water. <br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-29 to 2023-Feb-02 / 5 days / hiking / NOBO / RR mostly / Frank'''<br /> <br /> I got the bus-ferry-bus from Puerto Montt to Segundo Corral. To avoid the landslide at Laguna Las Rocas &amp; delays with the river ferries I walked on the road from Segundo Corral to El Manso, about 50KM. Easy but not very interesting walking. It takes a full day to get from Puerto Montt on the bus to Segundo Corral so I believe it would be better to go SOBO with an early start to get through La Junta, otherwise you need 2 additional days for travel. <br /> <br /> Stayed @ nice &amp; cheap campsite at bridge over Rio Colorado &amp; camped at El Arco. The trail approaching El Arco was muddy &amp; a bit swampy (it had been raining). It's possible to go by boat across Lago Vidal Gomez but it's an easy 3 hour walk. <br /> <br /> Got the bus again to Segundo Corral &amp; ferry to Paso Bolson. The trail across the border is generally in good condition. There is some easy bushbashing on the Chilean side for about 1KM before the border &amp; some fallen trees but they are straightforward to go over. Rio Azul was easily fordable in early February.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-10 to 2023-Jan-14 / 5 days / hiking / SOBO / RR, also GPT22-01 / Véronica '''<br /> <br /> Route: Cochamó - La Junta - Lago Vidal Gormáz - El Manso - Puerto Urrutio via Option 1 - Lago Las Rocas - Lago Puelo (Argentina) <br /> <br /> The borders of Paso El León and Paso El Bolsón are both opened again for tourists! Go for it! It is a beautiful section with wonderful people, such a contrast to where I started the GPT further north. <br /> <br /> In Cochamó, I stayed at Eco Camping El Valle, right at the entrance to the Cochamó River Valley. Paid 7000 clp, very nice campground, there are tarps over the picnic tables at each site so you have a dry place to hang out even if it rains :) Since I spent the night so close to the trailhead, it was easy to get to the guarded valley entrance (Road End {22N} [109.8/58]) early. I did not have a camping reservation for La Junta. I arrived at the trailhead at 7:30 a.m., explained my route to the staff, saying I would stay at Refugio El Arco that night. They let me through no problem. The trail to La Junta is a bit muddy, but nothing bad, my feet stayed dry in my trailrunners despite the fact it was also raining off and on. Beautiful path through the Valvidian rainforest, I really enjoyed all the green and the moss. When I reached the La Junta area, I stashed my pack in some trees and made a short detour to Las Toboganes. They are only 0.7 km off the regular route, and highly worthwhile to see! What a spectacular area, I totally see the Yosemite resemblence, and would love to go back someday. <br /> <br /> I found the trail after La Junta (all the way to Lago Vidal Gormáz) to be in good shape, contrary to what others have written. It was maybe slightly less maintained than the popular trail leading into the valley, but it was still very clear and easy to follow — not overgrown, no blowdowns, just a bit muddy in some places. Granted, it has been drier than normal so far this summer. None of the fords went above my knees, and sometimes I could cross the creeks without even getting my feet wet, all very easy. <br /> <br /> The refugio at El Arco is dark and without any furniture inside. I found it much nicer to camp in the nearby meadow just south of the trail there. There are outhouses. <br /> <br /> Nice path from Lago Vidal Gormáz all the way to El Manso. Very beautiful in this valley as well. Met a few arrieros along the way. Most of the rivers have bridges crossing them. There is a small camp at the bridge over Río Colorado. <br /> <br /> In El Manso, I topped off my food supply at the shop on the main road. It has a good selection of food items. Then I went to Señora Oco's house to try and arrange a boat transfer over Río Puelo. She and her family are very friendly and welcoming. I arrived there mid-afternoon, but she could not get in radio contact with anyone on the other side. In the evening, we heard back from Hospedaje Nancy, who charged 60,000 clp for a crossing upriver all the way to Río Traidor (where she lives). This I found too expensive for me traveling alone. Señora Oco baked some bread and I was able to buy some. She also said I was welcome to camp in the fields behind her house while waiting for a response from settlers Paulina and Jovino regarding a crossing to their place (much more direct and therefore likely much cheaper). The next morning, we still hadn't received any response from Paulina and Jovino either via radio or Whatsapp (they may have been away). Because of this, I decided to take the gravel road to Puerto Urrutia (Option 1), and forgo crossing Río Puelo, unfortunately. Despite this setback, I'm really glad I got to meet and spend time with Señora Oco and her family, they are such kind people. <br /> <br /> I was able to hitch most of the way to Puerto Urrutia, where I rejoined the regular route. The trail from there all the way to Lago Las Rocas is mostly easy and clear. There were a few confusing junctions in the vicinity of Lago Verde, so I kept a close eye on the GPS there. After crossing the road after that, the beginning of RR -TL-V {22S} [2.8/7.1+2.7] is tricky to find. There are lots of fallen trees and many forest paths. The GPS was very helpful there too until I finally found the right path. After about 700 m it merges with a nice clear path all the way to Lago Las Rocas. <br /> <br /> As has been previously reported, there is a large rockslide about 2 km in once you reach Lago Las Rocas. It didn't look overly dangerous to me, the boulders were large and seemed solid enough. I started crossing it right at the bottom where the rocks fall into the lake, as it looked to be the easiest and safest way across. I was maybe 50 meters through it, when a boat came along, and the people in it told me to hop in! What lucky timing! As we passed the rest of the rockslide, I could see the last part of it was steep, loose scree rather than big boulders. That part would have definitely been nerve-wracking to cross, and I was very grateful for the boat ride. The settlers who owned the boat live about 3 km along the trail, at a little bay/inlet in the lake. They have a nice beach and campground too. That's where I rejoined the trail. Beyond their house, the &quot;Camino Los Mosquitos,&quot; as it is locally called, gets progressively worse in terms of overgrowth and blowdowns. The trail has not been cleared since the past winter, and not been used either. The stretch between kilometers 4 and 6.5 is the worst. It felt more like pure bushwhacking than following a trail. The path was mostly burried beneath walls of downed trees and branches, it got very hard to follow at times. Lots of climbing over and under vegetation, some of it quite thorny too. Very slow and tiring. My pack got ripped up a bit and so did my clothing. Had I known the trail was this bad, I would have taken the option on the east side of Lago Las Rocas. It's hard to imagine it could be in worse shape than the regular route. <br /> <br /> When I got to the Chilean Border Control it was around 6:30 p.m., so too late to cross that day. The border agent working there was very friendly, but he couldn't get in contact with his supervisor to get approval for stamping my passport with the next day's date. So I camped back at Lago Las Rocas, and the next morning came back at 8 a.m. when the border post reopened. The trail on the Chilean side of the border was a bit rough in places, it has been neglected since the winter too. But it was not as bad as the previous stretch along Lago Las Rocas. Once I got into Argentina, it got much better. The trails in Parque Nacional Lago Puelo are well-maintained, and I met some day hikers. No issues at the Argentine Border Control. <br /> <br /> I was able to ford Río Azul easily, thanks to the dry weather. There are three branches of the river to cross (the GPS waypoints only show two of them). The middle branch is the widest and deepest. The water there went up to my upper thighs (I'm 165 cm), but the current was slow and it never felt dangerous. <br /> <br /> Now I'm skipping down to GPT32 to continue my adventure further south :) The northern sections that I hiked from 6 to 22 were simply amazing, with great weather almost the entire time. Thank you, all! <br /> <br /> * '''2022-Oct-19 to 2022-Oct-24 / 6 days / hiking / SOBO / RR / ???'''<br /> <br /> Here are the main points because our story is long :)<br /> Paso el bolson and El Leon are closed for tourists until further notice <br /> Some of trails are in bad condition because of the hard winter but they might be cleared in the following weeks. <br /> Landslide in Lago Las rocas - very dangerous part to cross. We suggest to take an optional route <br /> <br /> The trail starts in valle cochamo. We did not have any reservations but as we were in low season we were not worried. However the lady from the tourist office in Cochamo told us to arrive at the entrance of the valley between 7 &amp; 8 to avoid being rejected. At 7h50 there was nobody at the reception so we did not have any trouble, but we cannot say for the high season. <br /> You can arrange a car transfer to go the valley entrance. The numbers of the drivers are available at the tourist office.<br /> <br /> The trail until La Junta is muddy but well maintained - no worries there. Up there we met some arrieros and the locals from the camping and they told us that the trail was closed a bit further because of snow (up to 2 meters) in laguna Blanca. This is the highest part of the trail (about 1100m). The river crossings were feasible, but as they forecasted rain for the next day, we preferred to turn back in order to avoid being blocked between high rivers and snow. <br /> <br /> Back on the road between Cochamo and Puelo, we caught at about 10:30 the bus that leaves at 7:45 from Puerto Montt, to go to Rio Manso. There is a well furnished Shop where you can even find gas. <br /> We remained in the Southbound direction and went to Senora Oco's house. She was very welcoming, and her and her grandchild helped us in arranging a boat transfer for the following morning (nothing was possible the same day). We paid 50000 pesos to go from their house to Rio Traidor - close to Nancy hospedaje. Indeed, we skipped the first part of the trail as they told us that it was very closed with a lot of small trees and not used anymore. Maybe it would be cheaper to cross a bit south using the cable car or directly from Manso to Rio Traidor.<br /> <br /> Until the Rio Tigre, settler # 22N [7.7/157], the trail is visible but sometimes with some obstacles (fallen trees). After this settling, you will have to cross the Rio Tigre which might be the hardest to cross on your way if you have a lot of rain. There is a bridge indicated on the tracks but it has been swept away this winter. The best place to cross is a bit higher following the river, follow the horse track. We did not have any problem crossing, and probably the settler could help you with his horse if the river is too high. That is an advantage of the Southbound direction.<br /> <br /> After, the trail is really clear. We found the last transfer across Rio Puelo about 1 km before the point indicated on the track. It is his job to do the crossings and he also does sportive fishing if you are interested. Look for a house with a border collie with a piece of wood around the neck :) <br /> <br /> From Puerto Urrutia, the trail is clear again until the road. There is a shop at 600m on the right. Again here, the trail is closed due to fallen trees at the beginning, but the locals (last house on the right) will help you find another path. Clear trail until Lago Las Rocas. <br /> <br /> Once you reach the Lago Las rocas you will be blocked after 2km. Indeed there was a landslide this winter and you have to cross a very dangerous part of about 300 m of rocky mountain slide. It is not stabilized yet. We went through but we do not advise it. <br /> Also, there were a lot of fallen trees and the path was really tiring. The locals will probably clear the path in the following weeks. To get more information we suggest to contact the camping Playa Las Rocas on Instagram. <br /> You can also consider the other routes or arrange a boat crossing. <br /> <br /> Finally we arrived at the border crossing. Unfortunately it was closed due to the Covid, except for the very locals (people from Cochamo). Apparently Paso el Leon is closed as well for tourists. Be aware of that if you have to cross the Chilean- Argentinian borders, as small passes seem to be closed for tourists. <br /> In the end we had to go back to Puerto Montt crossing the Lago inferior with a free boat (ask the carabineros), and then the bus-ferry-bus from Segundo Corral.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> * '''&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;2021-Nov-23 &amp; 2021-Nov-25 / 2 days / Packrafting / SOBO / Estuario de Reloncavi from Ralun to Rio Puelo (Western shore) / Jan Dudeck &amp; Meylin Ubilla&lt;/span&gt;'''<br /> <br /> We paddled in two easy days the roughly 40 km southbound.<br /> <br /> Start at Ralun at Puente Petrohue: On the right side of the bridge (view in river flow direction) is a suitable put-in and good spot to camp. The gate was closed but not locked. There are signs of people occasionally camping there.<br /> <br /> Ralun to Cochamo: Packrafters in need to resupply can do this in Cochamo about 16 water kilometers from the put-in. Both, the western and eastern coast are suitable for packrafting. The eastern side is next to the main road what facilitates switching to hiking. The western side is less intervened and more scenic.<br /> <br /> Ralun to Rio Puelo: Again, the western and eastern coast are suitable for packrafting. The eastern side is next to the main road what facilitates switching to hiking but requires the crossing of a 4 km wide bay in open water. The western side is less intervened and more scenic but requires crossing the 3 km wide Estuario de Reloncavi near Rio Puelo. On the western side are also the Termas de Sotomo that are suitable for camping.<br /> <br /> Wind: On nice sunny days “viento sur” often kicks in around 10 am making southbound paddling difficult or unfeasible. We had two partially overcasted days and could paddle on the first day till 4 pm when wind became annoying strong. On the second day around 3 pm the wind and waves became unpleasant but by this time we were walking the final kilometers into Rio Puelo.<br /> <br /> GPT22: Southbound packrafters may take in Cochamo or Rio Puelo the bus to Lago TaguaTagua an get to the recommended packrafting starting point of section GPT22 halfway into this section to Flip-Flop as recommended.<br /> <br /> * '''2021-NOV-18 / 1 day / hiking / NOBO / Cochamó Valley (Lago Tagua Tagua - Lago Grande) / Tobías '''<br /> <br /> The Section between La Junta Base and Lago Vidal Gormez was very challenging. It had been raining a lot, so the Trail was very muddy and I had to cross several rivers and creeks. Went straight from Cochamó to Lago Grande and camped there in some Snow. Met only a few settlers. After reaching Lago Vidal Gormez, the Trail was easy and I enjoyed the hike a lot. Amaizing área up there!<br /> <br /> ==Season 2020/21==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> <br /> * '''2020-FEB-18 to 2020-FEB-21 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Tyler '''<br /> I didn’t have problems getting a campsite at la junta on the spot luckily. AMAZING area that I’ll be returning to again to do all the day hikes in. Aside from that, most the trail was very muddy, rainy, and unmaintained. This got a bit difficult after the 3rd day in a row. Good places to camp at the lakes over the pass SOBO. When I got down to Lago Vidal Gomez the trail improved.. I got some bread from a settler at the start of the lake. There right on the trail and super friendly and have rooms. The last ferry across Tagua Tagua leaves at 7 pm. I didn’t make it, so I slept underneath the office/bathrooms and took the ferry at 8:00 the next morning. I believe there’s another ferry at 12. <br /> <br /> * '''. 2020-Jan-09 to 2020-Jan-11 / hiking / SOBO / RR / Shaun'''<br /> <br /> Despite the austere warnings on the La Junta Camping website, I was able to make a reservation at short notice in high season, and the back and forth process only took a few hours. In Cochamó, I was warned that due to recent rain the river crossings at El Arco and another nearby river would likely be impassable. With four more days of heavy rain forecast, I decided to take the bus-ferry-bus combo to Puerto Urrutia and try to walk northbound from there with the optimistic hope that by the time I reached El Arco the river would be passable or, at least, the wait would be less. However, 10km north of the Rio Puelo crossing (service starts at 9am) my way was blocked by a high and fast river. I then retraced my steps and completed the rest of the section southbound - which was straightforward. The trail on the west side of Lago de la Roca until the frontera is a bit overgrown but still easy to see and nothing particularly slowed me down. On the Argentinian side the trail is well maintained. It is not permitted to camp on the 12km stretch between the border posts. I arrived too late to cross that day, but the Chileans stamped my passport with the next day’s date so I didn’t have to wait for the post to open at 9am. The Argentinian border guards informed me that because of the rain, the Rio Azul was too high to ford at the point on the regular hiking route just before Lago Puelo so I took the alternative route (Oh-Tl-V@22-04-#001) a few kms north and crossed over the La Pasarela bridge.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-22 to 2020-Jan-26 / 5 days / hiking / SOBO / parque de la vallee de Cochamo - La Pasarella / Arnaud '''<br /> <br /> As we arrived from Puerto Montt we were with the bus and stopped directly at the entrance of the private parque de la vallee de Cochamo.<br /> As it is private, there are some rules to get in, or they block you at the control point.<br /> The entrance is free but you need to have a reservation in one of the official camp sites there. To get the reservation, you can do it on internet (but you need to wait for the confirmation and it can be several days long), or do it directly there (red house), they give you the reservation voucher if there are places available (number seem to be limited). Then you pay the night when you reach the camp sites (6000 clp/pers).<br /> Or the other solution is to say that you sleep in the refugio del Arco. It is 23km further after the control. Then it is free and no reservation is needed, but this is possible only before 10am (after they block you). After 10am the only way to pass is to sleep in the camp sites. They block you if you do not have a<br /> reservation voucher for one camp site.<br /> This spot (la Junta) is famous among the chilenos so the access to the camp sites is really overrunned. The path is easy to walk.<br /> Once you go further than the campsites, you're alone, so it is better.<br /> The path is clearly marked. There are bridges for most of the rivers you cross. But it is very muddy.<br /> At the lago Vidal you can resupply a bit with those living there (you can also sleep in their camp sites).<br /> In El Manso you can find a minimarket with lots of things.<br /> Then, we decided to follow the road instead of the track because we were in a hurry with a deadline in El Bolson, until we reached la cruce de la rocas. There are buses or hitchiking is easy.<br /> Crossing borders was easy. There are 12km between the chilean stamp and the Argentin one that we did in 3.5 hours.<br /> At the very end we have not not crossed El Rio Azul, we walked 7 more km to the north to reach La Pasarella.<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> *In Cochamo go down towards the lake. There is a church on the left &amp; before you reach it there is a hospedaje on the right, good &amp; cheap.<br /> <br /> Really nice Cafe (Materia Cochamo) with a good selection of coffee, cake (Kuchen) &amp; sandwiches ca 50 meters before turning right to the cheap campsite.<br /> <br /> *There is a good place to stay NOBO 500 metres before the junction where the road turns towards Laguna Las Rocas. Farmhouse on RHS of road has rooms &amp; meals. Cheap, friendly &amp; good<br /> <br /> *In Segundo Corral there are two campsites. The first one is just before the school, it just says Kuchen but you can camp there. Cheap, nice family &amp; they do meals. There is a campsite after the school but the owner was drunk &amp; looking for an argument.<br /> Lots of campsites at Lago Totoral (on the road, not on RR)<br /> It's possible to camp near the Argentinian border control.<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> *2023 / Martin &amp; Helena<br /> We spent the night on the southern side of Lago Vidal Gomaz where is amazing campsite Doña Luisa, for I think 5000 CLP pp. We bought there beer, some cheese and bread in the morning, and you can also charge electronics inside. It is possible to have proper breakfast or dinner, it looked all very tasty. At km N 40.7 is shop with all the basic things + great brewery next to it, definitely stop there if you are a fan.<br /> <br /> *Zapatoria Puerto Varas.He is located in the back corner of a market like building across the street from the Santa Isabella on San Bernardo street. San Bernardo &amp; Del Salvador. I payed extra (10mil total) to have them finished and ready to go that day<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> <br /> * February 2023 / Gerald<br /> Bus lago puelo - El bolson: <br /> According to the timetable the bus is leaving from the lake every full hour from 7am till midnight<br /> <br /> * January 2023 Frank<br /> To avoid the landslide at Laguna Las Rocas you can walk on the road or get the bus to Segundo Corral then from Lago Inferior about 1.5KM from Segundo Corral there is a ferry to Paso Bolson (Chilean border control).The government subsidised ferry runs Monday-Friday only from 8-12 &amp; 2PM-6PM &amp; is only 2000 pesos. You need to radio the ferryman to arrange pickup, easily done in Segundo Corral.<br /> <br /> *2023 / Anna &amp; Christopher <br /> We decided to cross el Lago de Las Rocas by boat. Therefore there is a walkie talkie on the landing stage on the northern end of the lake with which you can contact Richard (+56958694897),we were charged 5000 p.p.<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> *2023 / Martin &amp; Helena<br /> From the port its again easy walking on the RR again. Drunk settler and quite agressive dogs out of his control at S km 7.2 so be careful. We slept half way to Las Rocas lake. <br /> <br /> *Northbound and southbound hiking is feasible. However, due to the controlled private southbound access through the La Junta área, hiking in that direction is only possible with a camping reservation, or by arriving at the checkpoint before 10am. A northbound traverse may therefore be preferred. For hikers generally heading south, it is possible to take the single ticket, half-day bus-ferry-bus combination south from Cochamó to Puerto Urrutia, hike the 120km north to Cochamó, then return to Puerto Urrutia and resume the section southwards from there.<br /> <br /> *Crossing the border is typically straightforward, however it is not permitted to camp on the 12km between the border posts. So if you arrive too late to cross, it is necessary to camp at the border post and cross the next day. In this situation, Chilean officials will stamp your passport with the next day’s date so you don’t need to wait for the office to open that morning.<br /> <br /> *Southbound access to the popular La Junta area is controlled at a private checkpoint and only granted to those with a prior camping reservation, or those arriving before 10am and therefore early enough to make it on to the free and unmanaged El Arco campsite 23km away. Reservations for La Junta can be made online at cochamo.com, but there may not be availability and the process may take several days, so hiking this section southwards may not be possible.Therefore, an option for hikers generally heading south is to take the bus-ferry-bus combination from Cochamó across Lago Tagua Tagua and on to Puerto Urrutia, hike 120km north back to Cochamó, then take the bus-ferry-bus south again and hike the remainder of the section southwards from Puerto Urrutia.<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT22 - Cochamó]]<br /> <br /> =Images=<br /> <br /> [[Archivo: | ]]<br /> <br /> {| border=&quot;1&quot; style=&quot;border-collapse:collapse&quot;<br /> |+'''GPT22: Cochamó'''<br /> | colspan=&quot;4&quot; style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| GPT22: Cochamó<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Hiking<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Packrafting<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;|Group<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; | D: Lagos Chilenos<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Total<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|'''160.6 km'''<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|'''51 h'''<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| '''136.6 km'''<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;|'''35 h'''<br /> |-<br /> | style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;|Region<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; | Chile &amp; Argentina: Los Lagos (X) &amp; Chubut<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Trails (TL)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|137.9 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|85.9%<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 20.3 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;|14.9%<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Start<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; | Cochamó<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Minor Roads (MR)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|10.8 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|6.7%<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 1.8 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 1.3%<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Finish<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; | Lago Puelo (Puerto)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Primary Roads (PR)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|9.7 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|6.0%<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 2.8 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 2.0%<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Status<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; | Published &amp; Verified<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Cross-Country (CC)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|2.2 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|1.4%<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 0.5 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 0.4%<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Traversable<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; | Dec - Apr (Maybe: Sep, Oct, Nov, May)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Bush-Bashing (BB)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| -<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;|-<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Packraft<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; | Very Useful<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Ferry (FY)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|(1.8 km)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|(1.1%)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| -<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;|-<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Connects to<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; | GPT21, GPT23<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Investigation (I)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| (1.9 km)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| (1.4%)<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Options<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; | 268 km (9 Options &amp; Variants)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Exploration (EXP)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| -<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;|-<br /> |-<br /> | <br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Hiking<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Packrafting<br /> | rowspan=&quot;4&quot; style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| <br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Total on Water<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| '''111.1 km'''<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| '''81.4%'''<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Attraction<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|4 (of 5)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 5 (of 5)<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| River (RI)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 62.5 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 45.7%<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Difficulty<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|4 (of 5)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 4 (of 5)<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Lake (LK)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 32.4 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 23.7%<br /> |-<br /> | style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;|Direction<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|Both ↓↑<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;|Both ↓↑<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Fjord (FJ)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 16.3 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;|11.9%<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Comment<br /> | colspan=&quot;7&quot; | Hiking: Flip-Flop recommended<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Character<br /> | colspan=&quot;7&quot; | Packrafting: Flip-Flop recommended<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Challenges<br /> | colspan=&quot;7&quot; | Valdivian Rain Forest, Sea Coast, Farmland, Settlers, River Packrafting, Lake Packrafting, Fjord Packrafting, Partly Overrun<br /> |}<br /> <br /> [[File:profile GPT22.PNG|frame|center|Elevation Profile of Regular Hiking Route (2019)]]<br /> <br /> [[File:profile GPT22-p.PNG|frame|center|Elevation Profile of Regular Hiking Route (2019)]]<br /> <br /> &lt;gallery&gt; <br /> File:GPT_16_Cochamó_109520254.jpg|<br /> File:GPT_16_Cochamó_109520443.jpg|<br /> File:GPT_16_Cochamó_115282465.jpg|<br /> File:GPT_16_Cochamó_115282466.jpg|<br /> File:GPT_16_Cochamó_109447503.jpg|thumb|<br /> File:GPT_16_Cochamó_101648648.jpg|thumb|<br /> File:GPT_16_Cochamó_104321335.jpg|thumb|<br /> File:Bahia ralun.jpg|thumb|<br /> File:GPT_16_Cochamó_109447491.jpg|thumb|<br /> File:GPT_16_Cochamó_109447496.jpg|thumb|<br /> &lt;/gallery&gt;<br /> <br /> [[category:Greater Patagonian Trail]]</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT22_(Cochamo)&diff=119067 2024-12-11T15:53:31Z

<p>MiaimZelt: </p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;packrafting&quot;, as above):<br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD, WHAT IS ENCLOSED IN &lt;&gt; MAKES IT BLUE):<br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/nowiki&gt;.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Overview=<br /> * General advice : The Regular Route is best hiked between December and April. The primary obstacles are high river levels early in the season and after rain. During the peak period of January and February it may be difficult to obtain a camping reservation at La Junta which could prevent a southbound traverse (but people were usually let through when they say they go all the way to El Arco).<br /> <br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> * '''From 2024-12-04 to 2024-12-10 // 6.5 days //Hiking // NOBO // RR + Pasarela option, Option 2 (Lago de las Rocas east side) + Gravelroad between Llanada Grande and Rio Manso // Daina'''<br /> <br /> In general: no dofficult river crossings, the biggest challenge was the mud between Rio Manso and La Junta. Navigation was mostly without difficulties.<br /> <br /> Day 1: Easy trail to the argentinian border. Arrived at 5pm and needed to wait until next morning for the stamp. Camped at the beautiful and free camping next to the carabinieros. <br /> <br /> Day 2: Got my stamp and continued. Lovely trail with nice vies until the chiliean carabinieros. Easy bordercrossing. Took the alternative at the east side around Laguna de las Rocas. At some point i saw a sign, indicating the trail is closed due to fallen trees. I continued, the trail got wider. Then i reached the farm of german settlers. A woman (Vivi) approached me and we talked. She told me, that my GPX-Track is wrong, because it want's me to cross their private property. Last days people climbed over fences. Should walk outside of the fence. On the other side Vivi waited for me and asked me to walk the original trail with her daughter. Got invited to lunch, later her daughter walked with me on the original trail (indicated by a sign &quot;Lago Azul 6km&quot;), while she cleared it with a machete. I did record it with my Smartphone. Sent it to Jan, you also can find it in the facebook group. <br /> After the ford of a river the trail in the dense forest was partly covered under fallen trees. Several times i needed to check the GPS. Camped at a tiny lake near Lago Azul.<br /> <br /> Day 3: Didn't follow the GPS around Lago Azul, because it lead's through the property of a settler. Instead i stayed outside of the fenced area. Found signs indicating i'm on the right track, directly before i reached the shore of the lake. The path up to the gravel road was partly overgrown, but doable. <br /> <br /> Walked on the gravel road, later i got a hitch to the supermarket in Llanada Grande. Very good shop for a full resupply. After resupply i didn't find a hitch, walked 3 hours until a very nice chilean took me the last kilometers. Stayed at Camp {22N} [45.2/44].<br /> <br /> Day 4: Due to the steep up and downs + the mud i was much slower than expected. Met 2 very nice settlers on horseback. Bridge {22N} [51.8/146] (Rio Steffen) has a cable car instead of a bridge. Settler warned me about it. Didn't know how to get inside, because it drives away when you don't hold the rope at the same time. Decided to ford the river instead, was knee-deep. 4 more easy fords along my way to the nice campside at Bridge {22N} [63.0/337] (Rio El Colorado).<br /> <br /> Day 5: Trail was in better conditions the next hours. At Torrentoso there is a open shelter with lots of space for tents around. Along Lago Vidal the trail got muddy again. Bridge {22N} [80.9/645] doesn't exist, but very easy to ford. The forst half of the ascent to Lago Grande was easy, but the second half was very muddy and challenging. Wanted to camp at Lago Grande but, Camp {22N} [83.8/1001] is fully covered under a huge downfall of several big trees. Trail along Lago Grande is in poor condition (fallen trees + mud). Camp {22N} [84.9/1012] is a beautiful campspot.<br /> <br /> Day 6: Began with the poor trail. Directly after camp, there is a hole where the trail should be. Campspot near the tiny lake. Later one more huge downfall. Trail improves a little bit until El Arco, but due to mud i was very slow. 4 easy fords until the refuge. Rio Arco was knee-deep, easy ford. Met the first hikers directly after the crossing. Mud was getting even more, improved at the descent. Ford Rio Traidor was not difficult, again knee-deep. Ford Rio La Junta could be avoided, because above Toboganes there is a bridge. Didn't know. Could stay at Camp Trawen (13mil), was plenty of space for more tents. They have a small kiosk. Toboganes waterfall is worth to be visited. <br /> <br /> Day 7: Easy trail in the beaufiful rainforest from La Junta to the reception. Hiked on the gravel road and luckily i got a hitch to Puerto Varas.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> <br /> * '''From 2024-02-19 to 2024-02-24 // 6 days // Hiking // NOBO // RR + Option 2, 1B, 1 + Variant I, J // Quentin Clavel'''<br /> <br /> Lago Puelo - lago de las rocas (east) - Lago Azul - Lago Totoral - Llana Grande - El Manso - Lago Vidal Gormaz - La Junta - Toboganes - mirador Arcoiris - Anfiteatro - Cerro Trinidad - Cochamo <br /> <br /> The section begin with the crossing of Rio Azul, wich was not difficult at this time of the year. Then easy track to the lovely Argentinia border, I slept on the camping there. 8 more kilometers to arrive to the carabineros office. Easy border, nice people. <br /> <br /> Then due to the landslide on the RR (carabineros confirm me that the track is still not praticable there) I continued along Lago de Las Rocas, on the eastern side, following the option 2. Pretty easy to follow.<br /> <br /> At some point there is a junction, with a sign indicate Lago Azul - 6Km on the right. I followed it, even if it get me out of the GPX file (and the nice and easy to follow track). Not sure it was a great idea, I ended up on a sort of small bush-bashing areas that I managed to pass threw and after few kilometers, finally found back the option track, clear and easy, and continue my way.<br /> <br /> Then you arrive to a big farm, the one from Jonas, a German native arriving here when he was a child, grow up there and have now a family, living in nature, along the lake, cultivating fruits and vegetables, and selling woods. Very nice man, interesting discussions ! After his farm, you'll follow the valley but keep the left in the woods straight after his farm, if not you'll arrive in a big swampy area. <br /> <br /> The track is less obvious and there's a lot of fallen trees. Few check on the GPS was necessary. Then you reach the Lago Azul. The GPX file is going inside the property of a settler. He's a nice guy but his dogs less, one bites me ! (Not hardly, but still!). Just be more careful than me going there, or go around the property. <br /> <br /> One last hard push to reach a gravel road, that you will follow until El Manso (30km a bit boring), but easy to find camping and food, especially around Lago Totoral. Resupply at Llana Grande, big supermarket with everything you need. <br /> <br /> At El Manso, there's a minimarket next to the cervecería wich is a place where you can camp. The track is quite easy to follow, and quite physical with all the ups and downs. I had rain for two days and this stretch was muddy, especially along the Lago Vidal Gormaz. Then it becomes VERY muddy until La Junta. I had the feelings I will never finish this stretch, and I felt few times in the mud. <br /> <br /> I was definitely not presentable when I arrived in La Junta, and the contrast was huge with all people well dressed with clean sports clothes who smell good the fresh perfume of lavenderia ahaha. <br /> <br /> I wanted to do Arco iris, but the track is closed because of a landslide. So I opt for the glaciar Paloma wich was surprisingly technical and steep. <br /> But the surrounding worth it, the glaciar Is amazing, the fact that you can enter into it is mad ! I slept up there, there's a little circle with rocks to put your tent. <br /> <br /> Then I reached Cochamo and enjoyed great food, confortable hostel and relaxing atmosphere<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-09 to 2024-Feb-16 / 7,5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Gerald'''<br /> <br /> First: I wouldn't do it if there was a lot of rain. Did it after a week of rain in 2019 and it was a mud hell until El Arco. Now it seems at least until junta the trail improved (not sure). For those who don't own a trekking pole, organize a stick early... you won't have mich fun with the muddy situation otherwise.<br /> <br /> The bus leaving Puerto Varas at 8:30 (Bus stop at -41.31617, -72.985396) charged 7k. Surprisingly they drove me to the trailhead, last time i had to walk from the bridge, guess it depends on the bus. If you want to get a seat you should probably take the bus in Puerto Montt, had to stay the whole ride. Seems like they will also stop along the way if you wave (check the cochamo insta for an overview of the schedule and route of the bus).<br /> Arrived at the checkpoint at 11:45. After explaining my trip and that i will stay at El Arco they let me pass (without a reservation). They just ask you to register before you go.<br /> Stopped at la junta to make a coffee and enjoy the view. They sell veggies they grow on site.<br /> If i remember rights from Rio Trador on it gets really muddy. It rained 4 days ago and mud was not a big issue until that river. <br /> <br /> Anyway, arrived quite late at 8pm at the shelter. There is a path to the right to a place to pitch couple of tents. After Rio Traidor (-41.407173, -72.092915) would also be a nice place to camp<br /> <br /> In average only 2 tabano/day annoyed me, what a time we live in... Finally<br /> <br /> Dona Luisa has a nice spot on the southern side of the lake Vidal gormaz.<br /> To give you idea, here a short pricelist:<br /> 5k camping, <br /> 3k for a beer (brahma or Sol), <br /> 7k for a bottle of wine, <br /> 12k for dinner (meat, salad and bread), <br /> 1.5k for cheese<br /> <br /> Camping at the settlement Steffen looked nice. Unfortunately i chose a spot next to a way too curious bull...<br /> <br /> The camping at the brewery in El Manso is not worth a penny (they charge 5k). It's basically a dry piece of land full of goose shit. Engine on petrol runs untill 10pm. Only wifi is positive. I couldn't find a good spot to camp nearby. I would camp way before. Bus supposed to arrive between 14:30 and 15:00. Luckily a car took me to Puerto Urrutia where i continued. Hostel Puelo Libre looked nice next to the beautiful river. Hiked until the north west side of lago las rocas.<br /> <br /> Ricardo (?) offered me a ride for free to the other end of the landslide. But I chose to cross the whole lake by boat. He charged 30k (I was alone). The radio is not anymore at the &quot;port&quot;, but you can walk to his house (just continue the MR, first house at around [-42.019089, -71.861245] to your left, if you want to avoid the dogs take the small trail to your left once you see it).<br /> <br /> Leaving Chile without the PDI document was not an issue (I requested the paper 5 days in advance and only got an auto response...). They did not even ask. Good views on the lake from now on. Spend an extra day at the camp next to the AR border control. All in all, nice hike! <br /> <br /> Missed the bus to El bolson by 5mins. Seems like it's more towards x:30h. I think they run every hour. Got a ride with a car for 1k to the city. If someone is fancying good sourdough bread i can recommend &quot;El Obrador&quot;<br /> <br /> The Post office is also doing Westernunion here (check Googlemaps reviews for more Infos)<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-03 to 2024-Feb-09 / Lilian'''<br /> <br /> If you decide stay at Segundo Corral, and take the boat to Argentina.<br /> <br /> NO NO NO <br /> <br /> NO NO NO<br /> <br /> DON'T DON'T DON'T stay at Mari Mari Peni Camping, (or another name) Amancays Camping.<br /> <br /> I saved a girl hiker almost RAPED by the campground owner, and I'm pointed by a rifle gun force me to stop helping her at the night on 07/02. About the details, i type it and upload later.<br /> <br /> It is already reported to Chile carabineros and Consulate in Chile.<br /> <br /> * '''GPT22 2024-01-31 to 2024-02-05 / 5,5 days days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Cochamó options/ Tomáš &amp; Natalie'''<br /> <br /> After a month and a half, we finally did something standard! From Puerto Varras (the bus stop on Avenida Vicente Perez Rosales just after Antonio Varras street) we took a bus at 8:38 going from Puerto Mont that went all the way to the end of MR to the &quot;Road end&quot; waypoint (aka the trailhead). At our hostel (Casa Apel), they told us it would arrive at 8:45. Not sure if this is the same bus that others said would pass Puerto Varras at 8:15 or if it just goes to the road end only in high season. It was 7000 per person - I think they might charge double for backpacks, it seemed expensive but happy they took us all the way.<br /> <br /> We were at the entrance at 11 AM and were let through for free when we told them we were going to El Arco. Nat worries this excuse won't last long. The way to La Junta is really busy (met maybe 50 people and about ten horses), easy and without many views as it goes through a forest. When we reached La Junta, we decided that the valley is too special to just walk on by, so we decided to try our luck and ask for camping in order to do the side trips. We asked all the campsites and only La Junta let us stay, 8000 CLP per person. Nat says it is important not to spread the word as they were nice people and did us a favor even though they were not supposed to allow people without reservations to stay. So, do not expect to be let in. We had a numbered site so I think they genuinely had some places free. If nobody had places, after ford 98.9, there is a maze of paths and mini-meadows on the left where I saw somebody camp illegally. If you hide your packs well for the day and then camp from dusk till dawn, you would probably get away with it. Alternatively there are some flat spots in Trinidad valley two hours up - if you start so that you would arrive by dusk, you should meet nobody.<br /> <br /> The side trips are steep but not challenging, many people take them. We went to Paloma [November 2024: in our suggestions and in OSM, like the next option too] in the evening, it can be done in three hours there and back if you do not stop (we did). We started going up at 1715 and saw last person going down at 1830 or so. It is quite splendid and fun, there are a couple of places you have to use a fixed rope. OSM says there is a route to Cerro La Junta. It is probably an exit route for climbers, I did not see any traces of it, but it looked like it was possible. If it is, one could probably continue all the way to Cerro Capicua.<br /> <br /> Arco Iris is still closed. If it were open I think one could follow the ridge, which is not very steep or outcroppy, all the way north to above GPT21 - only there is probably no way down [November 2024: in the Facebook group, it was said that somebody died there and that is why it is close, so maybe there is nothing wrong with the path, but it is closed officially for sure].<br /> <br /> The next morning I went to the Trinidad Valley and all the way up to Cerro Bella Vista and Nat went ahead to escape the approaching rain. The roundtrip takes about 7-8 hours. There is a marked travelled trail to the pass (&quot;El Paso&quot;), the last 300 vertical meters or so are marked by cairns. You will need your hands occasionally, but it is not exposed or particularly hard - SAC 4. The views are well worth it. It seemed most people only go to La Laguna (lake just under the pass). We started at 6 AM and I met the first people on my way down around noon at La Laguna. The way up through Camping Vista Hermosa (the current GPT track) is not supposed to be used by people not staying at the campsite. The proper way up seems to be the more western trail that is marked on OSM. Going back down trough camping Bella Vista was without issues though. They told Natalie you are not supposed to use their cable car (the one more upstream). Tomáš thinks you should use it as it is the only one that you can use without going through either of the campsites (the downstream one goes directly from La Junta campsite). No horseflies by now!<br /> <br /> I left the camping at 15:30, and met only one group of hikers all the way up to the second Camp waypoint at Lago Grande. It is a nice camp, bigger than the first, but no good water sources. Wild legal camping, if I get it right. Refuge El Arco is unmanned, it is just a simple wooden hut. I would only use it in case of severe rain. The way up was almost all dry after two weeks of no rain. Mostly through forest, with some nice views of the valley, a few more fords than indicated, but they could all be jumped.<br /> <br /> The next day it rained (5mm?) from 4 AM till 11 AM but it was not enough to make the trails substantially muddy. Nat had camped under a tree on a bench at Doña Luisa (5mil) and despite the rain was mostly dry without a tent. Tomáš had camped at Lago Grande and the tent got very wet (but not his sleeping bag). The bridge before Lago Vidal is not there but there was a nice log. There are some pre-colonization rock paintings after Lago Vidal, one probably needs to make a sidetrip to see them based on the information signs near Torrentoso (trail 22-10 was signposted; trails in the valley are well maintained so I assume the option is good to go). On the last meadow before the gone bridge at 51.8, there was a cherry tree that still had very tasty miniature cherries in the beginning of February. It is behind the house to the left of the trail, maybe 40 m from it. I discovered it by going south of the house (nobody seemed to be in it). Do not miss the turnoff of the trail from the meadow - I went straight, there was initially a trail but petered out into a landslide. Camp at 45.2 is nice but bring water (reach it by turning left from the trail cca 50-100 m beyond the imaginary shortest route from the trail to the camp, that way you avoid any vegetation, there is an opening in the fence (-41.70438, -71.99186). Finally met Natalie after two days of escaping rain, she found a dry spot under the tree canopies there. Shop in El Manso is better than expected (has good veges and fruit) but not as good as the one in Llanada Grande. El Manso also is besides a cerveceria with wifi (you have to buy the beer). The bus only came at 1530 despite being told it comes at 1pm. In almost three hours of waiting, we did not manage to hitch a car. <br /> <br /> The bus indeed stops at Llanada Grande for 10 minutes or so - it is not really enough to orientate yourself and buy lots of supplies. The supermarket had lots of nectarines! Should you want to go to Puerto Urutia, the bus does not go there so you need to get off and walk the minor road there. We could not get reliable Entel internet reception anywhere in the valley (calls were fine) along the bus route.<br /> <br /> We went to Primer Corral to do 22-08. The first few km are not a pleasant road to walk on. We decided to turn back as bad weather was coming in two days and it did not seem worth it. Not sure how far the road for cars goes. There seems to be regular but sparse traffic on it.<br /> <br /> We walked back for about an hour on the main road before getting a hitch for the last 3 km to turnoff to 22-02, as others indicated the RR is badly passable due to a landslide. The MR we walked was aesthetically dreadful and supersteep. We had to climb a locked gate right at the start. We found a miniature camping spot (dry) about 200 m before the signposted trail turnoff. In the morning a lorry driver waved at us so probably no issues with climbing the gate. Luckily the trail is much nicer than the road. We met the settler at the lake Azul, he let us walk through his property. The few km to the first very small lake are actually an undriven MR, but very pleasant, it does not seem to be connected to the road network. After 2 km, one turns left onto a trail, there are new signposts indicating you ca go to the &quot;Frontera&quot; or the lake - go to the Frontera. Until the pass, it is very clear. After the pass, the visibility deteriorates somewhat but no bush bashing is involved. Soon after that, there is a gate saying there is no trail afer a harsh winter. We went further and it turned out there is a trail. There were some trees on it, but not too much and we lost it only for about 50 m. From setler at 11.4, the trail is much more clear. Met a seemingly lonely girl from the next homestead with whom we had a lovely chat. The trail to the border control was easy, we came there at 1530 and were let through. They told us that it would be ok to reach the Argentinian border control the next day. They too had a very ripe cherry tree but did not pick up on my appraisal of it and did not suggest I get some fruit.<br /> <br /> We met several people on the way to Argentina border. We camped there (wild permitted numbered camping sites - there was about twenty other Argentinians, the functioning toilets are unsigned immediately next to the Police building, the building that looks like the old toilets is closed). The next day we had no issues with getting a stamp and going down. The last CC part is a trail. We forded the second ford a bit earlier than suggested, it was waist deep but very slow moving. Took a bus at 1340 to El Bolson - seems to run regularly (the dog bandits there are aggressive, watch out).<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-19 to 2024-Jan-24 / 6 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR + day trip / Lotti &amp; Alex'''<br /> <br /> We did this section mostly as described by Fangwen and Tobi (El Manso to Cochamo base camp), so there is not much to add. We stayed at La Junta for 2 nights and did a very nice day trip to Cerro Bellavista (see description further down). The trails were very well maintained all the way. The only minor problems were mud and lots of horse flies. Like Fangwen and Tobi, we were happy we did the section NOBO, because the landscape gets more and more spectacular. This way it is also much easier to get to camp at La Junta without reservation, because they always reserve some space for hikers coming from the south. <br /> It was a beautiful hike and especially the area around La Junta is really spectacular and worth visiting. We even met a fellow GPT hiker there, which was great! <br /> <br /> Transportation:<br /> <br /> To start:<br /> Bus &quot;Rio Puelo&quot; from Puerto Varas to Lago Tagua-Tagua at 8:20am, then ferry to Puerto Maldonado, then bus to El Manso. We arrived at the trailhead around 1pm.<br /> <br /> after hike:<br /> Bus from end of trailhead (&quot;Cochamo base camp&quot;) to Cochamo/Puerto Montt at 1pm.<br /> <br /> Day trip to Cerro Bellavista:<br /> <br /> Start at La Junta on GPT Variant G, following the signs to &quot;Trinidad&quot;. It starts by crossing the river with the little cable car. After the walls of Trinidad, stay on the trail and follow the signs to &quot;Laguna&quot;. The official trail ends there, but there are stone cairns and ribbons marking a trail that goes up to the pass. The laguna is crowded, but we didn't meet anyone further up. The view at the pass is already great, but you can go up even further. Turn to the left and follow the stone cairns until the summit. It is not difficult, just walking and easy scrambling, and the view is absolutely spectacular.<br /> The whole tour has about 1300m of altitude difference. It took us around 5h to go up, and 3-4h down. <br /> <br /> * '''2024-01-07 to 2024-01-14: Fangwen and Tobi / 2.5 days Ventisquero Valley (Option 08 + more), 4 days El Manso to Cochamo RR / NOBO hiking.'''<br /> <br /> We did two parts along this enjoyable section, connecting them by hitchhiking and resupplying in between in Llanada Grande.<br /> <br /> The first part was hiking ~20km into the scenic Ventisquero valley (Option 08), alongside a wonderful river on an enjoyable and easy hiking trail through farms and rainforest that mostly follows an old minor road. It's often better to follow the well-marked trail rather than the GPT track files. A highlight of our trip was hiking up to a fantastic viewpoint at 1100m with a view of the whole valley, its remote side valleys and glaciated mountain peaks. The trail (900m elevation gain, 4.5km) through the thick rainforest is steep but excellent in quality and easy to follow (but the turnoff at S 42° 01.737', W 072° 05.643' is easy to miss). This and other trails in the valley are not part of the GPT files yet, but GPX files can be found on the website of Rincon Bonito (glamping accommodation for groups) that presumably created the trail. We camped by the viewpoint; what a wonderful experience! There are plenty of places to pitch up a tent, but little protection from wind. We found a wind protected camp in a dried-out puddle at (S 42° 02.705', W 072° 06.193'). Make sure to bring water, since the last reliable water source is in the valley, just before the turnoff onto the steep trail. From the viewpoint, we attempted to climb the local mountain, but beyond 1500m, it appears to require bush bashing. Our track: [[Media:GPT 22 Ventisquero Viewpoint.gpx]]. [https://rinconbonito.cl/experiencias/ The GPX on their site].<br /> The viewpoint is within the Pumalin National Park, but the whole valley seems to be private property and camping is forbidden outside official campsites, which begin quite far into the valley. There are plenty of spots to pitch up a tent nonetheless (which is what we did).<br /> For packrafters, going down the river must surely be a highlight! Rincon Bonito offers packrafting (maybe only for their guests?), they describe it as class II+.<br /> <br /> Our second part followed the regular route 22N from El Manso to the Cochamo trailhead. This was an enjoyable hike and we found the trail to be in good condition, although it gets pretty muddy around El Arco (and that's after one week of sunny weather). There is quite a bit of pointless up and down between km45 and km79. Additionally, our hiking distance was often 20-25% longer than expected, as there are many switchbacks too small to be represented on the track files. We liked hiking this section northbound, as the rainforest and the views get more and more impressive as you go along. La Junta has a lot of local hiking options (e.g. hiking into the Anfiteatro valley or on top of Cerro Trinidad), but we didn't spend any extra days because the weather was turning.<br /> <br /> Logistics: to get to the start of section 22, take the daily bus that leaves at 7.45am from Puerto Montt (stops at 8.15 in Puerto Varas at intersection el Salvador/San Pedro S 41° 19.081', W 072° 59.038', and later in Cochamo). The bus company Río Puelo has a ticket office in Puerto Montt, their WhatsApp number is +56 9 7408 9199. From there, take the ferry across Lago Tagua Tagua and the connecting bus down the valley to your respective trailhead (El Manso for the Cochamo valley, Primer Corral for the Ventisquiero valley). Note that travel is slow... We arrived at the Primer Corral at 4pm. We left a bag of food for the second half of our trip. Unfortunately it was visible from the parking lot and got stolen, so we resupplied at the Llanada Grande supermarket. The bus makes a stop there for ~15min, if you want a quick resupply there (it's a bit bigger than in El Manso). We hitchhiked to El Manso, which worked after two hours of waiting/walking (not a lot of traffic).<br /> <br /> If you are in the Llanada Grande area, go to Camping Reflejo Azul. The campsite itself is average, but it has the most beautiful river we have ever seen in our lives. Visit this truly special place before Instagram influencers find out about it and it becomes overrun by hordes of tourists. Day access is possible also for 5.000 CLP.<br /> <br /> Photos: https://www.facebook.com/groups/222224388283455/permalink/1732098767296002/?app=fbl<br /> <br /> * '''&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;2024-Jan-4 / 7.5 days / Packrafting / SOBO / RH + OP-LK-2 + RP / Lauren &amp; Sebastian&lt;/span&gt;'''<br /> <br /> Note: We were told a reservation is needed for a camp site at La Junta to be allowed into the valley from Cochamo side, so we did that. However, one of the wikiexplora entry mentioned that they were allowed in when mentioning that they wanted to camp at El Arco Refuge but we read it too late. Camp Trawen is the most expensive (15k per person), which is the reason why it’s been available on short notice. There are several other sold-out camps around for 8k-10k.<br /> <br /> Day 1: We hitchhiked to Cochamo Base Camp at 9am and reached Camp Trawen by 2pm. It would have been better to go on the El Arco Refuge straight away and camp there. It’s a touristy stretch and in our view not really worth doing, if you like the general quiet nature of the GPT.<br /> <br /> Day 2: Camped at the beach at Lago Vidal. Easy hike but lots of ups and downs.<br /> <br /> Day 3: We packrafted Lago Vidal and had a good lunch at Luisa’s place (make sure to drop by!), before continuing on to Torrentoso (not the paid camp, but on the meadow a few hundred meters after the official camp). <br /> <br /> Day 4: The bridge at wp Bridge {22N} [51.8/146] (Rio Steffen) does not exist anymore. It’s not a demanding ford but there are short steep ups and downs on both sides. We stayed near wp Settler {22N} [50.1/307].<br /> <br /> Day 5: We rivered in at wp Rio Manso. The ride was super scenic and beautiful and there were no rapids, just a bit of boiling water but nothing difficult, which might be due to different water levels compared to previous accounts. It’s 45 minutes from there to the bridge at wp Bridge {22N} [40.8+0.2/36]. We rivered out behind the bridge on the right side. There is a nice flat beach which leads to the cabin of Harv and Veronica. They let us camp on their land and even offered a hot (wood fired) shower for 2.5k per person. There is a cervezeria and shop across the road for resupply.<br /> <br /> Day 6: We took the bus at 1 pm to intersection at wp X {22-01} [25.0/187] and went on OP-MR-V (along Hunter’s estate) to Lago Azul. You will be charged 5k per person to access the lake. We crossed Lago Azul with strong waves and tailwind so we sailed to the other side in no time.<br /> <br /> Day 7: Crossed Lago de Las Rocas, Lago Inferior, and Lago Puelo to the Argentinian border control which opens at 8am next morning so we camped there. Next day we finished at Lago Puelo which is a popular tourist beach.<br /> <br /> Tip: It is a hot &amp; dusty walk to town from the beach and hitchhiking is not as easy in this part of Argentina as in Chile. Keep some small change of USD or Argentinian pesos for the bus ride to resupply in town. If you plan to continue packrafting Lago Puelo on GPT23 after resupplying, the earliest bus back to the beach reaches around 7.30am but it will be too late as the wind picks up by 8am. Lago Puelo is known for its strong gusts so it’s best to check wind forecast and paddle early morning 5.30am to cross. Therefore it may be easier to camp at one of the campsites nearer to the beach instead of staying in town. Just go there for resupplying.<br /> <br /> *'''2023 Dec OH-TL-V / Anh'''<br /> Note: the trail OH-TL-V alias Cerro Arco Iris [from La Junta] was damaged by big rocks in the last season and is completely closed. A new route or repair is not in planning.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-12-17 to 2023-12-21 / 5 days / Hiking + &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / SOBO /RR &amp; Option 01B / Roman'''<br /> <br /> Route: Hiking from Cochamó to El Manso. Bus to Lago de Las Rocas. Packrafted the lake and Lago Inferior. Hiked to Lago Puelo.<br /> <br /> Due to the border crossing, there is a thread about it on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/222224388283455/permalink/1709504102888802/. I applied online - no answer. Went to the carabineros in Cochamó they couldn't issue it, so I went without it (it worked without a problem)<br /> <br /> Started in Cochamó (there is a bus to the entry I just got him by hitchhiking so I don't know the schedule) and had a reservation for Camp Trawen (Fruit, Groceries, Electricity). This is getting checked at the entrance if you have one. The trail to the camp was a bit muddy (2 days of rain before the start) but all doable. The next day went to the northern end of Lago Vidal Gormaz and slept there at Lake {22-05} [7.9/604]. Bridge destroyed at: -41.43696, -71.96632 and Bridge {22N} [63.0/337] (Rio El Colorado). Both are crossable dry feed due to trees. Generally, there is no fording necessary after Lago Vidal Gormaz. Before yes. Packrafted Rio Manso. There were no rapids on the map, it's mentioned in the Manuel that it can be challenging. There are some rapids but all are doable and manageable (I am a beginner with kayak experience and an open deck packraft). You can get easy access to the river at -41.692561, -71.972725 this is 300m after the mark in the file. There is a dry river bed to avoid BB to get to the River. The river is fast flowing. Follow the GPS only at one point where the river splits pay extra attention: turn left as shownin the GPS: -41.698615, -71.985482 . Went out at the south side of the bride: Bridge {22N} [40.8+0.2/36] (Rio Manso) on the right side. There is a trail to the street with one gate where you can walk through on the right side. The shop Settlement, Shop, Bus {22N} [40.7/36] (El Manso) has good supplies and free WiFi. The trail to this point is very good. Based on previous comments and a chat to a local I want to skip at least to Puerto Urrutia [comment in: 2023-FEB-01 to 2023-FEB-07]. There is an official bus going all the way from Rampa Punta<br /> <br /> Maldonado -&gt; Segundo Corral. Find the schedule here: https://imgur.com/a/7MVEscb . The shop owner said the bus is normally there at 02:00 PM. The bus was there in my case at 02:30 PM. This bus stops at the large supermarket [Supermercado Llanada Grande] a great place for a last resupply). The bus also stops at Puerto Urrutia but I went all the way to Lago de Las Rocas and used OH-MR-V {22-01B} [8.2+1.9] to get to the lake. Started packrafting at 05:00 PM. The start was fine. The wind got worse during the evening and was to my capabilities on the maximum with serious waves. Strong wind from the north. It was pleasantly paddling after going through the gap at -42.069608, -71.813735. Camped at Lake, Camp {22S} [21.8/314]. Got there at 07:45 PM. Crossed the border without any problems. Packrafted Lago Inferior and got in the water here: Lake {22S} [20.9/201] at 10:00 AM. The wind got stronger but manageable. Exited the lake at 11:15 AM at -42.102244, -71.742575. The trail back to the RR is good to hike. From there, the trail is in good condition. Due to the higher water in Rio Azul fording and therefore the RR is not possible. You get also the recommendation from the Argentinien carabineros to take Option 03. I didn't want to take this and followed the RR to this point: -42.091481, -71.633667. From there I followed the trail to this point: -42.09399, -71.634188. There is an old dock [image here: https://imgur.com/a/5LMsKA1]to put in you packraft. The trail can be downloaded at the end of the comment. There I packrafted with very strong onshore wind and if it hadn't been for only 300m I wouldn't have done it to (03:15 PM):-42.096114, -71.628682 ,and walked from there to the end of GPT22.<br /> <br /> Overall: great section! It's a nice trail to hike and packrafting rRioEl Manso is a lot of fun and a great change in perspective after hiking for a few days. After that, the trail continues bto bein a good condition. The conditions for Lago de Las Rocas should be closely checked. I would definitely recommend it!<br /> <br /> Trail download: https://1drv.ms/u/s!AqzLweJ3NZW5q7YZzDoW3qlKypqwBg<br /> <br /> Contact: https://linktr.ee/RundW<br /> <br /> * '''&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;2023-Dec-03 to 2023-Dec-12 / 9 days / PACKRAFTING / NOBO &amp; SOBO / Jordan Jennings&lt;/span&gt;'''<br /> Route:<br /> <br /> took bus to Primer Corral&gt;Arroyo Ventisquero&gt;Rio Puelo (walked 13km of rapids through canyon)&gt;Lago Tagua Tagua&gt;Rio Puelo&gt;Estero Reloncavi to Cochamó (nobo) took bus back towards Primer Corral from Cochamó, asked to be dropped off near Lago Azul.. Lago Azul&gt;lago las rocas&gt;Lago Inferior&gt;Lago Puelo&gt;Lago Puelo town (sobo).<br /> <br /> Highlights:<br /> <br /> Arroyo ventisquero: is well worth a visit, packrafting or hiking. I got told that there is a hostel run by an abuela 4km further up the valley from Rincon Bonito (posh cabins) where the route on track files stops (c20km up valley from Primer Corral). Between the hostel and Rincon there are rapids, so be prepared to walk back to Rincon to put boat in water. The river from Rincon to Rio Puelo is stunning and very easy in packraft.<br /> <br /> Lago Azul: If you flip flop (as recommended if packrafting), and return back to Primer Corral for sobo travel as Jan mentions in the manual, ask the bus driver to drop you at Lago Azul, rather than taking the bus closer to the Lago las rocas trailhead/Primer Corral. The 3km walk from the bus stop to the lake is easy and I got super lucky and passed a local horse race (Carreras) on a Saturday. Maybe ask ahead when they are on?!<br /> <br /> Other comments:<br /> <br /> The hiking section bypassing Rio Puelo (first set of) rapids through canyon, the 13km or so took me all day. Parts of the trail were barely a trail, very slow kms. Although I was also a bit sick so my experience might be tainted. The alternative is taking roads on the right hand side of the river.<br /> <br /> I hiked the section between the Argentinian border patrol and lago puelo town (13km) which passed through some stunning farmland (lago puelo can get angry with wind as with any big lake). The dotted line section or shortcut which requires two river fords was impassable for me. Rio Azul was not even close to being fordable mid December. And even if you did pass, you would have to take the road to Puelo anyway.<br /> <br /> In terms of transport to Primer Corral, the bus leaves Cochamó at 10:30am and Puelo at 11:30am (same bus, which I think starts in Puerto Montt v early). From the ferry there’s another local bus that will essentially drop you wherever you want (en route) to primer corral. Super easy.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> * '''2023-Feb-18 to 2023-Feb-23 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + 22-01 / Martin &amp; Helena'''<br /> <br /> A lot has been already written, so just a few comments from our side:<br /> <br /> No problem with entering the valley in SOBO direction, until the noon aprox., saying you will spend the night at the refugio El Arco - they have some time estimate for this hike and can’t let you in if its late. By the entrance you can buy some useful things that might be hard to buy in Cochamo, like gas or peanut butter. There was also a beer truck with quite good wifi connection (only during summer). Crowds of people in both directions, quite muddy trail. Detour to the Toboganes is definitely worth it. We spend the night after all in a marked camp aprox. 4 kms before the refugio and it was a good decision - there were quite a lot of people when we passed by the next day.<br /> <br /> From the refugio its nice and easy walking. We spent the night on the southern side of Lago Vidal Gomaz where is amazing campsite Doña Luisa, for I think 5000 CLP pp. We bought there beer, some cheese and bread in the morning, and you can also charge electronics inside. It is possible to have proper breakfast or dinner, it looked all very tasty. At km N 40.7 is shop with all the basic things + great brewery next to it, definitely stop there if you are a fan.<br /> <br /> Based on other comments and our time schedule we decided to take the alternative 22-01 to Llanada Grande. This is a good resuppy spot as there is a new and big (at least in comparison to what you would expect in a place like this) supermarket that replaced the old one destroyed by fire. Good place to stay is a campsite at the end of the village, on the right side, run by really nice lady. Not expensive and if its free, you can stay for the same price in a so called refugio, that is actually just a very small room, but for us better than a tent. Hot water and electricity + possibility to buy pizza and maybe some other small things - there is actually no restaurant in the village. Some more road walking around Lago Totoral to Rio Puelo to connect back to RR. In general not very attractive part of the trail. Great restaurant in Hostal Puelo Libre with local beer and view on the river.<br /> <br /> From the port its again easy walking on the RR again. Drunk settler and quite agressive dogs out of his control at S km 7.2 so be careful. We slept half way to Las Rocas lake. We thought about taking the RR around the lake, but the landslide caused by snow (aprox. 1.5 km from the port) looked quite difficult to pass. We discovered there is possibility to cross the lake on one of the locals boat, which we did in the end. We were lucky that after waiting for some time in the port a car with locals arrived. Happily for us they arranged a boat transfer with other residents to get to the other side of the lake, where they went for a lunch. We were able to go with them, and after picking up their friends, we all hop off the boat close to the police station. Great experience and we learned a lot about this area and people living here. We paid 10k CLP. In the comments here is a contact for the guy with a boat, but without signal it must be arranged in advance, and the price might differ when not sharing the transfer with others. No problem with the border check. It took us around 4 hrs to get to the argentinian side, where everyone was super friendly as well. They offered us to camp there, but we decided to make it to Lago Puelo, which took us 2 more hrs. The landscape changes significantly on the other side where everything is more dry. No problem with the river crossing. We got off the trail directly on the main road.<br /> <br /> Contact: @martin_hanzelka @helenneka<br /> <br /> * '''2023-FEB-01 to 2023-FEB-07 / 7 days / hiking / SOBO / Cochamó - Lago Puelo / Anna &amp; Christopher '''<br /> <br /> We hitchhiked from Eco Camping El Valle to the entry of the park and arrived around 8 am. We told them that we would camp at the Refugio El Arco and explained our further route. Until la Junta there were lots of chilenean tourists, therefore the path was very good only with some muddy stretches. Like Véronica we walked to Toboganes, a waterfall/stream with beautiful rock formations. There were tons of people, but it's worth it. La junta seems to be an amazing place for rock climbing, we would have loved to have some climbing gear with us.<br /> <br /> After la Junta there were almost no more hikers. We camped next to the Refugio, as there were already two other groups of hikers sleeping in the Refugio.<br /> <br /> Until Lago grande there are still some muddy stretches and blowdowns, but generally it is a good path. From there on the path is perfectly maintained. We camped at approx. km 66 next to Río los Morros. <br /> <br /> Nice path until El Manso. We resupplied at the minimercado and camped next to the river, which was a beautiful camping spot with lots of delicious blackberrys.<br /> <br /> The next morning we arrived at Señora Ocos house around 8 am. She contacted multiple people and luckily found out that there was somebody crossing the river to our side at 11 am. The man, whose name we unfortunately forgot, was super friendly and dropped us off after the river mouth of Rio Traidor, close to where he lives. He charged 10.000 CLP p.p.<br /> <br /> The path to the first settler was mediocre and afterwards got worse and worse until it was almost pure buschwhacking. It was the worst we had so far on the GPT. Thorns.. Lots of thorns tearing away at your clothes, backpack and skin.<br /> We camped at the river at approx. km 12, which was a beautiful spot.<br /> Until the settlement Las Nieves the path continued beeing bad with lots of bush bashing. The settler told us that no locals use that path and she also told us that there are no regular boat transfers to Puerto Urrutia on weekends (it was sunday..).<br /> We wouldn't do that stretch next to Rio Puelo again and instead hitchhike from El Manso to Puerto Urrutia.<br /> <br /> At the boat transfer waypoint to Puerto Urrutia we had Entel service and contacted one lodging on the other side. They told us to go to the last house 1km back to ask for a transfer (it's the house of the man who does the boat transfer on weekdays). But we got lucky and a boat passed by and took us to the other side. The man on the boat also told us that the path from Río Traidor to Puerto Urrutia &quot;is closed&quot;.<br /> <br /> We continued to Lago verde, where we planned to camp, but it's surrounded by dense forest, apart from a private property.<br /> That spot is amazing, a little landing stage to go swimming, a great view and a very friendly owner. She even baked some delicious apple bread for us. For camping she charged us 8000 CLP p.p.. That was definetly worth it.<br /> <br /> After Lago verde there is a minimarket. We didn't check it out, but there is no resupply wp yet.<br /> <br /> After reading previous blogs and having had enough of thorns we decided to cross el Lago de Las Rocas by boat. Therefore there is a walkie talkie on the landing stage on the northern end of the lake with which you can contact Richard. We also got his number (+56958694897), if you want to contact him in advance. When we arrived at the lake, there were already lots of people waiting for the boat so we just waited with them and after some time got knocked the boat with them. The ride was really nice across the crystal clear blue water and we were charged 5000 p.p.<br /> <br /> From the southern end of the lake it's just a couple of minutes to walk to the chilenian border control. We continued on and camped at km 30 at the river. Again a really beautiful spot.<br /> <br /> The next day we passed the argentinian border control and continued to Lago Puelo.<br /> <br /> The section was really beautiful, except the part with the thorns. There are lots of streams along the whole trail, so one does not need to carry much water. <br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-29 to 2023-Feb-02 / 5 days / hiking / NOBO / RR mostly / Frank'''<br /> <br /> I got the bus-ferry-bus from Puerto Montt to Segundo Corral. To avoid the landslide at Laguna Las Rocas &amp; delays with the river ferries I walked on the road from Segundo Corral to El Manso, about 50KM. Easy but not very interesting walking. It takes a full day to get from Puerto Montt on the bus to Segundo Corral so I believe it would be better to go SOBO with an early start to get through La Junta, otherwise you need 2 additional days for travel. <br /> <br /> Stayed @ nice &amp; cheap campsite at bridge over Rio Colorado &amp; camped at El Arco. The trail approaching El Arco was muddy &amp; a bit swampy (it had been raining). It's possible to go by boat across Lago Vidal Gomez but it's an easy 3 hour walk. <br /> <br /> Got the bus again to Segundo Corral &amp; ferry to Paso Bolson. The trail across the border is generally in good condition. There is some easy bushbashing on the Chilean side for about 1KM before the border &amp; some fallen trees but they are straightforward to go over. Rio Azul was easily fordable in early February.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-10 to 2023-Jan-14 / 5 days / hiking / SOBO / RR, also GPT22-01 / Véronica '''<br /> <br /> Route: Cochamó - La Junta - Lago Vidal Gormáz - El Manso - Puerto Urrutio via Option 1 - Lago Las Rocas - Lago Puelo (Argentina) <br /> <br /> The borders of Paso El León and Paso El Bolsón are both opened again for tourists! Go for it! It is a beautiful section with wonderful people, such a contrast to where I started the GPT further north. <br /> <br /> In Cochamó, I stayed at Eco Camping El Valle, right at the entrance to the Cochamó River Valley. Paid 7000 clp, very nice campground, there are tarps over the picnic tables at each site so you have a dry place to hang out even if it rains :) Since I spent the night so close to the trailhead, it was easy to get to the guarded valley entrance (Road End {22N} [109.8/58]) early. I did not have a camping reservation for La Junta. I arrived at the trailhead at 7:30 a.m., explained my route to the staff, saying I would stay at Refugio El Arco that night. They let me through no problem. The trail to La Junta is a bit muddy, but nothing bad, my feet stayed dry in my trailrunners despite the fact it was also raining off and on. Beautiful path through the Valvidian rainforest, I really enjoyed all the green and the moss. When I reached the La Junta area, I stashed my pack in some trees and made a short detour to Las Toboganes. They are only 0.7 km off the regular route, and highly worthwhile to see! What a spectacular area, I totally see the Yosemite resemblence, and would love to go back someday. <br /> <br /> I found the trail after La Junta (all the way to Lago Vidal Gormáz) to be in good shape, contrary to what others have written. It was maybe slightly less maintained than the popular trail leading into the valley, but it was still very clear and easy to follow — not overgrown, no blowdowns, just a bit muddy in some places. Granted, it has been drier than normal so far this summer. None of the fords went above my knees, and sometimes I could cross the creeks without even getting my feet wet, all very easy. <br /> <br /> The refugio at El Arco is dark and without any furniture inside. I found it much nicer to camp in the nearby meadow just south of the trail there. There are outhouses. <br /> <br /> Nice path from Lago Vidal Gormáz all the way to El Manso. Very beautiful in this valley as well. Met a few arrieros along the way. Most of the rivers have bridges crossing them. There is a small camp at the bridge over Río Colorado. <br /> <br /> In El Manso, I topped off my food supply at the shop on the main road. It has a good selection of food items. Then I went to Señora Oco's house to try and arrange a boat transfer over Río Puelo. She and her family are very friendly and welcoming. I arrived there mid-afternoon, but she could not get in radio contact with anyone on the other side. In the evening, we heard back from Hospedaje Nancy, who charged 60,000 clp for a crossing upriver all the way to Río Traidor (where she lives). This I found too expensive for me traveling alone. Señora Oco baked some bread and I was able to buy some. She also said I was welcome to camp in the fields behind her house while waiting for a response from settlers Paulina and Jovino regarding a crossing to their place (much more direct and therefore likely much cheaper). The next morning, we still hadn't received any response from Paulina and Jovino either via radio or Whatsapp (they may have been away). Because of this, I decided to take the gravel road to Puerto Urrutia (Option 1), and forgo crossing Río Puelo, unfortunately. Despite this setback, I'm really glad I got to meet and spend time with Señora Oco and her family, they are such kind people. <br /> <br /> I was able to hitch most of the way to Puerto Urrutia, where I rejoined the regular route. The trail from there all the way to Lago Las Rocas is mostly easy and clear. There were a few confusing junctions in the vicinity of Lago Verde, so I kept a close eye on the GPS there. After crossing the road after that, the beginning of RR -TL-V {22S} [2.8/7.1+2.7] is tricky to find. There are lots of fallen trees and many forest paths. The GPS was very helpful there too until I finally found the right path. After about 700 m it merges with a nice clear path all the way to Lago Las Rocas. <br /> <br /> As has been previously reported, there is a large rockslide about 2 km in once you reach Lago Las Rocas. It didn't look overly dangerous to me, the boulders were large and seemed solid enough. I started crossing it right at the bottom where the rocks fall into the lake, as it looked to be the easiest and safest way across. I was maybe 50 meters through it, when a boat came along, and the people in it told me to hop in! What lucky timing! As we passed the rest of the rockslide, I could see the last part of it was steep, loose scree rather than big boulders. That part would have definitely been nerve-wracking to cross, and I was very grateful for the boat ride. The settlers who owned the boat live about 3 km along the trail, at a little bay/inlet in the lake. They have a nice beach and campground too. That's where I rejoined the trail. Beyond their house, the &quot;Camino Los Mosquitos,&quot; as it is locally called, gets progressively worse in terms of overgrowth and blowdowns. The trail has not been cleared since the past winter, and not been used either. The stretch between kilometers 4 and 6.5 is the worst. It felt more like pure bushwhacking than following a trail. The path was mostly burried beneath walls of downed trees and branches, it got very hard to follow at times. Lots of climbing over and under vegetation, some of it quite thorny too. Very slow and tiring. My pack got ripped up a bit and so did my clothing. Had I known the trail was this bad, I would have taken the option on the east side of Lago Las Rocas. It's hard to imagine it could be in worse shape than the regular route. <br /> <br /> When I got to the Chilean Border Control it was around 6:30 p.m., so too late to cross that day. The border agent working there was very friendly, but he couldn't get in contact with his supervisor to get approval for stamping my passport with the next day's date. So I camped back at Lago Las Rocas, and the next morning came back at 8 a.m. when the border post reopened. The trail on the Chilean side of the border was a bit rough in places, it has been neglected since the winter too. But it was not as bad as the previous stretch along Lago Las Rocas. Once I got into Argentina, it got much better. The trails in Parque Nacional Lago Puelo are well-maintained, and I met some day hikers. No issues at the Argentine Border Control. <br /> <br /> I was able to ford Río Azul easily, thanks to the dry weather. There are three branches of the river to cross (the GPS waypoints only show two of them). The middle branch is the widest and deepest. The water there went up to my upper thighs (I'm 165 cm), but the current was slow and it never felt dangerous. <br /> <br /> Now I'm skipping down to GPT32 to continue my adventure further south :) The northern sections that I hiked from 6 to 22 were simply amazing, with great weather almost the entire time. Thank you, all! <br /> <br /> * '''2022-Oct-19 to 2022-Oct-24 / 6 days / hiking / SOBO / RR / ???'''<br /> <br /> Here are the main points because our story is long :)<br /> Paso el bolson and El Leon are closed for tourists until further notice <br /> Some of trails are in bad condition because of the hard winter but they might be cleared in the following weeks. <br /> Landslide in Lago Las rocas - very dangerous part to cross. We suggest to take an optional route <br /> <br /> The trail starts in valle cochamo. We did not have any reservations but as we were in low season we were not worried. However the lady from the tourist office in Cochamo told us to arrive at the entrance of the valley between 7 &amp; 8 to avoid being rejected. At 7h50 there was nobody at the reception so we did not have any trouble, but we cannot say for the high season. <br /> You can arrange a car transfer to go the valley entrance. The numbers of the drivers are available at the tourist office.<br /> <br /> The trail until La Junta is muddy but well maintained - no worries there. Up there we met some arrieros and the locals from the camping and they told us that the trail was closed a bit further because of snow (up to 2 meters) in laguna Blanca. This is the highest part of the trail (about 1100m). The river crossings were feasible, but as they forecasted rain for the next day, we preferred to turn back in order to avoid being blocked between high rivers and snow. <br /> <br /> Back on the road between Cochamo and Puelo, we caught at about 10:30 the bus that leaves at 7:45 from Puerto Montt, to go to Rio Manso. There is a well furnished Shop where you can even find gas. <br /> We remained in the Southbound direction and went to Senora Oco's house. She was very welcoming, and her and her grandchild helped us in arranging a boat transfer for the following morning (nothing was possible the same day). We paid 50000 pesos to go from their house to Rio Traidor - close to Nancy hospedaje. Indeed, we skipped the first part of the trail as they told us that it was very closed with a lot of small trees and not used anymore. Maybe it would be cheaper to cross a bit south using the cable car or directly from Manso to Rio Traidor.<br /> <br /> Until the Rio Tigre, settler # 22N [7.7/157], the trail is visible but sometimes with some obstacles (fallen trees). After this settling, you will have to cross the Rio Tigre which might be the hardest to cross on your way if you have a lot of rain. There is a bridge indicated on the tracks but it has been swept away this winter. The best place to cross is a bit higher following the river, follow the horse track. We did not have any problem crossing, and probably the settler could help you with his horse if the river is too high. That is an advantage of the Southbound direction.<br /> <br /> After, the trail is really clear. We found the last transfer across Rio Puelo about 1 km before the point indicated on the track. It is his job to do the crossings and he also does sportive fishing if you are interested. Look for a house with a border collie with a piece of wood around the neck :) <br /> <br /> From Puerto Urrutia, the trail is clear again until the road. There is a shop at 600m on the right. Again here, the trail is closed due to fallen trees at the beginning, but the locals (last house on the right) will help you find another path. Clear trail until Lago Las Rocas. <br /> <br /> Once you reach the Lago Las rocas you will be blocked after 2km. Indeed there was a landslide this winter and you have to cross a very dangerous part of about 300 m of rocky mountain slide. It is not stabilized yet. We went through but we do not advise it. <br /> Also, there were a lot of fallen trees and the path was really tiring. The locals will probably clear the path in the following weeks. To get more information we suggest to contact the camping Playa Las Rocas on Instagram. <br /> You can also consider the other routes or arrange a boat crossing. <br /> <br /> Finally we arrived at the border crossing. Unfortunately it was closed due to the Covid, except for the very locals (people from Cochamo). Apparently Paso el Leon is closed as well for tourists. Be aware of that if you have to cross the Chilean- Argentinian borders, as small passes seem to be closed for tourists. <br /> In the end we had to go back to Puerto Montt crossing the Lago inferior with a free boat (ask the carabineros), and then the bus-ferry-bus from Segundo Corral.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> * '''&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;2021-Nov-23 &amp; 2021-Nov-25 / 2 days / Packrafting / SOBO / Estuario de Reloncavi from Ralun to Rio Puelo (Western shore) / Jan Dudeck &amp; Meylin Ubilla&lt;/span&gt;'''<br /> <br /> We paddled in two easy days the roughly 40 km southbound.<br /> <br /> Start at Ralun at Puente Petrohue: On the right side of the bridge (view in river flow direction) is a suitable put-in and good spot to camp. The gate was closed but not locked. There are signs of people occasionally camping there.<br /> <br /> Ralun to Cochamo: Packrafters in need to resupply can do this in Cochamo about 16 water kilometers from the put-in. Both, the western and eastern coast are suitable for packrafting. The eastern side is next to the main road what facilitates switching to hiking. The western side is less intervened and more scenic.<br /> <br /> Ralun to Rio Puelo: Again, the western and eastern coast are suitable for packrafting. The eastern side is next to the main road what facilitates switching to hiking but requires the crossing of a 4 km wide bay in open water. The western side is less intervened and more scenic but requires crossing the 3 km wide Estuario de Reloncavi near Rio Puelo. On the western side are also the Termas de Sotomo that are suitable for camping.<br /> <br /> Wind: On nice sunny days “viento sur” often kicks in around 10 am making southbound paddling difficult or unfeasible. We had two partially overcasted days and could paddle on the first day till 4 pm when wind became annoying strong. On the second day around 3 pm the wind and waves became unpleasant but by this time we were walking the final kilometers into Rio Puelo.<br /> <br /> GPT22: Southbound packrafters may take in Cochamo or Rio Puelo the bus to Lago TaguaTagua an get to the recommended packrafting starting point of section GPT22 halfway into this section to Flip-Flop as recommended.<br /> <br /> * '''2021-NOV-18 / 1 day / hiking / NOBO / Cochamó Valley (Lago Tagua Tagua - Lago Grande) / Tobías '''<br /> <br /> The Section between La Junta Base and Lago Vidal Gormez was very challenging. It had been raining a lot, so the Trail was very muddy and I had to cross several rivers and creeks. Went straight from Cochamó to Lago Grande and camped there in some Snow. Met only a few settlers. After reaching Lago Vidal Gormez, the Trail was easy and I enjoyed the hike a lot. Amaizing área up there!<br /> <br /> ==Season 2020/21==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> <br /> * '''2020-FEB-18 to 2020-FEB-21 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Tyler '''<br /> I didn’t have problems getting a campsite at la junta on the spot luckily. AMAZING area that I’ll be returning to again to do all the day hikes in. Aside from that, most the trail was very muddy, rainy, and unmaintained. This got a bit difficult after the 3rd day in a row. Good places to camp at the lakes over the pass SOBO. When I got down to Lago Vidal Gomez the trail improved.. I got some bread from a settler at the start of the lake. There right on the trail and super friendly and have rooms. The last ferry across Tagua Tagua leaves at 7 pm. I didn’t make it, so I slept underneath the office/bathrooms and took the ferry at 8:00 the next morning. I believe there’s another ferry at 12. <br /> <br /> * '''. 2020-Jan-09 to 2020-Jan-11 / hiking / SOBO / RR / Shaun'''<br /> <br /> Despite the austere warnings on the La Junta Camping website, I was able to make a reservation at short notice in high season, and the back and forth process only took a few hours. In Cochamó, I was warned that due to recent rain the river crossings at El Arco and another nearby river would likely be impassable. With four more days of heavy rain forecast, I decided to take the bus-ferry-bus combo to Puerto Urrutia and try to walk northbound from there with the optimistic hope that by the time I reached El Arco the river would be passable or, at least, the wait would be less. However, 10km north of the Rio Puelo crossing (service starts at 9am) my way was blocked by a high and fast river. I then retraced my steps and completed the rest of the section southbound - which was straightforward. The trail on the west side of Lago de la Roca until the frontera is a bit overgrown but still easy to see and nothing particularly slowed me down. On the Argentinian side the trail is well maintained. It is not permitted to camp on the 12km stretch between the border posts. I arrived too late to cross that day, but the Chileans stamped my passport with the next day’s date so I didn’t have to wait for the post to open at 9am. The Argentinian border guards informed me that because of the rain, the Rio Azul was too high to ford at the point on the regular hiking route just before Lago Puelo so I took the alternative route (Oh-Tl-V@22-04-#001) a few kms north and crossed over the La Pasarela bridge.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-22 to 2020-Jan-26 / 5 days / hiking / SOBO / parque de la vallee de Cochamo - La Pasarella / Arnaud '''<br /> <br /> As we arrived from Puerto Montt we were with the bus and stopped directly at the entrance of the private parque de la vallee de Cochamo.<br /> As it is private, there are some rules to get in, or they block you at the control point.<br /> The entrance is free but you need to have a reservation in one of the official camp sites there. To get the reservation, you can do it on internet (but you need to wait for the confirmation and it can be several days long), or do it directly there (red house), they give you the reservation voucher if there are places available (number seem to be limited). Then you pay the night when you reach the camp sites (6000 clp/pers).<br /> Or the other solution is to say that you sleep in the refugio del Arco. It is 23km further after the control. Then it is free and no reservation is needed, but this is possible only before 10am (after they block you). After 10am the only way to pass is to sleep in the camp sites. They block you if you do not have a<br /> reservation voucher for one camp site.<br /> This spot (la Junta) is famous among the chilenos so the access to the camp sites is really overrunned. The path is easy to walk.<br /> Once you go further than the campsites, you're alone, so it is better.<br /> The path is clearly marked. There are bridges for most of the rivers you cross. But it is very muddy.<br /> At the lago Vidal you can resupply a bit with those living there (you can also sleep in their camp sites).<br /> In El Manso you can find a minimarket with lots of things.<br /> Then, we decided to follow the road instead of the track because we were in a hurry with a deadline in El Bolson, until we reached la cruce de la rocas. There are buses or hitchiking is easy.<br /> Crossing borders was easy. There are 12km between the chilean stamp and the Argentin one that we did in 3.5 hours.<br /> At the very end we have not not crossed El Rio Azul, we walked 7 more km to the north to reach La Pasarella.<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> *In Cochamo go down towards the lake. There is a church on the left &amp; before you reach it there is a hospedaje on the right, good &amp; cheap.<br /> <br /> Really nice Cafe (Materia Cochamo) with a good selection of coffee, cake (Kuchen) &amp; sandwiches ca 50 meters before turning right to the cheap campsite.<br /> <br /> *There is a good place to stay NOBO 500 metres before the junction where the road turns towards Laguna Las Rocas. Farmhouse on RHS of road has rooms &amp; meals. Cheap, friendly &amp; good<br /> <br /> *In Segundo Corral there are two campsites. The first one is just before the school, it just says Kuchen but you can camp there. Cheap, nice family &amp; they do meals. There is a campsite after the school but the owner was drunk &amp; looking for an argument.<br /> Lots of campsites at Lago Totoral (on the road, not on RR)<br /> It's possible to camp near the Argentinian border control.<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> *2023 / Martin &amp; Helena<br /> We spent the night on the southern side of Lago Vidal Gomaz where is amazing campsite Doña Luisa, for I think 5000 CLP pp. We bought there beer, some cheese and bread in the morning, and you can also charge electronics inside. It is possible to have proper breakfast or dinner, it looked all very tasty. At km N 40.7 is shop with all the basic things + great brewery next to it, definitely stop there if you are a fan.<br /> <br /> *Zapatoria Puerto Varas.He is located in the back corner of a market like building across the street from the Santa Isabella on San Bernardo street. San Bernardo &amp; Del Salvador. I payed extra (10mil total) to have them finished and ready to go that day<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> <br /> * February 2023 / Gerald<br /> Bus lago puelo - El bolson: <br /> According to the timetable the bus is leaving from the lake every full hour from 7am till midnight<br /> <br /> * January 2023 Frank<br /> To avoid the landslide at Laguna Las Rocas you can walk on the road or get the bus to Segundo Corral then from Lago Inferior about 1.5KM from Segundo Corral there is a ferry to Paso Bolson (Chilean border control).The government subsidised ferry runs Monday-Friday only from 8-12 &amp; 2PM-6PM &amp; is only 2000 pesos. You need to radio the ferryman to arrange pickup, easily done in Segundo Corral.<br /> <br /> *2023 / Anna &amp; Christopher <br /> We decided to cross el Lago de Las Rocas by boat. Therefore there is a walkie talkie on the landing stage on the northern end of the lake with which you can contact Richard (+56958694897),we were charged 5000 p.p.<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> *2023 / Martin &amp; Helena<br /> From the port its again easy walking on the RR again. Drunk settler and quite agressive dogs out of his control at S km 7.2 so be careful. We slept half way to Las Rocas lake. <br /> <br /> *Northbound and southbound hiking is feasible. However, due to the controlled private southbound access through the La Junta área, hiking in that direction is only possible with a camping reservation, or by arriving at the checkpoint before 10am. A northbound traverse may therefore be preferred. For hikers generally heading south, it is possible to take the single ticket, half-day bus-ferry-bus combination south from Cochamó to Puerto Urrutia, hike the 120km north to Cochamó, then return to Puerto Urrutia and resume the section southwards from there.<br /> <br /> *Crossing the border is typically straightforward, however it is not permitted to camp on the 12km between the border posts. So if you arrive too late to cross, it is necessary to camp at the border post and cross the next day. In this situation, Chilean officials will stamp your passport with the next day’s date so you don’t need to wait for the office to open that morning.<br /> <br /> *Southbound access to the popular La Junta area is controlled at a private checkpoint and only granted to those with a prior camping reservation, or those arriving before 10am and therefore early enough to make it on to the free and unmanaged El Arco campsite 23km away. Reservations for La Junta can be made online at cochamo.com, but there may not be availability and the process may take several days, so hiking this section southwards may not be possible.Therefore, an option for hikers generally heading south is to take the bus-ferry-bus combination from Cochamó across Lago Tagua Tagua and on to Puerto Urrutia, hike 120km north back to Cochamó, then take the bus-ferry-bus south again and hike the remainder of the section southwards from Puerto Urrutia.<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT22 - Cochamó]]<br /> <br /> =Images=<br /> <br /> [[Archivo: | ]]<br /> <br /> {| border=&quot;1&quot; style=&quot;border-collapse:collapse&quot;<br /> |+'''GPT22: Cochamó'''<br /> | colspan=&quot;4&quot; style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| GPT22: Cochamó<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Hiking<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Packrafting<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;|Group<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; | D: Lagos Chilenos<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Total<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|'''160.6 km'''<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|'''51 h'''<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| '''136.6 km'''<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;|'''35 h'''<br /> |-<br /> | style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;|Region<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; | Chile &amp; Argentina: Los Lagos (X) &amp; Chubut<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Trails (TL)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|137.9 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|85.9%<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 20.3 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;|14.9%<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Start<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; | Cochamó<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Minor Roads (MR)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|10.8 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|6.7%<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 1.8 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 1.3%<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Finish<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; | Lago Puelo (Puerto)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Primary Roads (PR)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|9.7 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|6.0%<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 2.8 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 2.0%<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Status<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; | Published &amp; Verified<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Cross-Country (CC)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|2.2 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|1.4%<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 0.5 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 0.4%<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Traversable<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; | Dec - Apr (Maybe: Sep, Oct, Nov, May)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Bush-Bashing (BB)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| -<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;|-<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Packraft<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; | Very Useful<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Ferry (FY)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|(1.8 km)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|(1.1%)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| -<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;|-<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Connects to<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; | GPT21, GPT23<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Investigation (I)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| (1.9 km)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| (1.4%)<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Options<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; | 268 km (9 Options &amp; Variants)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Exploration (EXP)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| -<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;|-<br /> |-<br /> | <br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Hiking<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Packrafting<br /> | rowspan=&quot;4&quot; style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| <br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Total on Water<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| '''111.1 km'''<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| '''81.4%'''<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Attraction<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|4 (of 5)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 5 (of 5)<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| River (RI)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 62.5 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 45.7%<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Difficulty<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|4 (of 5)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 4 (of 5)<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Lake (LK)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 32.4 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 23.7%<br /> |-<br /> | style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;|Direction<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|Both ↓↑<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;|Both ↓↑<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Fjord (FJ)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 16.3 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;|11.9%<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Comment<br /> | colspan=&quot;7&quot; | Hiking: Flip-Flop recommended<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Character<br /> | colspan=&quot;7&quot; | Packrafting: Flip-Flop recommended<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Challenges<br /> | colspan=&quot;7&quot; | Valdivian Rain Forest, Sea Coast, Farmland, Settlers, River Packrafting, Lake Packrafting, Fjord Packrafting, Partly Overrun<br /> |}<br /> <br /> [[File:profile GPT22.PNG|frame|center|Elevation Profile of Regular Hiking Route (2019)]]<br /> <br /> [[File:profile GPT22-p.PNG|frame|center|Elevation Profile of Regular Hiking Route (2019)]]<br /> <br /> &lt;gallery&gt; <br /> File:GPT_16_Cochamó_109520254.jpg|<br /> File:GPT_16_Cochamó_109520443.jpg|<br /> File:GPT_16_Cochamó_115282465.jpg|<br /> File:GPT_16_Cochamó_115282466.jpg|<br /> File:GPT_16_Cochamó_109447503.jpg|thumb|<br /> File:GPT_16_Cochamó_101648648.jpg|thumb|<br /> File:GPT_16_Cochamó_104321335.jpg|thumb|<br /> File:Bahia ralun.jpg|thumb|<br /> File:GPT_16_Cochamó_109447491.jpg|thumb|<br /> File:GPT_16_Cochamó_109447496.jpg|thumb|<br /> &lt;/gallery&gt;<br /> <br /> [[category:Greater Patagonian Trail]]</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT22_(Cochamo)&diff=119065 2024-12-11T15:52:35Z

<p>MiaimZelt: /* Season 2024/25 */</p> <hr /> <div>'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''<br /> <br /> = How to a add new entry =<br /> You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD):<br /> * '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> 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 &quot;packrafting&quot;, as above):<br /> <br /> &lt;!-- IF YOU COPY FROM THIS EDITING VIEW, YOU NEED TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (* TRANSFORMS INTO BULLET, ''' MAKE IT BOLD, WHAT IS ENCLOSED IN &lt;&gt; MAKES IT BLUE):<br /> * &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;<br /> --&gt;<br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/nowiki&gt;.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> =Overview=<br /> * General advice : The Regular Route is best hiked between December and April. The primary obstacles are high river levels early in the season and after rain. During the peak period of January and February it may be difficult to obtain a camping reservation at La Junta which could prevent a southbound traverse (but people were usually let through when they say they go all the way to El Arco).<br /> <br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> ==From 2024-12-04 to 2024-12-10 // 6.5 days //Hiking // NOBO // RR + Pasarela option, Option 2 (Lago de las Rocas east side) + Gravelroad between Llanada Grande and Rio Manso // Daina==<br /> <br /> In general: no dofficult river crossings, the biggest challenge was the mud between Rio Manso and La Junta. Navigation was mostly without difficulties.<br /> <br /> Day 1: Easy trail to the argentinian border. Arrived at 5pm and needed to wait until next morning for the stamp. Camped at the beautiful and free camping next to the carabinieros. <br /> <br /> Day 2: Got my stamp and continued. Lovely trail with nice vies until the chiliean carabinieros. Easy bordercrossing. Took the alternative at the east side around Laguna de las Rocas. At some point i saw a sign, indicating the trail is closed due to fallen trees. I continued, the trail got wider. Then i reached the farm of german settlers. A woman (Vivi) approached me and we talked. She told me, that my GPX-Track is wrong, because it want's me to cross their private property. Last days people climbed over fences. Should walk outside of the fence. On the other side Vivi waited for me and asked me to walk the original trail with her daughter. Got invited to lunch, later her daughter walked with me on the original trail (indicated by a sign &quot;Lago Azul 6km&quot;), while she cleared it with a machete. I did record it with my Smartphone. Sent it to Jan, you also can find it in the facebook group. <br /> After the ford of a river the trail in the dense forest was partly covered under fallen trees. Several times i needed to check the GPS. Camped at a tiny lake near Lago Azul.<br /> <br /> Day 3: Didn't follow the GPS around Lago Azul, because it lead's through the property of a settler. Instead i stayed outside of the fenced area. Found signs indicating i'm on the right track, directly before i reached the shore of the lake. The path up to the gravel road was partly overgrown, but doable. <br /> <br /> Walked on the gravel road, later i got a hitch to the supermarket in Llanada Grande. Very good shop for a full resupply. After resupply i didn't find a hitch, walked 3 hours until a very nice chilean took me the last kilometers. Stayed at Camp {22N} [45.2/44].<br /> <br /> Day 4: Due to the steep up and downs + the mud i was much slower than expected. Met 2 very nice settlers on horseback. Bridge {22N} [51.8/146] (Rio Steffen) has a cable car instead of a bridge. Settler warned me about it. Didn't know how to get inside, because it drives away when you don't hold the rope at the same time. Decided to ford the river instead, was knee-deep. 4 more easy fords along my way to the nice campside at Bridge {22N} [63.0/337] (Rio El Colorado).<br /> <br /> Day 5: Trail was in better conditions the next hours. At Torrentoso there is a open shelter with lots of space for tents around. Along Lago Vidal the trail got muddy again. Bridge {22N} [80.9/645] doesn't exist, but very easy to ford. The forst half of the ascent to Lago Grande was easy, but the second half was very muddy and challenging. Wanted to camp at Lago Grande but, Camp {22N} [83.8/1001] is fully covered under a huge downfall of several big trees. Trail along Lago Grande is in poor condition (fallen trees + mud). Camp {22N} [84.9/1012] is a beautiful campspot.<br /> <br /> Day 6: Began with the poor trail. Directly after camp, there is a hole where the trail should be. Campspot near the tiny lake. Later one more huge downfall. Trail improves a little bit until El Arco, but due to mud i was very slow. 4 easy fords until the refuge. Rio Arco was knee-deep, easy ford. Met the first hikers directly after the crossing. Mud was getting even more, improved at the descent. Ford Rio Traidor was not difficult, again knee-deep. Ford Rio La Junta could be avoided, because above Toboganes there is a bridge. Didn't know. Could stay at Camp Trawen (13mil), was plenty of space for more tents. They have a small kiosk. Toboganes waterfall is worth to be visited. <br /> <br /> Day 7: Easy trail in the beaufiful rainforest from La Junta to the reception. Hiked on the gravel road and luckily i got a hitch to Puerto Varas.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> <br /> * '''From 2024-02-19 to 2024-02-24 // 6 days // Hiking // NOBO // RR + Option 2, 1B, 1 + Variant I, J // Quentin Clavel'''<br /> <br /> Lago Puelo - lago de las rocas (east) - Lago Azul - Lago Totoral - Llana Grande - El Manso - Lago Vidal Gormaz - La Junta - Toboganes - mirador Arcoiris - Anfiteatro - Cerro Trinidad - Cochamo <br /> <br /> The section begin with the crossing of Rio Azul, wich was not difficult at this time of the year. Then easy track to the lovely Argentinia border, I slept on the camping there. 8 more kilometers to arrive to the carabineros office. Easy border, nice people. <br /> <br /> Then due to the landslide on the RR (carabineros confirm me that the track is still not praticable there) I continued along Lago de Las Rocas, on the eastern side, following the option 2. Pretty easy to follow.<br /> <br /> At some point there is a junction, with a sign indicate Lago Azul - 6Km on the right. I followed it, even if it get me out of the GPX file (and the nice and easy to follow track). Not sure it was a great idea, I ended up on a sort of small bush-bashing areas that I managed to pass threw and after few kilometers, finally found back the option track, clear and easy, and continue my way.<br /> <br /> Then you arrive to a big farm, the one from Jonas, a German native arriving here when he was a child, grow up there and have now a family, living in nature, along the lake, cultivating fruits and vegetables, and selling woods. Very nice man, interesting discussions ! After his farm, you'll follow the valley but keep the left in the woods straight after his farm, if not you'll arrive in a big swampy area. <br /> <br /> The track is less obvious and there's a lot of fallen trees. Few check on the GPS was necessary. Then you reach the Lago Azul. The GPX file is going inside the property of a settler. He's a nice guy but his dogs less, one bites me ! (Not hardly, but still!). Just be more careful than me going there, or go around the property. <br /> <br /> One last hard push to reach a gravel road, that you will follow until El Manso (30km a bit boring), but easy to find camping and food, especially around Lago Totoral. Resupply at Llana Grande, big supermarket with everything you need. <br /> <br /> At El Manso, there's a minimarket next to the cervecería wich is a place where you can camp. The track is quite easy to follow, and quite physical with all the ups and downs. I had rain for two days and this stretch was muddy, especially along the Lago Vidal Gormaz. Then it becomes VERY muddy until La Junta. I had the feelings I will never finish this stretch, and I felt few times in the mud. <br /> <br /> I was definitely not presentable when I arrived in La Junta, and the contrast was huge with all people well dressed with clean sports clothes who smell good the fresh perfume of lavenderia ahaha. <br /> <br /> I wanted to do Arco iris, but the track is closed because of a landslide. So I opt for the glaciar Paloma wich was surprisingly technical and steep. <br /> But the surrounding worth it, the glaciar Is amazing, the fact that you can enter into it is mad ! I slept up there, there's a little circle with rocks to put your tent. <br /> <br /> Then I reached Cochamo and enjoyed great food, confortable hostel and relaxing atmosphere<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-09 to 2024-Feb-16 / 7,5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Gerald'''<br /> <br /> First: I wouldn't do it if there was a lot of rain. Did it after a week of rain in 2019 and it was a mud hell until El Arco. Now it seems at least until junta the trail improved (not sure). For those who don't own a trekking pole, organize a stick early... you won't have mich fun with the muddy situation otherwise.<br /> <br /> The bus leaving Puerto Varas at 8:30 (Bus stop at -41.31617, -72.985396) charged 7k. Surprisingly they drove me to the trailhead, last time i had to walk from the bridge, guess it depends on the bus. If you want to get a seat you should probably take the bus in Puerto Montt, had to stay the whole ride. Seems like they will also stop along the way if you wave (check the cochamo insta for an overview of the schedule and route of the bus).<br /> Arrived at the checkpoint at 11:45. After explaining my trip and that i will stay at El Arco they let me pass (without a reservation). They just ask you to register before you go.<br /> Stopped at la junta to make a coffee and enjoy the view. They sell veggies they grow on site.<br /> If i remember rights from Rio Trador on it gets really muddy. It rained 4 days ago and mud was not a big issue until that river. <br /> <br /> Anyway, arrived quite late at 8pm at the shelter. There is a path to the right to a place to pitch couple of tents. After Rio Traidor (-41.407173, -72.092915) would also be a nice place to camp<br /> <br /> In average only 2 tabano/day annoyed me, what a time we live in... Finally<br /> <br /> Dona Luisa has a nice spot on the southern side of the lake Vidal gormaz.<br /> To give you idea, here a short pricelist:<br /> 5k camping, <br /> 3k for a beer (brahma or Sol), <br /> 7k for a bottle of wine, <br /> 12k for dinner (meat, salad and bread), <br /> 1.5k for cheese<br /> <br /> Camping at the settlement Steffen looked nice. Unfortunately i chose a spot next to a way too curious bull...<br /> <br /> The camping at the brewery in El Manso is not worth a penny (they charge 5k). It's basically a dry piece of land full of goose shit. Engine on petrol runs untill 10pm. Only wifi is positive. I couldn't find a good spot to camp nearby. I would camp way before. Bus supposed to arrive between 14:30 and 15:00. Luckily a car took me to Puerto Urrutia where i continued. Hostel Puelo Libre looked nice next to the beautiful river. Hiked until the north west side of lago las rocas.<br /> <br /> Ricardo (?) offered me a ride for free to the other end of the landslide. But I chose to cross the whole lake by boat. He charged 30k (I was alone). The radio is not anymore at the &quot;port&quot;, but you can walk to his house (just continue the MR, first house at around [-42.019089, -71.861245] to your left, if you want to avoid the dogs take the small trail to your left once you see it).<br /> <br /> Leaving Chile without the PDI document was not an issue (I requested the paper 5 days in advance and only got an auto response...). They did not even ask. Good views on the lake from now on. Spend an extra day at the camp next to the AR border control. All in all, nice hike! <br /> <br /> Missed the bus to El bolson by 5mins. Seems like it's more towards x:30h. I think they run every hour. Got a ride with a car for 1k to the city. If someone is fancying good sourdough bread i can recommend &quot;El Obrador&quot;<br /> <br /> The Post office is also doing Westernunion here (check Googlemaps reviews for more Infos)<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-03 to 2024-Feb-09 / Lilian'''<br /> <br /> If you decide stay at Segundo Corral, and take the boat to Argentina.<br /> <br /> NO NO NO <br /> <br /> NO NO NO<br /> <br /> DON'T DON'T DON'T stay at Mari Mari Peni Camping, (or another name) Amancays Camping.<br /> <br /> I saved a girl hiker almost RAPED by the campground owner, and I'm pointed by a rifle gun force me to stop helping her at the night on 07/02. About the details, i type it and upload later.<br /> <br /> It is already reported to Chile carabineros and Consulate in Chile.<br /> <br /> * '''GPT22 2024-01-31 to 2024-02-05 / 5,5 days days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Cochamó options/ Tomáš &amp; Natalie'''<br /> <br /> After a month and a half, we finally did something standard! From Puerto Varras (the bus stop on Avenida Vicente Perez Rosales just after Antonio Varras street) we took a bus at 8:38 going from Puerto Mont that went all the way to the end of MR to the &quot;Road end&quot; waypoint (aka the trailhead). At our hostel (Casa Apel), they told us it would arrive at 8:45. Not sure if this is the same bus that others said would pass Puerto Varras at 8:15 or if it just goes to the road end only in high season. It was 7000 per person - I think they might charge double for backpacks, it seemed expensive but happy they took us all the way.<br /> <br /> We were at the entrance at 11 AM and were let through for free when we told them we were going to El Arco. Nat worries this excuse won't last long. The way to La Junta is really busy (met maybe 50 people and about ten horses), easy and without many views as it goes through a forest. When we reached La Junta, we decided that the valley is too special to just walk on by, so we decided to try our luck and ask for camping in order to do the side trips. We asked all the campsites and only La Junta let us stay, 8000 CLP per person. Nat says it is important not to spread the word as they were nice people and did us a favor even though they were not supposed to allow people without reservations to stay. So, do not expect to be let in. We had a numbered site so I think they genuinely had some places free. If nobody had places, after ford 98.9, there is a maze of paths and mini-meadows on the left where I saw somebody camp illegally. If you hide your packs well for the day and then camp from dusk till dawn, you would probably get away with it. Alternatively there are some flat spots in Trinidad valley two hours up - if you start so that you would arrive by dusk, you should meet nobody.<br /> <br /> The side trips are steep but not challenging, many people take them. We went to Paloma [November 2024: in our suggestions and in OSM, like the next option too] in the evening, it can be done in three hours there and back if you do not stop (we did). We started going up at 1715 and saw last person going down at 1830 or so. It is quite splendid and fun, there are a couple of places you have to use a fixed rope. OSM says there is a route to Cerro La Junta. It is probably an exit route for climbers, I did not see any traces of it, but it looked like it was possible. If it is, one could probably continue all the way to Cerro Capicua.<br /> <br /> Arco Iris is still closed. If it were open I think one could follow the ridge, which is not very steep or outcroppy, all the way north to above GPT21 - only there is probably no way down [November 2024: in the Facebook group, it was said that somebody died there and that is why it is close, so maybe there is nothing wrong with the path, but it is closed officially for sure].<br /> <br /> The next morning I went to the Trinidad Valley and all the way up to Cerro Bella Vista and Nat went ahead to escape the approaching rain. The roundtrip takes about 7-8 hours. There is a marked travelled trail to the pass (&quot;El Paso&quot;), the last 300 vertical meters or so are marked by cairns. You will need your hands occasionally, but it is not exposed or particularly hard - SAC 4. The views are well worth it. It seemed most people only go to La Laguna (lake just under the pass). We started at 6 AM and I met the first people on my way down around noon at La Laguna. The way up through Camping Vista Hermosa (the current GPT track) is not supposed to be used by people not staying at the campsite. The proper way up seems to be the more western trail that is marked on OSM. Going back down trough camping Bella Vista was without issues though. They told Natalie you are not supposed to use their cable car (the one more upstream). Tomáš thinks you should use it as it is the only one that you can use without going through either of the campsites (the downstream one goes directly from La Junta campsite). No horseflies by now!<br /> <br /> I left the camping at 15:30, and met only one group of hikers all the way up to the second Camp waypoint at Lago Grande. It is a nice camp, bigger than the first, but no good water sources. Wild legal camping, if I get it right. Refuge El Arco is unmanned, it is just a simple wooden hut. I would only use it in case of severe rain. The way up was almost all dry after two weeks of no rain. Mostly through forest, with some nice views of the valley, a few more fords than indicated, but they could all be jumped.<br /> <br /> The next day it rained (5mm?) from 4 AM till 11 AM but it was not enough to make the trails substantially muddy. Nat had camped under a tree on a bench at Doña Luisa (5mil) and despite the rain was mostly dry without a tent. Tomáš had camped at Lago Grande and the tent got very wet (but not his sleeping bag). The bridge before Lago Vidal is not there but there was a nice log. There are some pre-colonization rock paintings after Lago Vidal, one probably needs to make a sidetrip to see them based on the information signs near Torrentoso (trail 22-10 was signposted; trails in the valley are well maintained so I assume the option is good to go). On the last meadow before the gone bridge at 51.8, there was a cherry tree that still had very tasty miniature cherries in the beginning of February. It is behind the house to the left of the trail, maybe 40 m from it. I discovered it by going south of the house (nobody seemed to be in it). Do not miss the turnoff of the trail from the meadow - I went straight, there was initially a trail but petered out into a landslide. Camp at 45.2 is nice but bring water (reach it by turning left from the trail cca 50-100 m beyond the imaginary shortest route from the trail to the camp, that way you avoid any vegetation, there is an opening in the fence (-41.70438, -71.99186). Finally met Natalie after two days of escaping rain, she found a dry spot under the tree canopies there. Shop in El Manso is better than expected (has good veges and fruit) but not as good as the one in Llanada Grande. El Manso also is besides a cerveceria with wifi (you have to buy the beer). The bus only came at 1530 despite being told it comes at 1pm. In almost three hours of waiting, we did not manage to hitch a car. <br /> <br /> The bus indeed stops at Llanada Grande for 10 minutes or so - it is not really enough to orientate yourself and buy lots of supplies. The supermarket had lots of nectarines! Should you want to go to Puerto Urutia, the bus does not go there so you need to get off and walk the minor road there. We could not get reliable Entel internet reception anywhere in the valley (calls were fine) along the bus route.<br /> <br /> We went to Primer Corral to do 22-08. The first few km are not a pleasant road to walk on. We decided to turn back as bad weather was coming in two days and it did not seem worth it. Not sure how far the road for cars goes. There seems to be regular but sparse traffic on it.<br /> <br /> We walked back for about an hour on the main road before getting a hitch for the last 3 km to turnoff to 22-02, as others indicated the RR is badly passable due to a landslide. The MR we walked was aesthetically dreadful and supersteep. We had to climb a locked gate right at the start. We found a miniature camping spot (dry) about 200 m before the signposted trail turnoff. In the morning a lorry driver waved at us so probably no issues with climbing the gate. Luckily the trail is much nicer than the road. We met the settler at the lake Azul, he let us walk through his property. The few km to the first very small lake are actually an undriven MR, but very pleasant, it does not seem to be connected to the road network. After 2 km, one turns left onto a trail, there are new signposts indicating you ca go to the &quot;Frontera&quot; or the lake - go to the Frontera. Until the pass, it is very clear. After the pass, the visibility deteriorates somewhat but no bush bashing is involved. Soon after that, there is a gate saying there is no trail afer a harsh winter. We went further and it turned out there is a trail. There were some trees on it, but not too much and we lost it only for about 50 m. From setler at 11.4, the trail is much more clear. Met a seemingly lonely girl from the next homestead with whom we had a lovely chat. The trail to the border control was easy, we came there at 1530 and were let through. They told us that it would be ok to reach the Argentinian border control the next day. They too had a very ripe cherry tree but did not pick up on my appraisal of it and did not suggest I get some fruit.<br /> <br /> We met several people on the way to Argentina border. We camped there (wild permitted numbered camping sites - there was about twenty other Argentinians, the functioning toilets are unsigned immediately next to the Police building, the building that looks like the old toilets is closed). The next day we had no issues with getting a stamp and going down. The last CC part is a trail. We forded the second ford a bit earlier than suggested, it was waist deep but very slow moving. Took a bus at 1340 to El Bolson - seems to run regularly (the dog bandits there are aggressive, watch out).<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-19 to 2024-Jan-24 / 6 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR + day trip / Lotti &amp; Alex'''<br /> <br /> We did this section mostly as described by Fangwen and Tobi (El Manso to Cochamo base camp), so there is not much to add. We stayed at La Junta for 2 nights and did a very nice day trip to Cerro Bellavista (see description further down). The trails were very well maintained all the way. The only minor problems were mud and lots of horse flies. Like Fangwen and Tobi, we were happy we did the section NOBO, because the landscape gets more and more spectacular. This way it is also much easier to get to camp at La Junta without reservation, because they always reserve some space for hikers coming from the south. <br /> It was a beautiful hike and especially the area around La Junta is really spectacular and worth visiting. We even met a fellow GPT hiker there, which was great! <br /> <br /> Transportation:<br /> <br /> To start:<br /> Bus &quot;Rio Puelo&quot; from Puerto Varas to Lago Tagua-Tagua at 8:20am, then ferry to Puerto Maldonado, then bus to El Manso. We arrived at the trailhead around 1pm.<br /> <br /> after hike:<br /> Bus from end of trailhead (&quot;Cochamo base camp&quot;) to Cochamo/Puerto Montt at 1pm.<br /> <br /> Day trip to Cerro Bellavista:<br /> <br /> Start at La Junta on GPT Variant G, following the signs to &quot;Trinidad&quot;. It starts by crossing the river with the little cable car. After the walls of Trinidad, stay on the trail and follow the signs to &quot;Laguna&quot;. The official trail ends there, but there are stone cairns and ribbons marking a trail that goes up to the pass. The laguna is crowded, but we didn't meet anyone further up. The view at the pass is already great, but you can go up even further. Turn to the left and follow the stone cairns until the summit. It is not difficult, just walking and easy scrambling, and the view is absolutely spectacular.<br /> The whole tour has about 1300m of altitude difference. It took us around 5h to go up, and 3-4h down. <br /> <br /> * '''2024-01-07 to 2024-01-14: Fangwen and Tobi / 2.5 days Ventisquero Valley (Option 08 + more), 4 days El Manso to Cochamo RR / NOBO hiking.'''<br /> <br /> We did two parts along this enjoyable section, connecting them by hitchhiking and resupplying in between in Llanada Grande.<br /> <br /> The first part was hiking ~20km into the scenic Ventisquero valley (Option 08), alongside a wonderful river on an enjoyable and easy hiking trail through farms and rainforest that mostly follows an old minor road. It's often better to follow the well-marked trail rather than the GPT track files. A highlight of our trip was hiking up to a fantastic viewpoint at 1100m with a view of the whole valley, its remote side valleys and glaciated mountain peaks. The trail (900m elevation gain, 4.5km) through the thick rainforest is steep but excellent in quality and easy to follow (but the turnoff at S 42° 01.737', W 072° 05.643' is easy to miss). This and other trails in the valley are not part of the GPT files yet, but GPX files can be found on the website of Rincon Bonito (glamping accommodation for groups) that presumably created the trail. We camped by the viewpoint; what a wonderful experience! There are plenty of places to pitch up a tent, but little protection from wind. We found a wind protected camp in a dried-out puddle at (S 42° 02.705', W 072° 06.193'). Make sure to bring water, since the last reliable water source is in the valley, just before the turnoff onto the steep trail. From the viewpoint, we attempted to climb the local mountain, but beyond 1500m, it appears to require bush bashing. Our track: [[Media:GPT 22 Ventisquero Viewpoint.gpx]]. [https://rinconbonito.cl/experiencias/ The GPX on their site].<br /> The viewpoint is within the Pumalin National Park, but the whole valley seems to be private property and camping is forbidden outside official campsites, which begin quite far into the valley. There are plenty of spots to pitch up a tent nonetheless (which is what we did).<br /> For packrafters, going down the river must surely be a highlight! Rincon Bonito offers packrafting (maybe only for their guests?), they describe it as class II+.<br /> <br /> Our second part followed the regular route 22N from El Manso to the Cochamo trailhead. This was an enjoyable hike and we found the trail to be in good condition, although it gets pretty muddy around El Arco (and that's after one week of sunny weather). There is quite a bit of pointless up and down between km45 and km79. Additionally, our hiking distance was often 20-25% longer than expected, as there are many switchbacks too small to be represented on the track files. We liked hiking this section northbound, as the rainforest and the views get more and more impressive as you go along. La Junta has a lot of local hiking options (e.g. hiking into the Anfiteatro valley or on top of Cerro Trinidad), but we didn't spend any extra days because the weather was turning.<br /> <br /> Logistics: to get to the start of section 22, take the daily bus that leaves at 7.45am from Puerto Montt (stops at 8.15 in Puerto Varas at intersection el Salvador/San Pedro S 41° 19.081', W 072° 59.038', and later in Cochamo). The bus company Río Puelo has a ticket office in Puerto Montt, their WhatsApp number is +56 9 7408 9199. From there, take the ferry across Lago Tagua Tagua and the connecting bus down the valley to your respective trailhead (El Manso for the Cochamo valley, Primer Corral for the Ventisquiero valley). Note that travel is slow... We arrived at the Primer Corral at 4pm. We left a bag of food for the second half of our trip. Unfortunately it was visible from the parking lot and got stolen, so we resupplied at the Llanada Grande supermarket. The bus makes a stop there for ~15min, if you want a quick resupply there (it's a bit bigger than in El Manso). We hitchhiked to El Manso, which worked after two hours of waiting/walking (not a lot of traffic).<br /> <br /> If you are in the Llanada Grande area, go to Camping Reflejo Azul. The campsite itself is average, but it has the most beautiful river we have ever seen in our lives. Visit this truly special place before Instagram influencers find out about it and it becomes overrun by hordes of tourists. Day access is possible also for 5.000 CLP.<br /> <br /> Photos: https://www.facebook.com/groups/222224388283455/permalink/1732098767296002/?app=fbl<br /> <br /> * '''&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;2024-Jan-4 / 7.5 days / Packrafting / SOBO / RH + OP-LK-2 + RP / Lauren &amp; Sebastian&lt;/span&gt;'''<br /> <br /> Note: We were told a reservation is needed for a camp site at La Junta to be allowed into the valley from Cochamo side, so we did that. However, one of the wikiexplora entry mentioned that they were allowed in when mentioning that they wanted to camp at El Arco Refuge but we read it too late. Camp Trawen is the most expensive (15k per person), which is the reason why it’s been available on short notice. There are several other sold-out camps around for 8k-10k.<br /> <br /> Day 1: We hitchhiked to Cochamo Base Camp at 9am and reached Camp Trawen by 2pm. It would have been better to go on the El Arco Refuge straight away and camp there. It’s a touristy stretch and in our view not really worth doing, if you like the general quiet nature of the GPT.<br /> <br /> Day 2: Camped at the beach at Lago Vidal. Easy hike but lots of ups and downs.<br /> <br /> Day 3: We packrafted Lago Vidal and had a good lunch at Luisa’s place (make sure to drop by!), before continuing on to Torrentoso (not the paid camp, but on the meadow a few hundred meters after the official camp). <br /> <br /> Day 4: The bridge at wp Bridge {22N} [51.8/146] (Rio Steffen) does not exist anymore. It’s not a demanding ford but there are short steep ups and downs on both sides. We stayed near wp Settler {22N} [50.1/307].<br /> <br /> Day 5: We rivered in at wp Rio Manso. The ride was super scenic and beautiful and there were no rapids, just a bit of boiling water but nothing difficult, which might be due to different water levels compared to previous accounts. It’s 45 minutes from there to the bridge at wp Bridge {22N} [40.8+0.2/36]. We rivered out behind the bridge on the right side. There is a nice flat beach which leads to the cabin of Harv and Veronica. They let us camp on their land and even offered a hot (wood fired) shower for 2.5k per person. There is a cervezeria and shop across the road for resupply.<br /> <br /> Day 6: We took the bus at 1 pm to intersection at wp X {22-01} [25.0/187] and went on OP-MR-V (along Hunter’s estate) to Lago Azul. You will be charged 5k per person to access the lake. We crossed Lago Azul with strong waves and tailwind so we sailed to the other side in no time.<br /> <br /> Day 7: Crossed Lago de Las Rocas, Lago Inferior, and Lago Puelo to the Argentinian border control which opens at 8am next morning so we camped there. Next day we finished at Lago Puelo which is a popular tourist beach.<br /> <br /> Tip: It is a hot &amp; dusty walk to town from the beach and hitchhiking is not as easy in this part of Argentina as in Chile. Keep some small change of USD or Argentinian pesos for the bus ride to resupply in town. If you plan to continue packrafting Lago Puelo on GPT23 after resupplying, the earliest bus back to the beach reaches around 7.30am but it will be too late as the wind picks up by 8am. Lago Puelo is known for its strong gusts so it’s best to check wind forecast and paddle early morning 5.30am to cross. Therefore it may be easier to camp at one of the campsites nearer to the beach instead of staying in town. Just go there for resupplying.<br /> <br /> *'''2023 Dec OH-TL-V / Anh'''<br /> Note: the trail OH-TL-V alias Cerro Arco Iris [from La Junta] was damaged by big rocks in the last season and is completely closed. A new route or repair is not in planning.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-12-17 to 2023-12-21 / 5 days / Hiking + &lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;Packrafting&lt;/span&gt; / SOBO /RR &amp; Option 01B / Roman'''<br /> <br /> Route: Hiking from Cochamó to El Manso. Bus to Lago de Las Rocas. Packrafted the lake and Lago Inferior. Hiked to Lago Puelo.<br /> <br /> Due to the border crossing, there is a thread about it on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/222224388283455/permalink/1709504102888802/. I applied online - no answer. Went to the carabineros in Cochamó they couldn't issue it, so I went without it (it worked without a problem)<br /> <br /> Started in Cochamó (there is a bus to the entry I just got him by hitchhiking so I don't know the schedule) and had a reservation for Camp Trawen (Fruit, Groceries, Electricity). This is getting checked at the entrance if you have one. The trail to the camp was a bit muddy (2 days of rain before the start) but all doable. The next day went to the northern end of Lago Vidal Gormaz and slept there at Lake {22-05} [7.9/604]. Bridge destroyed at: -41.43696, -71.96632 and Bridge {22N} [63.0/337] (Rio El Colorado). Both are crossable dry feed due to trees. Generally, there is no fording necessary after Lago Vidal Gormaz. Before yes. Packrafted Rio Manso. There were no rapids on the map, it's mentioned in the Manuel that it can be challenging. There are some rapids but all are doable and manageable (I am a beginner with kayak experience and an open deck packraft). You can get easy access to the river at -41.692561, -71.972725 this is 300m after the mark in the file. There is a dry river bed to avoid BB to get to the River. The river is fast flowing. Follow the GPS only at one point where the river splits pay extra attention: turn left as shownin the GPS: -41.698615, -71.985482 . Went out at the south side of the bride: Bridge {22N} [40.8+0.2/36] (Rio Manso) on the right side. There is a trail to the street with one gate where you can walk through on the right side. The shop Settlement, Shop, Bus {22N} [40.7/36] (El Manso) has good supplies and free WiFi. The trail to this point is very good. Based on previous comments and a chat to a local I want to skip at least to Puerto Urrutia [comment in: 2023-FEB-01 to 2023-FEB-07]. There is an official bus going all the way from Rampa Punta<br /> <br /> Maldonado -&gt; Segundo Corral. Find the schedule here: https://imgur.com/a/7MVEscb . The shop owner said the bus is normally there at 02:00 PM. The bus was there in my case at 02:30 PM. This bus stops at the large supermarket [Supermercado Llanada Grande] a great place for a last resupply). The bus also stops at Puerto Urrutia but I went all the way to Lago de Las Rocas and used OH-MR-V {22-01B} [8.2+1.9] to get to the lake. Started packrafting at 05:00 PM. The start was fine. The wind got worse during the evening and was to my capabilities on the maximum with serious waves. Strong wind from the north. It was pleasantly paddling after going through the gap at -42.069608, -71.813735. Camped at Lake, Camp {22S} [21.8/314]. Got there at 07:45 PM. Crossed the border without any problems. Packrafted Lago Inferior and got in the water here: Lake {22S} [20.9/201] at 10:00 AM. The wind got stronger but manageable. Exited the lake at 11:15 AM at -42.102244, -71.742575. The trail back to the RR is good to hike. From there, the trail is in good condition. Due to the higher water in Rio Azul fording and therefore the RR is not possible. You get also the recommendation from the Argentinien carabineros to take Option 03. I didn't want to take this and followed the RR to this point: -42.091481, -71.633667. From there I followed the trail to this point: -42.09399, -71.634188. There is an old dock [image here: https://imgur.com/a/5LMsKA1]to put in you packraft. The trail can be downloaded at the end of the comment. There I packrafted with very strong onshore wind and if it hadn't been for only 300m I wouldn't have done it to (03:15 PM):-42.096114, -71.628682 ,and walked from there to the end of GPT22.<br /> <br /> Overall: great section! It's a nice trail to hike and packrafting rRioEl Manso is a lot of fun and a great change in perspective after hiking for a few days. After that, the trail continues bto bein a good condition. The conditions for Lago de Las Rocas should be closely checked. I would definitely recommend it!<br /> <br /> Trail download: https://1drv.ms/u/s!AqzLweJ3NZW5q7YZzDoW3qlKypqwBg<br /> <br /> Contact: https://linktr.ee/RundW<br /> <br /> * '''&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;2023-Dec-03 to 2023-Dec-12 / 9 days / PACKRAFTING / NOBO &amp; SOBO / Jordan Jennings&lt;/span&gt;'''<br /> Route:<br /> <br /> took bus to Primer Corral&gt;Arroyo Ventisquero&gt;Rio Puelo (walked 13km of rapids through canyon)&gt;Lago Tagua Tagua&gt;Rio Puelo&gt;Estero Reloncavi to Cochamó (nobo) took bus back towards Primer Corral from Cochamó, asked to be dropped off near Lago Azul.. Lago Azul&gt;lago las rocas&gt;Lago Inferior&gt;Lago Puelo&gt;Lago Puelo town (sobo).<br /> <br /> Highlights:<br /> <br /> Arroyo ventisquero: is well worth a visit, packrafting or hiking. I got told that there is a hostel run by an abuela 4km further up the valley from Rincon Bonito (posh cabins) where the route on track files stops (c20km up valley from Primer Corral). Between the hostel and Rincon there are rapids, so be prepared to walk back to Rincon to put boat in water. The river from Rincon to Rio Puelo is stunning and very easy in packraft.<br /> <br /> Lago Azul: If you flip flop (as recommended if packrafting), and return back to Primer Corral for sobo travel as Jan mentions in the manual, ask the bus driver to drop you at Lago Azul, rather than taking the bus closer to the Lago las rocas trailhead/Primer Corral. The 3km walk from the bus stop to the lake is easy and I got super lucky and passed a local horse race (Carreras) on a Saturday. Maybe ask ahead when they are on?!<br /> <br /> Other comments:<br /> <br /> The hiking section bypassing Rio Puelo (first set of) rapids through canyon, the 13km or so took me all day. Parts of the trail were barely a trail, very slow kms. Although I was also a bit sick so my experience might be tainted. The alternative is taking roads on the right hand side of the river.<br /> <br /> I hiked the section between the Argentinian border patrol and lago puelo town (13km) which passed through some stunning farmland (lago puelo can get angry with wind as with any big lake). The dotted line section or shortcut which requires two river fords was impassable for me. Rio Azul was not even close to being fordable mid December. And even if you did pass, you would have to take the road to Puelo anyway.<br /> <br /> In terms of transport to Primer Corral, the bus leaves Cochamó at 10:30am and Puelo at 11:30am (same bus, which I think starts in Puerto Montt v early). From the ferry there’s another local bus that will essentially drop you wherever you want (en route) to primer corral. Super easy.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> * '''2023-Feb-18 to 2023-Feb-23 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + 22-01 / Martin &amp; Helena'''<br /> <br /> A lot has been already written, so just a few comments from our side:<br /> <br /> No problem with entering the valley in SOBO direction, until the noon aprox., saying you will spend the night at the refugio El Arco - they have some time estimate for this hike and can’t let you in if its late. By the entrance you can buy some useful things that might be hard to buy in Cochamo, like gas or peanut butter. There was also a beer truck with quite good wifi connection (only during summer). Crowds of people in both directions, quite muddy trail. Detour to the Toboganes is definitely worth it. We spend the night after all in a marked camp aprox. 4 kms before the refugio and it was a good decision - there were quite a lot of people when we passed by the next day.<br /> <br /> From the refugio its nice and easy walking. We spent the night on the southern side of Lago Vidal Gomaz where is amazing campsite Doña Luisa, for I think 5000 CLP pp. We bought there beer, some cheese and bread in the morning, and you can also charge electronics inside. It is possible to have proper breakfast or dinner, it looked all very tasty. At km N 40.7 is shop with all the basic things + great brewery next to it, definitely stop there if you are a fan.<br /> <br /> Based on other comments and our time schedule we decided to take the alternative 22-01 to Llanada Grande. This is a good resuppy spot as there is a new and big (at least in comparison to what you would expect in a place like this) supermarket that replaced the old one destroyed by fire. Good place to stay is a campsite at the end of the village, on the right side, run by really nice lady. Not expensive and if its free, you can stay for the same price in a so called refugio, that is actually just a very small room, but for us better than a tent. Hot water and electricity + possibility to buy pizza and maybe some other small things - there is actually no restaurant in the village. Some more road walking around Lago Totoral to Rio Puelo to connect back to RR. In general not very attractive part of the trail. Great restaurant in Hostal Puelo Libre with local beer and view on the river.<br /> <br /> From the port its again easy walking on the RR again. Drunk settler and quite agressive dogs out of his control at S km 7.2 so be careful. We slept half way to Las Rocas lake. We thought about taking the RR around the lake, but the landslide caused by snow (aprox. 1.5 km from the port) looked quite difficult to pass. We discovered there is possibility to cross the lake on one of the locals boat, which we did in the end. We were lucky that after waiting for some time in the port a car with locals arrived. Happily for us they arranged a boat transfer with other residents to get to the other side of the lake, where they went for a lunch. We were able to go with them, and after picking up their friends, we all hop off the boat close to the police station. Great experience and we learned a lot about this area and people living here. We paid 10k CLP. In the comments here is a contact for the guy with a boat, but without signal it must be arranged in advance, and the price might differ when not sharing the transfer with others. No problem with the border check. It took us around 4 hrs to get to the argentinian side, where everyone was super friendly as well. They offered us to camp there, but we decided to make it to Lago Puelo, which took us 2 more hrs. The landscape changes significantly on the other side where everything is more dry. No problem with the river crossing. We got off the trail directly on the main road.<br /> <br /> Contact: @martin_hanzelka @helenneka<br /> <br /> * '''2023-FEB-01 to 2023-FEB-07 / 7 days / hiking / SOBO / Cochamó - Lago Puelo / Anna &amp; Christopher '''<br /> <br /> We hitchhiked from Eco Camping El Valle to the entry of the park and arrived around 8 am. We told them that we would camp at the Refugio El Arco and explained our further route. Until la Junta there were lots of chilenean tourists, therefore the path was very good only with some muddy stretches. Like Véronica we walked to Toboganes, a waterfall/stream with beautiful rock formations. There were tons of people, but it's worth it. La junta seems to be an amazing place for rock climbing, we would have loved to have some climbing gear with us.<br /> <br /> After la Junta there were almost no more hikers. We camped next to the Refugio, as there were already two other groups of hikers sleeping in the Refugio.<br /> <br /> Until Lago grande there are still some muddy stretches and blowdowns, but generally it is a good path. From there on the path is perfectly maintained. We camped at approx. km 66 next to Río los Morros. <br /> <br /> Nice path until El Manso. We resupplied at the minimercado and camped next to the river, which was a beautiful camping spot with lots of delicious blackberrys.<br /> <br /> The next morning we arrived at Señora Ocos house around 8 am. She contacted multiple people and luckily found out that there was somebody crossing the river to our side at 11 am. The man, whose name we unfortunately forgot, was super friendly and dropped us off after the river mouth of Rio Traidor, close to where he lives. He charged 10.000 CLP p.p.<br /> <br /> The path to the first settler was mediocre and afterwards got worse and worse until it was almost pure buschwhacking. It was the worst we had so far on the GPT. Thorns.. Lots of thorns tearing away at your clothes, backpack and skin.<br /> We camped at the river at approx. km 12, which was a beautiful spot.<br /> Until the settlement Las Nieves the path continued beeing bad with lots of bush bashing. The settler told us that no locals use that path and she also told us that there are no regular boat transfers to Puerto Urrutia on weekends (it was sunday..).<br /> We wouldn't do that stretch next to Rio Puelo again and instead hitchhike from El Manso to Puerto Urrutia.<br /> <br /> At the boat transfer waypoint to Puerto Urrutia we had Entel service and contacted one lodging on the other side. They told us to go to the last house 1km back to ask for a transfer (it's the house of the man who does the boat transfer on weekdays). But we got lucky and a boat passed by and took us to the other side. The man on the boat also told us that the path from Río Traidor to Puerto Urrutia &quot;is closed&quot;.<br /> <br /> We continued to Lago verde, where we planned to camp, but it's surrounded by dense forest, apart from a private property.<br /> That spot is amazing, a little landing stage to go swimming, a great view and a very friendly owner. She even baked some delicious apple bread for us. For camping she charged us 8000 CLP p.p.. That was definetly worth it.<br /> <br /> After Lago verde there is a minimarket. We didn't check it out, but there is no resupply wp yet.<br /> <br /> After reading previous blogs and having had enough of thorns we decided to cross el Lago de Las Rocas by boat. Therefore there is a walkie talkie on the landing stage on the northern end of the lake with which you can contact Richard. We also got his number (+56958694897), if you want to contact him in advance. When we arrived at the lake, there were already lots of people waiting for the boat so we just waited with them and after some time got knocked the boat with them. The ride was really nice across the crystal clear blue water and we were charged 5000 p.p.<br /> <br /> From the southern end of the lake it's just a couple of minutes to walk to the chilenian border control. We continued on and camped at km 30 at the river. Again a really beautiful spot.<br /> <br /> The next day we passed the argentinian border control and continued to Lago Puelo.<br /> <br /> The section was really beautiful, except the part with the thorns. There are lots of streams along the whole trail, so one does not need to carry much water. <br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-29 to 2023-Feb-02 / 5 days / hiking / NOBO / RR mostly / Frank'''<br /> <br /> I got the bus-ferry-bus from Puerto Montt to Segundo Corral. To avoid the landslide at Laguna Las Rocas &amp; delays with the river ferries I walked on the road from Segundo Corral to El Manso, about 50KM. Easy but not very interesting walking. It takes a full day to get from Puerto Montt on the bus to Segundo Corral so I believe it would be better to go SOBO with an early start to get through La Junta, otherwise you need 2 additional days for travel. <br /> <br /> Stayed @ nice &amp; cheap campsite at bridge over Rio Colorado &amp; camped at El Arco. The trail approaching El Arco was muddy &amp; a bit swampy (it had been raining). It's possible to go by boat across Lago Vidal Gomez but it's an easy 3 hour walk. <br /> <br /> Got the bus again to Segundo Corral &amp; ferry to Paso Bolson. The trail across the border is generally in good condition. There is some easy bushbashing on the Chilean side for about 1KM before the border &amp; some fallen trees but they are straightforward to go over. Rio Azul was easily fordable in early February.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Jan-10 to 2023-Jan-14 / 5 days / hiking / SOBO / RR, also GPT22-01 / Véronica '''<br /> <br /> Route: Cochamó - La Junta - Lago Vidal Gormáz - El Manso - Puerto Urrutio via Option 1 - Lago Las Rocas - Lago Puelo (Argentina) <br /> <br /> The borders of Paso El León and Paso El Bolsón are both opened again for tourists! Go for it! It is a beautiful section with wonderful people, such a contrast to where I started the GPT further north. <br /> <br /> In Cochamó, I stayed at Eco Camping El Valle, right at the entrance to the Cochamó River Valley. Paid 7000 clp, very nice campground, there are tarps over the picnic tables at each site so you have a dry place to hang out even if it rains :) Since I spent the night so close to the trailhead, it was easy to get to the guarded valley entrance (Road End {22N} [109.8/58]) early. I did not have a camping reservation for La Junta. I arrived at the trailhead at 7:30 a.m., explained my route to the staff, saying I would stay at Refugio El Arco that night. They let me through no problem. The trail to La Junta is a bit muddy, but nothing bad, my feet stayed dry in my trailrunners despite the fact it was also raining off and on. Beautiful path through the Valvidian rainforest, I really enjoyed all the green and the moss. When I reached the La Junta area, I stashed my pack in some trees and made a short detour to Las Toboganes. They are only 0.7 km off the regular route, and highly worthwhile to see! What a spectacular area, I totally see the Yosemite resemblence, and would love to go back someday. <br /> <br /> I found the trail after La Junta (all the way to Lago Vidal Gormáz) to be in good shape, contrary to what others have written. It was maybe slightly less maintained than the popular trail leading into the valley, but it was still very clear and easy to follow — not overgrown, no blowdowns, just a bit muddy in some places. Granted, it has been drier than normal so far this summer. None of the fords went above my knees, and sometimes I could cross the creeks without even getting my feet wet, all very easy. <br /> <br /> The refugio at El Arco is dark and without any furniture inside. I found it much nicer to camp in the nearby meadow just south of the trail there. There are outhouses. <br /> <br /> Nice path from Lago Vidal Gormáz all the way to El Manso. Very beautiful in this valley as well. Met a few arrieros along the way. Most of the rivers have bridges crossing them. There is a small camp at the bridge over Río Colorado. <br /> <br /> In El Manso, I topped off my food supply at the shop on the main road. It has a good selection of food items. Then I went to Señora Oco's house to try and arrange a boat transfer over Río Puelo. She and her family are very friendly and welcoming. I arrived there mid-afternoon, but she could not get in radio contact with anyone on the other side. In the evening, we heard back from Hospedaje Nancy, who charged 60,000 clp for a crossing upriver all the way to Río Traidor (where she lives). This I found too expensive for me traveling alone. Señora Oco baked some bread and I was able to buy some. She also said I was welcome to camp in the fields behind her house while waiting for a response from settlers Paulina and Jovino regarding a crossing to their place (much more direct and therefore likely much cheaper). The next morning, we still hadn't received any response from Paulina and Jovino either via radio or Whatsapp (they may have been away). Because of this, I decided to take the gravel road to Puerto Urrutia (Option 1), and forgo crossing Río Puelo, unfortunately. Despite this setback, I'm really glad I got to meet and spend time with Señora Oco and her family, they are such kind people. <br /> <br /> I was able to hitch most of the way to Puerto Urrutia, where I rejoined the regular route. The trail from there all the way to Lago Las Rocas is mostly easy and clear. There were a few confusing junctions in the vicinity of Lago Verde, so I kept a close eye on the GPS there. After crossing the road after that, the beginning of RR -TL-V {22S} [2.8/7.1+2.7] is tricky to find. There are lots of fallen trees and many forest paths. The GPS was very helpful there too until I finally found the right path. After about 700 m it merges with a nice clear path all the way to Lago Las Rocas. <br /> <br /> As has been previously reported, there is a large rockslide about 2 km in once you reach Lago Las Rocas. It didn't look overly dangerous to me, the boulders were large and seemed solid enough. I started crossing it right at the bottom where the rocks fall into the lake, as it looked to be the easiest and safest way across. I was maybe 50 meters through it, when a boat came along, and the people in it told me to hop in! What lucky timing! As we passed the rest of the rockslide, I could see the last part of it was steep, loose scree rather than big boulders. That part would have definitely been nerve-wracking to cross, and I was very grateful for the boat ride. The settlers who owned the boat live about 3 km along the trail, at a little bay/inlet in the lake. They have a nice beach and campground too. That's where I rejoined the trail. Beyond their house, the &quot;Camino Los Mosquitos,&quot; as it is locally called, gets progressively worse in terms of overgrowth and blowdowns. The trail has not been cleared since the past winter, and not been used either. The stretch between kilometers 4 and 6.5 is the worst. It felt more like pure bushwhacking than following a trail. The path was mostly burried beneath walls of downed trees and branches, it got very hard to follow at times. Lots of climbing over and under vegetation, some of it quite thorny too. Very slow and tiring. My pack got ripped up a bit and so did my clothing. Had I known the trail was this bad, I would have taken the option on the east side of Lago Las Rocas. It's hard to imagine it could be in worse shape than the regular route. <br /> <br /> When I got to the Chilean Border Control it was around 6:30 p.m., so too late to cross that day. The border agent working there was very friendly, but he couldn't get in contact with his supervisor to get approval for stamping my passport with the next day's date. So I camped back at Lago Las Rocas, and the next morning came back at 8 a.m. when the border post reopened. The trail on the Chilean side of the border was a bit rough in places, it has been neglected since the winter too. But it was not as bad as the previous stretch along Lago Las Rocas. Once I got into Argentina, it got much better. The trails in Parque Nacional Lago Puelo are well-maintained, and I met some day hikers. No issues at the Argentine Border Control. <br /> <br /> I was able to ford Río Azul easily, thanks to the dry weather. There are three branches of the river to cross (the GPS waypoints only show two of them). The middle branch is the widest and deepest. The water there went up to my upper thighs (I'm 165 cm), but the current was slow and it never felt dangerous. <br /> <br /> Now I'm skipping down to GPT32 to continue my adventure further south :) The northern sections that I hiked from 6 to 22 were simply amazing, with great weather almost the entire time. Thank you, all! <br /> <br /> * '''2022-Oct-19 to 2022-Oct-24 / 6 days / hiking / SOBO / RR / ???'''<br /> <br /> Here are the main points because our story is long :)<br /> Paso el bolson and El Leon are closed for tourists until further notice <br /> Some of trails are in bad condition because of the hard winter but they might be cleared in the following weeks. <br /> Landslide in Lago Las rocas - very dangerous part to cross. We suggest to take an optional route <br /> <br /> The trail starts in valle cochamo. We did not have any reservations but as we were in low season we were not worried. However the lady from the tourist office in Cochamo told us to arrive at the entrance of the valley between 7 &amp; 8 to avoid being rejected. At 7h50 there was nobody at the reception so we did not have any trouble, but we cannot say for the high season. <br /> You can arrange a car transfer to go the valley entrance. The numbers of the drivers are available at the tourist office.<br /> <br /> The trail until La Junta is muddy but well maintained - no worries there. Up there we met some arrieros and the locals from the camping and they told us that the trail was closed a bit further because of snow (up to 2 meters) in laguna Blanca. This is the highest part of the trail (about 1100m). The river crossings were feasible, but as they forecasted rain for the next day, we preferred to turn back in order to avoid being blocked between high rivers and snow. <br /> <br /> Back on the road between Cochamo and Puelo, we caught at about 10:30 the bus that leaves at 7:45 from Puerto Montt, to go to Rio Manso. There is a well furnished Shop where you can even find gas. <br /> We remained in the Southbound direction and went to Senora Oco's house. She was very welcoming, and her and her grandchild helped us in arranging a boat transfer for the following morning (nothing was possible the same day). We paid 50000 pesos to go from their house to Rio Traidor - close to Nancy hospedaje. Indeed, we skipped the first part of the trail as they told us that it was very closed with a lot of small trees and not used anymore. Maybe it would be cheaper to cross a bit south using the cable car or directly from Manso to Rio Traidor.<br /> <br /> Until the Rio Tigre, settler # 22N [7.7/157], the trail is visible but sometimes with some obstacles (fallen trees). After this settling, you will have to cross the Rio Tigre which might be the hardest to cross on your way if you have a lot of rain. There is a bridge indicated on the tracks but it has been swept away this winter. The best place to cross is a bit higher following the river, follow the horse track. We did not have any problem crossing, and probably the settler could help you with his horse if the river is too high. That is an advantage of the Southbound direction.<br /> <br /> After, the trail is really clear. We found the last transfer across Rio Puelo about 1 km before the point indicated on the track. It is his job to do the crossings and he also does sportive fishing if you are interested. Look for a house with a border collie with a piece of wood around the neck :) <br /> <br /> From Puerto Urrutia, the trail is clear again until the road. There is a shop at 600m on the right. Again here, the trail is closed due to fallen trees at the beginning, but the locals (last house on the right) will help you find another path. Clear trail until Lago Las Rocas. <br /> <br /> Once you reach the Lago Las rocas you will be blocked after 2km. Indeed there was a landslide this winter and you have to cross a very dangerous part of about 300 m of rocky mountain slide. It is not stabilized yet. We went through but we do not advise it. <br /> Also, there were a lot of fallen trees and the path was really tiring. The locals will probably clear the path in the following weeks. To get more information we suggest to contact the camping Playa Las Rocas on Instagram. <br /> You can also consider the other routes or arrange a boat crossing. <br /> <br /> Finally we arrived at the border crossing. Unfortunately it was closed due to the Covid, except for the very locals (people from Cochamo). Apparently Paso el Leon is closed as well for tourists. Be aware of that if you have to cross the Chilean- Argentinian borders, as small passes seem to be closed for tourists. <br /> In the end we had to go back to Puerto Montt crossing the Lago inferior with a free boat (ask the carabineros), and then the bus-ferry-bus from Segundo Corral.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> * '''&lt;span style=&quot;background-color:aqua;&quot;&gt;2021-Nov-23 &amp; 2021-Nov-25 / 2 days / Packrafting / SOBO / Estuario de Reloncavi from Ralun to Rio Puelo (Western shore) / Jan Dudeck &amp; Meylin Ubilla&lt;/span&gt;'''<br /> <br /> We paddled in two easy days the roughly 40 km southbound.<br /> <br /> Start at Ralun at Puente Petrohue: On the right side of the bridge (view in river flow direction) is a suitable put-in and good spot to camp. The gate was closed but not locked. There are signs of people occasionally camping there.<br /> <br /> Ralun to Cochamo: Packrafters in need to resupply can do this in Cochamo about 16 water kilometers from the put-in. Both, the western and eastern coast are suitable for packrafting. The eastern side is next to the main road what facilitates switching to hiking. The western side is less intervened and more scenic.<br /> <br /> Ralun to Rio Puelo: Again, the western and eastern coast are suitable for packrafting. The eastern side is next to the main road what facilitates switching to hiking but requires the crossing of a 4 km wide bay in open water. The western side is less intervened and more scenic but requires crossing the 3 km wide Estuario de Reloncavi near Rio Puelo. On the western side are also the Termas de Sotomo that are suitable for camping.<br /> <br /> Wind: On nice sunny days “viento sur” often kicks in around 10 am making southbound paddling difficult or unfeasible. We had two partially overcasted days and could paddle on the first day till 4 pm when wind became annoying strong. On the second day around 3 pm the wind and waves became unpleasant but by this time we were walking the final kilometers into Rio Puelo.<br /> <br /> GPT22: Southbound packrafters may take in Cochamo or Rio Puelo the bus to Lago TaguaTagua an get to the recommended packrafting starting point of section GPT22 halfway into this section to Flip-Flop as recommended.<br /> <br /> * '''2021-NOV-18 / 1 day / hiking / NOBO / Cochamó Valley (Lago Tagua Tagua - Lago Grande) / Tobías '''<br /> <br /> The Section between La Junta Base and Lago Vidal Gormez was very challenging. It had been raining a lot, so the Trail was very muddy and I had to cross several rivers and creeks. Went straight from Cochamó to Lago Grande and camped there in some Snow. Met only a few settlers. After reaching Lago Vidal Gormez, the Trail was easy and I enjoyed the hike a lot. Amaizing área up there!<br /> <br /> ==Season 2020/21==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> <br /> * '''2020-FEB-18 to 2020-FEB-21 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Tyler '''<br /> I didn’t have problems getting a campsite at la junta on the spot luckily. AMAZING area that I’ll be returning to again to do all the day hikes in. Aside from that, most the trail was very muddy, rainy, and unmaintained. This got a bit difficult after the 3rd day in a row. Good places to camp at the lakes over the pass SOBO. When I got down to Lago Vidal Gomez the trail improved.. I got some bread from a settler at the start of the lake. There right on the trail and super friendly and have rooms. The last ferry across Tagua Tagua leaves at 7 pm. I didn’t make it, so I slept underneath the office/bathrooms and took the ferry at 8:00 the next morning. I believe there’s another ferry at 12. <br /> <br /> * '''. 2020-Jan-09 to 2020-Jan-11 / hiking / SOBO / RR / Shaun'''<br /> <br /> Despite the austere warnings on the La Junta Camping website, I was able to make a reservation at short notice in high season, and the back and forth process only took a few hours. In Cochamó, I was warned that due to recent rain the river crossings at El Arco and another nearby river would likely be impassable. With four more days of heavy rain forecast, I decided to take the bus-ferry-bus combo to Puerto Urrutia and try to walk northbound from there with the optimistic hope that by the time I reached El Arco the river would be passable or, at least, the wait would be less. However, 10km north of the Rio Puelo crossing (service starts at 9am) my way was blocked by a high and fast river. I then retraced my steps and completed the rest of the section southbound - which was straightforward. The trail on the west side of Lago de la Roca until the frontera is a bit overgrown but still easy to see and nothing particularly slowed me down. On the Argentinian side the trail is well maintained. It is not permitted to camp on the 12km stretch between the border posts. I arrived too late to cross that day, but the Chileans stamped my passport with the next day’s date so I didn’t have to wait for the post to open at 9am. The Argentinian border guards informed me that because of the rain, the Rio Azul was too high to ford at the point on the regular hiking route just before Lago Puelo so I took the alternative route (Oh-Tl-V@22-04-#001) a few kms north and crossed over the La Pasarela bridge.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-22 to 2020-Jan-26 / 5 days / hiking / SOBO / parque de la vallee de Cochamo - La Pasarella / Arnaud '''<br /> <br /> As we arrived from Puerto Montt we were with the bus and stopped directly at the entrance of the private parque de la vallee de Cochamo.<br /> As it is private, there are some rules to get in, or they block you at the control point.<br /> The entrance is free but you need to have a reservation in one of the official camp sites there. To get the reservation, you can do it on internet (but you need to wait for the confirmation and it can be several days long), or do it directly there (red house), they give you the reservation voucher if there are places available (number seem to be limited). Then you pay the night when you reach the camp sites (6000 clp/pers).<br /> Or the other solution is to say that you sleep in the refugio del Arco. It is 23km further after the control. Then it is free and no reservation is needed, but this is possible only before 10am (after they block you). After 10am the only way to pass is to sleep in the camp sites. They block you if you do not have a<br /> reservation voucher for one camp site.<br /> This spot (la Junta) is famous among the chilenos so the access to the camp sites is really overrunned. The path is easy to walk.<br /> Once you go further than the campsites, you're alone, so it is better.<br /> The path is clearly marked. There are bridges for most of the rivers you cross. But it is very muddy.<br /> At the lago Vidal you can resupply a bit with those living there (you can also sleep in their camp sites).<br /> In El Manso you can find a minimarket with lots of things.<br /> Then, we decided to follow the road instead of the track because we were in a hurry with a deadline in El Bolson, until we reached la cruce de la rocas. There are buses or hitchiking is easy.<br /> Crossing borders was easy. There are 12km between the chilean stamp and the Argentin one that we did in 3.5 hours.<br /> At the very end we have not not crossed El Rio Azul, we walked 7 more km to the north to reach La Pasarella.<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> *In Cochamo go down towards the lake. There is a church on the left &amp; before you reach it there is a hospedaje on the right, good &amp; cheap.<br /> <br /> Really nice Cafe (Materia Cochamo) with a good selection of coffee, cake (Kuchen) &amp; sandwiches ca 50 meters before turning right to the cheap campsite.<br /> <br /> *There is a good place to stay NOBO 500 metres before the junction where the road turns towards Laguna Las Rocas. Farmhouse on RHS of road has rooms &amp; meals. Cheap, friendly &amp; good<br /> <br /> *In Segundo Corral there are two campsites. The first one is just before the school, it just says Kuchen but you can camp there. Cheap, nice family &amp; they do meals. There is a campsite after the school but the owner was drunk &amp; looking for an argument.<br /> Lots of campsites at Lago Totoral (on the road, not on RR)<br /> It's possible to camp near the Argentinian border control.<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> *2023 / Martin &amp; Helena<br /> We spent the night on the southern side of Lago Vidal Gomaz where is amazing campsite Doña Luisa, for I think 5000 CLP pp. We bought there beer, some cheese and bread in the morning, and you can also charge electronics inside. It is possible to have proper breakfast or dinner, it looked all very tasty. At km N 40.7 is shop with all the basic things + great brewery next to it, definitely stop there if you are a fan.<br /> <br /> *Zapatoria Puerto Varas.He is located in the back corner of a market like building across the street from the Santa Isabella on San Bernardo street. San Bernardo &amp; Del Salvador. I payed extra (10mil total) to have them finished and ready to go that day<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> <br /> * February 2023 / Gerald<br /> Bus lago puelo - El bolson: <br /> According to the timetable the bus is leaving from the lake every full hour from 7am till midnight<br /> <br /> * January 2023 Frank<br /> To avoid the landslide at Laguna Las Rocas you can walk on the road or get the bus to Segundo Corral then from Lago Inferior about 1.5KM from Segundo Corral there is a ferry to Paso Bolson (Chilean border control).The government subsidised ferry runs Monday-Friday only from 8-12 &amp; 2PM-6PM &amp; is only 2000 pesos. You need to radio the ferryman to arrange pickup, easily done in Segundo Corral.<br /> <br /> *2023 / Anna &amp; Christopher <br /> We decided to cross el Lago de Las Rocas by boat. Therefore there is a walkie talkie on the landing stage on the northern end of the lake with which you can contact Richard (+56958694897),we were charged 5000 p.p.<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> *2023 / Martin &amp; Helena<br /> From the port its again easy walking on the RR again. Drunk settler and quite agressive dogs out of his control at S km 7.2 so be careful. We slept half way to Las Rocas lake. <br /> <br /> *Northbound and southbound hiking is feasible. However, due to the controlled private southbound access through the La Junta área, hiking in that direction is only possible with a camping reservation, or by arriving at the checkpoint before 10am. A northbound traverse may therefore be preferred. For hikers generally heading south, it is possible to take the single ticket, half-day bus-ferry-bus combination south from Cochamó to Puerto Urrutia, hike the 120km north to Cochamó, then return to Puerto Urrutia and resume the section southwards from there.<br /> <br /> *Crossing the border is typically straightforward, however it is not permitted to camp on the 12km between the border posts. So if you arrive too late to cross, it is necessary to camp at the border post and cross the next day. In this situation, Chilean officials will stamp your passport with the next day’s date so you don’t need to wait for the office to open that morning.<br /> <br /> *Southbound access to the popular La Junta area is controlled at a private checkpoint and only granted to those with a prior camping reservation, or those arriving before 10am and therefore early enough to make it on to the free and unmanaged El Arco campsite 23km away. Reservations for La Junta can be made online at cochamo.com, but there may not be availability and the process may take several days, so hiking this section southwards may not be possible.Therefore, an option for hikers generally heading south is to take the bus-ferry-bus combination from Cochamó across Lago Tagua Tagua and on to Puerto Urrutia, hike 120km north back to Cochamó, then take the bus-ferry-bus south again and hike the remainder of the section southwards from Puerto Urrutia.<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT22 - Cochamó]]<br /> <br /> =Images=<br /> <br /> [[Archivo: | ]]<br /> <br /> {| border=&quot;1&quot; style=&quot;border-collapse:collapse&quot;<br /> |+'''GPT22: Cochamó'''<br /> | colspan=&quot;4&quot; style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| GPT22: Cochamó<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Hiking<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Packrafting<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;|Group<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; | D: Lagos Chilenos<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Total<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|'''160.6 km'''<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|'''51 h'''<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| '''136.6 km'''<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;|'''35 h'''<br /> |-<br /> | style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;|Region<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; | Chile &amp; Argentina: Los Lagos (X) &amp; Chubut<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Trails (TL)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|137.9 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|85.9%<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 20.3 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;|14.9%<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Start<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; | Cochamó<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Minor Roads (MR)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|10.8 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|6.7%<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 1.8 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 1.3%<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Finish<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; | Lago Puelo (Puerto)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Primary Roads (PR)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|9.7 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|6.0%<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 2.8 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 2.0%<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Status<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; | Published &amp; Verified<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Cross-Country (CC)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|2.2 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|1.4%<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 0.5 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 0.4%<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Traversable<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; | Dec - Apr (Maybe: Sep, Oct, Nov, May)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Bush-Bashing (BB)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| -<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;|-<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Packraft<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; | Very Useful<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Ferry (FY)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|(1.8 km)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|(1.1%)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| -<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;|-<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Connects to<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; | GPT21, GPT23<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Investigation (I)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| (1.9 km)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| (1.4%)<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Options<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; | 268 km (9 Options &amp; Variants)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Exploration (EXP)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| -<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;|-<br /> |-<br /> | <br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Hiking<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Packrafting<br /> | rowspan=&quot;4&quot; style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| <br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Total on Water<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| '''111.1 km'''<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| '''81.4%'''<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Attraction<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|4 (of 5)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 5 (of 5)<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| River (RI)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 62.5 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 45.7%<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Difficulty<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|4 (of 5)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 4 (of 5)<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Lake (LK)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 32.4 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 23.7%<br /> |-<br /> | style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;|Direction<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#ffbfbf;&quot;|Both ↓↑<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;|Both ↓↑<br /> | colspan=&quot;2&quot; style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Fjord (FJ)<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;| 16.3 km<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#c2edfc;&quot;|11.9%<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Comment<br /> | colspan=&quot;7&quot; | Hiking: Flip-Flop recommended<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Character<br /> | colspan=&quot;7&quot; | Packrafting: Flip-Flop recommended<br /> |-<br /> |style=&quot;background-color:#bfbfbf;&quot;| Challenges<br /> | colspan=&quot;7&quot; | Valdivian Rain Forest, Sea Coast, Farmland, Settlers, River Packrafting, Lake Packrafting, Fjord Packrafting, Partly Overrun<br /> |}<br /> <br /> [[File:profile GPT22.PNG|frame|center|Elevation Profile of Regular Hiking Route (2019)]]<br /> <br /> [[File:profile GPT22-p.PNG|frame|center|Elevation Profile of Regular Hiking Route (2019)]]<br /> <br /> &lt;gallery&gt; <br /> File:GPT_16_Cochamó_109520254.jpg|<br /> File:GPT_16_Cochamó_109520443.jpg|<br /> File:GPT_16_Cochamó_115282465.jpg|<br /> File:GPT_16_Cochamó_115282466.jpg|<br /> File:GPT_16_Cochamó_109447503.jpg|thumb|<br /> File:GPT_16_Cochamó_101648648.jpg|thumb|<br /> File:GPT_16_Cochamó_104321335.jpg|thumb|<br /> File:Bahia ralun.jpg|thumb|<br /> File:GPT_16_Cochamó_109447491.jpg|thumb|<br /> File:GPT_16_Cochamó_109447496.jpg|thumb|<br /> &lt;/gallery&gt;<br /> <br /> [[category:Greater Patagonian Trail]]</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT15_(Curarrehue)&diff=118555 2024-12-01T23:42:21Z

<p>MiaimZelt: </p> <hr /> <div>&lt;div style=&quot;margin-top: -14px;overflow: hidden&quot;&gt;<br /> &lt;div style=&quot;float:left;margin-top: 14px&quot;&gt;__TOC__&lt;/div&gt;<br /> &lt;div style=&quot;margin-top: 0px;&quot;&gt;{{Table all GPTs}}&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> &lt;nowiki&gt;* '''&lt;/nowiki&gt;'''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'''&lt;nowiki&gt;'''&lt;/nowiki&gt;<br /> <br /> Summary with remarks to route that are considered useful for other hikers and packrafters. Include alerts, suggestions and personal perception of attractiveness and difficulties. Try to be specific. Do not be shy to fix obvious mistakes.<br /> <br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> * '''2024 nov 14 / 1 day/ hiking/ Sobo/ RR/ Allie'''<br /> <br /> I took the bus from reigolil (at the bridge by the river) to maio centro. From there i started the ascent to lago hualalafquen. Its very straightforward. From the lake to currarehue its easier to lose the trail and lthere are some large tree trunks to climb, but no real obstacles.<br /> <br /> * '''2024 nov 5.-8. / 4 days of hiking SOBO / Option PN Huerquehue / Daina and Arno'''<br /> <br /> We did a combination of GPT 14 &amp; 15 and took the option through the NP Huerquehue. Day 1 was GPT 14. Note: we didn't have the files.<br /> <br /> Day 2<br /> <br /> Almost no traffic at the minor road, but still boring for a hiker.<br /> <br /> At -39.069326, -71.536092 there is a locked gate with a good trail, which leads directly to the shore of Laguna Isolda. But we couldn't find a connection to the trail to the Thermas.<br /> <br /> The log entrys says the correct trail to Laguna Isolda is in good condition, so i assumed it will be easy to find the trail to Laguna Isolda, without knowing the exact position of it. I was totally wrong! I had marked a spot on the map where it could be, but there were two gates very near, both easy to open. We tried 3 different paths, but they all disappeared quickly. After more than one hour of searching, we hiked back to a trail which leads to Laguna Cochor to spend the night. Both sides of the road are fenced with barbed wire. Very difficult to find campspots.<br /> <br /> Day 3<br /> <br /> At -39.069326, -71.536092 there is a locked gate with a good trail, which leads directly to the shore of Laguna Isolda. But we couldn't find a connection to the trail to the Thermas. Here the path near the shoreline was very overgrown, until we couldn't find it anymore. We backtracked to the road and lost 3 hours. Frustrated we walked 15km to the Thermas on the road. No cars in our direction, no possibility to hitch. <br /> <br /> The trail to Camping Renahue at the right side was overall in ok condition. We didn't see the left trail. The lower part was very wet due to snowmelt. The steep part was muddy, but without obstacles. May be demanding on a rainy day. Later there were a lot of huge fallen trees on the path, we followed horse tracks. They lead around the blowdowns. 7:15pm we arrived at Camping Renahue. There and at the beginning of the trail we couldn't find signs about a trail closure. <br /> <br /> Day 4<br /> <br /> We choosed the trail down to the Laguna Carburgua to avoid the Conaf. The condition was good, can't complain about it. The roadwalk until the primary road was annoying, again no car in our direction.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> <br /> * '''2024 Mar 31st to Apr 5th / 4 hiking days / SOBO / Hiking / Opt 1 / Michael and Kasia'''<br /> <br /> We did sections 14 and 15 together. <br /> <br /> TL:DR: Opt 1 is a nice route with lots of forest walking and some termales options; the Renahue sector of PN Huerquehue is still closed, but that also means no one is there.<br /> <br /> Day 1 Mar 31st<br /> <br /> Our hitch dropped us off at the beginning Opt 1. It is a road walk, but the road is not much used, so it wasn't too bad. <br /> <br /> We camped at (-39.06732, -71.51559) just before the bridge. It was a functional campsite. It was right next to the road and the ground was covered in a thin layer of pumice, so not optimal for the tent. But it was flat, and didn't require climbing any fences. Going back a small path it had good river access. It was also clearly used as a campsite by other people. There was a fire ring and a grill hanging in a tree.<br /> <br /> Day 2 Apr 1st<br /> <br /> We continued on the road. We passed the entrance to Opt 1B, though we didn't have time to take it. It is a clearly marked trailhead. We continued on the road to the private property. We tried calling the phone number on the private property sign, but no one answered so we decided to just go ahead. The entrance was through a barbed wire gate, then follow the path along the fence line to the trail. The trail was in pretty good shape except for a few areas where water has rutted it out. We did not find any real access to Laguna Isolada; there was a ring of marsh grass about 3 or 4 meters wide around the whole lake. Where the track gets closest to the lake there was a fallen tree that we sat on for coffee and lunch. At two points there were fairly elaborate wooden barricades, one that we climbed under, the other we climbed around. It was unclear whether they were for animals or people. As has been noted before, the road begins earlier than it shows on the map. We did not see anyone the entire time. We both really enjoy walking in the forest, and the forest was very pretty throughout the day, so we were happy we chose to go this way instead of just hitching all the way to the termas.<br /> <br /> We arrived at the termas area. Eco termas seemed nicer than San Sebastian. The weather forecast was predicting heavy rain and wind up to 60kmph with gusts over 100 kmph the following day, so we wanted to stay in a cabaña instead of the tent and neither of the termales places could accommodate us. We found a cabaña at Cabañas Rio Blanco (-39.10593, -71.61558). It had a well equipped kitchen, wood stove with wood included, and hot water in the shower and sinks. The woman who runs it, Angélica, was incredibly nice and made excellent pan amasado. There is no cell service in the valley and power cuts are a daily thing, though there was power for several hours a day, so plenty of time to charge things.<br /> <br /> Day 3 and 4 April 2nd and 3rd<br /> <br /> We stayed at Cabañas Rio Blanco for two days to wait over the weather. <br /> <br /> Day 5 April 4th<br /> <br /> We left Rio Blanco and started up the trail to PN Huerquehue. The trail was in decent shape, better than we had expected. Along the way we saw a lot of different mushrooms, including some very impressive groups of Amanita muscaria that were so shiny red they almost looked fake. At the Letrero mark on OSM is the welcome sign. There was a laminated piece of paper stapled to it that was so badly faded from water as to be unreadable. If it weren't for Natalie's note from last year we would have had no idea what it said. The Renahue sector is still officially closed, as is the camping. The trail up was sometimes a little hard to keep track of. It was also pretty slippery for a lot of it. I would definitely not recommend doing it in the rain. The forest is pretty though and we really enjoyed the hike. We camped at Renahue. It was fine, though nothing special.<br /> <br /> Day 6 April 5th<br /> <br /> From Renahue we followed the trail toward the entrance. Until Laguna Huerquehue there were still a lot of blow downs to climb over. In some places it looked like recent maintenance had been done, in others not. Laguna Avutardas is a short detour, as is Laguna Huerquehue which is less a laguna and more of a wetland. Laguna Toro was pretty and we stopped there for lunch. There is a campsite marked there on OSM, however the ground was saturated, not sure if from the rain or from the lake, but not a good camp spot. Lago Verde and Lago Chico were also nice. The trail after Lago Chico was in pretty rough shape. It was clear and there was no brush, but it was very wet and extremely slippery. There was no one at the ticket office when we left, however that is not really the exit. There is still more than a km of trail until a road, and then another 2 km until the actual gate. It was about 7:30 and we were about 200 m from the main entrance when a CONAF guard drove up in a truck, on his way to his house I assume. It ended up being a somewhat uncomfortable conversation, he was upset that we had gone that way and he said a number of things that didn't make sense, but the essence was that it was prohibited to cross the park from Rio Blanco. After everything he was a bit more demure and said if we wanted to camp at the CONAF camping it was 20.000 and we could register and pay in the morning, then he left. We were considering camping but a truck was leaving the entrance right as we got there and we caught a lucky hitch all the way to Pucón.<br /> <br /> * '''2024-03-09 // 1 day // Hiking // NOBO // OPT3 + RR // Quentin Clavel'''<br /> <br /> As the weather was not on my side this week, and that I've got only one sunny day, I did my best to have this nice day for the ascent of the sollipulli volcano. <br /> <br /> So I decided to shortcut this GPT15, by passing threw the vallee Panqui (OPT3). It was not a very attractive section, as the RR I guess, rated 1/5 in terms of attractivity. But it was nor terrible ! <br /> <br /> After the city of Currarehue, you just follow a long and boring gravel road all along the vallee Panqui. Most surprising moment was to meet the polish priest of the city of Currarehue (yes, you read well), that really wanted to speak and know more on my adventure. After long discussions he even pried for me to have a safe end of my trip, and admit some doubt to have a track at the end of the gravel road. Another wtf moment of this GPT. <br /> <br /> The priest was wrong, of course there were a track at the end of the valley ! And I was happy about that because I was quite bored about this gravel. Track is easy to follow, again more when you pass after cross-country motorcycle that made the way again more easy to follow ! <br /> <br /> Best little moment of this section was the view on the pass, af the valley and the sollipulli volcano far away. <br /> <br /> Then you go down and continue the section until reigolil on a gravel road. People down there were very friendly and quite surprised to see me, not sure there's a lot of hikers who are passing threw the area ! <br /> <br /> Reigolil is tiny tiny, not the best choice to resupply, but there's a minimarket in case of emergency. <br /> <br /> * '''2024-Feb-14 to 2024-Feb-16 / 2,5 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR / czimahi'''<br /> <br /> from Curarrehue by road, no prob, first drinkable water just before Puesto 15 [37.4/1101]<br /> one spiny fence on the way like on S39°22.000` W71°29.557` but you can just follow the road and then there is another road up. <br /> I slept like 0,5km before Puesto 15 [33.1/1096] with water<br /> The rest to Reigolil no prob, road ripio, I slept just after bridge Quinenahuin in some abandoned terrain<br /> <br /> * '''2024-Jan-15 to 2024-Jan-16 / 1.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR - {15-03} / Lilian'''<br /> <br /> Km1.07 : camping possibilities at west of the road(without fence)beside the river, some trees for privacy and cover.<br /> <br /> Km4.0 : Dirt road junction, you can follow the dirt road to river side, looks like a large flat area there.<br /> <br /> Km4.85 : large and beautiful grassland with trees and beside the river, some camping trace here. A small stream is flowing across the road 50m more.<br /> <br /> Km7.8 : I crossed to the other side of valley with a bridge at here.<br /> <br /> Settlement[59.8+6.9/767] : also a small shop here, selling some food and drinks, not much selection but good stock. I saw some locals waiting bus at here too. Super friendly.<br /> <br /> Then i continued south to join {15-03}.<br /> <br /> {15-03} km1.45 : i saw a clear trailhead going south at here.<br /> <br /> Km1.6 : junction of road and trail.<br /> <br /> From here to km4.1, {15-03} is a very old, damaged and no more cars running dirt road. Mostly you are following it, walking on it or some horse trail and cow paths to the pass at km4.35. Steep but very easy to follow.<br /> <br /> Km1.68 : a trail junction here, it is a very clear trail to north, i think it is connected with the trailhead at km1.45.<br /> <br /> Km2.25 : side trail to a stream (-39.19811, -71.47021), some people use wood and bamboo made a pipe here, easy to collect water, thank you!<br /> <br /> Km2.75 : beautiful camping spot with grassland.<br /> <br /> Km3.1 : small stream(-39.20079, -71.47549) flowing good, easy to collect.<br /> <br /> Km3.9 : no more trace of road, become a horse trail. Some flat spots at valley(east) side with views but windy.<br /> <br /> The trail is maintained by some people, some sticks just cut off on the ground maybe some weeks before. Trail condition is good and going smooth.<br /> <br /> Km4.35 : some flat spots and an old, small bridge here. Stream under the bridge without flowing.<br /> <br /> Km5.8 : trail condition becomes an old dirt road, also a dirt road junction here.<br /> <br /> Km5.85 : beautiful grassland(-39.21900, -71.48849), with a huge tree can fit lot of tents here. Bridge and a good flow stream nearby(-39.21831, -71.48848).<br /> <br /> Km5.9 : bridge, stream flowing good with clear water under the bridge.<br /> <br /> Km7.55 : stream flowing low beside the road, cross a log to grassland camping spot. After here, no more camping possibilities i can find.<br /> <br /> Km8.1 : a friendly locked gate, easy climb at left side.<br /> <br /> Km8.2 : bridge, stream flowing good with clear water under the bridge.<br /> <br /> Km11.3 : bus stop at the turning, but i don't know about the bus schedule.<br /> <br /> I walked about 4-5km more, a local driver waved hands to me, then i arrived Curarrehue, MAGIC!<br /> <br /> Good town for resupply. Lot of accommodation, some supermarkets and restaurants in Curarrehue, also bus to Pucón and Santiago. I resupply at Supermercado Katty(-39.36219, -71.58473), because locals told me it is the best in Curarrehue, and i find 230g gas canisters at GYG Supermercado (2nd floor)(-39.36043, -71.58693), it just left 2.<br /> <br /> * '''2023-28-12 / 1,5 days / Hiking / NOBO / Option 1 + 1a / Jens '''<br /> <br /> I crossed the Huerquehue National Park to the north. Bus from Pucon to the entrance at 8.30am. Be there early, it fills up quickly.<br /> <br /> The warden told me that it was illegal to cross the park because of the trek closure. I assured her that I would come back and ignored her. <br /> <br /> The crossing was easy and beautiful. The trail was mostly maintained with the occasional tree trunk to climb over. <br /> <br /> Camping and water available.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Feb-27 / 4 days / Hiking / 15-O1 NOBO + Solipulli traverse + 14 SOBO / Martial '''<br /> <br /> Very nice expedition starting opposite side from Nat &amp; Tomas cause i skipped GPT11-13 for gear resupply in Pucón (Volcanica outdoors very good btw !).<br /> Started 15-O1 in Parc Huerquehue the 23 in the morning after negociating an entrance ticket with one of the guard off voices who was very comprehensive after i got here without ticket on the 22 at 18pm and parc was fully reserved for 2 more days.. Be more prepared ! Had a lucky price 10mil for Olga’s camping 10mil for 1 person arriving late. Very good value for money ! Crystal clear lake water sunset, hot clean showers, caring owners.. Beers, galletas y pan amasado caliente in the morning ! Had to get back to the CONAF gate in the morning for ticket so wished i had left the mochila in Olga’s 😓 Easy and nice walk up to the lagunas and although i have been warned Renahue sector was shut, i decided to continue as Conaf is not checking exit route. (The sector has been closed for missbehavior of the visitors so obviously don’t make fire or leave basura !!). Starting this sector the trail is volontary left sufficiently overgrown to discourage normal visitor but no GPT hiker 😄 and the way down to the Termas is nice enough. Stayed at ecotermas for 15mil after nice chat with Richard the guardian. Loved to immerge in the termas for hours with a beer and chating with Chileans.<br /> Next morning had in mind to hitchhike but no cars so found nice cascade before turning left to laguna Isolda. The owner put a gate « recinto privado » but you can pass asking for permission.. I bumped into him and his little daughter cleaning the trail to the laguna with machete : very nice guy and thanks to him the trail in this forest till the road is beautiful !<br /> Hitchhiking the road was no better so had to camp next to it on an unmarked camp here -39.06698, -71.51530, rainy night.<br /> The day after finally had a lucky hitch all the way to the entrance of the reserva to Solipulli so could actually make it to the summit on the same day by following the south est ascent. It is CC after the treeline and found a good path climbing to the lake located before the crater for high camp (my specialty it seems 😄 !). Aqui : -38.96789, -71.49060. Weather was getting full sun so no problem and was delightly rewarded by one of the most amazing sunset of my life setting just into a depression of the crater above the glaciar. Mesmerizing and got me smiling for hours despite the crazy windy cold !<br /> After an icy night i used the same path to the ridge scouted before and could join the RR and true summit for midtime before going down on the easy north route heading to CONAF. There was surprisingly no-one there on a sunday early afternoon. Got small supplies from the lodge owner (28mil one p. in the refugio so passed and camped near a lake before last ford : recommended). Met also Franklin family for a few welcome asada meat sandwich treat 🍖 So generous !!<br /> Next day was big MR hiking back 14 sobo so putted earpods and went fullgas to a camp after Reigolil marked on gaia gps (but actually shut so got it free after asking for permision to the abuelo : -39.13615, -71.48404). Very hot and boring no cars after the reserve exit. Happy to reach Curarrehue’s cafeteria for sweet delights after 07:10 bus !<br /> <br /> * '''2023-Feb-20 to 2023-Feb-21 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / OH 1 PN Huerquehue / Natalie &amp; Tomáš '''<br /> <br /> Hitched from the end of GPT14 to the start of the trail to Laguna Isolda (option 01). The start is gated (easily passable) and says private property but we continued. Sign said to call bosquesnalcahue (45) 91 06 59. We anticipated a bushwack but the trail was in surprisingly good conditions and we managed to meet the women responsible for the upkeep later in the park, she guides horse tours through those trails and clears as much as she can.<br /> The trail however is &quot;so so&quot; and you cannot access the lake easily, if you need water there is running water here;-39.10352, -71.54720. The trail turns into a road sooner than it is shown on the map, it turns into a road here;-39.10477, -71.54474 (about 5 km in). The road to the hotsprings has lots of water sources but it is not very interesting and I personally wished I just hitched all the way to the hotsprings to spend more time there. However, there was an interesting deserted logging operation along the way (-39.12617, -71.55411), we learned from the horse guide that the company went bankrupt and just left everything there.<br /> <br /> Camping at the hotsprings; Eco Thermas Rio Blanco and San Sebastian, are 15mil/person. We chose to stay at Rio Blanco because of the pools and a better variety of camping spots. We camped above the booth where you pay and the man who we payed showed us a hidden super hot (adjustable with cold water hose) bath not too far from our camp spot. Tomáš was surprised there by a family at 10 PM so keep some makeshift swimsuits ready. Both campings sell some basic food items but not much. <br /> <br /> There is a sign saying the trail to Huerquehue is closed &quot;Indefinitely&quot; and so is camping Renahue. Quite alarming but since the website said the park was open we continued with the mindset we would have to turn back. The trail was pretty good from the termas to camping renahue and it is here where we met the horse guides that were doing the trail maintenance near Laguna Isolda. The horse guides came up through the trail from lake Caburgua and they said it was an easy trail. This could be a good option if you wanted to avoid any trouble with CONAF and the section closure. However we were still curious about Huerquehue so we continued option 01 thinking we would turn back if we saw another sign or anything saying the trail was closed, to our surprise there were no more signs. Between camping Renahue to lake Huerquehue, there is a lot of blow down but after lake Huerquehue, the trail is pristine. We started seeing people after Lago Toro, so obviously the park was open. With the combination of having a late morning at the hot springs and all the indecisiveness about closures we ended up walking through the park at a great time (530-7pm). There were very few people and we really got to enjoy how beautiful it was there. CONAF website said they close at 530pm but there are no gates and attendants so no problems leaving the park later.<br /> Unfortunately at the lake the camping El Rincon was closed and camping Olga was 18mil a night with a minimum of a two night stay so we managed to get a hitch to Pucón. If needed, you can illegally camp at the CONAF station as that is what others were doing or ask &quot;Alicia&quot; at the old El Rincon campsite if you can pay privately and take care of your washroom needs- supposedly they had to shut down due to washroom problems. <br /> <br /> '''&quot;Trail closure&quot; on option 01PN Huerquehue. When leaving the Eco termas Rio Blanco hot springs there is a sign saying the &quot;Huerquehue trail, camping renahue and the dome&quot; are closed &quot;indefinitely&quot;. The park itself is open but supposedly that section on the trail is closed. We continued bcs we were not sure which trail they were exactly talking about but we were prepared to turn around if we saw something blocked off. The trail was fine except for a lot of blow down up until the lake Huerquehue. If you want to avoid this closure there is a trail in good shape coming from lake Caburgua to camping renahue. We met a horse guide coming from there and said it is fine.'''<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2020/21==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Feb-05 / 1.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / Frank'''<br /> <br /> I combined GPT15, 16 &amp; 17. It's easy to resupply in Curarrehue &amp; Liquine. 2 short days for GPT15 &amp; continued to GPT16 on 2nd day. Got the bus from Pucon to Reigolil via Currarehue. Didn't go to the lake but continued straight on the main road to Curarrehue. This option is quicker but there are not many places to camp. <br /> <br /> * '''2020-Feb / 1.5 days / Hiking / NOBO'''<br /> <br /> We took the dirt road on the west side of river. There is a small coffee about 7km from Currarehue. Very nice with good atmosphere. No particular interest in this section. Hitch if you can, there are quite some people living along this road so it should be easy. There is a bus doing Currarehue/Reigolil every day. Currarehue is nice to resupply with restaurants, supermarkets and accommodation. There is also an ATM. Reigolil there is only one very small shop with not much.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-30 / SOBO / Main road / Martina &amp; Ivo '''<br /> <br /> We started to walk on the road on the Western side of the river just to see what will happen. After 2 hours a bus to Curarrehue came ;-)<br /> <br /> * '''2019-Nov-26 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Shaun C '''<br /> <br /> Straightforward. Took a short 2 days. Rained incessantly, but still very pleasant, especially the misty Laguna Hualalafquen. Water readily available throughout. Only a few patches of snow (above 1200m).<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-15 / 4 days (GPT14 + GPT 15) / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Matus &amp; Anna '''<br /> <br /> We combined sections 14 and 15. It took us 3 days and nero.<br /> GPT14 - there are signs that someone tried to clear overgrown part of the trail on the begining and end but middle is still nicely overgrown. Though we didn't have problem to follow.<br /> Part of minor road on regular trail is under construction. They are putting a huge pipe under it. It was evening and workers were not there se we managed to sneak through but I don't think they will let you pass during working hours. It's just before descending to the river before National reserve Villarrica. <br /> In the Conaf campsite was food truck (it was weekend) with churasco, sopapillas, drinks... pure heaven. We paid 4000 per person at conaf.<br /> They are building a dorm at Lodge. It will be ready for next years hikers ;) <br /> Resuply in Reigolil - mini shop on trail seemed abandoned. We found best supplies in shop-4. There is one other shop directly after bridge. <br /> GPT15 - road and trail in good condition. On the climb to the lake bit before last settler there are some wild cherry trees on the left. We stuffed ourselves and left for others too. Enjoy. Multiple shops, accomodation options and restaurants in Curarrehue.<br /> <br /> * '''2020-Jan-19 / 1.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Tom &amp; Maddie '''<br /> <br /> Easy walking, road in good condition. Would recommend hitching if you have limited time, but worth doing otherwise to connect sections 14 and 16. Really good resupply in Curarrehue (restaurants, grocery stores, clothing stores, pharmacy etc).<br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> *Pucon has a few big supermarkets &amp; several shops with hiking gear. One of the supermarkets has a hardware section where you can buy camping gas. <br /> <br /> *Regioli at the northern start of the section has only one limited shop. <br /> <br /> *Curarrehue, at the southern end, is a decent-sized town with numerous restaurants and shops. <br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> Quentin : Currarehue is kind of a big city, where you'll find easily places to resupply (there's at least 4 supermarkets and 10 minimarkets), foodplaces and accomodation (cabanas, hospedaje and hostel (at the end of the city)). Didn't checked in all supermarkets, but there's a good chance to find Gaz in this city I reckon, if not in supermarkets, probably in ferretería ?<br /> <br /> Reigolil is tiny tiny, not the best choice to resupply, but there's a minimarket in case of emergency.<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> <br /> Regioli has limited options. Curarrehue is much better connected.<br /> <br /> [[File:Reigolil.jpg|thumb|center|600px|Timetable January 2020]]<br /> <br /> Bus goes from Pucon to Curarrehue then Reigolil<br /> <br /> As of January 2024<br /> <br /> Bus from Reigolil to Curarrehue at 2pm. 1000 pesos. Two hour bus ride.<br /> <br /> November 2024:<br /> <br /> Direct bus from Pucón (Terminal Pullman) to Reigolil. 2600 CLP. 10:30 a.m. at a tuesday, but better to ask about the correct time at the terminal, because there is no written information.<br /> <br /> SOBO to Parque Huerquehue:<br /> Ask the Termas about chartered buses: Whatsapp;+56946809918, +56992318329.<br /> Otherwise make your way via Cunco or Temuco--&gt;Cunco.<br /> Temuco's Terminal de Buses Rurales (Balmaceda 1475) can be complicated since most buses have their own shop elsewhere. For Cunco go to office &quot;IGI LLAIMA/ Nar Bus&quot;; Balmaceda 997. The bus leaves every 30min. <br /> <br /> From Cunco check with locals about bus to Lago Caburga. Supposedly a bus leaves everyday at 4 or 5pm from Balmaceda corner La Concepción. It will pass by the nice supermarket;Supermercado Hesis on &quot;Colico Sur&quot; aka the S-75. Confirm schedule in the municipality of Cunco before traveling at +56 45 2200147.<br /> <br /> Hitchhiking is easy up until Lago Collico, after that there are cars but not many stop.<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT15 - Curarrehue]]<br /> <br /> =Images=<br /> <br /> [[File:GPT_9_Curarrehue_109095280.jpg|thumb|center|1100px|GPT15]]<br /> [[File:GPT_9_Curarrehue_109095440.jpg|thumb|center|1100px|GPT15 and [[Volcán Lanín]]]]<br /> [[File:GPT_9_Curarrehue_109095350.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_9_Curarrehue_109095403.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_9_Curarrehue_109095479.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_9_Curarrehue_109095515.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT15_(Curarrehue)&diff=117979 2024-11-12T01:29:03Z

<p>MiaimZelt: /* Season 2024/25 */</p> <hr /> <div>{{Table all GPTs}}<br /> <br /> &lt;br style=&quot;clear:both&quot; /&gt;<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> ''*'' 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<br /> <br /> Summary with remarks to route that are considered useful for other hikers and packrafters. Include alerts, suggestions and personal perception of attractiveness and difficulties.<br /> <br /> <br /> Add a sub-chapter by placing two &quot;=&quot; before and after the new sub-chapter heading ('==Sub-Chapter Heading==').<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> 5.-8.11.2024 / 4 days of hiking SOBO / Daina and Arno<br /> <br /> We did a combination of GPT 14 &amp; 15 and took the option through the NP Huerquehue. Day 1 was GPT 14. Note: we didn't have the files.<br /> <br /> Day 2<br /> <br /> Almost no traffic at the minor road, but still boring for a hiker.<br /> <br /> At -39.069326, -71.536092 there is a locked gate with a good trail, which leads directly to the shore of Laguna Isolda. But we couldn't find a connection to the trail to the Thermas.<br /> <br /> The log entrys says the correct trail to Laguna Isolda is in good condition, so i assumed it will be easy to find the trail to Laguna Isolda, without knowing the exact position of it. I was totally wrong! I had marked a spot on the map where it could be, but there were two gates very near, both easy to open. We tried 3 different paths, but they all disappeared quickly. After more than one hour of searching, we hiked back to a trail which leads to Laguna Cochor to spend the night. Both sides of the road are fenced with barbed wire. Very difficult to find campspots.<br /> <br /> Day 3<br /> <br /> At -39.069326, -71.536092 there is a locked gate with a good trail, which leads directly to the shore of Laguna Isolda. But we couldn't find a connection to the trail to the Thermas. Here the path near the shoreline was very overgrown, until we couldn't find it anymore. We backtracked to the road and lost 3 hours. Frustrated we walked 15km to the Thermas on the road. No cars in our direction, no possibility to hitch. <br /> <br /> The trail to Camping Renahue at the right side was overall in ok condition. We didn't see the left trail. The lower part was very wet due to snowmelt. The steep part was muddy, but without obstacles. May be demanding on a rainy day. Later there were a lot of huge fallen trees on the path, we followed horse tracks. They lead around the blowdowns. 7:15pm we arrived at Camping Renahue. There and at the beginning of the trail we couldn't find signs about a trail closure. <br /> <br /> Day 4<br /> <br /> We choosed the trail down to the Laguna Carburgua to avoid the Conaf. The condition was good, can't complain about it. The roadwalk until the primary road was annoying, again no car in our direction.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> <br /> *2024 Mar 31st to Apr 5th / 4 hiking days / SOBO / Hiking / Opt 1 / Michael and Kasia<br /> <br /> We did sections 14 and 15 together. <br /> <br /> TL:DR: Opt 1 is a nice route with lots of forest walking and some termales options; the Renahue sector of PN Huerquehue is still closed, but that also means no one is there.<br /> <br /> Day 1 Mar 31st<br /> <br /> Our hitch dropped us off at the beginning Opt 1. It is a road walk, but the road is not much used, so it wasn't too bad. <br /> <br /> We camped at (-39.06732, -71.51559) just before the bridge. It was a functional campsite. It was right next to the road and the ground was covered in a thin layer of pumice, so not optimal for the tent. But it was flat, and didn't require climbing any fences. Going back a small path it had good river access. It was also clearly used as a campsite by other people. There was a fire ring and a grill hanging in a tree.<br /> <br /> <br /> Day 2 Apr 1st<br /> <br /> We continued on the road. We passed the entrance to Opt 1B, though we didn't have time to take it. It is a clearly marked trailhead. We continued on the road to the private property. We tried calling the phone number on the private property sign, but no one answered so we decided to just go ahead. The entrance was through a barbed wire gate, then follow the path along the fence line to the trail. The trail was in pretty good shape except for a few areas where water has rutted it out. We did not find any real access to Laguna Isolada; there was a ring of marsh grass about 3 or 4 meters wide around the whole lake. Where the track gets closest to the lake there was a fallen tree that we sat on for coffee and lunch. At two points there were fairly elaborate wooden barricades, one that we climbed under, the other we climbed around. It was unclear whether they were for animals or people. As has been noted before, the road begins earlier than it shows on the map. We did not see anyone the entire time. We both really enjoy walking in the forest, and the forest was very pretty throughout the day, so we were happy we chose to go this way instead of just hitching all the way to the termas.<br /> <br /> We arrived at the termas area. Eco termas seemed nicer than San Sebastian. The weather forecast was predicting heavy rain and wind up to 60kmph with gusts over 100 kmph the following day, so we wanted to stay in a cabaña instead of the tent and neither of the termales places could accommodate us. We found a cabaña at Cabañas Rio Blanco (-39.10593, -71.61558). It had a well equipped kitchen, wood stove with wood included, and hot water in the shower and sinks. The woman who runs it, Angélica, was incredibly nice and made excellent pan amasado. There is no cell service in the valley and power cuts are a daily thing, though there was power for several hours a day, so plenty of time to charge things.<br /> <br /> <br /> Day 3 and 4 April 2nd and 3rd<br /> <br /> We stayed at Cabañas Rio Blanco for two days to wait over the weather. <br /> <br /> <br /> Day 5 April 4th<br /> <br /> We left Rio Blanco and started up the trail to PN Huerquehue. The trail was in decent shape, better than we had expected. Along the way we saw a lot of different mushrooms, including some very impressive groups of Amanita muscaria that were so shiny red they almost looked fake. At the Letrero mark on OSM is the welcome sign. There was a laminated piece of paper stapled to it that was so badly faded from water as to be unreadable. If it weren't for Natalie's note from last year we would have had no idea what it said. The Renahue sector is still officially closed, as is the camping. The trail up was sometimes a little hard to keep track of. It was also pretty slippery for a lot of it. I would definitely not recommend doing it in the rain. The forest is pretty though and we really enjoyed the hike. We camped at Renahue. It was fine, though nothing special.<br /> <br /> <br /> Day 6 April 5th<br /> <br /> From Renahue we followed the trail toward the entrance. Until Laguna Huerquehue there were still a lot of blow downs to climb over. In some places it looked like recent maintenance had been done, in others not. Laguna Avutardas is a short detour, as is Laguna Huerquehue which is less a laguna and more of a wetland. Laguna Toro was pretty and we stopped there for lunch. There is a campsite marked there on OSM, however the ground was saturated, not sure if from the rain or from the lake, but not a good camp spot. Lago Verde and Lago Chico were also nice. The trail after Lago Chico was in pretty rough shape. It was clear and there was no brush, but it was very wet and extremely slippery. There was no one at the ticket office when we left, however that is not really the exit. There is still more than a km of trail until a road, and then another 2 km until the actual gate. It was about 7:30 and we were about 200 m from the main entrance when a CONAF guard drove up in a truck, on his way to his house I assume. It ended up being a somewhat uncomfortable conversation, he was upset that we had gone that way and he said a number of things that didn't make sense, but the essence was that it was prohibited to cross the park from Rio Blanco. After everything he was a bit more demure and said if we wanted to camp at the CONAF camping it was 20.000 and we could register and pay in the morning, then he left. We were considering camping but a truck was leaving the entrance right as we got there and we caught a lucky hitch all the way to Pucón.<br /> <br /> <br /> *2024-03-09 // 1 day // Hiking // NOBO // OPT3 + RR // Quentin Clavel<br /> <br /> As the weather was not on my side this week, and that I've got only one sunny day, I did my best to have this nice day for the ascent of the sollipulli volcano. <br /> <br /> So I decided to shortcut this GPT15, by passing threw the vallee Panqui (OPT3). It was not a very attractive section, as the RR I guess, rated 1/5 in terms of attractivity. But it was nor terrible ! <br /> <br /> After the city of Currarehue, you just follow a long and boring gravel road all along the vallee Panqui. Most surprising moment was to meet the polish priest of the city of Currarehue (yes, you read well), that really wanted to speak and know more on my adventure. After long discussions he even pried for me to have a safe end of my trip, and admit some doubt to have a track at the end of the gravel road. Another wtf moment of this GPT. <br /> <br /> The priest was wrong, of course there were a track at the end of the valley ! And I was happy about that because I was quite bored about this gravel. Track is easy to follow, again more when you pass after cross-country motorcycle that made the way again more easy to follow ! <br /> <br /> Best little moment of this section was the view on the pass, af the valley and the sollipulli volcano far away. <br /> <br /> Then you go down and continue the section until reigolil on a gravel road. People down there were very friendly and quite surprised to see me, not sure there's a lot of hikers who are passing threw the area ! <br /> <br /> Reigolil is tiny tiny, not the best choice to resupply, but there's a minimarket in case of emergency. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> *2024-Feb-14 to 2024-Feb-16 / 2,5 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR / czimahi<br /> <br /> from Curarrehue by road, no prob, first drinkable water just before Puesto 15 [37.4/1101]<br /> one spiny fence on the way like on S39°22.000` W71°29.557` but you can just follow the road and then there is another road up. <br /> I slept like 0,5km before Puesto 15 [33.1/1096] with water<br /> The rest to Reigolil no prob, road ripio, I slept just after bridge Quinenahuin in some abandoned terrain<br /> <br /> *2024-Jan-15 to 2024-Jan-16 / 1.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR - {15-03} / Lilian<br /> <br /> Km1.07 : camping possibilities at west of the road(without fence)beside the river, some trees for privacy and cover.<br /> <br /> Km4.0 : Dirt road junction, you can follow the dirt road to river side, looks like a large flat area there.<br /> <br /> Km4.85 : large and beautiful grassland with trees and beside the river, some camping trace here. A small stream is flowing across the road 50m more.<br /> <br /> Km7.8 : I crossed to the other side of valley with a bridge at here.<br /> <br /> Settlement[59.8+6.9/767] : also a small shop here, selling some food and drinks, not much selection but good stock. I saw some locals waiting bus at here too. Super friendly.<br /> <br /> Then i continued south to join {15-03}.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> {15-03} km1.45 : i saw a clear trailhead going south at here.<br /> <br /> Km1.6 : junction of road and trail.<br /> <br /> From here to km4.1, {15-03} is a very old, damaged and no more cars running dirt road. Mostly you are following it, walking on it or some horse trail and cow paths to the pass at km4.35. Steep but very easy to follow.<br /> <br /> Km1.68 : a trail junction here, it is a very clear trail to north, i think it is connected with the trailhead at km1.45.<br /> <br /> Km2.25 : side trail to a stream (-39.19811, -71.47021), some people use wood and bamboo made a pipe here, easy to collect water, thank you!<br /> <br /> Km2.75 : beautiful camping spot with grassland.<br /> <br /> Km3.1 : small stream(-39.20079, -71.47549) flowing good, easy to collect.<br /> <br /> Km3.9 : no more trace of road, become a horse trail. Some flat spots at valley(east) side with views but windy.<br /> <br /> The trail is maintained by some people, some sticks just cut off on the ground maybe some weeks before. Trail condition is good and going smooth.<br /> <br /> Km4.35 : some flat spots and an old, small bridge here. Stream under the bridge without flowing.<br /> <br /> Km5.8 : trail condition becomes an old dirt road, also a dirt road junction here.<br /> <br /> Km5.85 : beautiful grassland(-39.21900, -71.48849), with a huge tree can fit lot of tents here. Bridge and a good flow stream nearby(-39.21831, -71.48848).<br /> <br /> Km5.9 : bridge, stream flowing good with clear water under the bridge.<br /> <br /> Km7.55 : stream flowing low beside the road, cross a log to grassland camping spot. After here, no more camping possibilities i can find.<br /> <br /> Km8.1 : a friendly locked gate, easy climb at left side.<br /> <br /> Km8.2 : bridge, stream flowing good with clear water under the bridge.<br /> <br /> Km11.3 : bus stop at the turning, but i don't know about the bus schedule.<br /> <br /> I walked about 4-5km more, a local driver waved hands to me, then i arrived Curarrehue, MAGIC!<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Good town for resupply. Lot of accommodation, some supermarkets and restaurants in Curarrehue, also bus to Pucón and Santiago. I resupply at Supermercado Katty(-39.36219, -71.58473), because locals told me it is the best in Curarrehue, and i find 230g gas canisters at GYG Supermercado (2nd floor)(-39.36043, -71.58693), it just left 2.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> *2023-28-12 / 1,5 days / Hiking / NOBO / Option 1 + 1a / Jens <br /> <br /> I crossed the Huerquehue National Park to the north. Bus from Pucon to the entrance at 8.30am. Be there early, it fills up quickly.<br /> <br /> The warden told me that it was illegal to cross the park because of the trek closure. I assured her that I would come back and ignored her. <br /> <br /> The crossing was easy and beautiful. The trail was mostly maintained with the occasional tree trunk to climb over. <br /> <br /> Camping and water available.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> <br /> *2023-Feb-27 / 4 days / Hiking / 15-O1 NOBO + Solipulli traverse + 14 SOBO / Martial <br /> <br /> Very nice expedition starting opposite side from Nat &amp; Tomas cause i skipped GPT11-13 for gear resupply in Pucón (Volcanica outdoors very good btw !).<br /> Started 15-O1 in Parc Huerquehue the 23 in the morning after negociating an entrance ticket with one of the guard off voices who was very comprehensive after i got here without ticket on the 22 at 18pm and parc was fully reserved for 2 more days.. Be more prepared ! Had a lucky price 10mil for Olga’s camping 10mil for 1 person arriving late. Very good value for money ! Crystal clear lake water sunset, hot clean showers, caring owners.. Beers, galletas y pan amasado caliente in the morning ! Had to get back to the CONAF gate in the morning for ticket so wished i had left the mochila in Olga’s 😓 Easy and nice walk up to the lagunas and although i have been warned Renahue sector was shut, i decided to continue as Conaf is not checking exit route. (The sector has been closed for missbehavior of the visitors so obviously don’t make fire or leave basura !!). Starting this sector the trail is volontary left sufficiently overgrown to discourage normal visitor but no GPT hiker 😄 and the way down to the Termas is nice enough. Stayed at ecotermas for 15mil after nice chat with Richard the guardian. Loved to immerge in the termas for hours with a beer and chating with Chileans.<br /> Next morning had in mind to hitchhike but no cars so found nice cascade before turning left to laguna Isolda. The owner put a gate « recinto privado » but you can pass asking for permission.. I bumped into him and his little daughter cleaning the trail to the laguna with machete : very nice guy and thanks to him the trail in this forest till the road is beautiful !<br /> Hitchhiking the road was no better so had to camp next to it on an unmarked camp here -39.06698, -71.51530, rainy night.<br /> The day after finally had a lucky hitch all the way to the entrance of the reserva to Solipulli so could actually make it to the summit on the same day by following the south est ascent. It is CC after the treeline and found a good path climbing to the lake located before the crater for high camp (my specialty it seems 😄 !). Aqui : -38.96789, -71.49060. Weather was getting full sun so no problem and was delightly rewarded by one of the most amazing sunset of my life setting just into a depression of the crater above the glaciar. Mesmerizing and got me smiling for hours despite the crazy windy cold !<br /> After an icy night i used the same path to the ridge scouted before and could join the RR and true summit for midtime before going down on the easy north route heading to CONAF. There was surprisingly no-one there on a sunday early afternoon. Got small supplies from the lodge owner (28mil one p. in the refugio so passed and camped near a lake before last ford : recommended). Met also Franklin family for a few welcome asada meat sandwich treat 🍖 So generous !!<br /> Next day was big MR hiking back 14 sobo so putted earpods and went fullgas to a camp after Reigolil marked on gaia gps (but actually shut so got it free after asking for permision to the abuelo : -39.13615, -71.48404). Very hot and boring no cars after the reserve exit. Happy to reach Curarrehue’s cafeteria for sweet delights after 07:10 bus !<br /> <br /> <br /> * 2023-Feb-20 to 2023-Feb-21 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / OH 1 PN Huerquehue / Natalie &amp; Tomáš <br /> <br /> Hitched from the end of GPT14 to the start of the trail to Laguna Isolda (option 01). The start is gated (easily passable) and says private property but we continued. Sign said to call bosquesnalcahue (45) 91 06 59. We anticipated a bushwack but the trail was in surprisingly good conditions and we managed to meet the women responsible for the upkeep later in the park, she guides horse tours through those trails and clears as much as she can.<br /> The trail however is &quot;so so&quot; and you cannot access the lake easily, if you need water there is running water here;-39.10352, -71.54720. The trail turns into a road sooner than it is shown on the map, it turns into a road here;-39.10477, -71.54474 (about 5 km in). The road to the hotsprings has lots of water sources but it is not very interesting and I personally wished I just hitched all the way to the hotsprings to spend more time there. However, there was an interesting deserted logging operation along the way (-39.12617, -71.55411), we learned from the horse guide that the company went bankrupt and just left everything there. <br /> <br /> Camping at the hotsprings; Evo Thermas Rio Blanco and San Sebastian, are 15mil/person. We chose to stay at Rio Blanco because of the pools and a better variety of camping spots. We camped above the booth where you pay and the man who we payed showed us a hidden super hot (adjustable with cold water hose) bath not too far from our camp spot. Tomáš was surprised there by a family at 10 PM so keep some makeshift swimsuits ready. Both campings sell some basic food items but not much. <br /> <br /> There is a sign saying the trail to Huerquehue is closed &quot;Indefinitely&quot; and so is camping Renahue. Quite alarming but since the website said the park was open we continued with the mindset we would have to turn back. The trail was pretty good from the termas to camping renahue and it is here where we met the horse guides that were doing the trail maintenance near Laguna Isolda. The horse guides came up through the trail from lake Caburgua and they said it was an easy trail. This could be a good option if you wanted to avoid any trouble with CONAF and the section closure. However we were still curious about Huerquehue so we continued option01 thinking we would turn back if we saw another sign or anything saying the trail was closed, to our surprise there were no more signs. Between camping renahue to lake Huerquehue there is a lot of blow down but after lake Huerquehue the trail is pristine. We started seeing people after Lago Toro so obviously the park was open. With the combination of having a late morning at the hot springs and all the indecisiveness about closures we ended up walking through the park at a great time ( 530-7pm). There were very few people and we really got to enjoy how beautiful it was there. CONAF website said they close at 530pm but there are no gates and attendants so no problems leaving the park later.<br /> Unfortunately at the lake the camping El Rincon was closed and camping Olga was 18mil a night with a minimum of a two night stay so we managed to get a hitch to Pucón. If needed, you can illegally camp at the CONAF station as that is what others were doing or ask &quot;Alicia&quot; at the old El Rincon campsite if you can pay privately and take care of your washroom needs- supposedly they had to shut down due to washroom problems. <br /> <br /> '''&quot;Trail closure&quot; on option 01PN Huerquehue. When leaving the Eco termas Rio Blanco hot springs there is a sign saying the &quot;Huerquehue trail, camping renahue and the dome&quot; are closed &quot;indefinitely&quot;. The park itself is open but supposedly that section on the trail is closed. We continued bcs we were not sure which trail they were exactly talking about but we're prepared to turn around if we saw something blocked off. The trail was fine except for a lot of blow down up until the lake Huerquehue. If you want to avoid this closure there is a trail in good shape coming from lake Caburgua to camping renahue. We met a horse guide coming from there and said it is fine.'''<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2020/21==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> <br /> * 2020-Feb-05 / 1.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / Frank<br /> <br /> I combined GPT15, 16 &amp; 17. It's easy to resupply in Curarrehue &amp; Liquine. 2 short days for GPT15 &amp; continued to GPT16 on 2nd day. Got the bus from Pucon to Reigolil via Currarehue. Didn't go to the lake but continued straight on the main road to Curarrehue. This option is quicker but there are not many places to camp. <br /> <br /> <br /> *2020-Feb / 1.5 days / Hiking / NOBO<br /> <br /> We took the dirt road on the west side of river. There is a small coffee about 7km from Currarehue. Very nice with good atmosphere. No particular interest in this section. Hitch if you can, there are quite some people living along this road so it should be easy. There is a bus doing Currarehue/Reigolil every day. Currarehue is nice to resupply with restaurants, supermarkets and accommodation. There is also an ATM. Reigolil there is only one very small shop with not much.<br /> <br /> <br /> *2020-Jan-30 / SOBO / Main road / Martina &amp; Ivo <br /> <br /> We started to walk on the road on the Western side of the river just to see what will happen. After 2 hours a bus to Curarrehue came ;-)<br /> <br /> <br /> * 2019-Nov-26 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Shaun C <br /> <br /> Straightforward. Took a short 2 days. Rained incessantly, but still very pleasant, especially the misty Laguna Hualalafquen. Water readily available throughout. Only a few patches of snow (above 1200m).<br /> <br /> <br /> * 2020-Jan-15 / 4 days (GPT14 + GPT 15) / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Matus &amp; Anna <br /> <br /> We combined sections 14 and 15. It took us 3 days and nero.<br /> GPT14 - there are signs that someone tried to clear overgrown part of the trail on the begining and end but middle is still nicely overgrown. Though we didn't have problem to follow.<br /> Part of minor road on regular trail is under construction. They are putting a huge pipe under it. It was evening and workers were not there se we managed to sneak through but I don't think they will let you pass during working hours. It's just before descending to the river before National reserve Villarrica. <br /> In the Conaf campsite was food truck (it was weekend) with churasco, sopapillas, drinks... pure heaven. We paid 4000 per person at conaf.<br /> They are building a dorm at Lodge. It will be ready for next years hikers ;) <br /> Resuply in Reigolil - mini shop on trail seemed abandoned. We found best supplies in shop-4. There is one other shop directly after bridge. <br /> GPT15 - road and trail in good condition. On the climb to the lake bit before last settler there are some wild cherry trees on the left. We stuffed ourselves and left for others too. Enjoy. Multiple shops, accomodation options and restaurants in Curarrehue.<br /> <br /> <br /> *2020-Jan-19 / 1.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Tom &amp; Maddie <br /> <br /> Easy walking, road in good condition. Would recommend hitching if you have limited time, but worth doing otherwise to connect sections 14 and 16. Really good resupply in Curarrehue (restaurants, grocery stores, clothing stores, pharmacy etc).<br /> <br /> ==Season 2018/19==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2017/18==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2016/17==<br /> <br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> *Pucon has a few big supermarkets &amp; several shops with hiking gear. One of the supermarkets has a hardware section where you can buy camping gas. <br /> <br /> *Regioli at the northern start of the section has only one limited shop. <br /> <br /> *Curarrehue, at the southern end, is a decent-sized town with numerous restaurants and shops. <br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> Quentin : Currarehue is kind of a big city, where you'll find easily places to resupply (there's at least 4 supermarkets and 10 minimarkets), foodplaces and accomodation (cabanas, hospedaje and hostel (at the end of the city)). Didn't checked in all supermarkets, but there's a good chance to find Gaz in this city I reckon, if not in supermarkets, probably in ferretería ?<br /> <br /> Reigolil is tiny tiny, not the best choice to resupply, but there's a minimarket in case of emergency.<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> <br /> Regioli has limited options. Curarrehue is much better connected.<br /> <br /> [[File:Reigolil.jpg|thumb|center|600px|Timetable January 2020]]<br /> <br /> Bus goes from Pucon to Curarrehue then Reigolil<br /> <br /> As of January 2024<br /> <br /> Bus from Reigolil to Curarrehue at 2pm. 1000 pesos. Two hour bus ride.<br /> <br /> November 2024:<br /> <br /> Direct bus from Pucón (Terminal Pullman) to Reigolil. 2600 CLP. 10:30 a.m. at a tuesday, but better to ask about the correct time at the terminal, because there is no written information.<br /> <br /> SOBO to Parque Huerquehue:<br /> Ask the Termas about chartered buses: Whatsapp;+56946809918, +56992318329.<br /> Otherwise make your way via Cunco or Temuco--&gt;Cunco.<br /> Temuco's Terminal de Buses Rurales (Balmaceda 1475) can be complicated since most buses have their own shop elsewhere. For Cunco go to office &quot;IGI LLAIMA/ Nar Bus&quot;; Balmaceda 997. The bus leaves every 30min. <br /> <br /> From Cunco check with locals about bus to Lago Caburga. Supposedly a bus leaves everyday at 4 or 5pm from Balmaceda corner La Concepción. It will pass by the nice supermarket;Supermercado Hesis on &quot;Colico Sur&quot; aka the S-75. Confirm schedule in the municipality of Cunco before traveling at +56 45 2200147.<br /> <br /> Hitchhiking is easy up until Lago Collico, after that there are cars but not many stop.<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT15 - Curarrehue]]<br /> <br /> =Images=<br /> <br /> [[File:GPT_9_Curarrehue_109095280.jpg|thumb|center|1100px|GPT15]]<br /> [[File:GPT_9_Curarrehue_109095440.jpg|thumb|center|1100px|GPT15 and [[Volcán Lanín]]]]<br /> [[File:GPT_9_Curarrehue_109095350.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_9_Curarrehue_109095403.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_9_Curarrehue_109095479.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_9_Curarrehue_109095515.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT15_(Curarrehue)&diff=117977 2024-11-12T01:06:52Z

<p>MiaimZelt: </p> <hr /> <div>{{Table all GPTs}}<br /> <br /> &lt;br style=&quot;clear:both&quot; /&gt;<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> ''*'' 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<br /> <br /> Summary with remarks to route that are considered useful for other hikers and packrafters. Include alerts, suggestions and personal perception of attractiveness and difficulties.<br /> <br /> <br /> Add a sub-chapter by placing two &quot;=&quot; before and after the new sub-chapter heading ('==Sub-Chapter Heading==').<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> 5.-8.11.2024 / 4 days of hiking / Daina and Arno<br /> <br /> We did a combination of GPT 14 &amp; 15 and took the option through the NP Huerquehue. Day 1 was GPT 14. Note: we didn't have the files.<br /> <br /> Day 2<br /> <br /> Almost no traffic at the minor road, but still boring for a hiker.<br /> <br /> At -39.069326, -71.536092 there is a locked gate with a good trail, which leads directly to the shore of Laguna Isolda. But we couldn't find a connection to the trail to the Thermas.<br /> <br /> The log entrys says the correct trail to Laguna Isolda is in good condition, so i assumed it will be easy to find the trail to Laguna Isolda, without knowing the exact position of it. I was totally wrong! I had marked a spot on the map where it could be, but there were two gates very near, both easy to open. We tried 3 different paths, but they all disappeared quickly. After more than one hour of searching, we hiked back to a trail which leads to Laguna Cochor to spend the night. Both sides of the road are fenced with barbed wire. Very difficult to find campspots.<br /> <br /> Day 3<br /> <br /> At -39.069326, -71.536092 there is a locked gate with a good trail, which leads directly to the shore of Laguna Isolda. But we couldn't find a connection to the trail to the Thermas. Here the path near the shoreline was very overgrown, until we couldn't find it anymore. We backtracked to the road and lost 3 hours. Frustrated we walked 15km to the Thermas on the road. No cars in our direction, no possibility to hitch. <br /> <br /> The trail to Camping Renahue at the right side was overall in ok condition. We didn't see the left trail. The lower part was very wet due to snowmelt. The steep part was muddy, but without obstacles. May be demanding on a rainy day. Later there were a lot of huge fallen trees on the path, we followed horse tracks. They lead around the blowdowns. 7:15pm we arrived at Camping Renahue. There and at the beginning of the trail we couldn't find signs about a trail closure. <br /> <br /> Day 4<br /> <br /> We choosed the trail down to the Laguna Carburgua to avoid the Conaf. The condition was good, can't complain about it. The roadwalk until the primary road was annoying, again no car in our direction.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> <br /> *2024 Mar 31st to Apr 5th / 4 hiking days / SOBO / Hiking / Opt 1 / Michael and Kasia<br /> <br /> We did sections 14 and 15 together. <br /> <br /> TL:DR: Opt 1 is a nice route with lots of forest walking and some termales options; the Renahue sector of PN Huerquehue is still closed, but that also means no one is there.<br /> <br /> Day 1 Mar 31st<br /> <br /> Our hitch dropped us off at the beginning Opt 1. It is a road walk, but the road is not much used, so it wasn't too bad. <br /> <br /> We camped at (-39.06732, -71.51559) just before the bridge. It was a functional campsite. It was right next to the road and the ground was covered in a thin layer of pumice, so not optimal for the tent. But it was flat, and didn't require climbing any fences. Going back a small path it had good river access. It was also clearly used as a campsite by other people. There was a fire ring and a grill hanging in a tree.<br /> <br /> <br /> Day 2 Apr 1st<br /> <br /> We continued on the road. We passed the entrance to Opt 1B, though we didn't have time to take it. It is a clearly marked trailhead. We continued on the road to the private property. We tried calling the phone number on the private property sign, but no one answered so we decided to just go ahead. The entrance was through a barbed wire gate, then follow the path along the fence line to the trail. The trail was in pretty good shape except for a few areas where water has rutted it out. We did not find any real access to Laguna Isolada; there was a ring of marsh grass about 3 or 4 meters wide around the whole lake. Where the track gets closest to the lake there was a fallen tree that we sat on for coffee and lunch. At two points there were fairly elaborate wooden barricades, one that we climbed under, the other we climbed around. It was unclear whether they were for animals or people. As has been noted before, the road begins earlier than it shows on the map. We did not see anyone the entire time. We both really enjoy walking in the forest, and the forest was very pretty throughout the day, so we were happy we chose to go this way instead of just hitching all the way to the termas.<br /> <br /> We arrived at the termas area. Eco termas seemed nicer than San Sebastian. The weather forecast was predicting heavy rain and wind up to 60kmph with gusts over 100 kmph the following day, so we wanted to stay in a cabaña instead of the tent and neither of the termales places could accommodate us. We found a cabaña at Cabañas Rio Blanco (-39.10593, -71.61558). It had a well equipped kitchen, wood stove with wood included, and hot water in the shower and sinks. The woman who runs it, Angélica, was incredibly nice and made excellent pan amasado. There is no cell service in the valley and power cuts are a daily thing, though there was power for several hours a day, so plenty of time to charge things.<br /> <br /> <br /> Day 3 and 4 April 2nd and 3rd<br /> <br /> We stayed at Cabañas Rio Blanco for two days to wait over the weather. <br /> <br /> <br /> Day 5 April 4th<br /> <br /> We left Rio Blanco and started up the trail to PN Huerquehue. The trail was in decent shape, better than we had expected. Along the way we saw a lot of different mushrooms, including some very impressive groups of Amanita muscaria that were so shiny red they almost looked fake. At the Letrero mark on OSM is the welcome sign. There was a laminated piece of paper stapled to it that was so badly faded from water as to be unreadable. If it weren't for Natalie's note from last year we would have had no idea what it said. The Renahue sector is still officially closed, as is the camping. The trail up was sometimes a little hard to keep track of. It was also pretty slippery for a lot of it. I would definitely not recommend doing it in the rain. The forest is pretty though and we really enjoyed the hike. We camped at Renahue. It was fine, though nothing special.<br /> <br /> <br /> Day 6 April 5th<br /> <br /> From Renahue we followed the trail toward the entrance. Until Laguna Huerquehue there were still a lot of blow downs to climb over. In some places it looked like recent maintenance had been done, in others not. Laguna Avutardas is a short detour, as is Laguna Huerquehue which is less a laguna and more of a wetland. Laguna Toro was pretty and we stopped there for lunch. There is a campsite marked there on OSM, however the ground was saturated, not sure if from the rain or from the lake, but not a good camp spot. Lago Verde and Lago Chico were also nice. The trail after Lago Chico was in pretty rough shape. It was clear and there was no brush, but it was very wet and extremely slippery. There was no one at the ticket office when we left, however that is not really the exit. There is still more than a km of trail until a road, and then another 2 km until the actual gate. It was about 7:30 and we were about 200 m from the main entrance when a CONAF guard drove up in a truck, on his way to his house I assume. It ended up being a somewhat uncomfortable conversation, he was upset that we had gone that way and he said a number of things that didn't make sense, but the essence was that it was prohibited to cross the park from Rio Blanco. After everything he was a bit more demure and said if we wanted to camp at the CONAF camping it was 20.000 and we could register and pay in the morning, then he left. We were considering camping but a truck was leaving the entrance right as we got there and we caught a lucky hitch all the way to Pucón.<br /> <br /> <br /> *2024-03-09 // 1 day // Hiking // NOBO // OPT3 + RR // Quentin Clavel<br /> <br /> As the weather was not on my side this week, and that I've got only one sunny day, I did my best to have this nice day for the ascent of the sollipulli volcano. <br /> <br /> So I decided to shortcut this GPT15, by passing threw the vallee Panqui (OPT3). It was not a very attractive section, as the RR I guess, rated 1/5 in terms of attractivity. But it was nor terrible ! <br /> <br /> After the city of Currarehue, you just follow a long and boring gravel road all along the vallee Panqui. Most surprising moment was to meet the polish priest of the city of Currarehue (yes, you read well), that really wanted to speak and know more on my adventure. After long discussions he even pried for me to have a safe end of my trip, and admit some doubt to have a track at the end of the gravel road. Another wtf moment of this GPT. <br /> <br /> The priest was wrong, of course there were a track at the end of the valley ! And I was happy about that because I was quite bored about this gravel. Track is easy to follow, again more when you pass after cross-country motorcycle that made the way again more easy to follow ! <br /> <br /> Best little moment of this section was the view on the pass, af the valley and the sollipulli volcano far away. <br /> <br /> Then you go down and continue the section until reigolil on a gravel road. People down there were very friendly and quite surprised to see me, not sure there's a lot of hikers who are passing threw the area ! <br /> <br /> Reigolil is tiny tiny, not the best choice to resupply, but there's a minimarket in case of emergency. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> *2024-Feb-14 to 2024-Feb-16 / 2,5 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR / czimahi<br /> <br /> from Curarrehue by road, no prob, first drinkable water just before Puesto 15 [37.4/1101]<br /> one spiny fence on the way like on S39°22.000` W71°29.557` but you can just follow the road and then there is another road up. <br /> I slept like 0,5km before Puesto 15 [33.1/1096] with water<br /> The rest to Reigolil no prob, road ripio, I slept just after bridge Quinenahuin in some abandoned terrain<br /> <br /> *2024-Jan-15 to 2024-Jan-16 / 1.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR - {15-03} / Lilian<br /> <br /> Km1.07 : camping possibilities at west of the road(without fence)beside the river, some trees for privacy and cover.<br /> <br /> Km4.0 : Dirt road junction, you can follow the dirt road to river side, looks like a large flat area there.<br /> <br /> Km4.85 : large and beautiful grassland with trees and beside the river, some camping trace here. A small stream is flowing across the road 50m more.<br /> <br /> Km7.8 : I crossed to the other side of valley with a bridge at here.<br /> <br /> Settlement[59.8+6.9/767] : also a small shop here, selling some food and drinks, not much selection but good stock. I saw some locals waiting bus at here too. Super friendly.<br /> <br /> Then i continued south to join {15-03}.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> {15-03} km1.45 : i saw a clear trailhead going south at here.<br /> <br /> Km1.6 : junction of road and trail.<br /> <br /> From here to km4.1, {15-03} is a very old, damaged and no more cars running dirt road. Mostly you are following it, walking on it or some horse trail and cow paths to the pass at km4.35. Steep but very easy to follow.<br /> <br /> Km1.68 : a trail junction here, it is a very clear trail to north, i think it is connected with the trailhead at km1.45.<br /> <br /> Km2.25 : side trail to a stream (-39.19811, -71.47021), some people use wood and bamboo made a pipe here, easy to collect water, thank you!<br /> <br /> Km2.75 : beautiful camping spot with grassland.<br /> <br /> Km3.1 : small stream(-39.20079, -71.47549) flowing good, easy to collect.<br /> <br /> Km3.9 : no more trace of road, become a horse trail. Some flat spots at valley(east) side with views but windy.<br /> <br /> The trail is maintained by some people, some sticks just cut off on the ground maybe some weeks before. Trail condition is good and going smooth.<br /> <br /> Km4.35 : some flat spots and an old, small bridge here. Stream under the bridge without flowing.<br /> <br /> Km5.8 : trail condition becomes an old dirt road, also a dirt road junction here.<br /> <br /> Km5.85 : beautiful grassland(-39.21900, -71.48849), with a huge tree can fit lot of tents here. Bridge and a good flow stream nearby(-39.21831, -71.48848).<br /> <br /> Km5.9 : bridge, stream flowing good with clear water under the bridge.<br /> <br /> Km7.55 : stream flowing low beside the road, cross a log to grassland camping spot. After here, no more camping possibilities i can find.<br /> <br /> Km8.1 : a friendly locked gate, easy climb at left side.<br /> <br /> Km8.2 : bridge, stream flowing good with clear water under the bridge.<br /> <br /> Km11.3 : bus stop at the turning, but i don't know about the bus schedule.<br /> <br /> I walked about 4-5km more, a local driver waved hands to me, then i arrived Curarrehue, MAGIC!<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Good town for resupply. Lot of accommodation, some supermarkets and restaurants in Curarrehue, also bus to Pucón and Santiago. I resupply at Supermercado Katty(-39.36219, -71.58473), because locals told me it is the best in Curarrehue, and i find 230g gas canisters at GYG Supermercado (2nd floor)(-39.36043, -71.58693), it just left 2.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> *2023-28-12 / 1,5 days / Hiking / NOBO / Option 1 + 1a / Jens <br /> <br /> I crossed the Huerquehue National Park to the north. Bus from Pucon to the entrance at 8.30am. Be there early, it fills up quickly.<br /> <br /> The warden told me that it was illegal to cross the park because of the trek closure. I assured her that I would come back and ignored her. <br /> <br /> The crossing was easy and beautiful. The trail was mostly maintained with the occasional tree trunk to climb over. <br /> <br /> Camping and water available.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> <br /> *2023-Feb-27 / 4 days / Hiking / 15-O1 NOBO + Solipulli traverse + 14 SOBO / Martial <br /> <br /> Very nice expedition starting opposite side from Nat &amp; Tomas cause i skipped GPT11-13 for gear resupply in Pucón (Volcanica outdoors very good btw !).<br /> Started 15-O1 in Parc Huerquehue the 23 in the morning after negociating an entrance ticket with one of the guard off voices who was very comprehensive after i got here without ticket on the 22 at 18pm and parc was fully reserved for 2 more days.. Be more prepared ! Had a lucky price 10mil for Olga’s camping 10mil for 1 person arriving late. Very good value for money ! Crystal clear lake water sunset, hot clean showers, caring owners.. Beers, galletas y pan amasado caliente in the morning ! Had to get back to the CONAF gate in the morning for ticket so wished i had left the mochila in Olga’s 😓 Easy and nice walk up to the lagunas and although i have been warned Renahue sector was shut, i decided to continue as Conaf is not checking exit route. (The sector has been closed for missbehavior of the visitors so obviously don’t make fire or leave basura !!). Starting this sector the trail is volontary left sufficiently overgrown to discourage normal visitor but no GPT hiker 😄 and the way down to the Termas is nice enough. Stayed at ecotermas for 15mil after nice chat with Richard the guardian. Loved to immerge in the termas for hours with a beer and chating with Chileans.<br /> Next morning had in mind to hitchhike but no cars so found nice cascade before turning left to laguna Isolda. The owner put a gate « recinto privado » but you can pass asking for permission.. I bumped into him and his little daughter cleaning the trail to the laguna with machete : very nice guy and thanks to him the trail in this forest till the road is beautiful !<br /> Hitchhiking the road was no better so had to camp next to it on an unmarked camp here -39.06698, -71.51530, rainy night.<br /> The day after finally had a lucky hitch all the way to the entrance of the reserva to Solipulli so could actually make it to the summit on the same day by following the south est ascent. It is CC after the treeline and found a good path climbing to the lake located before the crater for high camp (my specialty it seems 😄 !). Aqui : -38.96789, -71.49060. Weather was getting full sun so no problem and was delightly rewarded by one of the most amazing sunset of my life setting just into a depression of the crater above the glaciar. Mesmerizing and got me smiling for hours despite the crazy windy cold !<br /> After an icy night i used the same path to the ridge scouted before and could join the RR and true summit for midtime before going down on the easy north route heading to CONAF. There was surprisingly no-one there on a sunday early afternoon. Got small supplies from the lodge owner (28mil one p. in the refugio so passed and camped near a lake before last ford : recommended). Met also Franklin family for a few welcome asada meat sandwich treat 🍖 So generous !!<br /> Next day was big MR hiking back 14 sobo so putted earpods and went fullgas to a camp after Reigolil marked on gaia gps (but actually shut so got it free after asking for permision to the abuelo : -39.13615, -71.48404). Very hot and boring no cars after the reserve exit. Happy to reach Curarrehue’s cafeteria for sweet delights after 07:10 bus !<br /> <br /> <br /> * 2023-Feb-20 to 2023-Feb-21 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / OH 1 PN Huerquehue / Natalie &amp; Tomáš <br /> <br /> Hitched from the end of GPT14 to the start of the trail to Laguna Isolda (option 01). The start is gated (easily passable) and says private property but we continued. Sign said to call bosquesnalcahue (45) 91 06 59. We anticipated a bushwack but the trail was in surprisingly good conditions and we managed to meet the women responsible for the upkeep later in the park, she guides horse tours through those trails and clears as much as she can.<br /> The trail however is &quot;so so&quot; and you cannot access the lake easily, if you need water there is running water here;-39.10352, -71.54720. The trail turns into a road sooner than it is shown on the map, it turns into a road here;-39.10477, -71.54474 (about 5 km in). The road to the hotsprings has lots of water sources but it is not very interesting and I personally wished I just hitched all the way to the hotsprings to spend more time there. However, there was an interesting deserted logging operation along the way (-39.12617, -71.55411), we learned from the horse guide that the company went bankrupt and just left everything there. <br /> <br /> Camping at the hotsprings; Evo Thermas Rio Blanco and San Sebastian, are 15mil/person. We chose to stay at Rio Blanco because of the pools and a better variety of camping spots. We camped above the booth where you pay and the man who we payed showed us a hidden super hot (adjustable with cold water hose) bath not too far from our camp spot. Tomáš was surprised there by a family at 10 PM so keep some makeshift swimsuits ready. Both campings sell some basic food items but not much. <br /> <br /> There is a sign saying the trail to Huerquehue is closed &quot;Indefinitely&quot; and so is camping Renahue. Quite alarming but since the website said the park was open we continued with the mindset we would have to turn back. The trail was pretty good from the termas to camping renahue and it is here where we met the horse guides that were doing the trail maintenance near Laguna Isolda. The horse guides came up through the trail from lake Caburgua and they said it was an easy trail. This could be a good option if you wanted to avoid any trouble with CONAF and the section closure. However we were still curious about Huerquehue so we continued option01 thinking we would turn back if we saw another sign or anything saying the trail was closed, to our surprise there were no more signs. Between camping renahue to lake Huerquehue there is a lot of blow down but after lake Huerquehue the trail is pristine. We started seeing people after Lago Toro so obviously the park was open. With the combination of having a late morning at the hot springs and all the indecisiveness about closures we ended up walking through the park at a great time ( 530-7pm). There were very few people and we really got to enjoy how beautiful it was there. CONAF website said they close at 530pm but there are no gates and attendants so no problems leaving the park later.<br /> Unfortunately at the lake the camping El Rincon was closed and camping Olga was 18mil a night with a minimum of a two night stay so we managed to get a hitch to Pucón. If needed, you can illegally camp at the CONAF station as that is what others were doing or ask &quot;Alicia&quot; at the old El Rincon campsite if you can pay privately and take care of your washroom needs- supposedly they had to shut down due to washroom problems. <br /> <br /> '''&quot;Trail closure&quot; on option 01PN Huerquehue. When leaving the Eco termas Rio Blanco hot springs there is a sign saying the &quot;Huerquehue trail, camping renahue and the dome&quot; are closed &quot;indefinitely&quot;. The park itself is open but supposedly that section on the trail is closed. We continued bcs we were not sure which trail they were exactly talking about but we're prepared to turn around if we saw something blocked off. The trail was fine except for a lot of blow down up until the lake Huerquehue. If you want to avoid this closure there is a trail in good shape coming from lake Caburgua to camping renahue. We met a horse guide coming from there and said it is fine.'''<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2020/21==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> <br /> * 2020-Feb-05 / 1.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / Frank<br /> <br /> I combined GPT15, 16 &amp; 17. It's easy to resupply in Curarrehue &amp; Liquine. 2 short days for GPT15 &amp; continued to GPT16 on 2nd day. Got the bus from Pucon to Reigolil via Currarehue. Didn't go to the lake but continued straight on the main road to Curarrehue. This option is quicker but there are not many places to camp. <br /> <br /> <br /> *2020-Feb / 1.5 days / Hiking / NOBO<br /> <br /> We took the dirt road on the west side of river. There is a small coffee about 7km from Currarehue. Very nice with good atmosphere. No particular interest in this section. Hitch if you can, there are quite some people living along this road so it should be easy. There is a bus doing Currarehue/Reigolil every day. Currarehue is nice to resupply with restaurants, supermarkets and accommodation. There is also an ATM. Reigolil there is only one very small shop with not much.<br /> <br /> <br /> *2020-Jan-30 / SOBO / Main road / Martina &amp; Ivo <br /> <br /> We started to walk on the road on the Western side of the river just to see what will happen. After 2 hours a bus to Curarrehue came ;-)<br /> <br /> <br /> * 2019-Nov-26 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Shaun C <br /> <br /> Straightforward. Took a short 2 days. Rained incessantly, but still very pleasant, especially the misty Laguna Hualalafquen. Water readily available throughout. Only a few patches of snow (above 1200m).<br /> <br /> <br /> * 2020-Jan-15 / 4 days (GPT14 + GPT 15) / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Matus &amp; Anna <br /> <br /> We combined sections 14 and 15. It took us 3 days and nero.<br /> GPT14 - there are signs that someone tried to clear overgrown part of the trail on the begining and end but middle is still nicely overgrown. Though we didn't have problem to follow.<br /> Part of minor road on regular trail is under construction. They are putting a huge pipe under it. It was evening and workers were not there se we managed to sneak through but I don't think they will let you pass during working hours. It's just before descending to the river before National reserve Villarrica. <br /> In the Conaf campsite was food truck (it was weekend) with churasco, sopapillas, drinks... pure heaven. We paid 4000 per person at conaf.<br /> They are building a dorm at Lodge. It will be ready for next years hikers ;) <br /> Resuply in Reigolil - mini shop on trail seemed abandoned. We found best supplies in shop-4. There is one other shop directly after bridge. <br /> GPT15 - road and trail in good condition. On the climb to the lake bit before last settler there are some wild cherry trees on the left. We stuffed ourselves and left for others too. Enjoy. Multiple shops, accomodation options and restaurants in Curarrehue.<br /> <br /> <br /> *2020-Jan-19 / 1.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Tom &amp; Maddie <br /> <br /> Easy walking, road in good condition. Would recommend hitching if you have limited time, but worth doing otherwise to connect sections 14 and 16. Really good resupply in Curarrehue (restaurants, grocery stores, clothing stores, pharmacy etc).<br /> <br /> ==Season 2018/19==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2017/18==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2016/17==<br /> <br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> *Pucon has a few big supermarkets &amp; several shops with hiking gear. One of the supermarkets has a hardware section where you can buy camping gas. <br /> <br /> *Regioli at the northern start of the section has only one limited shop. <br /> <br /> *Curarrehue, at the southern end, is a decent-sized town with numerous restaurants and shops. <br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> Quentin : Currarehue is kind of a big city, where you'll find easily places to resupply (there's at least 4 supermarkets and 10 minimarkets), foodplaces and accomodation (cabanas, hospedaje and hostel (at the end of the city)). Didn't checked in all supermarkets, but there's a good chance to find Gaz in this city I reckon, if not in supermarkets, probably in ferretería ?<br /> <br /> Reigolil is tiny tiny, not the best choice to resupply, but there's a minimarket in case of emergency.<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> <br /> Regioli has limited options. Curarrehue is much better connected.<br /> <br /> [[File:Reigolil.jpg|thumb|center|600px|Timetable January 2020]]<br /> <br /> Bus goes from Pucon to Curarrehue then Reigolil<br /> <br /> As of January 2024<br /> <br /> Bus from Reigolil to Curarrehue at 2pm. 1000 pesos. Two hour bus ride.<br /> <br /> November 2024:<br /> <br /> Direct bus from Pucón (Terminal Pullman) to Reigolil. 2600 CLP. 10:30 a.m. at a tuesday, but better to ask about the correct time at the terminal, because there is no written information.<br /> <br /> SOBO to Parque Huerquehue:<br /> Ask the Termas about chartered buses: Whatsapp;+56946809918, +56992318329.<br /> Otherwise make your way via Cunco or Temuco--&gt;Cunco.<br /> Temuco's Terminal de Buses Rurales (Balmaceda 1475) can be complicated since most buses have their own shop elsewhere. For Cunco go to office &quot;IGI LLAIMA/ Nar Bus&quot;; Balmaceda 997. The bus leaves every 30min. <br /> <br /> From Cunco check with locals about bus to Lago Caburga. Supposedly a bus leaves everyday at 4 or 5pm from Balmaceda corner La Concepción. It will pass by the nice supermarket;Supermercado Hesis on &quot;Colico Sur&quot; aka the S-75. Confirm schedule in the municipality of Cunco before traveling at +56 45 2200147.<br /> <br /> Hitchhiking is easy up until Lago Collico, after that there are cars but not many stop.<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT15 - Curarrehue]]<br /> <br /> =Images=<br /> <br /> [[File:GPT_9_Curarrehue_109095280.jpg|thumb|center|1100px|GPT15]]<br /> [[File:GPT_9_Curarrehue_109095440.jpg|thumb|center|1100px|GPT15 and [[Volcán Lanín]]]]<br /> [[File:GPT_9_Curarrehue_109095350.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_9_Curarrehue_109095403.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_9_Curarrehue_109095479.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_9_Curarrehue_109095515.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT14_(Volcan_Sollipulli)&diff=117976 2024-11-12T00:49:41Z

<p>MiaimZelt: /* Season 2024/25 */</p> <hr /> <div>{{Table all GPTs}}<br /> <br /> &lt;br style=&quot;clear:both&quot; /&gt;<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> ''*'' 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<br /> <br /> Summary with remarks to route that are considered useful for other hikers and packrafters. Include alerts, suggestions and personal perception of attractiveness and difficulties.<br /> <br /> <br /> Add a sub-chapter by placing two &quot;=&quot; before and after the new sub-chapter heading ('==Sub-Chapter Heading==').<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> 5.-8.11.2024 / 4 hiking days / Daina and Arno<br /> <br /> We did a combination of GPT 14 and 15, although we didn't have the files at this time.<br /> <br /> We took a bus from Pucón to Flor del Valle and arrived later than expected at 1:30 pm. First we hiked into section 14 on the minor road with very few traffic. At -39.01943, -71.458341 we needed to cross a creek, that is not visible in our map. There are huge treetrunks like a natural bridge. Later at -39.014836, -71.456205 there was another wide stream of water at the road, but very easy to ford. <br /> Later we dicided to turn around and hiked to the Laguna Huesquefilo instead, to find a nice campspot. The trail to the Laguna was very smooth, the Laguna itself was beautiful. Next day we continued to GPT 15.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> <br /> *2024 Mar 24th to Mar 31st / 6 hiking days and 2 rest days / SOBO / Hiking / RR, Var C, E, H, G, Opt 1 and 1A, Opt 2 and 2A / Michael and Kasia<br /> <br /> We did sections 14 and 15 together.<br /> <br /> TL:DR: a nice section; the summit of Sollipulli is not to be missed!<br /> <br /> Day 1 March 24th<br /> <br /> We left Icalma at 08:30. It was a foggy morning and the air was still, very nice hiking weather and beautiful light. It had rained the day before so the road walk was thankfully not dusty. It was a Sunday morning and very few cars passed.<br /> <br /> We left the highway to keep on RR. It is a dirt road for quite some time. We found a lot of piñones just lying on the ground. There was an unmarked ford at (-38.84187, -71.36345). After that the overgrown section began. It was somewhat challenging for us, not bush bashing per se, but definitely bush pushing. A lot of it was waist high and really slowed us down. Our plan had been to get to the laguna on Var C, but it became obvious that even if we did make it, it would be dark before we got there. Looking at the GPS I noticed what looked like a small laguna at (-38.86766, -71.38010). There was no OSM track for it, but when we got closer, we found a dirt road going to it. There was no sign and no fences. It was a lovely spot. There were a few araucarias dropping piñones, and the laguna was clear and glassy smooth. It was, however, definitely someone's campground. There are flat spots for tents, picnic tables, a shipping container turned into a bathroom (padlocked shut when we were there), and there were signs of more development planned. Point being, if you plan to camp here in future seasons, be aware that, at least during “la temporada”, there may be other people there, and it probably costs money.<br /> <br /> <br /> Day 2 March 25th<br /> <br /> We made it a short day. Our packs were extra heavy due to all the piñones we were harvesting. We kept trying to stop, but there is just something about their color and shape that makes them irresistible to pick up. The path from the campground to the laguna on 14-C is a dirt road the whole way. We had to check the GPS a few times as there are a few other roads that break off of it, but the route is easy walking. The laguna is very pretty and the campsite there is nice. It's fairly flat with plenty of space for multiple tents, under some trees, so mixed shade and sun, and easy water access. There was also a fire ring there. We had our first fire of the season and cooked a few batches of piñones. Some people on horseback came by looking for their cows. They said they are beginning the process of collecting the animals and moving them down to the invernadas for the winter. They mentioned that the laguna on 14-C is called Laguna Santa Olga.<br /> <br /> <br /> Day 3 March 26th<br /> <br /> Stayed at Laguna Santa Olga for a rest day.<br /> <br /> <br /> Day 4 March 27th<br /> <br /> We walked by (Camp 14 [17.9/1538]) on the way back to the road. We could hear a stream trickling in the opposite side of the road from it.<br /> <br /> The forest along the way was beautiful. It was a great time of year to be there as well, sunny but not hot and the light was always nice. We collected another 2 kg of piñones. There were so many everywhere, we definitely could have bought less food and been okay.<br /> <br /> We took Var E to bypass the road construction even though there was no one there by the time we arrived. It was mostly because we were looking for camping and knew there wouldn't be any good spots there. But if someone arrived there after work hours, the gate going SOBO was just closed with wire, and on the other end it was possible to just walk around the fence.<br /> <br /> We then followed Var H on to Var G towards Var F. We camped at Camping Carilafquen (-38.91004, -71.49813) along Var F. We paid 10.000 for the tent space. There was no one else there. The campground was pleasant. It had plenty of space on the grass for tents, picnic tables, and bathrooms with showers, cold water only, no electricity. It was a good option for us because it was only 1.6 km from the CONAF office. If wanting to camp there, just up the road from the property there is a house. A couple who manages the campground lives there. They were very nice, they even gave us sopaipillas. <br /> <br /> <br /> Day 5 March 28th<br /> <br /> We arrived at the CONAF office around 09:00. There was no ranger on the office. We started moving things into a small backpack anticipating leaving our bags. By the time we were ready to hike, still no one had shown up. Fortunately a small tour group arrived and parked right next to the CONAF office. They said we could put out bags in their vehicle and they would leave them for us if they got back first.<br /> <br /> The walk up through the forest was beautiful and peaceful. There were a lot of huge, old trees that were very impressive. The trail was well maintained and easy to follow. Higher up it switched to a more lunar landscape with multiple volcanoes and cordilleras of mountains appearing the higher up we got. Towards the top it got a little steep which was slower going. It took us 5 hours to the summit with photo breaks and a snack break. We spent about an hour at the summit with no one else there. The weather was impeccable, full sun and hardly a breeze. The only sound was the river below.<br /> It took us about 3 hours to get back to the bottom. <br /> We ended up camping across the path from the CONAF office next to the picnic tables. There was a facet outside the office and bathrooms.<br /> <br /> <br /> Day 6 March 29<br /> <br /> When the CONAF guard arrived in the morning, he came over to talk with us. He said it was fine that we camped for the night, but just asked us to take the tent down, and then we could take as much time as we needed. It seems that camping there is unofficially acceptable as long as you're there after closing and wrapped up before people start to show up in the morning.<br /> <br /> We started to walk along RR. We had been walking less than 30 minutes when a truck stopped and offered us a ride. They were going to Paso Llaima and to collect piñones. We rode in the back with their two dogs getting to watch the beautiful misty forest go by around us. <br /> <br /> From Paso Llaima we continued on RR, then took Opt 2 to Laguna Huequefilo. The trail up is easy to follow and well maintained. The sign at the front says no camping and no fires, but there was no CONAF office and no guardadaparques. When we got to the lake there were several groups camping and having fires. There are a huge number of araucarias there and it is a very popular spot with locals to go to collect them. <br /> <br /> Going down Opt 2A to the SE end of the lake, there is a fairly large sand beach and a creek feeding into the lake that was a good place to get water from. A local family from Ragolil that was camping there suggested a good spot around (-39.05250, -71.43000) that was fairly wind protected but still close to the beach. But if it's not windy, that end of the lake has plenty of space for camping. The lake and the setting is beautiful and for us it was well worth the detour. <br /> <br /> <br /> Day 7 March 30th<br /> <br /> We stayed at Laguna Huequefilo for a rest day.<br /> <br /> <br /> Day 8 March 31st<br /> <br /> We left Laguna Huequefilo and headed back to finish 14 and start 15. We gathered more piñones along the way. At (-39.05455, -71.46918), around km 52.26 there was a sign for a minimarket. The woman who runs is, Viviana, is very nice. She and her family moved there a couple of years ago from Santiago. We suggested she carry gas for camping and she said she would try to get some to sell in the future. She had canned fish, pasta, rice, 200 g tomato sauce packets, bullion cubes, mermeladas, butter and margarine, and a variety of cookies and candy. Prices were reasonable. We bought some things and got back to the road. We almost immediately caught a hitch to the beginning of GPT15 Opt 1.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> *2024-Mar-18 to 2024-Mar-19 / 1 day / SOBO / RR 01 01a/ Matthias de Austria<br /> <br /> No snowfields, no Tabanos, no Mosquitos. Plenty of water except for the Sollipulli peak area.<br /> <br /> Came from Lonquimay by bus at 12:00 to Icalma, arrival around 14:00. There is a minibus directly going a bit west, but only to the intersection at the end of the lake, so maybe like 3km for 500 peso.<br /> Very little traffic, but luckily got 4 rides until the ranger at 31.8 in just 3 hours. I am a bit in a hurry as I want to hike Sollipulli but the weather turns bad next day evening. There is a minibus coming from Melipeuco to intersection end of Variant I. It turns to the bridge 30.6.<br /> <br /> I did not visit the rangers, as I don't want to go back the same way. Looking for a hidden spot ro camp and early start to the peak the next day.<br /> <br /> Don't camp at Hannes suggestion, every Hilux driver coming downhill will spot you easily. I am sure the actuall place he meant is -38.923355,-71.489118. Well hidden and flat, but the water on the other side of road dried up. There is water on your side too, but don't just follow your ears, you won't reach the water. Instead walk where it is relatively easy in south to south east, you may or may not see path like structure, but ca. in 200m you will reach a good path, just follow it uphill directly to the water at -38.924705,-71.489552. It is a 5 to 10min walk from camp. If you follow this path further it leads you to the OSM dirtroad, which is an offical marked hiking path of the park.<br /> <br /> I am alone all the way, later I heard that the rangers closed the path due the upcoming bad weather. Very strong and cold winds at the peak, a few hours later it will be snowing, I would love to try the traverse, but it is too risky with that forecast. Nice CC back down to the pass 41.5.<br /> <br /> First running water coming from the peak: -38.966463,-71.472000<br /> <br /> Possible camp with water at 01: -38.971581,-71.465207<br /> <br /> Only car on the road picks me up, a tourist couple from Santiago who stayed at the luxury lodge, and we drive to Pucón, while the rain starts.<br /> <br /> Without summiting Sollipulli this would be a drive by section, but Sollipulli makes this section absolutely amazing and I strongly recommend the easy climb up just for those mind blowing views.<br /> <br /> From 2024-03-10 to 2023-03-11 // 2 day // Hiking // NOBO // RR + OPT1 (Summit) // Quentin Clavel<br /> <br /> What a section ! <br /> <br /> After a very cold start, early in the morning at the bottom of the vallee of reigolil, you just go slowly but surely in the Villarica reserve. <br /> <br /> The gravel road is transforming into a smaller 4WD track, and the path is lovely, going up gradually, passing threw a nice forest, with many amazing aucaria trees. <br /> <br /> Lucky enough to arrive in this region at the time where piniones are still possible to pick. Didn't had to make a lot of effort, just harvesting the ground was enough to give me way more than what I needed !<br /> <br /> I took the junction to reach the summit. At the very beginning I struggle a bit, when you reach a puesto, there's few possibility of track, I took the wrong one that result on a little fight with the bush, then I managed to come back on track, which is pretty clear until the volcanic plateau. <br /> <br /> No trouble at all with water, as you'll have some along the path, from th beginning to the end. <br /> <br /> Arriving to the plateau, then stick to the track, it will guide you to the summit and the outstanding view on the massive nevados de sollipulli ! That was sick, even with a looooooot of wind. I still stayed there for more than an hour, protected from the wind thanks to some bog rocks, contemplating this amazing landscape, some condors dancing around and the views over lanin and Llaima volcanoes. <br /> <br /> It was finally time to leave this kind of parrallele world. The way down was very easy as the track is marqued. Some crazy views again with Llaima volcán + the aucaria trees around, then I reached the conaf desk. I arrived there late and no-one was still there. <br /> <br /> (Didn't mentionned that going NOBO you don't have to respect a precise timing to go up, there's no conaf desk on that way). <br /> <br /> Then continuing on the way to icalma, passing threw a private pipeline working area. But as it was late on the day, I haven't got any troubles (still easy to avoid, by taking the variant E). <br /> <br /> After passing the Hot Spring {13} [#1/945] (PK28), you'll have to jump a gate, then few gates/fences, and continuing in the forest on a very well marked 4WD track, until the overgrown part, which is not difficult to pass. <br /> <br /> It's overgrown, but nothing to be scared about ! The track is still visible, it's just that the nature want to give you some hugs, very nice and kind, I could even say cute. It's nothing like a fight with the bush ! <br /> <br /> Then you continue till reaching the gravel road until Icalma. There it's possible to resupply Ith multiple minimercado, you have some possibilities to sleep too, bit it's still a tiny city, don't expect a lot. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> *2024-Feb-16 to 2024-Feb 18 / 3 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR /czimahi<br /> from Reigolil - no good resupply, no pan- following RR, night camp 46,9; then no prob (cross rio Carilafquen just first bridge after camping, think it is 14E) till point S38°51.753` W71°23.062` where I follow wrong way- for sure this would lead to 14a and to the main road. I decided go back to RR and be hours in bush. At the end I missed the route once more but I found water which I needed (aprox S38°50.483` W71°21.907`) and then meet 14B and back to RR to the camp $ 13, and next day to Icalma pueblo.<br /> <br /> *2024 Jan 30 to 2024 Feb 01 / 3 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + OH14-C + OH14-E + OH14-01 / Hannes<br /> <br /> <br /> Hitchhiked to km 5,2. Then I went on RR, found last water at -38.841797 -71.363423, soon after the as overgrown marked trail starts. Trail actually not to bad overgrown, most of the time clearly visible, sometimes I had to stick to GPS, especially at the beginning, there are a few trails there… Till the Laguna {14C} I did not see water anymore, except close to Camp at km 17,9, around 50m down towards the puesto was running a little streamlet, maybe drying out? Laguna on OH 14-C is very nice! Good camping spot, but I headed on, still to early. Camped then at km 28,6. I loved this place! An open air cinema with all the green and birds flying and singing around. At -38.889097 -71.450367 you’ll find a locked? gate, barbed wire fence around. Check if it is really locked, I did not look accurately! I say this, because the next one I encountered outside this valley was just pseudolocked. Anyway, I passed the fence at around -38.889820 -71.449927, around 100ms to the left from gate beneath. Seemed to me the best option, but check out for yourself…Walked on. You’ll find another unlocked gate at -38.901269 -71.504529, private property with a sign that just authorised persons can pass, some company I suppose. I took a detour over OH14 E, but having seen the exit of this company road close to km 30, shortly before the bridge, I would have taken it. There a gate as well, but not locked and either entrance or exit nobody around. Went on to Conaf to take some water. Read about their rules and so I decided to take the unofficial trail up to the volcano shown on the OSMmap at 38.9238605S, 71.4873252W as some others already spotted. My plan was to do the Sollipulli-Traverse over the rim. The thing is: Where this trail (actually more an MR) starts, there is a nearly 100m long fence, hindering you to drop in directly, furthermore at the end of this fence there is an other cabaña, looks like an outpost of CONAF checking who is taking this trail. I do not know who sits in this shack, did not want to know either, did not want to explain my plans. So I went back were the fence starts. This is at -38.92315, -71.48867, there is a signboard with „Sollipulli Lodge, 500ms&quot;. There I dropped into the bushes. There would be actually a pretty nice camp spot for one to two tents at around -38.922156 -71.489928, around 30ms from the MR, but nobody sees you and water nearby at the other side of the road. From there I walked up (little CC) keeping in mind where the OSM trail goes, found a path and somewhere I got on this OSM trail. Went up to the summit. Looked over the rim, realized I had to descent for the next summit towards the south, impossible there to cross over the rim. Went down southeast of the summit to this two beautiful lakes, some bigger snowfields there, but could be done with afternoon sun. Camped at -38.971172 -71.489823, an amazing campsite! But realized there that without micro spikes or crampons I would have to detour some extended snowfields in the morning and loose a lot of time, not knowing what expects me after the next summit. So I skipped my plan for the traverse and went down over OH 14-01. Then all the way out to Reigolil. Difficult for me to hitch a car…<br /> <br /> <br /> *2024-Jan-13 to 2024-Jan-15 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR - {14-A} - RR - {14-E} - RR - {14-01} - RR / Lilian<br /> <br /> DON'T SKIP GPT14, the views on Nevados de Sollipulli is one of the most STUNNING views in my life! <br /> <br /> HIGHLY RECOMMEND to you!<br /> <br /> <br /> Here is the waypoint description: <br /> <br /> RR road walking.<br /> <br /> Km1.0 : a small shop.<br /> <br /> Km1.1 : tiny shop, look like only have drinks and ice cream. It is closed when i was there at weekend.<br /> <br /> Km5.2 : junction of RR and {14-A}, i go for {14-A} because i want to arrive ranger station RR[31.8/1141] before 11am, {14-A} is a dirt road, the time can be controlled and stable.<br /> <br /> {14-A} km6.3 : ranger station, crowned when i pass here.<br /> <br /> Lot of possible camping spot beside the dirt road of {14-A}, i think it is easy to find a spot here.<br /> <br /> {14-A} km10.9 : water flowing, but it need some BB, about 10m for get close to stream.<br /> <br /> Km11.4 : locked gate, go around itbon right side.<br /> <br /> Km12.5 : huge blowdown, no more cars going up by this road.<br /> <br /> Km13.0 : side trail on valley side, 30m for collecting water, flowing low.<br /> <br /> Km13.3 : {14-A} end, connect with RR km15.7.<br /> <br /> I find one more water spot nearby, at RR km15.6, also a side trail at valley side, a little overgrown about 10m to stream, better water at downstream 10m, you can cross 2 logs there, then you will find a very tiny waterfall, easy to collect.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Camp RR[17.9/1538] : tiny grassland, some muddy nearby. Water flowing at downstream of the muddy, but in steep valley look like very difficult to collect.<br /> <br /> Camp[22.4/2158] : very beautiful grassland camping spot until km22.95.<br /> <br /> Km23.45 : locked gate with barbed wire fence. Better climb at left side, just the top one is barbed wire, all the wire of right side is barbed.<br /> <br /> Km24.6 : another beautiful grassland camping spot. I heard water flowing good at valley side, but I'm not sure can collect water or not. I think this is the last camping spot before you met settlement and climbing Sollipulli.<br /> <br /> Km25.85 : crossing Estero Huechelepun on bridge, water flowing good under the bridge, it is a steep valley, I don't think it is possible to collect water here.<br /> <br /> Km29.5 : junction of RR, {14-I} and {14-E}. RR is blocked by barbed wire fence. So i go for {14-E} then met RR.<br /> <br /> Honestly, i don't think {14-F}, {14-G} and {14-H} is still usable now. At {14-E} km0.4, {14-F} is blocked by a barbed wire fence(no gate) that taller than human, only this spot the fence is such high, i think it means the owner not welcome other people to go in at here. Also bridge[31.0+0.2/1020] and ford[31.0/1034] is all blocked by gate or barbed wire fence. Even you can climb all over them, {14-F} is going just beside settlement, it will annoys the people there.<br /> <br /> Lastly, ranger station is not at park ranger[31.8/1141], it is at (-38.91796, -71.49481), even you can sneak by {14-F}, rangers are still in front of you. There are no way to go around them, and their windows are towards the road, they see you before you get close (the only method is earlier or later than them at there).<br /> <br /> So, i go for a round trip for Sollipulli, and put my backpack in ranger station.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> For Sollipulli {14-01}:<br /> <br /> Km0 : ranger station, car parking lot, some picnic table, food truck(not open on Sunday when i was there) and toilet. Also you can collect water by Río Carilafquén if need.<br /> <br /> Km1.25 : official viewpoint, but surrounded by some trees taller than the viewpoint 5-20m, i saw nothing here. Some benches here too.<br /> <br /> Km2.1 : junction of {14-01} and {14-01A} (CC route). For GPT hiker, both are in good condition, easy to follow and walk, but of course {14-01} is a little better condition, because of official route.<br /> <br /> Km3.8 : sharp turning, a helipad nearby.<br /> <br /> Km4.73 : official viewpoint.<br /> <br /> Km5.3-km6.1 : snow valley, covered by snow now. Not too steep, no difficult climb up and go down, also there are some day hikers, mostly you can follow their steps or go by yourself.<br /> <br /> Summit [6.3/2145] to km7.05, covered by snow ridge now, very easy to walk on. Km7.1 is a better point for rest, mort quite, more peaceful. Most of the day hikers would not come to here. km7.05, enjoy your moments here.<br /> <br /> For my observation from high, km7.1 to km7.9 are all covered by snow, but easy to walk on. I didn't see any footprints or trace on the snow, so I don't know descent is still work or not. I need to get back my backpack at ranger station, so i didn't go down at here.<br /> <br /> I take a long nap and some relax with amazing views at km7.05, such a good time.<br /> <br /> I took 3 hours for climb up and 1.5 hour to go down.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Continues on RR :<br /> <br /> Km32.2 : viewpoint of waterfall.<br /> <br /> Bridge[33.5/1188] : no bridge here, wet feet crossing. From here to ford[37.0/1228] you need to cross the same river 6 times, all wet feet crossing but just above ankle, easy.<br /> <br /> Km37.95: flat grassland beside a pond. I saw some people camping here, look nice.<br /> <br /> Camp[39.3/1294] : grassland camping spot with 2 fire ring beside the river.<br /> <br /> Km40.6 : an old dirt road leads you to a grassland beside the river.<br /> <br /> Km43.0 : junction of RR and {14-01}, {14-01} at here is a clear road to west, also one more road is going west after here 80m.<br /> <br /> Lot of small stream if flowing good with clear water across the road after the pass.<br /> <br /> Km44.5 : road junction, a sign &quot;Reigolil Paso Mallin Chileno&quot; here. Nice seat with good view of Sollipulli too.<br /> <br /> Km49 : wet feet or an exciting log crossing.<br /> <br /> Shop[57.8/856] : it is a ferretería, with drinks and ice cream, friendly.<br /> <br /> At last, I didn't cross bridge[59.8/835] to Reigolil and keep going south because i have enough food for GPT15.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> 2023 28 - 31 dec / 3 days / NOBO/ Option 01B / Natalie &amp; Tomáš<br /> <br /> Last year we wondered if one can avoid roadwalking on GPT 14 and GPT15 by traversing Sollipulli (not the glacier) and it turns out it can be done and is quite a spectacular option (probably a lot more attractive then RR and when done right, not with too many people). The idea is, SOBO, to follow the rim of Sollipulli for about 4 km, then go to Laguna Cochor (14-01B), then to Laguna Isolda, Termas Rio Blanco and NP Huerquehue (15-01) and then Villarica Traverse (16-04). If you hitch (should be easy) or take a bus between the end of 15-01 and beginning of 16-04 through Pucon, you will get quite a nice trail without much roadwalking. See our notes to GPT15 and GPT16 for the rest of this option, here follows the Solipulli bit.<br /> <br /> Note: to do a one way traverse of Sollipulli, either walk through the CONAF station before about 8 AM or after about 7 PM when the guards should no longer be there or walk past it for qbout 1 km on the road and take a right at 38.9238605S, 71.4873252W where there is an OSM trail based on Strava heatmap; however that trail needs to be confirmed, but it is almost for certain there.<br /> <br /> Since we climbed Sollipulli last year from the north, this year we opted to do a day trip from Laguna Cochor to the north summit via south summit of Sollipulli, thus proving the traverse is doable and not too hard. The following paragraph (Tl;DR: do not expect to get a ride easily on this road) is about access, so if you are coming from the north, skip it. <br /> <br /> We took a bus from Temuco to Cunco, they go every half an hour and cost a few thousand pesos. There are many terminals, the company you look for is Nar Bus, find its terminal in google maps to save yourself 1 km of going to the rural bus terminal and back. The ride takes cca 80 minutes. From Cunco, there is a daily bus to Laguna Caburga that leaves everyday at 17:00. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, it should go all the way to Termas Rio Blanco (it probably goes back in the morning, do not remember time schedule but we just saw a bus in the morning in the direction of Cunco). In Cunco we missed that bus and had to hitch. It was very easy at the beginning to get to Lago Colico but after that it became extremely difficult all the way to the start of the hike. We had to sleep in the forest that night because no cars were stopping. In the morning, we got a hitch of 3 km and then we walked a few more to the western end of Laguna Caburga. We bought some bread and chips there, waited for four hours for a hitch and killed about twenty horseflies. None of the 15 cars that passed took us. We then walked to the other end of the lake, where we got a hitch to the junction with access to Thermas Rio Blanco. From there, we walked to the start/end of GPT14 option 1B. It took us about 26 hours from Cunco. <br /> <br /> At the entrance to the trail (it is open but seems to lead through private land), there is a sign saying it is not allowed to camp at Laguna Cochor (which is clearly being violated, on our second night there, there was a Chilean tent). Secondly, it says there is no estabilished access to Sollipulli, which is not true, the path leads well above the tree line. The trail is an old road for ~1 km and the rest is very clear, easy and pretty through sometimes dark forrest. At the laguna, there is a beach where one can camp, as we did. There is no good source of water on the way to the laguna or at the laguna (but some streams could be heard in the undergrowth), definitely treat the water in the laguna. <br /> <br /> The next day, we hid our tent and set off to reach the south summit of Sollipulli and then to the northern summit via the ridge (or below the ridge). It was an extremely long day trip (~16hrs out and back) but it should not be a problem if doing a proper traverse, many camping options. If one does not want to camp at Laguna Cochor, first good place is right above the treeline where the TR section ends and CC section begins. A nicer place would be cca 1 km further on, where you traverse to a nice valley. The first cca 2 km of CC are actually more TR&amp;CC, the trail comes and goes and follows the contour line, which is to be recommended. In the valley, there was a stream that can still be jumped in one place or could be easily forded. With less snow, it would probably be jumpable almost everywhere. The way to the summit is uneventful and a bit of a slog. No scrambling is needed (there is just one small rock obstacle, but one can walk through). Above around 1900 m., there was a lot of snow. If going early in the season, check the map where glaciers are and do not walk on them - you do not need to, they are fairly small. From the summit, we looked for several ways to go down and then retraced a bit and actually crossed what on a map is marked as a glacier here: 38.9963315S, 71.5233126W. Judging from satellite photos and our own survey, we think the western part of the glacier has melted and we walked over a snowfield to a soft ridge with a small tarn at the end of it. Getting down from this ridge sharply down a f left towards a plateau like valley may or may not be difficult if there is &quot;no&quot; snow. We found a good way down on moderate snow slopes but considering the snow there is still almost 10-15m deep we do not know what the rock would be like, most likely it should be fine without snow. Here Natalie went back as it was already 1500, but Tomáš pressed on. He went across the valley and up the side of the next ridge at roughly 2000 m (there are two places that are not rocky, this one was the lower one, it was steep but fairly easy walking through loose stones and scree), then he went roughly half the way up the ridge, traversed above the two lakes on the way, the got to the rim and walked the ridge, then he got down to the other two lakes on the map and walked up to the summit.<br /> <br /> It was six, so he ate and then spent 6 hours walking back, this time not going to the rim at all and staying under the two more southern lakes and then retracing his steps - this was a faster but less spectacular variant. There seemed to be many possible variants how to cross this six km between two endpoints of GPT, the best variant will depend on your mood, skill level, weather and snowncover. It is however possible to do the traverse without climbing or exposed scrambling (though to make sure, somebody should do this in February when there is no snow), Tomáš practically never used his hands. On the way back, he met a Chilean tent above the treeline.<br /> <br /> Next day, we walked down to the road, walked about six km, got a hitch of 3 km to Reigolil, after 15 min there got a hitch of 5 km, waited for an hour and then got a hitch all the way to Pucón (about 75 min of driving). <br /> <br /> <br /> 2023 23 - 25 dec / 3 days / SOBO / RR + D + Sollipulli summit / Frans<br /> <br /> Trail is mildly overgrown going up to the first campsite but not as bad as expected. Usually until your knees but the trail is still visible, it just slows you down. Keep an eye on your GPS if you think you lost it, it's spot on with the GPX files. Camp 14 [22.4] is such a nice spot! Be aware that if you want to do the Sollipulli summit you have to there before 1100 (according to the sign) or the rangers won't let you up. Still a 2hr walk, but not difficult.<br /> <br /> GPT14-I point there is a gate and private property sign if you want to continue RR. They are doing road construction, and there is a guard house at the end. I didn't see anyone there, but it was weekend. Just keep in mind you might need to do the detour which takes a bit longer to get to the ranger station.<br /> <br /> At the park rangers place you can drop your backpack. I was not allowed to do a one-way trip. Needed to come back. It's definitely worth it! Amazing crater and nice views! Took me 2hrs to get up, 1.5 to get down. <br /> <br /> I walked to Camp 14 [39.3] to spend the night. Also a nice spot. The rest of the trail is not super exiciting but 80% slowly downhill which is nice to speed up this part. I spend the night a few km's into GPT 15 next to the river. There are a few decent spots after about 4km.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> <br /> *2023-Jan-31 to 2023-Feb-02/ 3 days / Hiking / SOBO / including the Sollipulli volcano / Johana &amp; Matouš<br /> <br /> One of the best sections so far for us thanks to the Sollipulli volcano. We started at the Icalma lake (the San Alfonso camp was great, 10 000 per two people, hot water (yes!) and access to the beach). There are some restaurants and minishops as well, enough to resupply I believe. The overgrown section had been cleared half a bamboo-metre ago, so sometimes it was tough and felt like the forest wants to suck you in. Nothing impassable, but the two kilometres took us two hours. Another thing - the river where the ascent starts in the forest is for long the only water source there if the weather is dry. There was a gate (S 38° 53.3570' W 071° 27.0191'); there's a hole in the fence on the left that we went under. We camped at a good spot on the right side of the road (S 38°53.4903' W 071° 27.8162'). The next day, we rushed to the CONAF station - we got there a little past 11 AM, but the ranger let us do the ascent anyway, we even had lunch before we went up (not from the stand, sadly, still operates only at the weekends). You can leave your backpacks with the ranger, which was great! We didn't pay anything to enter the park. It took us 5 hours there and back with a longer break at the top. The view from the top is indescribable plus the path leading up to it is also very nice with some snowpatches next to it that you can slide down as you please. <br /> After that we continued further down the road. We tried to outsmart the three fords but ended up fording the river three times anyway since the number of the fences and gates had increased I guess and we got stuck on a private property with nowhere to go. The best option might be to just follow the regular route. <br /> There's a beautiful camping spot that we highly recommend and had been told about by the ranger - a lot of free space, a laguna/pond, nice (not dense!) forest and several safe fireplaces. (S 38°56.3141' W 071°27.6738)<br /> From there on it was easy walking until Reigolil. The shop before the bridge has not many things to resupply but is good to refresh. The shop near the bus stop tuna, rice, pasta, biscuits, chips, beverages, some vegetables as well, enough to resupply. Its owners were so nice that they took us to their lot near the river where they let us pitch our tent. It seems that you can freely camp by the river but there was some Mapuche festival going on at that time. <br /> The bus schedule: 7:30 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. from the bus stop by the shop to Pucon. <br /> <br /> <br /> *2023-Feb-18 to 2023-Feb-20 / 3 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR starting in Tracura (road to Sollipulli) / Natalie &amp; Tomáš<br /> <br /> We used Icalma as a resupply which worked well enough; many &quot;mini- supermercados&quot; and cheap accomodation (we had a cabana for 20mil/10mil each) but as a warning internet is awful! There is a nice pehuenche restaurant at the southern end of town on the main road and a little further than this on the main road you can get the best cell signal. Supposedly a bus goes to Lonquimay Mon-Wed-Fri but I forget the times, I think it was at 6am and 3pm.<br /> <br /> We headed towards parque Sollipulli but hitching out of Icalma was slow, ~2hours combined waiting. We got off at Tracura and walked most of the way to CONAF (minus 4km hitch). Hitching was difficult even though it was a Saturday and there were cars, just no takers. No clean water sources until conaf but you could ask one of the cabana rentals along the way if needed.<br /> No entrance fee at CONAF and although camping is not allowed the &quot;senior&quot; ranger told us we could camp behind the office (I may have persuaded him with piñones). The only thing is we had to wait until everyone was gone (~7-730pm) and then leave early the next day (~7-730am). He didn't want people to know so don't spread the word... There are water, toilets, cold showers and the next morning we were able to keep our things in the other building as we went up Sollipulli. Finally there was a food truck there with sopapillas and juice (it was a Saturday).<br /> <br /> As for Sollipulli it has been the easiest summit so far, there is superb trail and it took ~2hrs up más o menos. There is one intersection where the trail tells you to go right but the climbers trail goes straight and is quicker ( staying left is more quick;-38.93399, -71.49659).<br /> The glacier is amazing, 4km in diameter and supposedly 200m deep. I would come back here with glacier gear to cross it and go down the south summit. However Tomáš has his eyes on a way to go around the crater without glacier gear, so it would be a mixture of walking the rim and traversing above treeline towards the south summit where there should be another trail. That would save one cca 20 km of road walking.<br /> <br /> We wanted to go up the main route and down option 01 but CONAF still requests you come down the same way and since they helped us with camping I wanted to respect their wishes. If you wanted to avoid the rangers we both think you could easily go up before or after they arrive, we saw a few other parties doing this. Note that there is no water after CONAF, if you were doing the traverse there are some lakes down to the east from the North summit. We think the traverse looks easy until the treeline. From the other end we later passed the trail going up which is in fact a road - not sure how far it goes as a road.<br /> <br /> The summit was quick so afterwards we started walking the road that skirts Sollipulli on its east. It was a peaceful road and I have no complaints until it became not fun anymore after the camping at ~46.9. There were two vehicles that passed (no room) but I have no idea how they drove past some of the downed trees, would be a dodgy ride.<br /> The forests here are finally becoming alive! We saw tarantulas and a giant moth carcass and mushrooms finally! There are many fords at the beginning after the lodge so keep sandals on if you have them. It would be worth looking at Google earth for an alternative trail because we met a guided horse group on gpt15 that told us they went from the south summit of Sollipulli to the lodge without going on the road. It is possible they meant &quot;no road&quot; as in &quot;no asphalt road&quot; but who knows.<br /> We headed to routa S-965 to hitch to GPT15 PN Huerquehue (no cars passed until S-965).<br /> <br /> <br /> * 2023-Jan-23 to 2023-Jan-25 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Martin &amp; Helena<br /> <br /> This section took us 2 days. Unfortunately we didn’t go to the summit, because we needed to go quickly down to Curarrehue, but otherwise we wouldn’t skip it, just a few kms more and it looks incredible. About the trail, the beginning is a dirt road around the lakes and it continues until the start of overgrown section. That is a little more than 4kms, but from the start its a relatively normal trail, easy to follow. The overgrown part is mainly between km 2-3.5, but not so terrible overall following the gps. We camped at the end of this part that took us around 2 hrs, maybe less. After that you walk on a minor road all the time, in a really nice forrest. All the puestos were empty. Hot Spring waypoint is somewhere around houses so we didn’t even go there. To cross the river before CONAF station we used GPT14-E and the bridge. At the station was one guard, food truck closed, water available. The lodging after 1km is nice but it comes with higher prices, we stopped there to have some drink and beer + cola (cans) cost us 6k CLP. We spent the night in the forrest after the pass, but camp at km 46.9 looked great. The rest of the trail is still the same gravel road. Minishop at 57.8 has only basic food, but also some things for repairs etc. In Reigolil was only one shop on the main road open with very limited supplies, but we got from the lady pastel de choclo and some homemade bread, all delicious! Later we continued to GPT15.<br /> <br /> Contact: @martin_hanzelka @helenneka<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2020/21==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> <br /> *2020-Feb / Hiking / NOBO / <br /> <br /> From Reigolil to Solipulli it is a very easy forest road inside the reserva nacional. Carabineros asked some questions and said we could camp where we wanted. Arriving at the CONAF site at Solipulli, there is a small campground, free if you pay the entrance for the volcanoe (4000pp). There is a food truck with sopaipillas and jugos. We hiked the Solipulli and it is a must see. It is incredible and there are not that many people doing it. The CONAF ranger is very friendly. We did not hike from there to Icalma to avoid bushbashing and we wanted to see the big fiesta planned in Melipeuco (every year in late feb). It was worth it as we got to see a celebration of baqueanos. Melipeuco is not this nice but there are several supermarkets and restaurants to resupply. Easy hitch to Icalma (or there are 2 buses / day). We then hitched to Liucura to start section 12.<br /> <br /> <br /> *2020-Jan-30 / 2.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Martina &amp; Ivo <br /> <br /> Nothing to add to the previous comments. We arrived at the pipeline construction site during working hours and just followed the indications of the workers, no detour, just some optional route. We spent the night at the CONAF campground and had one of the best breakfasts in Chile at the Sollipulli Lodge (13'000 p.P.). As the rain hasn't stopped by lunchtime we had lunch there too, it was excellent :-D We actually quite liked this section with all the trees. We directly added section 15 after this one. There are several busses per day from Reigolil to Curarrehue but we don't know the schedule. <br /> <br /> <br /> * 15-Jan-2020 / 4 days (GPT 14 + GPT 15) / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Matus &amp; Anna <br /> <br /> We combined sections 14 and 15. It took us 3 days and nero.<br /> GPT14 - there are signs that someone tried to clear overgrown part of the trail on the begining and end but middle is still nicely overgrown. Though we didn't have problem to follow.<br /> Part of minor road on regular trail is under construction. They are putting a huge pipe under it. It was evening and workers were not there se we managed to sneak through but I don't think they will let you pass during working hours. It's just before descending to the river before National reserve Villarrica. <br /> In the Conaf campsite was food truck (it was weekend) with churasco, sopapillas, drinks... pure heaven. We paid 4000 per person at conaf.<br /> They are building a dorm at Lodge. It will be ready for next years hikers ;) <br /> Resuply in Reigolil - mini shop on trail seemed abandoned. We found best supplies in shop-4. There is one other shop directly after bridge. <br /> GPT15 - road and trail in good condition. On the climb to the lake bit before last settler there are some wild cherry trees on the left. We stuffed ourselves and left for others too. Enjoy. Multiple shops, accomodation options and restaurants in Curarrehue.<br /> <br /> <br /> *2020-Jan-18 / 1.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + optional summit up Volcán Sollipulli / Tom &amp; Maddie <br /> <br /> Overgrown trail towards the start is relatively easy to follow. Mostly overgrown around the middle but the tracks towards either end are in decent condition. The rest of the section is easy walking. I would strongly recommend taking a small detour to summit Volcán Sollipulli in the CONAF National park (~30km into the section). When we arrived at the park we had to pay a CLP 4000 fee per person. When speaking to the ranger about where we intended to walk, he advised that the optional route down from the Volcán we planned to take is in very poor condition and would not let us take it. We had to do an out and back. It took us around 3.5-4h to summit and return. The trail is in excellent condition (trail markers are present) and the view is spectacular!! Possibly the best thing I’ve seen on the GPT. We camped in the park for no charge and bought some hot food from the food truck in the evening on the weekend. No issues with the rest of the section.<br /> <br /> <br /> * 2020-Feb-02 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR including Sollipulli climb / Frank<br /> <br /> 2 long days including Sollipulli climb<br /> They are building the pipeline under the dirt road, when they are finished they will bury the pipe &amp; road should reopen. No issues going through there but it was Sunday &amp; no one was around. You walk on a narrow track above ditch, when you reach a point where two big boulders block the path you need to go down into the ditch to go around them. <br /> Climbing Sollipulli is highly recommended to see the huge summit crater filled with ice &amp; snow. Easy &amp; well marked ascent.<br /> You are not allowed to do the ascent after about 11AM. The food truck 'Sabores de Sollipulli' at the Conaf campsite only operates on weekends, it was closed on Sunday. I believe there is another Conaf site a little off route at Laguna Huaquifilo where you can camp. Nowhere good to camp after that. It was raining so I continued to Reigolil. Just after you cross the bridge there is a shop, they have rooms &amp; provide very basic food. Not recommended but will do if you are stuck.<br /> <br /> A few minor corrections: There is no bridge @ Bridge 46, just ford the river easily. Gate @ far side of ford is marked no entry but walking through appears to be OK.<br /> There is a gravel track that stays on the right side of the river &amp; goes past Ford 133 &amp; Ford 134 so you don't need to cross either of them. It leads to Ford 135 which you do cross.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2018/19==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2017/18==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2016/17==<br /> <br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> <br /> [[File:Reigolil.jpg|thumb|center|600px|Timetable January 2020]]<br /> <br /> Bus goes from Reigolil to Curacautin &amp; Pucon. When I was there it left Reigolil at 7 &amp; 7:50 AM (different to timetable) Confirm times at the shop by the bridge in Reigolil. Frank<br /> <br /> South Summit:<br /> Temuco--&gt;Cunco--&gt;Lago Caburga--&gt;Hitch/Walk. Or ask/phone the business at Termas Rio Blanco &amp; Termas San Sebastián about their own chartered buses, from a brief conversation with an employee there sounded to be a bus every few days.What's app +56946809918, +56992318329<br /> <br /> Temuco's Terminal de Buses Rurales (Balmaceda 1475) can be complicated since most buses have their own shop elsewhere. For Cunco go to office &quot;IGI LLAIMA/ Nar Bus&quot;; Balmaceda 997. The bus leaves every 30min. <br /> <br /> From Cunco check with locals about bus to Lago Caburga. Supposedly a bus leaves everyday at 4 or 5pm from Balmaceda corner La Concepción. It will pass by the nice supermarket;Supermercado Hesis on &quot;Colico Sur&quot; aka the S-75. Confirm schedule in the municipality of Cunco before traveling at +56 45 2200147.<br /> <br /> Hitchhiking is easy up until Lago Collico, after that there are cars but not many stop.<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT14 - Volcán Sollipulli]]<br /> <br /> =Images=<br /> <br /> [[File:GPT_8_Laguna_Icalma_and_Volcán_Sollipulli_109047041.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_8_Laguna_Icalma_and_Volcán_Sollipulli_109045479.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_8_Laguna_Icalma_and_Volcán_Sollipulli_109045586.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_8_Laguna_Icalma_and_Volcán_Sollipulli_109045611.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_8_Laguna_Icalma_and_Volcán_Sollipulli_109045628.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_8_Laguna_Icalma_and_Volcán_Sollipulli_109045648.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_8_Laguna_Icalma_and_Volcán_Sollipulli_109046479.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_8_Laguna_Icalma_and_Volcán_Sollipulli_109046482.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_8_Laguna_Icalma_and_Volcán_Sollipulli_109046483.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_8_Laguna_Icalma_and_Volcán_Sollipulli_109047161.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_8_Laguna_Icalma_and_Volcán_Sollipulli_109047207.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT14_(Volcan_Sollipulli)&diff=117975 2024-11-12T00:49:06Z

<p>MiaimZelt: /* Season 2024/25 */Añadi contento</p> <hr /> <div>{{Table all GPTs}}<br /> <br /> &lt;br style=&quot;clear:both&quot; /&gt;<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> ''*'' 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<br /> <br /> Summary with remarks to route that are considered useful for other hikers and packrafters. Include alerts, suggestions and personal perception of attractiveness and difficulties.<br /> <br /> <br /> Add a sub-chapter by placing two &quot;=&quot; before and after the new sub-chapter heading ('==Sub-Chapter Heading==').<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> 5.-8.11.2024 / 4 hiking days<br /> <br /> We did a combination of GPT 14 and 15, although we didn't have the files at this time.<br /> <br /> We took a bus from Pucón to Flor del Valle and arrived later than expected at 1:30 pm. First we hiked into section 14 on the minor road with very few traffic. At -39.01943, -71.458341 we needed to cross a creek, that is not visible in our map. There are huge treetrunks like a natural bridge. Later at -39.014836, -71.456205 there was another wide stream of water at the road, but very easy to ford. <br /> Later we dicided to turn around and hiked to the Laguna Huesquefilo instead, to find a nice campspot. The trail to the Laguna was very smooth, the Laguna itself was beautiful. Next day we continued to GPT 15.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> <br /> *2024 Mar 24th to Mar 31st / 6 hiking days and 2 rest days / SOBO / Hiking / RR, Var C, E, H, G, Opt 1 and 1A, Opt 2 and 2A / Michael and Kasia<br /> <br /> We did sections 14 and 15 together.<br /> <br /> TL:DR: a nice section; the summit of Sollipulli is not to be missed!<br /> <br /> Day 1 March 24th<br /> <br /> We left Icalma at 08:30. It was a foggy morning and the air was still, very nice hiking weather and beautiful light. It had rained the day before so the road walk was thankfully not dusty. It was a Sunday morning and very few cars passed.<br /> <br /> We left the highway to keep on RR. It is a dirt road for quite some time. We found a lot of piñones just lying on the ground. There was an unmarked ford at (-38.84187, -71.36345). After that the overgrown section began. It was somewhat challenging for us, not bush bashing per se, but definitely bush pushing. A lot of it was waist high and really slowed us down. Our plan had been to get to the laguna on Var C, but it became obvious that even if we did make it, it would be dark before we got there. Looking at the GPS I noticed what looked like a small laguna at (-38.86766, -71.38010). There was no OSM track for it, but when we got closer, we found a dirt road going to it. There was no sign and no fences. It was a lovely spot. There were a few araucarias dropping piñones, and the laguna was clear and glassy smooth. It was, however, definitely someone's campground. There are flat spots for tents, picnic tables, a shipping container turned into a bathroom (padlocked shut when we were there), and there were signs of more development planned. Point being, if you plan to camp here in future seasons, be aware that, at least during “la temporada”, there may be other people there, and it probably costs money.<br /> <br /> <br /> Day 2 March 25th<br /> <br /> We made it a short day. Our packs were extra heavy due to all the piñones we were harvesting. We kept trying to stop, but there is just something about their color and shape that makes them irresistible to pick up. The path from the campground to the laguna on 14-C is a dirt road the whole way. We had to check the GPS a few times as there are a few other roads that break off of it, but the route is easy walking. The laguna is very pretty and the campsite there is nice. It's fairly flat with plenty of space for multiple tents, under some trees, so mixed shade and sun, and easy water access. There was also a fire ring there. We had our first fire of the season and cooked a few batches of piñones. Some people on horseback came by looking for their cows. They said they are beginning the process of collecting the animals and moving them down to the invernadas for the winter. They mentioned that the laguna on 14-C is called Laguna Santa Olga.<br /> <br /> <br /> Day 3 March 26th<br /> <br /> Stayed at Laguna Santa Olga for a rest day.<br /> <br /> <br /> Day 4 March 27th<br /> <br /> We walked by (Camp 14 [17.9/1538]) on the way back to the road. We could hear a stream trickling in the opposite side of the road from it.<br /> <br /> The forest along the way was beautiful. It was a great time of year to be there as well, sunny but not hot and the light was always nice. We collected another 2 kg of piñones. There were so many everywhere, we definitely could have bought less food and been okay.<br /> <br /> We took Var E to bypass the road construction even though there was no one there by the time we arrived. It was mostly because we were looking for camping and knew there wouldn't be any good spots there. But if someone arrived there after work hours, the gate going SOBO was just closed with wire, and on the other end it was possible to just walk around the fence.<br /> <br /> We then followed Var H on to Var G towards Var F. We camped at Camping Carilafquen (-38.91004, -71.49813) along Var F. We paid 10.000 for the tent space. There was no one else there. The campground was pleasant. It had plenty of space on the grass for tents, picnic tables, and bathrooms with showers, cold water only, no electricity. It was a good option for us because it was only 1.6 km from the CONAF office. If wanting to camp there, just up the road from the property there is a house. A couple who manages the campground lives there. They were very nice, they even gave us sopaipillas. <br /> <br /> <br /> Day 5 March 28th<br /> <br /> We arrived at the CONAF office around 09:00. There was no ranger on the office. We started moving things into a small backpack anticipating leaving our bags. By the time we were ready to hike, still no one had shown up. Fortunately a small tour group arrived and parked right next to the CONAF office. They said we could put out bags in their vehicle and they would leave them for us if they got back first.<br /> <br /> The walk up through the forest was beautiful and peaceful. There were a lot of huge, old trees that were very impressive. The trail was well maintained and easy to follow. Higher up it switched to a more lunar landscape with multiple volcanoes and cordilleras of mountains appearing the higher up we got. Towards the top it got a little steep which was slower going. It took us 5 hours to the summit with photo breaks and a snack break. We spent about an hour at the summit with no one else there. The weather was impeccable, full sun and hardly a breeze. The only sound was the river below.<br /> It took us about 3 hours to get back to the bottom. <br /> We ended up camping across the path from the CONAF office next to the picnic tables. There was a facet outside the office and bathrooms.<br /> <br /> <br /> Day 6 March 29<br /> <br /> When the CONAF guard arrived in the morning, he came over to talk with us. He said it was fine that we camped for the night, but just asked us to take the tent down, and then we could take as much time as we needed. It seems that camping there is unofficially acceptable as long as you're there after closing and wrapped up before people start to show up in the morning.<br /> <br /> We started to walk along RR. We had been walking less than 30 minutes when a truck stopped and offered us a ride. They were going to Paso Llaima and to collect piñones. We rode in the back with their two dogs getting to watch the beautiful misty forest go by around us. <br /> <br /> From Paso Llaima we continued on RR, then took Opt 2 to Laguna Huequefilo. The trail up is easy to follow and well maintained. The sign at the front says no camping and no fires, but there was no CONAF office and no guardadaparques. When we got to the lake there were several groups camping and having fires. There are a huge number of araucarias there and it is a very popular spot with locals to go to collect them. <br /> <br /> Going down Opt 2A to the SE end of the lake, there is a fairly large sand beach and a creek feeding into the lake that was a good place to get water from. A local family from Ragolil that was camping there suggested a good spot around (-39.05250, -71.43000) that was fairly wind protected but still close to the beach. But if it's not windy, that end of the lake has plenty of space for camping. The lake and the setting is beautiful and for us it was well worth the detour. <br /> <br /> <br /> Day 7 March 30th<br /> <br /> We stayed at Laguna Huequefilo for a rest day.<br /> <br /> <br /> Day 8 March 31st<br /> <br /> We left Laguna Huequefilo and headed back to finish 14 and start 15. We gathered more piñones along the way. At (-39.05455, -71.46918), around km 52.26 there was a sign for a minimarket. The woman who runs is, Viviana, is very nice. She and her family moved there a couple of years ago from Santiago. We suggested she carry gas for camping and she said she would try to get some to sell in the future. She had canned fish, pasta, rice, 200 g tomato sauce packets, bullion cubes, mermeladas, butter and margarine, and a variety of cookies and candy. Prices were reasonable. We bought some things and got back to the road. We almost immediately caught a hitch to the beginning of GPT15 Opt 1.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> *2024-Mar-18 to 2024-Mar-19 / 1 day / SOBO / RR 01 01a/ Matthias de Austria<br /> <br /> No snowfields, no Tabanos, no Mosquitos. Plenty of water except for the Sollipulli peak area.<br /> <br /> Came from Lonquimay by bus at 12:00 to Icalma, arrival around 14:00. There is a minibus directly going a bit west, but only to the intersection at the end of the lake, so maybe like 3km for 500 peso.<br /> Very little traffic, but luckily got 4 rides until the ranger at 31.8 in just 3 hours. I am a bit in a hurry as I want to hike Sollipulli but the weather turns bad next day evening. There is a minibus coming from Melipeuco to intersection end of Variant I. It turns to the bridge 30.6.<br /> <br /> I did not visit the rangers, as I don't want to go back the same way. Looking for a hidden spot ro camp and early start to the peak the next day.<br /> <br /> Don't camp at Hannes suggestion, every Hilux driver coming downhill will spot you easily. I am sure the actuall place he meant is -38.923355,-71.489118. Well hidden and flat, but the water on the other side of road dried up. There is water on your side too, but don't just follow your ears, you won't reach the water. Instead walk where it is relatively easy in south to south east, you may or may not see path like structure, but ca. in 200m you will reach a good path, just follow it uphill directly to the water at -38.924705,-71.489552. It is a 5 to 10min walk from camp. If you follow this path further it leads you to the OSM dirtroad, which is an offical marked hiking path of the park.<br /> <br /> I am alone all the way, later I heard that the rangers closed the path due the upcoming bad weather. Very strong and cold winds at the peak, a few hours later it will be snowing, I would love to try the traverse, but it is too risky with that forecast. Nice CC back down to the pass 41.5.<br /> <br /> First running water coming from the peak: -38.966463,-71.472000<br /> <br /> Possible camp with water at 01: -38.971581,-71.465207<br /> <br /> Only car on the road picks me up, a tourist couple from Santiago who stayed at the luxury lodge, and we drive to Pucón, while the rain starts.<br /> <br /> Without summiting Sollipulli this would be a drive by section, but Sollipulli makes this section absolutely amazing and I strongly recommend the easy climb up just for those mind blowing views.<br /> <br /> From 2024-03-10 to 2023-03-11 // 2 day // Hiking // NOBO // RR + OPT1 (Summit) // Quentin Clavel<br /> <br /> What a section ! <br /> <br /> After a very cold start, early in the morning at the bottom of the vallee of reigolil, you just go slowly but surely in the Villarica reserve. <br /> <br /> The gravel road is transforming into a smaller 4WD track, and the path is lovely, going up gradually, passing threw a nice forest, with many amazing aucaria trees. <br /> <br /> Lucky enough to arrive in this region at the time where piniones are still possible to pick. Didn't had to make a lot of effort, just harvesting the ground was enough to give me way more than what I needed !<br /> <br /> I took the junction to reach the summit. At the very beginning I struggle a bit, when you reach a puesto, there's few possibility of track, I took the wrong one that result on a little fight with the bush, then I managed to come back on track, which is pretty clear until the volcanic plateau. <br /> <br /> No trouble at all with water, as you'll have some along the path, from th beginning to the end. <br /> <br /> Arriving to the plateau, then stick to the track, it will guide you to the summit and the outstanding view on the massive nevados de sollipulli ! That was sick, even with a looooooot of wind. I still stayed there for more than an hour, protected from the wind thanks to some bog rocks, contemplating this amazing landscape, some condors dancing around and the views over lanin and Llaima volcanoes. <br /> <br /> It was finally time to leave this kind of parrallele world. The way down was very easy as the track is marqued. Some crazy views again with Llaima volcán + the aucaria trees around, then I reached the conaf desk. I arrived there late and no-one was still there. <br /> <br /> (Didn't mentionned that going NOBO you don't have to respect a precise timing to go up, there's no conaf desk on that way). <br /> <br /> Then continuing on the way to icalma, passing threw a private pipeline working area. But as it was late on the day, I haven't got any troubles (still easy to avoid, by taking the variant E). <br /> <br /> After passing the Hot Spring {13} [#1/945] (PK28), you'll have to jump a gate, then few gates/fences, and continuing in the forest on a very well marked 4WD track, until the overgrown part, which is not difficult to pass. <br /> <br /> It's overgrown, but nothing to be scared about ! The track is still visible, it's just that the nature want to give you some hugs, very nice and kind, I could even say cute. It's nothing like a fight with the bush ! <br /> <br /> Then you continue till reaching the gravel road until Icalma. There it's possible to resupply Ith multiple minimercado, you have some possibilities to sleep too, bit it's still a tiny city, don't expect a lot. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> *2024-Feb-16 to 2024-Feb 18 / 3 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR /czimahi<br /> from Reigolil - no good resupply, no pan- following RR, night camp 46,9; then no prob (cross rio Carilafquen just first bridge after camping, think it is 14E) till point S38°51.753` W71°23.062` where I follow wrong way- for sure this would lead to 14a and to the main road. I decided go back to RR and be hours in bush. At the end I missed the route once more but I found water which I needed (aprox S38°50.483` W71°21.907`) and then meet 14B and back to RR to the camp $ 13, and next day to Icalma pueblo.<br /> <br /> *2024 Jan 30 to 2024 Feb 01 / 3 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + OH14-C + OH14-E + OH14-01 / Hannes<br /> <br /> <br /> Hitchhiked to km 5,2. Then I went on RR, found last water at -38.841797 -71.363423, soon after the as overgrown marked trail starts. Trail actually not to bad overgrown, most of the time clearly visible, sometimes I had to stick to GPS, especially at the beginning, there are a few trails there… Till the Laguna {14C} I did not see water anymore, except close to Camp at km 17,9, around 50m down towards the puesto was running a little streamlet, maybe drying out? Laguna on OH 14-C is very nice! Good camping spot, but I headed on, still to early. Camped then at km 28,6. I loved this place! An open air cinema with all the green and birds flying and singing around. At -38.889097 -71.450367 you’ll find a locked? gate, barbed wire fence around. Check if it is really locked, I did not look accurately! I say this, because the next one I encountered outside this valley was just pseudolocked. Anyway, I passed the fence at around -38.889820 -71.449927, around 100ms to the left from gate beneath. Seemed to me the best option, but check out for yourself…Walked on. You’ll find another unlocked gate at -38.901269 -71.504529, private property with a sign that just authorised persons can pass, some company I suppose. I took a detour over OH14 E, but having seen the exit of this company road close to km 30, shortly before the bridge, I would have taken it. There a gate as well, but not locked and either entrance or exit nobody around. Went on to Conaf to take some water. Read about their rules and so I decided to take the unofficial trail up to the volcano shown on the OSMmap at 38.9238605S, 71.4873252W as some others already spotted. My plan was to do the Sollipulli-Traverse over the rim. The thing is: Where this trail (actually more an MR) starts, there is a nearly 100m long fence, hindering you to drop in directly, furthermore at the end of this fence there is an other cabaña, looks like an outpost of CONAF checking who is taking this trail. I do not know who sits in this shack, did not want to know either, did not want to explain my plans. So I went back were the fence starts. This is at -38.92315, -71.48867, there is a signboard with „Sollipulli Lodge, 500ms&quot;. There I dropped into the bushes. There would be actually a pretty nice camp spot for one to two tents at around -38.922156 -71.489928, around 30ms from the MR, but nobody sees you and water nearby at the other side of the road. From there I walked up (little CC) keeping in mind where the OSM trail goes, found a path and somewhere I got on this OSM trail. Went up to the summit. Looked over the rim, realized I had to descent for the next summit towards the south, impossible there to cross over the rim. Went down southeast of the summit to this two beautiful lakes, some bigger snowfields there, but could be done with afternoon sun. Camped at -38.971172 -71.489823, an amazing campsite! But realized there that without micro spikes or crampons I would have to detour some extended snowfields in the morning and loose a lot of time, not knowing what expects me after the next summit. So I skipped my plan for the traverse and went down over OH 14-01. Then all the way out to Reigolil. Difficult for me to hitch a car…<br /> <br /> <br /> *2024-Jan-13 to 2024-Jan-15 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR - {14-A} - RR - {14-E} - RR - {14-01} - RR / Lilian<br /> <br /> DON'T SKIP GPT14, the views on Nevados de Sollipulli is one of the most STUNNING views in my life! <br /> <br /> HIGHLY RECOMMEND to you!<br /> <br /> <br /> Here is the waypoint description: <br /> <br /> RR road walking.<br /> <br /> Km1.0 : a small shop.<br /> <br /> Km1.1 : tiny shop, look like only have drinks and ice cream. It is closed when i was there at weekend.<br /> <br /> Km5.2 : junction of RR and {14-A}, i go for {14-A} because i want to arrive ranger station RR[31.8/1141] before 11am, {14-A} is a dirt road, the time can be controlled and stable.<br /> <br /> {14-A} km6.3 : ranger station, crowned when i pass here.<br /> <br /> Lot of possible camping spot beside the dirt road of {14-A}, i think it is easy to find a spot here.<br /> <br /> {14-A} km10.9 : water flowing, but it need some BB, about 10m for get close to stream.<br /> <br /> Km11.4 : locked gate, go around itbon right side.<br /> <br /> Km12.5 : huge blowdown, no more cars going up by this road.<br /> <br /> Km13.0 : side trail on valley side, 30m for collecting water, flowing low.<br /> <br /> Km13.3 : {14-A} end, connect with RR km15.7.<br /> <br /> I find one more water spot nearby, at RR km15.6, also a side trail at valley side, a little overgrown about 10m to stream, better water at downstream 10m, you can cross 2 logs there, then you will find a very tiny waterfall, easy to collect.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Camp RR[17.9/1538] : tiny grassland, some muddy nearby. Water flowing at downstream of the muddy, but in steep valley look like very difficult to collect.<br /> <br /> Camp[22.4/2158] : very beautiful grassland camping spot until km22.95.<br /> <br /> Km23.45 : locked gate with barbed wire fence. Better climb at left side, just the top one is barbed wire, all the wire of right side is barbed.<br /> <br /> Km24.6 : another beautiful grassland camping spot. I heard water flowing good at valley side, but I'm not sure can collect water or not. I think this is the last camping spot before you met settlement and climbing Sollipulli.<br /> <br /> Km25.85 : crossing Estero Huechelepun on bridge, water flowing good under the bridge, it is a steep valley, I don't think it is possible to collect water here.<br /> <br /> Km29.5 : junction of RR, {14-I} and {14-E}. RR is blocked by barbed wire fence. So i go for {14-E} then met RR.<br /> <br /> Honestly, i don't think {14-F}, {14-G} and {14-H} is still usable now. At {14-E} km0.4, {14-F} is blocked by a barbed wire fence(no gate) that taller than human, only this spot the fence is such high, i think it means the owner not welcome other people to go in at here. Also bridge[31.0+0.2/1020] and ford[31.0/1034] is all blocked by gate or barbed wire fence. Even you can climb all over them, {14-F} is going just beside settlement, it will annoys the people there.<br /> <br /> Lastly, ranger station is not at park ranger[31.8/1141], it is at (-38.91796, -71.49481), even you can sneak by {14-F}, rangers are still in front of you. There are no way to go around them, and their windows are towards the road, they see you before you get close (the only method is earlier or later than them at there).<br /> <br /> So, i go for a round trip for Sollipulli, and put my backpack in ranger station.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> For Sollipulli {14-01}:<br /> <br /> Km0 : ranger station, car parking lot, some picnic table, food truck(not open on Sunday when i was there) and toilet. Also you can collect water by Río Carilafquén if need.<br /> <br /> Km1.25 : official viewpoint, but surrounded by some trees taller than the viewpoint 5-20m, i saw nothing here. Some benches here too.<br /> <br /> Km2.1 : junction of {14-01} and {14-01A} (CC route). For GPT hiker, both are in good condition, easy to follow and walk, but of course {14-01} is a little better condition, because of official route.<br /> <br /> Km3.8 : sharp turning, a helipad nearby.<br /> <br /> Km4.73 : official viewpoint.<br /> <br /> Km5.3-km6.1 : snow valley, covered by snow now. Not too steep, no difficult climb up and go down, also there are some day hikers, mostly you can follow their steps or go by yourself.<br /> <br /> Summit [6.3/2145] to km7.05, covered by snow ridge now, very easy to walk on. Km7.1 is a better point for rest, mort quite, more peaceful. Most of the day hikers would not come to here. km7.05, enjoy your moments here.<br /> <br /> For my observation from high, km7.1 to km7.9 are all covered by snow, but easy to walk on. I didn't see any footprints or trace on the snow, so I don't know descent is still work or not. I need to get back my backpack at ranger station, so i didn't go down at here.<br /> <br /> I take a long nap and some relax with amazing views at km7.05, such a good time.<br /> <br /> I took 3 hours for climb up and 1.5 hour to go down.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Continues on RR :<br /> <br /> Km32.2 : viewpoint of waterfall.<br /> <br /> Bridge[33.5/1188] : no bridge here, wet feet crossing. From here to ford[37.0/1228] you need to cross the same river 6 times, all wet feet crossing but just above ankle, easy.<br /> <br /> Km37.95: flat grassland beside a pond. I saw some people camping here, look nice.<br /> <br /> Camp[39.3/1294] : grassland camping spot with 2 fire ring beside the river.<br /> <br /> Km40.6 : an old dirt road leads you to a grassland beside the river.<br /> <br /> Km43.0 : junction of RR and {14-01}, {14-01} at here is a clear road to west, also one more road is going west after here 80m.<br /> <br /> Lot of small stream if flowing good with clear water across the road after the pass.<br /> <br /> Km44.5 : road junction, a sign &quot;Reigolil Paso Mallin Chileno&quot; here. Nice seat with good view of Sollipulli too.<br /> <br /> Km49 : wet feet or an exciting log crossing.<br /> <br /> Shop[57.8/856] : it is a ferretería, with drinks and ice cream, friendly.<br /> <br /> At last, I didn't cross bridge[59.8/835] to Reigolil and keep going south because i have enough food for GPT15.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> 2023 28 - 31 dec / 3 days / NOBO/ Option 01B / Natalie &amp; Tomáš<br /> <br /> Last year we wondered if one can avoid roadwalking on GPT 14 and GPT15 by traversing Sollipulli (not the glacier) and it turns out it can be done and is quite a spectacular option (probably a lot more attractive then RR and when done right, not with too many people). The idea is, SOBO, to follow the rim of Sollipulli for about 4 km, then go to Laguna Cochor (14-01B), then to Laguna Isolda, Termas Rio Blanco and NP Huerquehue (15-01) and then Villarica Traverse (16-04). If you hitch (should be easy) or take a bus between the end of 15-01 and beginning of 16-04 through Pucon, you will get quite a nice trail without much roadwalking. See our notes to GPT15 and GPT16 for the rest of this option, here follows the Solipulli bit.<br /> <br /> Note: to do a one way traverse of Sollipulli, either walk through the CONAF station before about 8 AM or after about 7 PM when the guards should no longer be there or walk past it for qbout 1 km on the road and take a right at 38.9238605S, 71.4873252W where there is an OSM trail based on Strava heatmap; however that trail needs to be confirmed, but it is almost for certain there.<br /> <br /> Since we climbed Sollipulli last year from the north, this year we opted to do a day trip from Laguna Cochor to the north summit via south summit of Sollipulli, thus proving the traverse is doable and not too hard. The following paragraph (Tl;DR: do not expect to get a ride easily on this road) is about access, so if you are coming from the north, skip it. <br /> <br /> We took a bus from Temuco to Cunco, they go every half an hour and cost a few thousand pesos. There are many terminals, the company you look for is Nar Bus, find its terminal in google maps to save yourself 1 km of going to the rural bus terminal and back. The ride takes cca 80 minutes. From Cunco, there is a daily bus to Laguna Caburga that leaves everyday at 17:00. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, it should go all the way to Termas Rio Blanco (it probably goes back in the morning, do not remember time schedule but we just saw a bus in the morning in the direction of Cunco). In Cunco we missed that bus and had to hitch. It was very easy at the beginning to get to Lago Colico but after that it became extremely difficult all the way to the start of the hike. We had to sleep in the forest that night because no cars were stopping. In the morning, we got a hitch of 3 km and then we walked a few more to the western end of Laguna Caburga. We bought some bread and chips there, waited for four hours for a hitch and killed about twenty horseflies. None of the 15 cars that passed took us. We then walked to the other end of the lake, where we got a hitch to the junction with access to Thermas Rio Blanco. From there, we walked to the start/end of GPT14 option 1B. It took us about 26 hours from Cunco. <br /> <br /> At the entrance to the trail (it is open but seems to lead through private land), there is a sign saying it is not allowed to camp at Laguna Cochor (which is clearly being violated, on our second night there, there was a Chilean tent). Secondly, it says there is no estabilished access to Sollipulli, which is not true, the path leads well above the tree line. The trail is an old road for ~1 km and the rest is very clear, easy and pretty through sometimes dark forrest. At the laguna, there is a beach where one can camp, as we did. There is no good source of water on the way to the laguna or at the laguna (but some streams could be heard in the undergrowth), definitely treat the water in the laguna. <br /> <br /> The next day, we hid our tent and set off to reach the south summit of Sollipulli and then to the northern summit via the ridge (or below the ridge). It was an extremely long day trip (~16hrs out and back) but it should not be a problem if doing a proper traverse, many camping options. If one does not want to camp at Laguna Cochor, first good place is right above the treeline where the TR section ends and CC section begins. A nicer place would be cca 1 km further on, where you traverse to a nice valley. The first cca 2 km of CC are actually more TR&amp;CC, the trail comes and goes and follows the contour line, which is to be recommended. In the valley, there was a stream that can still be jumped in one place or could be easily forded. With less snow, it would probably be jumpable almost everywhere. The way to the summit is uneventful and a bit of a slog. No scrambling is needed (there is just one small rock obstacle, but one can walk through). Above around 1900 m., there was a lot of snow. If going early in the season, check the map where glaciers are and do not walk on them - you do not need to, they are fairly small. From the summit, we looked for several ways to go down and then retraced a bit and actually crossed what on a map is marked as a glacier here: 38.9963315S, 71.5233126W. Judging from satellite photos and our own survey, we think the western part of the glacier has melted and we walked over a snowfield to a soft ridge with a small tarn at the end of it. Getting down from this ridge sharply down a f left towards a plateau like valley may or may not be difficult if there is &quot;no&quot; snow. We found a good way down on moderate snow slopes but considering the snow there is still almost 10-15m deep we do not know what the rock would be like, most likely it should be fine without snow. Here Natalie went back as it was already 1500, but Tomáš pressed on. He went across the valley and up the side of the next ridge at roughly 2000 m (there are two places that are not rocky, this one was the lower one, it was steep but fairly easy walking through loose stones and scree), then he went roughly half the way up the ridge, traversed above the two lakes on the way, the got to the rim and walked the ridge, then he got down to the other two lakes on the map and walked up to the summit.<br /> <br /> It was six, so he ate and then spent 6 hours walking back, this time not going to the rim at all and staying under the two more southern lakes and then retracing his steps - this was a faster but less spectacular variant. There seemed to be many possible variants how to cross this six km between two endpoints of GPT, the best variant will depend on your mood, skill level, weather and snowncover. It is however possible to do the traverse without climbing or exposed scrambling (though to make sure, somebody should do this in February when there is no snow), Tomáš practically never used his hands. On the way back, he met a Chilean tent above the treeline.<br /> <br /> Next day, we walked down to the road, walked about six km, got a hitch of 3 km to Reigolil, after 15 min there got a hitch of 5 km, waited for an hour and then got a hitch all the way to Pucón (about 75 min of driving). <br /> <br /> <br /> 2023 23 - 25 dec / 3 days / SOBO / RR + D + Sollipulli summit / Frans<br /> <br /> Trail is mildly overgrown going up to the first campsite but not as bad as expected. Usually until your knees but the trail is still visible, it just slows you down. Keep an eye on your GPS if you think you lost it, it's spot on with the GPX files. Camp 14 [22.4] is such a nice spot! Be aware that if you want to do the Sollipulli summit you have to there before 1100 (according to the sign) or the rangers won't let you up. Still a 2hr walk, but not difficult.<br /> <br /> GPT14-I point there is a gate and private property sign if you want to continue RR. They are doing road construction, and there is a guard house at the end. I didn't see anyone there, but it was weekend. Just keep in mind you might need to do the detour which takes a bit longer to get to the ranger station.<br /> <br /> At the park rangers place you can drop your backpack. I was not allowed to do a one-way trip. Needed to come back. It's definitely worth it! Amazing crater and nice views! Took me 2hrs to get up, 1.5 to get down. <br /> <br /> I walked to Camp 14 [39.3] to spend the night. Also a nice spot. The rest of the trail is not super exiciting but 80% slowly downhill which is nice to speed up this part. I spend the night a few km's into GPT 15 next to the river. There are a few decent spots after about 4km.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> <br /> *2023-Jan-31 to 2023-Feb-02/ 3 days / Hiking / SOBO / including the Sollipulli volcano / Johana &amp; Matouš<br /> <br /> One of the best sections so far for us thanks to the Sollipulli volcano. We started at the Icalma lake (the San Alfonso camp was great, 10 000 per two people, hot water (yes!) and access to the beach). There are some restaurants and minishops as well, enough to resupply I believe. The overgrown section had been cleared half a bamboo-metre ago, so sometimes it was tough and felt like the forest wants to suck you in. Nothing impassable, but the two kilometres took us two hours. Another thing - the river where the ascent starts in the forest is for long the only water source there if the weather is dry. There was a gate (S 38° 53.3570' W 071° 27.0191'); there's a hole in the fence on the left that we went under. We camped at a good spot on the right side of the road (S 38°53.4903' W 071° 27.8162'). The next day, we rushed to the CONAF station - we got there a little past 11 AM, but the ranger let us do the ascent anyway, we even had lunch before we went up (not from the stand, sadly, still operates only at the weekends). You can leave your backpacks with the ranger, which was great! We didn't pay anything to enter the park. It took us 5 hours there and back with a longer break at the top. The view from the top is indescribable plus the path leading up to it is also very nice with some snowpatches next to it that you can slide down as you please. <br /> After that we continued further down the road. We tried to outsmart the three fords but ended up fording the river three times anyway since the number of the fences and gates had increased I guess and we got stuck on a private property with nowhere to go. The best option might be to just follow the regular route. <br /> There's a beautiful camping spot that we highly recommend and had been told about by the ranger - a lot of free space, a laguna/pond, nice (not dense!) forest and several safe fireplaces. (S 38°56.3141' W 071°27.6738)<br /> From there on it was easy walking until Reigolil. The shop before the bridge has not many things to resupply but is good to refresh. The shop near the bus stop tuna, rice, pasta, biscuits, chips, beverages, some vegetables as well, enough to resupply. Its owners were so nice that they took us to their lot near the river where they let us pitch our tent. It seems that you can freely camp by the river but there was some Mapuche festival going on at that time. <br /> The bus schedule: 7:30 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. from the bus stop by the shop to Pucon. <br /> <br /> <br /> *2023-Feb-18 to 2023-Feb-20 / 3 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR starting in Tracura (road to Sollipulli) / Natalie &amp; Tomáš<br /> <br /> We used Icalma as a resupply which worked well enough; many &quot;mini- supermercados&quot; and cheap accomodation (we had a cabana for 20mil/10mil each) but as a warning internet is awful! There is a nice pehuenche restaurant at the southern end of town on the main road and a little further than this on the main road you can get the best cell signal. Supposedly a bus goes to Lonquimay Mon-Wed-Fri but I forget the times, I think it was at 6am and 3pm.<br /> <br /> We headed towards parque Sollipulli but hitching out of Icalma was slow, ~2hours combined waiting. We got off at Tracura and walked most of the way to CONAF (minus 4km hitch). Hitching was difficult even though it was a Saturday and there were cars, just no takers. No clean water sources until conaf but you could ask one of the cabana rentals along the way if needed.<br /> No entrance fee at CONAF and although camping is not allowed the &quot;senior&quot; ranger told us we could camp behind the office (I may have persuaded him with piñones). The only thing is we had to wait until everyone was gone (~7-730pm) and then leave early the next day (~7-730am). He didn't want people to know so don't spread the word... There are water, toilets, cold showers and the next morning we were able to keep our things in the other building as we went up Sollipulli. Finally there was a food truck there with sopapillas and juice (it was a Saturday).<br /> <br /> As for Sollipulli it has been the easiest summit so far, there is superb trail and it took ~2hrs up más o menos. There is one intersection where the trail tells you to go right but the climbers trail goes straight and is quicker ( staying left is more quick;-38.93399, -71.49659).<br /> The glacier is amazing, 4km in diameter and supposedly 200m deep. I would come back here with glacier gear to cross it and go down the south summit. However Tomáš has his eyes on a way to go around the crater without glacier gear, so it would be a mixture of walking the rim and traversing above treeline towards the south summit where there should be another trail. That would save one cca 20 km of road walking.<br /> <br /> We wanted to go up the main route and down option 01 but CONAF still requests you come down the same way and since they helped us with camping I wanted to respect their wishes. If you wanted to avoid the rangers we both think you could easily go up before or after they arrive, we saw a few other parties doing this. Note that there is no water after CONAF, if you were doing the traverse there are some lakes down to the east from the North summit. We think the traverse looks easy until the treeline. From the other end we later passed the trail going up which is in fact a road - not sure how far it goes as a road.<br /> <br /> The summit was quick so afterwards we started walking the road that skirts Sollipulli on its east. It was a peaceful road and I have no complaints until it became not fun anymore after the camping at ~46.9. There were two vehicles that passed (no room) but I have no idea how they drove past some of the downed trees, would be a dodgy ride.<br /> The forests here are finally becoming alive! We saw tarantulas and a giant moth carcass and mushrooms finally! There are many fords at the beginning after the lodge so keep sandals on if you have them. It would be worth looking at Google earth for an alternative trail because we met a guided horse group on gpt15 that told us they went from the south summit of Sollipulli to the lodge without going on the road. It is possible they meant &quot;no road&quot; as in &quot;no asphalt road&quot; but who knows.<br /> We headed to routa S-965 to hitch to GPT15 PN Huerquehue (no cars passed until S-965).<br /> <br /> <br /> * 2023-Jan-23 to 2023-Jan-25 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Martin &amp; Helena<br /> <br /> This section took us 2 days. Unfortunately we didn’t go to the summit, because we needed to go quickly down to Curarrehue, but otherwise we wouldn’t skip it, just a few kms more and it looks incredible. About the trail, the beginning is a dirt road around the lakes and it continues until the start of overgrown section. That is a little more than 4kms, but from the start its a relatively normal trail, easy to follow. The overgrown part is mainly between km 2-3.5, but not so terrible overall following the gps. We camped at the end of this part that took us around 2 hrs, maybe less. After that you walk on a minor road all the time, in a really nice forrest. All the puestos were empty. Hot Spring waypoint is somewhere around houses so we didn’t even go there. To cross the river before CONAF station we used GPT14-E and the bridge. At the station was one guard, food truck closed, water available. The lodging after 1km is nice but it comes with higher prices, we stopped there to have some drink and beer + cola (cans) cost us 6k CLP. We spent the night in the forrest after the pass, but camp at km 46.9 looked great. The rest of the trail is still the same gravel road. Minishop at 57.8 has only basic food, but also some things for repairs etc. In Reigolil was only one shop on the main road open with very limited supplies, but we got from the lady pastel de choclo and some homemade bread, all delicious! Later we continued to GPT15.<br /> <br /> Contact: @martin_hanzelka @helenneka<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2020/21==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> <br /> *2020-Feb / Hiking / NOBO / <br /> <br /> From Reigolil to Solipulli it is a very easy forest road inside the reserva nacional. Carabineros asked some questions and said we could camp where we wanted. Arriving at the CONAF site at Solipulli, there is a small campground, free if you pay the entrance for the volcanoe (4000pp). There is a food truck with sopaipillas and jugos. We hiked the Solipulli and it is a must see. It is incredible and there are not that many people doing it. The CONAF ranger is very friendly. We did not hike from there to Icalma to avoid bushbashing and we wanted to see the big fiesta planned in Melipeuco (every year in late feb). It was worth it as we got to see a celebration of baqueanos. Melipeuco is not this nice but there are several supermarkets and restaurants to resupply. Easy hitch to Icalma (or there are 2 buses / day). We then hitched to Liucura to start section 12.<br /> <br /> <br /> *2020-Jan-30 / 2.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Martina &amp; Ivo <br /> <br /> Nothing to add to the previous comments. We arrived at the pipeline construction site during working hours and just followed the indications of the workers, no detour, just some optional route. We spent the night at the CONAF campground and had one of the best breakfasts in Chile at the Sollipulli Lodge (13'000 p.P.). As the rain hasn't stopped by lunchtime we had lunch there too, it was excellent :-D We actually quite liked this section with all the trees. We directly added section 15 after this one. There are several busses per day from Reigolil to Curarrehue but we don't know the schedule. <br /> <br /> <br /> * 15-Jan-2020 / 4 days (GPT 14 + GPT 15) / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Matus &amp; Anna <br /> <br /> We combined sections 14 and 15. It took us 3 days and nero.<br /> GPT14 - there are signs that someone tried to clear overgrown part of the trail on the begining and end but middle is still nicely overgrown. Though we didn't have problem to follow.<br /> Part of minor road on regular trail is under construction. They are putting a huge pipe under it. It was evening and workers were not there se we managed to sneak through but I don't think they will let you pass during working hours. It's just before descending to the river before National reserve Villarrica. <br /> In the Conaf campsite was food truck (it was weekend) with churasco, sopapillas, drinks... pure heaven. We paid 4000 per person at conaf.<br /> They are building a dorm at Lodge. It will be ready for next years hikers ;) <br /> Resuply in Reigolil - mini shop on trail seemed abandoned. We found best supplies in shop-4. There is one other shop directly after bridge. <br /> GPT15 - road and trail in good condition. On the climb to the lake bit before last settler there are some wild cherry trees on the left. We stuffed ourselves and left for others too. Enjoy. Multiple shops, accomodation options and restaurants in Curarrehue.<br /> <br /> <br /> *2020-Jan-18 / 1.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + optional summit up Volcán Sollipulli / Tom &amp; Maddie <br /> <br /> Overgrown trail towards the start is relatively easy to follow. Mostly overgrown around the middle but the tracks towards either end are in decent condition. The rest of the section is easy walking. I would strongly recommend taking a small detour to summit Volcán Sollipulli in the CONAF National park (~30km into the section). When we arrived at the park we had to pay a CLP 4000 fee per person. When speaking to the ranger about where we intended to walk, he advised that the optional route down from the Volcán we planned to take is in very poor condition and would not let us take it. We had to do an out and back. It took us around 3.5-4h to summit and return. The trail is in excellent condition (trail markers are present) and the view is spectacular!! Possibly the best thing I’ve seen on the GPT. We camped in the park for no charge and bought some hot food from the food truck in the evening on the weekend. No issues with the rest of the section.<br /> <br /> <br /> * 2020-Feb-02 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR including Sollipulli climb / Frank<br /> <br /> 2 long days including Sollipulli climb<br /> They are building the pipeline under the dirt road, when they are finished they will bury the pipe &amp; road should reopen. No issues going through there but it was Sunday &amp; no one was around. You walk on a narrow track above ditch, when you reach a point where two big boulders block the path you need to go down into the ditch to go around them. <br /> Climbing Sollipulli is highly recommended to see the huge summit crater filled with ice &amp; snow. Easy &amp; well marked ascent.<br /> You are not allowed to do the ascent after about 11AM. The food truck 'Sabores de Sollipulli' at the Conaf campsite only operates on weekends, it was closed on Sunday. I believe there is another Conaf site a little off route at Laguna Huaquifilo where you can camp. Nowhere good to camp after that. It was raining so I continued to Reigolil. Just after you cross the bridge there is a shop, they have rooms &amp; provide very basic food. Not recommended but will do if you are stuck.<br /> <br /> A few minor corrections: There is no bridge @ Bridge 46, just ford the river easily. Gate @ far side of ford is marked no entry but walking through appears to be OK.<br /> There is a gravel track that stays on the right side of the river &amp; goes past Ford 133 &amp; Ford 134 so you don't need to cross either of them. It leads to Ford 135 which you do cross.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2018/19==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2017/18==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2016/17==<br /> <br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> <br /> [[File:Reigolil.jpg|thumb|center|600px|Timetable January 2020]]<br /> <br /> Bus goes from Reigolil to Curacautin &amp; Pucon. When I was there it left Reigolil at 7 &amp; 7:50 AM (different to timetable) Confirm times at the shop by the bridge in Reigolil. Frank<br /> <br /> South Summit:<br /> Temuco--&gt;Cunco--&gt;Lago Caburga--&gt;Hitch/Walk. Or ask/phone the business at Termas Rio Blanco &amp; Termas San Sebastián about their own chartered buses, from a brief conversation with an employee there sounded to be a bus every few days.What's app +56946809918, +56992318329<br /> <br /> Temuco's Terminal de Buses Rurales (Balmaceda 1475) can be complicated since most buses have their own shop elsewhere. For Cunco go to office &quot;IGI LLAIMA/ Nar Bus&quot;; Balmaceda 997. The bus leaves every 30min. <br /> <br /> From Cunco check with locals about bus to Lago Caburga. Supposedly a bus leaves everyday at 4 or 5pm from Balmaceda corner La Concepción. It will pass by the nice supermarket;Supermercado Hesis on &quot;Colico Sur&quot; aka the S-75. Confirm schedule in the municipality of Cunco before traveling at +56 45 2200147.<br /> <br /> Hitchhiking is easy up until Lago Collico, after that there are cars but not many stop.<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT14 - Volcán Sollipulli]]<br /> <br /> =Images=<br /> <br /> [[File:GPT_8_Laguna_Icalma_and_Volcán_Sollipulli_109047041.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_8_Laguna_Icalma_and_Volcán_Sollipulli_109045479.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_8_Laguna_Icalma_and_Volcán_Sollipulli_109045586.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_8_Laguna_Icalma_and_Volcán_Sollipulli_109045611.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_8_Laguna_Icalma_and_Volcán_Sollipulli_109045628.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_8_Laguna_Icalma_and_Volcán_Sollipulli_109045648.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_8_Laguna_Icalma_and_Volcán_Sollipulli_109046479.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_8_Laguna_Icalma_and_Volcán_Sollipulli_109046482.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_8_Laguna_Icalma_and_Volcán_Sollipulli_109046483.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_8_Laguna_Icalma_and_Volcán_Sollipulli_109047161.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_8_Laguna_Icalma_and_Volcán_Sollipulli_109047207.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT15_(Curarrehue)&diff=117925 2024-11-09T01:36:40Z

<p>MiaimZelt: /* Transport to and from Route */Añadi contento</p> <hr /> <div>{{Table all GPTs}}<br /> <br /> &lt;br style=&quot;clear:both&quot; /&gt;<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> ''*'' 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<br /> <br /> Summary with remarks to route that are considered useful for other hikers and packrafters. Include alerts, suggestions and personal perception of attractiveness and difficulties.<br /> <br /> <br /> Add a sub-chapter by placing two &quot;=&quot; before and after the new sub-chapter heading ('==Sub-Chapter Heading==').<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> <br /> *2024 Mar 31st to Apr 5th / 4 hiking days / SOBO / Hiking / Opt 1 / Michael and Kasia<br /> <br /> We did sections 14 and 15 together. <br /> <br /> TL:DR: Opt 1 is a nice route with lots of forest walking and some termales options; the Renahue sector of PN Huerquehue is still closed, but that also means no one is there.<br /> <br /> Day 1 Mar 31st<br /> <br /> Our hitch dropped us off at the beginning Opt 1. It is a road walk, but the road is not much used, so it wasn't too bad. <br /> <br /> We camped at (-39.06732, -71.51559) just before the bridge. It was a functional campsite. It was right next to the road and the ground was covered in a thin layer of pumice, so not optimal for the tent. But it was flat, and didn't require climbing any fences. Going back a small path it had good river access. It was also clearly used as a campsite by other people. There was a fire ring and a grill hanging in a tree.<br /> <br /> <br /> Day 2 Apr 1st<br /> <br /> We continued on the road. We passed the entrance to Opt 1B, though we didn't have time to take it. It is a clearly marked trailhead. We continued on the road to the private property. We tried calling the phone number on the private property sign, but no one answered so we decided to just go ahead. The entrance was through a barbed wire gate, then follow the path along the fence line to the trail. The trail was in pretty good shape except for a few areas where water has rutted it out. We did not find any real access to Laguna Isolada; there was a ring of marsh grass about 3 or 4 meters wide around the whole lake. Where the track gets closest to the lake there was a fallen tree that we sat on for coffee and lunch. At two points there were fairly elaborate wooden barricades, one that we climbed under, the other we climbed around. It was unclear whether they were for animals or people. As has been noted before, the road begins earlier than it shows on the map. We did not see anyone the entire time. We both really enjoy walking in the forest, and the forest was very pretty throughout the day, so we were happy we chose to go this way instead of just hitching all the way to the termas.<br /> <br /> We arrived at the termas area. Eco termas seemed nicer than San Sebastian. The weather forecast was predicting heavy rain and wind up to 60kmph with gusts over 100 kmph the following day, so we wanted to stay in a cabaña instead of the tent and neither of the termales places could accommodate us. We found a cabaña at Cabañas Rio Blanco (-39.10593, -71.61558). It had a well equipped kitchen, wood stove with wood included, and hot water in the shower and sinks. The woman who runs it, Angélica, was incredibly nice and made excellent pan amasado. There is no cell service in the valley and power cuts are a daily thing, though there was power for several hours a day, so plenty of time to charge things.<br /> <br /> <br /> Day 3 and 4 April 2nd and 3rd<br /> <br /> We stayed at Cabañas Rio Blanco for two days to wait over the weather. <br /> <br /> <br /> Day 5 April 4th<br /> <br /> We left Rio Blanco and started up the trail to PN Huerquehue. The trail was in decent shape, better than we had expected. Along the way we saw a lot of different mushrooms, including some very impressive groups of Amanita muscaria that were so shiny red they almost looked fake. At the Letrero mark on OSM is the welcome sign. There was a laminated piece of paper stapled to it that was so badly faded from water as to be unreadable. If it weren't for Natalie's note from last year we would have had no idea what it said. The Renahue sector is still officially closed, as is the camping. The trail up was sometimes a little hard to keep track of. It was also pretty slippery for a lot of it. I would definitely not recommend doing it in the rain. The forest is pretty though and we really enjoyed the hike. We camped at Renahue. It was fine, though nothing special.<br /> <br /> <br /> Day 6 April 5th<br /> <br /> From Renahue we followed the trail toward the entrance. Until Laguna Huerquehue there were still a lot of blow downs to climb over. In some places it looked like recent maintenance had been done, in others not. Laguna Avutardas is a short detour, as is Laguna Huerquehue which is less a laguna and more of a wetland. Laguna Toro was pretty and we stopped there for lunch. There is a campsite marked there on OSM, however the ground was saturated, not sure if from the rain or from the lake, but not a good camp spot. Lago Verde and Lago Chico were also nice. The trail after Lago Chico was in pretty rough shape. It was clear and there was no brush, but it was very wet and extremely slippery. There was no one at the ticket office when we left, however that is not really the exit. There is still more than a km of trail until a road, and then another 2 km until the actual gate. It was about 7:30 and we were about 200 m from the main entrance when a CONAF guard drove up in a truck, on his way to his house I assume. It ended up being a somewhat uncomfortable conversation, he was upset that we had gone that way and he said a number of things that didn't make sense, but the essence was that it was prohibited to cross the park from Rio Blanco. After everything he was a bit more demure and said if we wanted to camp at the CONAF camping it was 20.000 and we could register and pay in the morning, then he left. We were considering camping but a truck was leaving the entrance right as we got there and we caught a lucky hitch all the way to Pucón.<br /> <br /> <br /> *2024-03-09 // 1 day // Hiking // NOBO // OPT3 + RR // Quentin Clavel<br /> <br /> As the weather was not on my side this week, and that I've got only one sunny day, I did my best to have this nice day for the ascent of the sollipulli volcano. <br /> <br /> So I decided to shortcut this GPT15, by passing threw the vallee Panqui (OPT3). It was not a very attractive section, as the RR I guess, rated 1/5 in terms of attractivity. But it was nor terrible ! <br /> <br /> After the city of Currarehue, you just follow a long and boring gravel road all along the vallee Panqui. Most surprising moment was to meet the polish priest of the city of Currarehue (yes, you read well), that really wanted to speak and know more on my adventure. After long discussions he even pried for me to have a safe end of my trip, and admit some doubt to have a track at the end of the gravel road. Another wtf moment of this GPT. <br /> <br /> The priest was wrong, of course there were a track at the end of the valley ! And I was happy about that because I was quite bored about this gravel. Track is easy to follow, again more when you pass after cross-country motorcycle that made the way again more easy to follow ! <br /> <br /> Best little moment of this section was the view on the pass, af the valley and the sollipulli volcano far away. <br /> <br /> Then you go down and continue the section until reigolil on a gravel road. People down there were very friendly and quite surprised to see me, not sure there's a lot of hikers who are passing threw the area ! <br /> <br /> Reigolil is tiny tiny, not the best choice to resupply, but there's a minimarket in case of emergency. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> *2024-Feb-14 to 2024-Feb-16 / 2,5 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR / czimahi<br /> <br /> from Curarrehue by road, no prob, first drinkable water just before Puesto 15 [37.4/1101]<br /> one spiny fence on the way like on S39°22.000` W71°29.557` but you can just follow the road and then there is another road up. <br /> I slept like 0,5km before Puesto 15 [33.1/1096] with water<br /> The rest to Reigolil no prob, road ripio, I slept just after bridge Quinenahuin in some abandoned terrain<br /> <br /> *2024-Jan-15 to 2024-Jan-16 / 1.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR - {15-03} / Lilian<br /> <br /> Km1.07 : camping possibilities at west of the road(without fence)beside the river, some trees for privacy and cover.<br /> <br /> Km4.0 : Dirt road junction, you can follow the dirt road to river side, looks like a large flat area there.<br /> <br /> Km4.85 : large and beautiful grassland with trees and beside the river, some camping trace here. A small stream is flowing across the road 50m more.<br /> <br /> Km7.8 : I crossed to the other side of valley with a bridge at here.<br /> <br /> Settlement[59.8+6.9/767] : also a small shop here, selling some food and drinks, not much selection but good stock. I saw some locals waiting bus at here too. Super friendly.<br /> <br /> Then i continued south to join {15-03}.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> {15-03} km1.45 : i saw a clear trailhead going south at here.<br /> <br /> Km1.6 : junction of road and trail.<br /> <br /> From here to km4.1, {15-03} is a very old, damaged and no more cars running dirt road. Mostly you are following it, walking on it or some horse trail and cow paths to the pass at km4.35. Steep but very easy to follow.<br /> <br /> Km1.68 : a trail junction here, it is a very clear trail to north, i think it is connected with the trailhead at km1.45.<br /> <br /> Km2.25 : side trail to a stream (-39.19811, -71.47021), some people use wood and bamboo made a pipe here, easy to collect water, thank you!<br /> <br /> Km2.75 : beautiful camping spot with grassland.<br /> <br /> Km3.1 : small stream(-39.20079, -71.47549) flowing good, easy to collect.<br /> <br /> Km3.9 : no more trace of road, become a horse trail. Some flat spots at valley(east) side with views but windy.<br /> <br /> The trail is maintained by some people, some sticks just cut off on the ground maybe some weeks before. Trail condition is good and going smooth.<br /> <br /> Km4.35 : some flat spots and an old, small bridge here. Stream under the bridge without flowing.<br /> <br /> Km5.8 : trail condition becomes an old dirt road, also a dirt road junction here.<br /> <br /> Km5.85 : beautiful grassland(-39.21900, -71.48849), with a huge tree can fit lot of tents here. Bridge and a good flow stream nearby(-39.21831, -71.48848).<br /> <br /> Km5.9 : bridge, stream flowing good with clear water under the bridge.<br /> <br /> Km7.55 : stream flowing low beside the road, cross a log to grassland camping spot. After here, no more camping possibilities i can find.<br /> <br /> Km8.1 : a friendly locked gate, easy climb at left side.<br /> <br /> Km8.2 : bridge, stream flowing good with clear water under the bridge.<br /> <br /> Km11.3 : bus stop at the turning, but i don't know about the bus schedule.<br /> <br /> I walked about 4-5km more, a local driver waved hands to me, then i arrived Curarrehue, MAGIC!<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Good town for resupply. Lot of accommodation, some supermarkets and restaurants in Curarrehue, also bus to Pucón and Santiago. I resupply at Supermercado Katty(-39.36219, -71.58473), because locals told me it is the best in Curarrehue, and i find 230g gas canisters at GYG Supermercado (2nd floor)(-39.36043, -71.58693), it just left 2.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> *2023-28-12 / 1,5 days / Hiking / NOBO / Option 1 + 1a / Jens <br /> <br /> I crossed the Huerquehue National Park to the north. Bus from Pucon to the entrance at 8.30am. Be there early, it fills up quickly.<br /> <br /> The warden told me that it was illegal to cross the park because of the trek closure. I assured her that I would come back and ignored her. <br /> <br /> The crossing was easy and beautiful. The trail was mostly maintained with the occasional tree trunk to climb over. <br /> <br /> Camping and water available.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> <br /> *2023-Feb-27 / 4 days / Hiking / 15-O1 NOBO + Solipulli traverse + 14 SOBO / Martial <br /> <br /> Very nice expedition starting opposite side from Nat &amp; Tomas cause i skipped GPT11-13 for gear resupply in Pucón (Volcanica outdoors very good btw !).<br /> Started 15-O1 in Parc Huerquehue the 23 in the morning after negociating an entrance ticket with one of the guard off voices who was very comprehensive after i got here without ticket on the 22 at 18pm and parc was fully reserved for 2 more days.. Be more prepared ! Had a lucky price 10mil for Olga’s camping 10mil for 1 person arriving late. Very good value for money ! Crystal clear lake water sunset, hot clean showers, caring owners.. Beers, galletas y pan amasado caliente in the morning ! Had to get back to the CONAF gate in the morning for ticket so wished i had left the mochila in Olga’s 😓 Easy and nice walk up to the lagunas and although i have been warned Renahue sector was shut, i decided to continue as Conaf is not checking exit route. (The sector has been closed for missbehavior of the visitors so obviously don’t make fire or leave basura !!). Starting this sector the trail is volontary left sufficiently overgrown to discourage normal visitor but no GPT hiker 😄 and the way down to the Termas is nice enough. Stayed at ecotermas for 15mil after nice chat with Richard the guardian. Loved to immerge in the termas for hours with a beer and chating with Chileans.<br /> Next morning had in mind to hitchhike but no cars so found nice cascade before turning left to laguna Isolda. The owner put a gate « recinto privado » but you can pass asking for permission.. I bumped into him and his little daughter cleaning the trail to the laguna with machete : very nice guy and thanks to him the trail in this forest till the road is beautiful !<br /> Hitchhiking the road was no better so had to camp next to it on an unmarked camp here -39.06698, -71.51530, rainy night.<br /> The day after finally had a lucky hitch all the way to the entrance of the reserva to Solipulli so could actually make it to the summit on the same day by following the south est ascent. It is CC after the treeline and found a good path climbing to the lake located before the crater for high camp (my specialty it seems 😄 !). Aqui : -38.96789, -71.49060. Weather was getting full sun so no problem and was delightly rewarded by one of the most amazing sunset of my life setting just into a depression of the crater above the glaciar. Mesmerizing and got me smiling for hours despite the crazy windy cold !<br /> After an icy night i used the same path to the ridge scouted before and could join the RR and true summit for midtime before going down on the easy north route heading to CONAF. There was surprisingly no-one there on a sunday early afternoon. Got small supplies from the lodge owner (28mil one p. in the refugio so passed and camped near a lake before last ford : recommended). Met also Franklin family for a few welcome asada meat sandwich treat 🍖 So generous !!<br /> Next day was big MR hiking back 14 sobo so putted earpods and went fullgas to a camp after Reigolil marked on gaia gps (but actually shut so got it free after asking for permision to the abuelo : -39.13615, -71.48404). Very hot and boring no cars after the reserve exit. Happy to reach Curarrehue’s cafeteria for sweet delights after 07:10 bus !<br /> <br /> <br /> * 2023-Feb-20 to 2023-Feb-21 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / OH 1 PN Huerquehue / Natalie &amp; Tomáš <br /> <br /> Hitched from the end of GPT14 to the start of the trail to Laguna Isolda (option 01). The start is gated (easily passable) and says private property but we continued. Sign said to call bosquesnalcahue (45) 91 06 59. We anticipated a bushwack but the trail was in surprisingly good conditions and we managed to meet the women responsible for the upkeep later in the park, she guides horse tours through those trails and clears as much as she can.<br /> The trail however is &quot;so so&quot; and you cannot access the lake easily, if you need water there is running water here;-39.10352, -71.54720. The trail turns into a road sooner than it is shown on the map, it turns into a road here;-39.10477, -71.54474 (about 5 km in). The road to the hotsprings has lots of water sources but it is not very interesting and I personally wished I just hitched all the way to the hotsprings to spend more time there. However, there was an interesting deserted logging operation along the way (-39.12617, -71.55411), we learned from the horse guide that the company went bankrupt and just left everything there. <br /> <br /> Camping at the hotsprings; Evo Thermas Rio Blanco and San Sebastian, are 15mil/person. We chose to stay at Rio Blanco because of the pools and a better variety of camping spots. We camped above the booth where you pay and the man who we payed showed us a hidden super hot (adjustable with cold water hose) bath not too far from our camp spot. Tomáš was surprised there by a family at 10 PM so keep some makeshift swimsuits ready. Both campings sell some basic food items but not much. <br /> <br /> There is a sign saying the trail to Huerquehue is closed &quot;Indefinitely&quot; and so is camping Renahue. Quite alarming but since the website said the park was open we continued with the mindset we would have to turn back. The trail was pretty good from the termas to camping renahue and it is here where we met the horse guides that were doing the trail maintenance near Laguna Isolda. The horse guides came up through the trail from lake Caburgua and they said it was an easy trail. This could be a good option if you wanted to avoid any trouble with CONAF and the section closure. However we were still curious about Huerquehue so we continued option01 thinking we would turn back if we saw another sign or anything saying the trail was closed, to our surprise there were no more signs. Between camping renahue to lake Huerquehue there is a lot of blow down but after lake Huerquehue the trail is pristine. We started seeing people after Lago Toro so obviously the park was open. With the combination of having a late morning at the hot springs and all the indecisiveness about closures we ended up walking through the park at a great time ( 530-7pm). There were very few people and we really got to enjoy how beautiful it was there. CONAF website said they close at 530pm but there are no gates and attendants so no problems leaving the park later.<br /> Unfortunately at the lake the camping El Rincon was closed and camping Olga was 18mil a night with a minimum of a two night stay so we managed to get a hitch to Pucón. If needed, you can illegally camp at the CONAF station as that is what others were doing or ask &quot;Alicia&quot; at the old El Rincon campsite if you can pay privately and take care of your washroom needs- supposedly they had to shut down due to washroom problems. <br /> <br /> '''&quot;Trail closure&quot; on option 01PN Huerquehue. When leaving the Eco termas Rio Blanco hot springs there is a sign saying the &quot;Huerquehue trail, camping renahue and the dome&quot; are closed &quot;indefinitely&quot;. The park itself is open but supposedly that section on the trail is closed. We continued bcs we were not sure which trail they were exactly talking about but we're prepared to turn around if we saw something blocked off. The trail was fine except for a lot of blow down up until the lake Huerquehue. If you want to avoid this closure there is a trail in good shape coming from lake Caburgua to camping renahue. We met a horse guide coming from there and said it is fine.'''<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2020/21==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> <br /> * 2020-Feb-05 / 1.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / Frank<br /> <br /> I combined GPT15, 16 &amp; 17. It's easy to resupply in Curarrehue &amp; Liquine. 2 short days for GPT15 &amp; continued to GPT16 on 2nd day. Got the bus from Pucon to Reigolil via Currarehue. Didn't go to the lake but continued straight on the main road to Curarrehue. This option is quicker but there are not many places to camp. <br /> <br /> <br /> *2020-Feb / 1.5 days / Hiking / NOBO<br /> <br /> We took the dirt road on the west side of river. There is a small coffee about 7km from Currarehue. Very nice with good atmosphere. No particular interest in this section. Hitch if you can, there are quite some people living along this road so it should be easy. There is a bus doing Currarehue/Reigolil every day. Currarehue is nice to resupply with restaurants, supermarkets and accommodation. There is also an ATM. Reigolil there is only one very small shop with not much.<br /> <br /> <br /> *2020-Jan-30 / SOBO / Main road / Martina &amp; Ivo <br /> <br /> We started to walk on the road on the Western side of the river just to see what will happen. After 2 hours a bus to Curarrehue came ;-)<br /> <br /> <br /> * 2019-Nov-26 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Shaun C <br /> <br /> Straightforward. Took a short 2 days. Rained incessantly, but still very pleasant, especially the misty Laguna Hualalafquen. Water readily available throughout. Only a few patches of snow (above 1200m).<br /> <br /> <br /> * 2020-Jan-15 / 4 days (GPT14 + GPT 15) / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Matus &amp; Anna <br /> <br /> We combined sections 14 and 15. It took us 3 days and nero.<br /> GPT14 - there are signs that someone tried to clear overgrown part of the trail on the begining and end but middle is still nicely overgrown. Though we didn't have problem to follow.<br /> Part of minor road on regular trail is under construction. They are putting a huge pipe under it. It was evening and workers were not there se we managed to sneak through but I don't think they will let you pass during working hours. It's just before descending to the river before National reserve Villarrica. <br /> In the Conaf campsite was food truck (it was weekend) with churasco, sopapillas, drinks... pure heaven. We paid 4000 per person at conaf.<br /> They are building a dorm at Lodge. It will be ready for next years hikers ;) <br /> Resuply in Reigolil - mini shop on trail seemed abandoned. We found best supplies in shop-4. There is one other shop directly after bridge. <br /> GPT15 - road and trail in good condition. On the climb to the lake bit before last settler there are some wild cherry trees on the left. We stuffed ourselves and left for others too. Enjoy. Multiple shops, accomodation options and restaurants in Curarrehue.<br /> <br /> <br /> *2020-Jan-19 / 1.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Tom &amp; Maddie <br /> <br /> Easy walking, road in good condition. Would recommend hitching if you have limited time, but worth doing otherwise to connect sections 14 and 16. Really good resupply in Curarrehue (restaurants, grocery stores, clothing stores, pharmacy etc).<br /> <br /> ==Season 2018/19==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2017/18==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2016/17==<br /> <br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> *Pucon has a few big supermarkets &amp; several shops with hiking gear. One of the supermarkets has a hardware section where you can buy camping gas. <br /> <br /> *Regioli at the northern start of the section has only one limited shop. <br /> <br /> *Curarrehue, at the southern end, is a decent-sized town with numerous restaurants and shops. <br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> Quentin : Currarehue is kind of a big city, where you'll find easily places to resupply (there's at least 4 supermarkets and 10 minimarkets), foodplaces and accomodation (cabanas, hospedaje and hostel (at the end of the city)). Didn't checked in all supermarkets, but there's a good chance to find Gaz in this city I reckon, if not in supermarkets, probably in ferretería ?<br /> <br /> Reigolil is tiny tiny, not the best choice to resupply, but there's a minimarket in case of emergency.<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> <br /> Regioli has limited options. Curarrehue is much better connected.<br /> <br /> [[File:Reigolil.jpg|thumb|center|600px|Timetable January 2020]]<br /> <br /> Bus goes from Pucon to Curarrehue then Reigolil<br /> <br /> As of January 2024<br /> <br /> Bus from Reigolil to Curarrehue at 2pm. 1000 pesos. Two hour bus ride.<br /> <br /> November 2024:<br /> <br /> Direct bus from Pucón (Terminal Pullman) to Reigolil. 2600 CLP. 10:30 a.m. at a tuesday, but better to ask about the correct time at the terminal, because there is no written information.<br /> <br /> SOBO to Parque Huerquehue:<br /> Ask the Termas about chartered buses: Whatsapp;+56946809918, +56992318329.<br /> Otherwise make your way via Cunco or Temuco--&gt;Cunco.<br /> Temuco's Terminal de Buses Rurales (Balmaceda 1475) can be complicated since most buses have their own shop elsewhere. For Cunco go to office &quot;IGI LLAIMA/ Nar Bus&quot;; Balmaceda 997. The bus leaves every 30min. <br /> <br /> From Cunco check with locals about bus to Lago Caburga. Supposedly a bus leaves everyday at 4 or 5pm from Balmaceda corner La Concepción. It will pass by the nice supermarket;Supermercado Hesis on &quot;Colico Sur&quot; aka the S-75. Confirm schedule in the municipality of Cunco before traveling at +56 45 2200147.<br /> <br /> Hitchhiking is easy up until Lago Collico, after that there are cars but not many stop.<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT15 - Curarrehue]]<br /> <br /> =Images=<br /> <br /> [[File:GPT_9_Curarrehue_109095280.jpg|thumb|center|1100px|GPT15]]<br /> [[File:GPT_9_Curarrehue_109095440.jpg|thumb|center|1100px|GPT15 and [[Volcán Lanín]]]]<br /> [[File:GPT_9_Curarrehue_109095350.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_9_Curarrehue_109095403.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_9_Curarrehue_109095479.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_9_Curarrehue_109095515.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=GPT15_(Curarrehue)&diff=117924 2024-11-09T01:34:37Z

<p>MiaimZelt: /* Transport to and from Route */Transport from Pucón to Reigolil</p> <hr /> <div>{{Table all GPTs}}<br /> <br /> &lt;br style=&quot;clear:both&quot; /&gt;<br /> <br /> Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format: <br /> <br /> ''*'' 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<br /> <br /> Summary with remarks to route that are considered useful for other hikers and packrafters. Include alerts, suggestions and personal perception of attractiveness and difficulties.<br /> <br /> <br /> Add a sub-chapter by placing two &quot;=&quot; before and after the new sub-chapter heading ('==Sub-Chapter Heading==').<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> =Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=<br /> <br /> ==Season 2025/26==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2024/25==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2023/24==<br /> <br /> *2024 Mar 31st to Apr 5th / 4 hiking days / SOBO / Hiking / Opt 1 / Michael and Kasia<br /> <br /> We did sections 14 and 15 together. <br /> <br /> TL:DR: Opt 1 is a nice route with lots of forest walking and some termales options; the Renahue sector of PN Huerquehue is still closed, but that also means no one is there.<br /> <br /> Day 1 Mar 31st<br /> <br /> Our hitch dropped us off at the beginning Opt 1. It is a road walk, but the road is not much used, so it wasn't too bad. <br /> <br /> We camped at (-39.06732, -71.51559) just before the bridge. It was a functional campsite. It was right next to the road and the ground was covered in a thin layer of pumice, so not optimal for the tent. But it was flat, and didn't require climbing any fences. Going back a small path it had good river access. It was also clearly used as a campsite by other people. There was a fire ring and a grill hanging in a tree.<br /> <br /> <br /> Day 2 Apr 1st<br /> <br /> We continued on the road. We passed the entrance to Opt 1B, though we didn't have time to take it. It is a clearly marked trailhead. We continued on the road to the private property. We tried calling the phone number on the private property sign, but no one answered so we decided to just go ahead. The entrance was through a barbed wire gate, then follow the path along the fence line to the trail. The trail was in pretty good shape except for a few areas where water has rutted it out. We did not find any real access to Laguna Isolada; there was a ring of marsh grass about 3 or 4 meters wide around the whole lake. Where the track gets closest to the lake there was a fallen tree that we sat on for coffee and lunch. At two points there were fairly elaborate wooden barricades, one that we climbed under, the other we climbed around. It was unclear whether they were for animals or people. As has been noted before, the road begins earlier than it shows on the map. We did not see anyone the entire time. We both really enjoy walking in the forest, and the forest was very pretty throughout the day, so we were happy we chose to go this way instead of just hitching all the way to the termas.<br /> <br /> We arrived at the termas area. Eco termas seemed nicer than San Sebastian. The weather forecast was predicting heavy rain and wind up to 60kmph with gusts over 100 kmph the following day, so we wanted to stay in a cabaña instead of the tent and neither of the termales places could accommodate us. We found a cabaña at Cabañas Rio Blanco (-39.10593, -71.61558). It had a well equipped kitchen, wood stove with wood included, and hot water in the shower and sinks. The woman who runs it, Angélica, was incredibly nice and made excellent pan amasado. There is no cell service in the valley and power cuts are a daily thing, though there was power for several hours a day, so plenty of time to charge things.<br /> <br /> <br /> Day 3 and 4 April 2nd and 3rd<br /> <br /> We stayed at Cabañas Rio Blanco for two days to wait over the weather. <br /> <br /> <br /> Day 5 April 4th<br /> <br /> We left Rio Blanco and started up the trail to PN Huerquehue. The trail was in decent shape, better than we had expected. Along the way we saw a lot of different mushrooms, including some very impressive groups of Amanita muscaria that were so shiny red they almost looked fake. At the Letrero mark on OSM is the welcome sign. There was a laminated piece of paper stapled to it that was so badly faded from water as to be unreadable. If it weren't for Natalie's note from last year we would have had no idea what it said. The Renahue sector is still officially closed, as is the camping. The trail up was sometimes a little hard to keep track of. It was also pretty slippery for a lot of it. I would definitely not recommend doing it in the rain. The forest is pretty though and we really enjoyed the hike. We camped at Renahue. It was fine, though nothing special.<br /> <br /> <br /> Day 6 April 5th<br /> <br /> From Renahue we followed the trail toward the entrance. Until Laguna Huerquehue there were still a lot of blow downs to climb over. In some places it looked like recent maintenance had been done, in others not. Laguna Avutardas is a short detour, as is Laguna Huerquehue which is less a laguna and more of a wetland. Laguna Toro was pretty and we stopped there for lunch. There is a campsite marked there on OSM, however the ground was saturated, not sure if from the rain or from the lake, but not a good camp spot. Lago Verde and Lago Chico were also nice. The trail after Lago Chico was in pretty rough shape. It was clear and there was no brush, but it was very wet and extremely slippery. There was no one at the ticket office when we left, however that is not really the exit. There is still more than a km of trail until a road, and then another 2 km until the actual gate. It was about 7:30 and we were about 200 m from the main entrance when a CONAF guard drove up in a truck, on his way to his house I assume. It ended up being a somewhat uncomfortable conversation, he was upset that we had gone that way and he said a number of things that didn't make sense, but the essence was that it was prohibited to cross the park from Rio Blanco. After everything he was a bit more demure and said if we wanted to camp at the CONAF camping it was 20.000 and we could register and pay in the morning, then he left. We were considering camping but a truck was leaving the entrance right as we got there and we caught a lucky hitch all the way to Pucón.<br /> <br /> <br /> *2024-03-09 // 1 day // Hiking // NOBO // OPT3 + RR // Quentin Clavel<br /> <br /> As the weather was not on my side this week, and that I've got only one sunny day, I did my best to have this nice day for the ascent of the sollipulli volcano. <br /> <br /> So I decided to shortcut this GPT15, by passing threw the vallee Panqui (OPT3). It was not a very attractive section, as the RR I guess, rated 1/5 in terms of attractivity. But it was nor terrible ! <br /> <br /> After the city of Currarehue, you just follow a long and boring gravel road all along the vallee Panqui. Most surprising moment was to meet the polish priest of the city of Currarehue (yes, you read well), that really wanted to speak and know more on my adventure. After long discussions he even pried for me to have a safe end of my trip, and admit some doubt to have a track at the end of the gravel road. Another wtf moment of this GPT. <br /> <br /> The priest was wrong, of course there were a track at the end of the valley ! And I was happy about that because I was quite bored about this gravel. Track is easy to follow, again more when you pass after cross-country motorcycle that made the way again more easy to follow ! <br /> <br /> Best little moment of this section was the view on the pass, af the valley and the sollipulli volcano far away. <br /> <br /> Then you go down and continue the section until reigolil on a gravel road. People down there were very friendly and quite surprised to see me, not sure there's a lot of hikers who are passing threw the area ! <br /> <br /> Reigolil is tiny tiny, not the best choice to resupply, but there's a minimarket in case of emergency. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> *2024-Feb-14 to 2024-Feb-16 / 2,5 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR / czimahi<br /> <br /> from Curarrehue by road, no prob, first drinkable water just before Puesto 15 [37.4/1101]<br /> one spiny fence on the way like on S39°22.000` W71°29.557` but you can just follow the road and then there is another road up. <br /> I slept like 0,5km before Puesto 15 [33.1/1096] with water<br /> The rest to Reigolil no prob, road ripio, I slept just after bridge Quinenahuin in some abandoned terrain<br /> <br /> *2024-Jan-15 to 2024-Jan-16 / 1.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR - {15-03} / Lilian<br /> <br /> Km1.07 : camping possibilities at west of the road(without fence)beside the river, some trees for privacy and cover.<br /> <br /> Km4.0 : Dirt road junction, you can follow the dirt road to river side, looks like a large flat area there.<br /> <br /> Km4.85 : large and beautiful grassland with trees and beside the river, some camping trace here. A small stream is flowing across the road 50m more.<br /> <br /> Km7.8 : I crossed to the other side of valley with a bridge at here.<br /> <br /> Settlement[59.8+6.9/767] : also a small shop here, selling some food and drinks, not much selection but good stock. I saw some locals waiting bus at here too. Super friendly.<br /> <br /> Then i continued south to join {15-03}.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> {15-03} km1.45 : i saw a clear trailhead going south at here.<br /> <br /> Km1.6 : junction of road and trail.<br /> <br /> From here to km4.1, {15-03} is a very old, damaged and no more cars running dirt road. Mostly you are following it, walking on it or some horse trail and cow paths to the pass at km4.35. Steep but very easy to follow.<br /> <br /> Km1.68 : a trail junction here, it is a very clear trail to north, i think it is connected with the trailhead at km1.45.<br /> <br /> Km2.25 : side trail to a stream (-39.19811, -71.47021), some people use wood and bamboo made a pipe here, easy to collect water, thank you!<br /> <br /> Km2.75 : beautiful camping spot with grassland.<br /> <br /> Km3.1 : small stream(-39.20079, -71.47549) flowing good, easy to collect.<br /> <br /> Km3.9 : no more trace of road, become a horse trail. Some flat spots at valley(east) side with views but windy.<br /> <br /> The trail is maintained by some people, some sticks just cut off on the ground maybe some weeks before. Trail condition is good and going smooth.<br /> <br /> Km4.35 : some flat spots and an old, small bridge here. Stream under the bridge without flowing.<br /> <br /> Km5.8 : trail condition becomes an old dirt road, also a dirt road junction here.<br /> <br /> Km5.85 : beautiful grassland(-39.21900, -71.48849), with a huge tree can fit lot of tents here. Bridge and a good flow stream nearby(-39.21831, -71.48848).<br /> <br /> Km5.9 : bridge, stream flowing good with clear water under the bridge.<br /> <br /> Km7.55 : stream flowing low beside the road, cross a log to grassland camping spot. After here, no more camping possibilities i can find.<br /> <br /> Km8.1 : a friendly locked gate, easy climb at left side.<br /> <br /> Km8.2 : bridge, stream flowing good with clear water under the bridge.<br /> <br /> Km11.3 : bus stop at the turning, but i don't know about the bus schedule.<br /> <br /> I walked about 4-5km more, a local driver waved hands to me, then i arrived Curarrehue, MAGIC!<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Good town for resupply. Lot of accommodation, some supermarkets and restaurants in Curarrehue, also bus to Pucón and Santiago. I resupply at Supermercado Katty(-39.36219, -71.58473), because locals told me it is the best in Curarrehue, and i find 230g gas canisters at GYG Supermercado (2nd floor)(-39.36043, -71.58693), it just left 2.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> *2023-28-12 / 1,5 days / Hiking / NOBO / Option 1 + 1a / Jens <br /> <br /> I crossed the Huerquehue National Park to the north. Bus from Pucon to the entrance at 8.30am. Be there early, it fills up quickly.<br /> <br /> The warden told me that it was illegal to cross the park because of the trek closure. I assured her that I would come back and ignored her. <br /> <br /> The crossing was easy and beautiful. The trail was mostly maintained with the occasional tree trunk to climb over. <br /> <br /> Camping and water available.<br /> <br /> ==Season 2022/23==<br /> <br /> *2023-Feb-27 / 4 days / Hiking / 15-O1 NOBO + Solipulli traverse + 14 SOBO / Martial <br /> <br /> Very nice expedition starting opposite side from Nat &amp; Tomas cause i skipped GPT11-13 for gear resupply in Pucón (Volcanica outdoors very good btw !).<br /> Started 15-O1 in Parc Huerquehue the 23 in the morning after negociating an entrance ticket with one of the guard off voices who was very comprehensive after i got here without ticket on the 22 at 18pm and parc was fully reserved for 2 more days.. Be more prepared ! Had a lucky price 10mil for Olga’s camping 10mil for 1 person arriving late. Very good value for money ! Crystal clear lake water sunset, hot clean showers, caring owners.. Beers, galletas y pan amasado caliente in the morning ! Had to get back to the CONAF gate in the morning for ticket so wished i had left the mochila in Olga’s 😓 Easy and nice walk up to the lagunas and although i have been warned Renahue sector was shut, i decided to continue as Conaf is not checking exit route. (The sector has been closed for missbehavior of the visitors so obviously don’t make fire or leave basura !!). Starting this sector the trail is volontary left sufficiently overgrown to discourage normal visitor but no GPT hiker 😄 and the way down to the Termas is nice enough. Stayed at ecotermas for 15mil after nice chat with Richard the guardian. Loved to immerge in the termas for hours with a beer and chating with Chileans.<br /> Next morning had in mind to hitchhike but no cars so found nice cascade before turning left to laguna Isolda. The owner put a gate « recinto privado » but you can pass asking for permission.. I bumped into him and his little daughter cleaning the trail to the laguna with machete : very nice guy and thanks to him the trail in this forest till the road is beautiful !<br /> Hitchhiking the road was no better so had to camp next to it on an unmarked camp here -39.06698, -71.51530, rainy night.<br /> The day after finally had a lucky hitch all the way to the entrance of the reserva to Solipulli so could actually make it to the summit on the same day by following the south est ascent. It is CC after the treeline and found a good path climbing to the lake located before the crater for high camp (my specialty it seems 😄 !). Aqui : -38.96789, -71.49060. Weather was getting full sun so no problem and was delightly rewarded by one of the most amazing sunset of my life setting just into a depression of the crater above the glaciar. Mesmerizing and got me smiling for hours despite the crazy windy cold !<br /> After an icy night i used the same path to the ridge scouted before and could join the RR and true summit for midtime before going down on the easy north route heading to CONAF. There was surprisingly no-one there on a sunday early afternoon. Got small supplies from the lodge owner (28mil one p. in the refugio so passed and camped near a lake before last ford : recommended). Met also Franklin family for a few welcome asada meat sandwich treat 🍖 So generous !!<br /> Next day was big MR hiking back 14 sobo so putted earpods and went fullgas to a camp after Reigolil marked on gaia gps (but actually shut so got it free after asking for permision to the abuelo : -39.13615, -71.48404). Very hot and boring no cars after the reserve exit. Happy to reach Curarrehue’s cafeteria for sweet delights after 07:10 bus !<br /> <br /> <br /> * 2023-Feb-20 to 2023-Feb-21 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / OH 1 PN Huerquehue / Natalie &amp; Tomáš <br /> <br /> Hitched from the end of GPT14 to the start of the trail to Laguna Isolda (option 01). The start is gated (easily passable) and says private property but we continued. Sign said to call bosquesnalcahue (45) 91 06 59. We anticipated a bushwack but the trail was in surprisingly good conditions and we managed to meet the women responsible for the upkeep later in the park, she guides horse tours through those trails and clears as much as she can.<br /> The trail however is &quot;so so&quot; and you cannot access the lake easily, if you need water there is running water here;-39.10352, -71.54720. The trail turns into a road sooner than it is shown on the map, it turns into a road here;-39.10477, -71.54474 (about 5 km in). The road to the hotsprings has lots of water sources but it is not very interesting and I personally wished I just hitched all the way to the hotsprings to spend more time there. However, there was an interesting deserted logging operation along the way (-39.12617, -71.55411), we learned from the horse guide that the company went bankrupt and just left everything there. <br /> <br /> Camping at the hotsprings; Evo Thermas Rio Blanco and San Sebastian, are 15mil/person. We chose to stay at Rio Blanco because of the pools and a better variety of camping spots. We camped above the booth where you pay and the man who we payed showed us a hidden super hot (adjustable with cold water hose) bath not too far from our camp spot. Tomáš was surprised there by a family at 10 PM so keep some makeshift swimsuits ready. Both campings sell some basic food items but not much. <br /> <br /> There is a sign saying the trail to Huerquehue is closed &quot;Indefinitely&quot; and so is camping Renahue. Quite alarming but since the website said the park was open we continued with the mindset we would have to turn back. The trail was pretty good from the termas to camping renahue and it is here where we met the horse guides that were doing the trail maintenance near Laguna Isolda. The horse guides came up through the trail from lake Caburgua and they said it was an easy trail. This could be a good option if you wanted to avoid any trouble with CONAF and the section closure. However we were still curious about Huerquehue so we continued option01 thinking we would turn back if we saw another sign or anything saying the trail was closed, to our surprise there were no more signs. Between camping renahue to lake Huerquehue there is a lot of blow down but after lake Huerquehue the trail is pristine. We started seeing people after Lago Toro so obviously the park was open. With the combination of having a late morning at the hot springs and all the indecisiveness about closures we ended up walking through the park at a great time ( 530-7pm). There were very few people and we really got to enjoy how beautiful it was there. CONAF website said they close at 530pm but there are no gates and attendants so no problems leaving the park later.<br /> Unfortunately at the lake the camping El Rincon was closed and camping Olga was 18mil a night with a minimum of a two night stay so we managed to get a hitch to Pucón. If needed, you can illegally camp at the CONAF station as that is what others were doing or ask &quot;Alicia&quot; at the old El Rincon campsite if you can pay privately and take care of your washroom needs- supposedly they had to shut down due to washroom problems. <br /> <br /> '''&quot;Trail closure&quot; on option 01PN Huerquehue. When leaving the Eco termas Rio Blanco hot springs there is a sign saying the &quot;Huerquehue trail, camping renahue and the dome&quot; are closed &quot;indefinitely&quot;. The park itself is open but supposedly that section on the trail is closed. We continued bcs we were not sure which trail they were exactly talking about but we're prepared to turn around if we saw something blocked off. The trail was fine except for a lot of blow down up until the lake Huerquehue. If you want to avoid this closure there is a trail in good shape coming from lake Caburgua to camping renahue. We met a horse guide coming from there and said it is fine.'''<br /> <br /> ==Season 2021/22==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2020/21==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2019/20==<br /> <br /> * 2020-Feb-05 / 1.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / Frank<br /> <br /> I combined GPT15, 16 &amp; 17. It's easy to resupply in Curarrehue &amp; Liquine. 2 short days for GPT15 &amp; continued to GPT16 on 2nd day. Got the bus from Pucon to Reigolil via Currarehue. Didn't go to the lake but continued straight on the main road to Curarrehue. This option is quicker but there are not many places to camp. <br /> <br /> <br /> *2020-Feb / 1.5 days / Hiking / NOBO<br /> <br /> We took the dirt road on the west side of river. There is a small coffee about 7km from Currarehue. Very nice with good atmosphere. No particular interest in this section. Hitch if you can, there are quite some people living along this road so it should be easy. There is a bus doing Currarehue/Reigolil every day. Currarehue is nice to resupply with restaurants, supermarkets and accommodation. There is also an ATM. Reigolil there is only one very small shop with not much.<br /> <br /> <br /> *2020-Jan-30 / SOBO / Main road / Martina &amp; Ivo <br /> <br /> We started to walk on the road on the Western side of the river just to see what will happen. After 2 hours a bus to Curarrehue came ;-)<br /> <br /> <br /> * 2019-Nov-26 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Shaun C <br /> <br /> Straightforward. Took a short 2 days. Rained incessantly, but still very pleasant, especially the misty Laguna Hualalafquen. Water readily available throughout. Only a few patches of snow (above 1200m).<br /> <br /> <br /> * 2020-Jan-15 / 4 days (GPT14 + GPT 15) / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Matus &amp; Anna <br /> <br /> We combined sections 14 and 15. It took us 3 days and nero.<br /> GPT14 - there are signs that someone tried to clear overgrown part of the trail on the begining and end but middle is still nicely overgrown. Though we didn't have problem to follow.<br /> Part of minor road on regular trail is under construction. They are putting a huge pipe under it. It was evening and workers were not there se we managed to sneak through but I don't think they will let you pass during working hours. It's just before descending to the river before National reserve Villarrica. <br /> In the Conaf campsite was food truck (it was weekend) with churasco, sopapillas, drinks... pure heaven. We paid 4000 per person at conaf.<br /> They are building a dorm at Lodge. It will be ready for next years hikers ;) <br /> Resuply in Reigolil - mini shop on trail seemed abandoned. We found best supplies in shop-4. There is one other shop directly after bridge. <br /> GPT15 - road and trail in good condition. On the climb to the lake bit before last settler there are some wild cherry trees on the left. We stuffed ourselves and left for others too. Enjoy. Multiple shops, accomodation options and restaurants in Curarrehue.<br /> <br /> <br /> *2020-Jan-19 / 1.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Tom &amp; Maddie <br /> <br /> Easy walking, road in good condition. Would recommend hitching if you have limited time, but worth doing otherwise to connect sections 14 and 16. Really good resupply in Curarrehue (restaurants, grocery stores, clothing stores, pharmacy etc).<br /> <br /> ==Season 2018/19==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2017/18==<br /> <br /> ==Season 2016/17==<br /> <br /> <br /> =Resupply and Accommodation=<br /> <br /> *Pucon has a few big supermarkets &amp; several shops with hiking gear. One of the supermarkets has a hardware section where you can buy camping gas. <br /> <br /> *Regioli at the northern start of the section has only one limited shop. <br /> <br /> *Curarrehue, at the southern end, is a decent-sized town with numerous restaurants and shops. <br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==<br /> <br /> ==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==<br /> <br /> Quentin : Currarehue is kind of a big city, where you'll find easily places to resupply (there's at least 4 supermarkets and 10 minimarkets), foodplaces and accomodation (cabanas, hospedaje and hostel (at the end of the city)). Didn't checked in all supermarkets, but there's a good chance to find Gaz in this city I reckon, if not in supermarkets, probably in ferretería ?<br /> <br /> Reigolil is tiny tiny, not the best choice to resupply, but there's a minimarket in case of emergency.<br /> <br /> =Transport to and from Route=<br /> <br /> Regioli has limited options. Curarrehue is much better connected.<br /> <br /> [[File:Reigolil.jpg|thumb|center|600px|Timetable January 2020]]<br /> <br /> Bus goes from Pucon to Curarrehue then Reigolil<br /> <br /> As of January 2024<br /> <br /> Bus from Reigolil to Curarrehue at 2pm. 1000 pesos. Two hour bus ride.<br /> <br /> November 2024:<br /> <br /> Direct bus from Pucón (Terminal Pullman) to Reigolil. We took one at 10:30 am at a tuesday, but better to ask about the correct time at the terminal. <br /> <br /> SOBO to Parque Huerquehue:<br /> Ask the Termas about chartered buses: Whatsapp;+56946809918, +56992318329.<br /> Otherwise make your way via Cunco or Temuco--&gt;Cunco.<br /> Temuco's Terminal de Buses Rurales (Balmaceda 1475) can be complicated since most buses have their own shop elsewhere. For Cunco go to office &quot;IGI LLAIMA/ Nar Bus&quot;; Balmaceda 997. The bus leaves every 30min. <br /> <br /> From Cunco check with locals about bus to Lago Caburga. Supposedly a bus leaves everyday at 4 or 5pm from Balmaceda corner La Concepción. It will pass by the nice supermarket;Supermercado Hesis on &quot;Colico Sur&quot; aka the S-75. Confirm schedule in the municipality of Cunco before traveling at +56 45 2200147.<br /> <br /> Hitchhiking is easy up until Lago Collico, after that there are cars but not many stop.<br /> <br /> =Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=<br /> <br /> <br /> =Links to other Resources=<br /> <br /> Retired Section Article [[GPT15 - Curarrehue]]<br /> <br /> =Images=<br /> <br /> [[File:GPT_9_Curarrehue_109095280.jpg|thumb|center|1100px|GPT15]]<br /> [[File:GPT_9_Curarrehue_109095440.jpg|thumb|center|1100px|GPT15 and [[Volcán Lanín]]]]<br /> [[File:GPT_9_Curarrehue_109095350.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_9_Curarrehue_109095403.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_9_Curarrehue_109095479.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]<br /> [[File:GPT_9_Curarrehue_109095515.jpg|thumb|center|1100px]]</div>

MiaimZelt https://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=Greater_Patagonian_Trail_track_files&diff=117828 2024-11-03T01:40:01Z

<p>MiaimZelt: /* List of requests */Añadi contento</p> <hr /> <div>[[category:Greater Patagonian Trail]]<br /> 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.<br /> <br /> GPT Hikers's Manual: http://bit.ly/GPTmanual<br /> <br /> ==Create an account in Wikiexplora (compulsory)==<br /> [[File:create account wikiexplora.png|frame|Six (very standard) steps to create an account in Wikiexplora]]<br /> To request the files you must first [http://wikiexplora.com/index.php?title=Especial:Entrar&amp;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:<br /> #User name<br /> #Password<br /> #Confirm password<br /> #Email. Not compulsory but highly recommended to give us the chance to reach you. Wikiexplora has sent only '''one''' non personal email in 13 years.<br /> #Real name (optional)<br /> #On the final line type '''wikiexplora''', all in lower case<br /> <br /> ==List of requests==<br /> &lt;!-- To unlock the GPT Track Files 2019 you will need in addition the Track File Unlock Code 8: 367661 --&gt;<br /> <br /> Please type your name (or your new Wikiexplora user name or alias) and explain your plan for the GPT that requires the GPT Track Files. Put yourself on top of the list.<br /> <br /> Don't forget to send the email after adding yourself to the list as described in the GPT Hikers' Manual (1.15.7 Access to the GPT Track Files).<br /> <br /> Use the format:<br /> <br /> *&quot;'MiaimZelt&quot;' 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.<br /> <br /> “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.<br /> <br /> * '''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. <br /> <br /> *'''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.<br /> <br /> *'''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.<br /> <br /> *'''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.<br /> <br /> *'''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<br /> <br /> *'''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!<br /> <br /> *'''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!<br /> <br /> *'''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!!<br /> <br /> *''''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. <br /> <br /> *'''''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.<br /> <br /> *'''''wiiiim''''' Hola Juan, I'm very interested in exploring Patagonia further by hiking &amp; 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<br /> <br /> *'''''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.<br /> <br /> *'''''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. <br /> <br /> *'''''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!<br /> <br /> *'''''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!<br /> <br /> *'''''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!<br /> <br /> *'''''Farah &amp; 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!<br /> <br /> *'''''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. <br /> <br /> *'''''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. <br /> <br /> *'''''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. <br /> <br /> *'''''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.<br /> <br /> *'''''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!<br /> <br /> *'''''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!<br /> <br /> *'''''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.<br /> <br /> *'''''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!<br /> *&quot;&quot;Morliz&quot;&quot; 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.<br /> *'''''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.<br /> <br /> *'''''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! :)<br /> <br /> *'''''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 :)<br /> <br /> *'''''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!<br /> <br /> *'''''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.<br /> <br /> *'''''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. <br /> Thanks for your unbelievable huge amount of work you are putting on the GPT<br /> <br /> *'''''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!<br /> <br /> *'''''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.<br /> <br /> *'''''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 !<br /> *'''''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<br /> *'''''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!<br /> *'''''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!<br /> *'''''Maxfelis''''' Hi Jan, I'm a hiking enthusiast living in Santiago. I recently did &quot;Sendero del Condor&quot;, 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!<br /> <br /> *'''''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.<br /> <br /> *'''''Benoît'''' Hello Jan, I started the GPT from Santiago at the end of 2018, but because of covid I did not continue afterwards. Your resources and your work gave me an incredible experience... I would like to continue from the Antuco Volcano where I left off, and go south! Thanks again for all your work!<br /> <br /> *'''''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!<br /> <br /> *'''''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!<br /> <br /> *'''''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.<br /> <br /> *'''''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!<br /> <br /> *'''''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! <br /> <br /> *'''''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.<br /> <br /> *'''''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!<br /> <br /> <br /> *'''''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!<br /> <br /> <br /> *'''''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.<br /> <br /> *'''''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.<br /> <br /> *'''''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&amp;experience, hopefully support future travelers.<br /> <br /> *'''''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!<br /> <br /> *'''''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.<br /> <br /> *'''''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. <br /> <br /> *'''''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!<br /> <br /> *'''''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. <br /> <br /> *'''''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.<br /> <br /> *'''''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<br /> <br /> *'''''czimahi'''''Hola Jan, por favor me podrías enviar el file para ir alguna parte entre GPT18 a GPT5? Muchas gracias <br /> <br /> *'''''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<br /> <br /> *'''''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.<br /> <br /> *'''''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. <br /> <br /> *'''''Lazy_Lemon''''' Kia ora! Looking to get amongst the Patagonia trails so thanks so much for putting all this information together!<br /> <br /> *'''''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<br /> <br /> *'''''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<br /> <br /> *'''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.<br /> <br /> *'''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 :)<br /> <br /> *'''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. <br /> <br /> *'''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<br /> <br /> *'''Rainbow16''' Hi Jan &amp; 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. <br /> <br /> *'''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<br /> <br /> *'''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<br /> <br /> *'''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.<br /> <br /> *'''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/)<br /> <br /> *'''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. <br /> <br /> *'''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 !<br /> <br /> *'''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 ! <br /> <br /> *'''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. <br /> <br /> *'''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!<br /> <br /> *'''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.<br /> <br /> * '''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.<br /> <br /> * '''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)! <br /> <br /> * '''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. <br /> <br /> * '''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<br /> <br /> * '''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!<br /> <br /> * '''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<br /> <br /> * '''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<br /> <br /> *'''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<br /> <br /> *'''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!<br /> <br /> *'''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!<br /> <br /> *'''ColineW''' Hi Jan ! Thank you a lot for the amazing work you did with the &quot;Great Patagonian Trail, Hikers Manual&quot; ! 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 !<br /> <br /> *'''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 &amp; 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!<br /> <br /> *'''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.<br /> <br /> *'''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.<br /> <br /> *'''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 &amp; advice so far. <br /> <br /> *'''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. <br /> <br /> *'''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.<br /> <br /> *'''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? :-)<br /> <br /> *'''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<br /> <br /> *'''wbarab''' Hi Jan, thank you for all the extensive and detailed work put into this manual. My partner and I (American &amp; 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 &quot;maybes&quot; if time permits)! To continue we would really appreciate access to the trackfiles.<br /> <br /> *'''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. <br /> <br /> *'''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!<br /> <br /> *'''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.<br /> <br /> *'''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 :)<br /> <br /> *'''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!<br /> <br /> *'''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!<br /> <br /> *'''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 &amp; Yannick<br /> <br /> *'''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 <br /> <br /> *'''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.<br /> <br /> *'''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.<br /> <br /> *'''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<br /> <br /> *'''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.<br /> <br /> *'''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<br /> <br /> *'''Larix84''' Hello Jan, he hablado contigo con whatsapp hace 2 semanas Mi proyecto de trail para el ano que viene se confirma, un saludo'''<br /> <br /> *'''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!<br /> <br /> *'''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<br /> Greatings TheRebel<br /> <br /> *'''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. <br /> <br /> *'''Ollie''' Hello Jan. I am from Wales and currently is<br /> 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.<br /> <br /> *'''Silke &amp; Hans''' Hello, We are a Belgian couple currently on a multiyear bikepacking, trekking &amp; 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.<br /> <br /> *'''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!<br /> <br /> *'''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!<br /> <br /> *'''Diegoara''' Hi! My name is Diego and I am from Chile and I'm interested in the GPT to do de GPT18 &amp; 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!<br /> <br /> *'''Jess&amp;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 !<br /> <br /> *'''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!<br /> <br /> *'''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!<br /> <br /> *'''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!<br /> <br /> *'''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! <br /> <br /> *'''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. <br /> <br /> *'''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 !<br /> <br /> *'''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).<br /> <br /> *'''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. <br /> <br /> *'''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 &quot;Puente Ingles&quot; , 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! <br /> <br /> *'''MarcGPT''' Hola! Last year while hiking around Cochrane, I learned about the GPT. Looking forward to return and contribute to the GPT manual.<br /> <br /> *'''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.<br /> <br /> *'''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. <br /> <br /> *'''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 ! <br /> <br /> *'''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. <br /> <br /> *'''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. <br /> <br /> *'''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.<br /> <br /> *'''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. <br /> <br /> *'''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!<br /> <br /> *'''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! <br /> <br /> *'''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 !<br /> <br /> *'''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<br /> <br /> *'''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<br /> <br /> *'''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. <br /> <br /> *&quot;ChristopherT&quot;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!<br /> Cheers,<br /> Christopher and Anna<br /> <br /> * '''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.<br /> <br /> * '''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! <br /> <br /> *&quot;nmakepeace&quot; 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! <br /> <br /> * '''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.<br /> <br /> * '''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. <br /> <br /> * '''hannahp24''' My partner Eric &amp; I will hike GPT 32-36 in Dec-Jan 2022/2023. Excited to explore new places and give guidance to what we find here.<br /> <br /> * '''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 :)<br /> <br /> * ''' 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.<br /> <br /> * ''' 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.<br /> <br /> *''' 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! <br /> <br /> * ''' Christophe (Alex &amp; 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.<br /> <br /> *'''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.<br /> <br /> *'''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.<br /> <br /> *'''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.<br /> *'''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.<br /> * ''' 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.<br /> <br /> * ''' Michaelstabile (Mike &amp; 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.<br /> <br /> * ''' Martin&amp;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&amp;Helena<br /> <br /> * '''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!<br /> <br /> * '''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.<br /> <br /> * '''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.<br /> <br /> * '''Alexis (dm) &amp; 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. <br /> <br /> *'''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.<br /> <br /> *'''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<br /> <br /> *'''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! <br /> <br /> **'''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!<br /> <br /> *'''Yannic &amp; 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 !<br /> <br /> *'''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 ?<br /> <br /> *'''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!!!!!!!!!! <br /> <br /> *'''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! <br /> <br /> *'''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 !<br /> <br /> *'''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.<br /> <br /> *'''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. <br /> <br /> *'''Alice &amp; Florian''': Hola! We are Alice &amp; 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. <br /> <br /> *'''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!<br /> <br /> *'''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.<br /> 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.<br /> In my research I am missing the exact GPX files for my GPS.<br /> Thank you in advance and congratulations again for all the work provided and to which we have access.<br /> <br /> *'''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!<br /> <br /> *'''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!!!<br /> <br /> *'''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!!!<br /> <br /> *'''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!<br /> <br /> *'''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!<br /> <br /> *'''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 !<br /> <br /> *'''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!!<br /> <br /> *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!<br /> <br /> *'''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!<br /> <br /> *'''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!<br /> <br /> *'''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!<br /> <br /> *'''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!<br /> <br /> *'''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.<br /> <br /> *'''Alexey''': I will start my trip on 29.11.2021 from Lago Todos Los Santos to the North, until Lago Ranco.<br /> <br /> *'''Matthias&amp;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! <br /> <br /> *'''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<br /> <br /> *'''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).<br /> <br /> *'''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 !<br /> <br /> *'''Rebeca y Cristián''': Buenas tardes Jan! Estuvimos conociendo distintos lugares de la décima región desde inicios del 2021, &quot;aprovechando&quot; 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. <br /> <br /> *'''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. <br /> <br /> *'''Vera &amp; 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!<br /> <br /> *'''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!<br /> <br /> *'''Kris&amp;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! <br /> <br /> *'''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!<br /> <br /> *'''HolKann &amp; 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 &quot;the shadow of an old mule path&quot; 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.<br /> <br /> *'''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!<br /> *'''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<br /> <br /> *'''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!<br /> <br /> *'''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.<br /> <br /> *'''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!<br /> <br /> *'''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. <br /> <br /> *'''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 !.<br /> <br /> *'''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.<br /> <br /> *'''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.<br /> <br /> *'''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!<br /> <br /> *'''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.<br /> <br /> *'''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!<br /> <br /> *'''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<br /> <br /> *'''Patagonico''': Years ago i did the ruta de los pioneros now i would like to complete the GPT in the next few years.<br /> <br /> <br /> *'''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<br /> *'''O Bicho Geográfico''': Para fines de investigación científica, Abril de 2021.<br /> *'''Max Nemeth''': November to Mid-March 21/22, sections to be determined. Thank you for the amazing work on this route!<br /> *'''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.<br /> *'''nico142857''': GPT01 and GPT02. Im planning to hike these 2 sections on March, and gpx's routes surely will help a lot. Thanks!<br /> *'''MauricioDM''': I am planning to hike the whole trail in parts, but I am not sure where to begin, the GPX will help . Thanks. <br /> *'''Nico busch''': GPT33H. Planning on doing the Torres del Avellano hike. Thanks. <br /> *'''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.<br /> *'''AJForno''':, GPT 01 to 40, I live in Chile and have done some sections, and plan to keep exploring, Thank you! Andres <br /> *'''Thom&amp;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 <br /> <br /> *'''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!<br /> <br /> *'''Tom Corbett''': Januray 2021, hiking and packrafting sections of GPT 26 to GPT 33.<br /> <br /> *'''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.<br /> <br /> *'''Tobi &amp; Fang''': Hiking and potentially packrafting in the &lt;s&gt;2021/2022, 2022/2023&lt;/s&gt; 2023/2024 season.<br /> <br /> *'''Freek van Keulen (Freek)''': Plan to hike 2021-2022 season, starting preparations and research now<br /> <br /> *'''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.<br /> <br /> *'''Quamen''': I am dreaming to hike the GPT01-16 and to hiking/packrafting GPT17-40 southbound this austral summer 2020-2021 season.<br /> <br /> *'''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.<br /> <br /> *'''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!<br /> <br /> <br /> *'''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.<br /> <br /> *'''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 :)<br /> <br /> *'''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<br /> <br /> *'''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.<br /> <br /> *'''Olivier1''': Planning to hike the standard route northbound, starting at GPT 40 for the 2021-2022 season.<br /> <br /> *'''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.<br /> <br /> *'''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) ;-)<br /> <br /> *'''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.<br /> <br /> *'''Leonhard''': GTP 1-16: Planning on starting end of 2021 with GPT 1-16 and further on. Got one season to explore the GPT.<br /> <br /> *'''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!<br /> <br /> *'''ConnyPflaume''': GTP 14 &amp; 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.<br /> <br /> *'''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)<br /> <br /> *'''Kelly Swanson''': I plan to solo trek starting at GPT06 in January 2020, continuing till mid March.<br /> <br /> *'''phil ro''': i will start in coihayque in mid-january and will head south for more than 4 weeks with a packraft.<br /> <br /> *'''johannsteffen''': Going to make a backpack trip starting in February on Ushuaya and going to Bariloche in June.<br /> <br /> *'''Claudio Miranda''': Starting from Santiago in January 2020 until April, planing to arrive at least to Chile Chico.<br /> <br /> *'''Trinity''': Travelling to SA for 2 years and plan exploring Patagonia.<br /> <br /> *'''pirre''': Starting in January 2020 on GPT32 and planning to hike south for 6-8 weeks. Thanks!<br /> <br /> *'''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!!!<br /> <br /> *'''Gatodelmonte''': Starting on 2 January from Santiago, planning to hike South for about 45 days &amp; exit near Pucon (sections 1 to 15)<br /> <br /> *'''Fedepatagon''': Like to pack raft on the area between Bariloche-Osorno and P.N Los Alerces<br /> <br /> *'''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!!<br /> <br /> *'''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!<br /> <br /> *'''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!<br /> <br /> *'''Ianhikes'''* Leaving for Chile in 1 week and looking to spend a month on GPT hiking southbound.<br /> <br /> *'''zc0rp10''': Hi! Planning and preparing for an extended hike together with two friends from November 2020 - Feb 2021.<br /> <br /> *'''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<br /> <br /> *'''gorskial''': plan to bike/packraft along the carretera austral from Puerto Montt to Villa O'Higgins with hiking side trips. Jan/feb 2020<br /> <br /> *'''pitney''': Solo hiking GPT sections 6-22 Southbound beginning early January, 2020.<br /> <br /> *'''dirtmonger''': GPT sections 1-24; planning underway for an immersion solo hike ‘20 November to ‘21 February. <br /> <br /> *'''bob451''': Planning on solo hiking 2 or 3 sections of the GPT northbound March/April 2019.<br /> <br /> *'''Mgabenesch''' : Planning on hiking most parts of the GPT, starting in Ushuaïa then going North. I have on year off. Starting Dec 2019<br /> <br /> *'''Family Size''': Planning on hiking parts of the GPT southbound. Starting end of November 2019.<br /> <br /> *'''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. <br /> <br /> *'''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.<br /> <br /> *'''dsmit3000''': Solo hiker planning on hiking GPT40-31 northbound November-January 2019.<br /> <br /> *'''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.<br /> *'''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.<br /> *'''Aceestrin''': We'll be exploring for 4 weeks in Los Lagos region December-January. <br /> *'''Andrealopezb''': I plan on doing individual sections for the time being, mostly between Santiago-El Maule <br /> *'''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.<br /> *'''AlexEdge''': Hi, i am planning to hike the lower sections of this route with a couple friends, possibly febuary 2020. thank you!<br /> *'''Arno507''': We plan to do several sections of the GPT starting fom November/December 2019 till early April 2020.<br /> *'''Birdy ''': I plan to mostly walk from Lake Titicaca to Ushuaia starting November 2019.<br /> *'''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!!<br /> *'''Dubrovskiy''': 2 people, January 2020, Foot hiking southern parts, likely around GPT40-33.<br /> *'''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!<br /> *'''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!<br /> *'''Herman van Horssen''': We plan to do section 47 to 69 of the GPT in 2020.<br /> *'''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!<br /> *'''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. <br /> *'''Jose Roman''': Hi, my plan is to several sections by bike or hiking staring September 2019 until Abril 2020.<br /> *'''JUNHUI SON''': Hi, I'm from South Korea, I plan to do section 1 to 40 of the GPT in September 2019 till November.<br /> *'''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.<br /> *'''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.<br /> *'''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.<br /> *'''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.<br /> *'''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!<br /> *'''Matúš Lašan''': We plan to do as much as possible from December 2019 till March 2020.<br /> *'''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<br /> *'''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.<br /> *'''Lauric Olrik''': We plan to do several sections of the GPT starting from November 2019, we have a whole year off.<br /> *'''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.<br /> *'''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 !<br /> *'''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.<br /> *'''Sanita Heinz''': We plan to do section 1 to 40 of the GPT in December 2019 till March 2020.<br /> *'''Selma''': We are planning to packraft some sections of the GPT during our stay in Nov/Dez '19<br /> *'''Staci Garcia''': Hello, I am planning on doing several sections of the GPT in 2020. I am still in research on what sections.<br /> *'''TrashPanda''': Hi, we plan to do several sections from the end of November 2019 till February 2020.<br /> *'''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.<br /> *'''Tombartlett''': Hello I am planning on hiking many sections over a three month period from November 2019 to February 2020.<br /> *'''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….<br /> *'''LieberWeiter''' Hi, I do not know yet if I ever dare to walk the GPT but meanwhile I would like to plan therefore!<br /> *'''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.<br /> *'''Wolke7net''' Hi, could you please send me the track without packrafting. Thanks!<br /> <br /> *'''''DoloresMonika''''' Hi,my name is Dorota and I am from Poland. This year I would like to go through all GPT trail. Thanks for preparing this manual and description of trail.<br /> *'''''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!<br /> <br /> '''wikiexplora'''</div>

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