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→Season 2023/24
==Season 2023/24==
2024-03-18 to 2024-03-19 // 1,5 days // Hiking // NOBO // RR // Quentin Clavel
I was a bit anxious on that section because of a big fire on the valley of the vokcan Copahue. Everything was under the steam all around, and with a big smell of fire. Few helicopters passed, and I was seriously questioning myself to continue or not.
Fortunately for me the track change of the valley to reach the beautiful Laguna El Barco.
It was late on the season so there were absolutely no one there. But In season that would be a great camp spot (event if it's probably popular and not so quiet as there's a lot of camping places).
Fill your water at the bottom of the valley because when you'll reach the plateau you'll have no water at all, until you go down to the valley.
Plateau is pretty nice, met a lot of people up there harvesting piñones. Easy horse track to follow. Ground is sandy and very steamy on the way down. Then you arrive on a valley with lot of water and lor of arrieros, great to chat with some of those that are leaving around there.
I crossed the Ford {10} [9.5/1171] then camo just after that. Had a great and quiet night there, happy to clean myself after a very dusty day, but I reckon it's gonna be like that for few sections further north aha !
Then easy track, gravel and road. No more ford to cross. Until the tiny trapa trapa.
Locals sent me to a kiosco, who Is situated very close to the point X {10} [0.0+0.3/937]. There's a ringtone, then a girl came to open the kiosco for a small resupply (tuna, fideos, chips and sweetness like candies, biscuits, and other stuff with a packaging of 90's that seems to be very bad for your body aha, but took it anyway).
*2024-03-25 to 2024-03-29 / 5 days / SOBO / RR + new route + Copahue summit opt 2. + opt 1 down Copahue + Nathalie/Tomas new route + gpt11 nobo back to Guallalí / Marilyne
Day 1 - Started in Trapa Trapa around 15:30 and walked to right before camp 7.1. Hid in the forest to camp instead of using the nice grassy area as a lot of people on horses were using the trail.
Day 2 - Felt worried about the multiple puesto dogs and the aggressive person along the RR and option 1 so decided to try a new route to eventually rejoin GPT option 2, the trail to the summit of Copahue (pronounced Copaway). Went cross country going South from my 7.1 camp for a while until I started climbing East. Eventually joined a trail that seemed to get good use. There is probably no need to go cross country if you find the start of that trail… Left the trail at -37.78784, -71.25114 and went CC again on the plateau. Met a couple harvesting piñones and chatted with them. As I was leaving, their dog nipped my ankle… so much for avoiding dogs. Stopped by Laguna Negra (-37.81527, -71.21972) for lunch and water. Camped by a small lake at -37.83042, -71.20250. Beautiful views around that area. There were patches of old (last year’s) and new (last week’s) snow. In the evening, I went to investigate a direct route to Copahue up the peak at -37.83807, -71.20001, but felt that it was a little too exposed for me and my big backpack.
Day 3 - Took a slightly lower route on the West side of previously mentioned peak to Copahue from my campsite which worked great. Water at -37.83722, -71.20762 and also further depending on the snow quantity. Rejoined the marked OSM trail up to Copahue at around 2,750 meters of elevation, where I left most of my gear and went to the summit. The hike down from the volcano was very slow going, I followed the OSM route mostly but at times I was in between the GPT line and the OSM line. Went to check out the hot springs, which looked gross to me. Camped at -37.89625, -71.16599, on the road leading to Argentina.
Day 4 - I wanted to try the new option that Nathalie and Tomas have posted below for this section, so I followed the road to Argentina up to the valley that parallels the border and made my way to the ridge. Views from the ridge are spectacular and I enjoyed that part very much, following the border at first and ending up here: -37.95833, -71.11928. Difficulties came when I tried to come down the ridge following the route posted on FB. I backed out of the proposed “best route” as it was too exposed and scrambling-like for my liking. I ended up going down the steep talus slope for a while, traversing as Natalie described and ended up doing a fair amount of unpleasant bush-bashing to reach the trail at the bottom of the valley. There are probably better routes than the one I took though, I didn’t have the opportunity to study the satellite imagery very well before going :-). Looking back I should have walked in the creek bed earlier rather than fight with all the bamboo. Ended up with a fair amount of scratches and ripped pants. Camped shortly after I found the trail in the valley.
Day 5 - Used GPT11 NOBO to reach Guallalí. Stopped at the hot springs (6.6km/991) on the way to clean up a little. It was a holiday in Chile, Good Friday, and I met two groups of people from the city that were driving around this remote road for fun. Reached Guallalí and went to the carabineros station to ask about camp possibilities. They mentioned a metal bridge about 3 kilometers away but not in the direction that I wanted to go (Ralco). I hung out close to the bus stop thinking about what I would do and eventually two of them came out to talk to me again. They said that they have to be careful with strangers as they are the police and never know people’s intentions but that they’d like to invite me to have some of the lunch they had made. They also let me camp next to the station to catch the 5.30am bus the next morning after checking my passport. I think that the fact that I was a solo woman helped. As I learned from our discussion, new police officers get assigned to this station every month and stay there for the full month, so this might not be offered again in the future.
* 2024-03-26 to 2024-03-28 / 2 days? / NOBO / RR / Fangwen + Tobi
Combined with Sections 10/11 (~8 days, relaxed). See section 12 for our tips on pinones
Nothing to add that's not described below, except we found the native Pehuenche people friendly. We think it helps to great them in their language (Mari mari - hello; Chaltu may - thank you). This you can find with a bit of digging online. Would love to have interacted with them more - they seem friendlier up the valley at the puestos (not in trappa trappa).
No luck finding asado in this time of year due to touristic things shutting down (including campsite at Lago El Barco, completely deserted).
There is no bus out of Trappa on holidays, and didn't find anything but 2 types of cookies and ice cream at resupply point there. You can ask the locals to drive you (for a fee) - they referred to it as "Fleeta"(?)
*2024-Mar-8 to 2024-Mar-11 / 2.5 days / SOBO / RR B / Matthias de Austria
No snowfields, all fordings very easy, plenty of (unmarked) water except from Puesto RR 14.5km (one stream a few hundred meters afterwards last water) to shortly before Laguna El Barco. Tabanos: 2
The valley south of Trapa-Trapa is first narrow but the open ups to a wide valley with a lot of puestos, mostly inhabited, which means a lot of dogs and cows, horses, sheep around. All marked campsites are completely full of animal feces, every single decimeter is covered. I camped around -37.78551,-71.27975 on sand next to the river, sandy and stony places are the only one without extrem amounts of shit. Stayed there another day just sleeping in the tent bc of all day raining. Next camp was a nice weather camp with great views but no water at -37.89069,-71.30189. Flat spot, no shit, very quiet, some boulders and bushes.
RR out of the valley up to thea area of Laguna Liay was a bit tricky. Seems part of RR are not in use anymore and overgrown ( -37.83346,-71.2705 ). I just followed the horse tracks which later went back to RR. it seems there are different paths going up.
Lake, camp 32.9km: camping 8000, picknick 5000. But nobody at the gate, so I just walk in, swimm a little and try to open my first Araucaria seed cone I harvested an hour before. Shortly before I leave someone asks if I paid the entry. Sorry bro, not going to pay 5000 for sitting 30min on a bench, so I just don't understand spanish at all until he gives up.
Next to Laguna El Barco a wildfire puts a lot of smoke on the water, but no fire in the sky. 2 helicopters pour water on it the whole day. RR southeast of the Laguna was not affected, the fire (actually only lots of smoke) was on the other side of the valley about 1km away.
Rio Lomin had very brown-yellow water, but there are a few small clean unmarked streams further south RR.
Guallali tiny shop, no sign, just go over the little wooden bridge after the police and shortly before the school. Dog alarms child, child alarms mother. Mother opens shop. Mostly cola and chips, ice cream, some cookies, 3 packs of noodles and (worst quality) toilet paper.
Some really nice views at the waterless part, first massive amount of Araucaria trees, Laguna El Barco is kinda nice too, finally a lake with trees around! Lots of boring road walking at the beginnig and more so at the end of section with basically no traffic.
*2024 Feb 28 to Feb 29 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Juliette and Martin
We combined sections 09 and 10 into 5 days of hiking. Beautiful sections with a diversity of landscapes: volcano, meadows, puestos...
Day 0: Trapa Trapa- Camp -37.76398, -71.28171
On our last day of the previous section, we hiked the first 7 km to this camp. Great bivouac spot not to be missed, next to a puesto with grass, water, horses and welcoming vegetation.
Day 1: Camp -37.76398, -71.28171 - Laguna El Barco:
Truly magnificent scenery and lots of puestos. The climb is pleasant and in the shade. As soon as you cross a river, it's easy (maximum knee-deep).
From laguna Liay to laguna el barco, NO WATER. We initially wanted to camp between the two, but were forced to push on to laguna el barco to get water. The scenery is really beautiful and easy to walk on the plateau, and the aracaunia trees give it a unique atmosphere.
Pay camping at el barco (8,000 pesos per person) with beach and friendly staff.)
Day 2: Laguna el barco - Guallali
A short day's descent. We stop at the bus stop indicated in the waypoints at 3pm. Only one bus a day from Guallali to Los Angeles at 5:30 am.
We were lucky and hitchhiked to Ralco.
*2024 Feb 13 to Feb 18 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR, Var C, Var D, some off GPT track / Michael and Kaisa
We combined sections 9, 10, and 11 together.
TLDR: beautiful section with some very impressive araucaria forests. Technically easy but navigationally a little challenging due to so many trails branching everywhere. Laguna Liay is definitely worth visiting.
Day 1 - Feb 13
After finishing our resupply in Trappa Trappa, we started on RR. The road was fully exposed until we got up a ways into the forest. After that I had to watch the GPS fairly closely. As has been noted previously, the horse trails fork off in different directions, sometimes rejoining and sometimes not. The trail was pretty dusty, but the forest was beautiful. There was very little water access for quite awhile. We arrived at the camp point at km 7.1 with the Mapuche family. No one was at the house so we started looking around. I found Elías in another part of the property. He was very kind and said we were welcome to camp. He showed us a nice spot near a creek set away from the road. We had initially thought to camp more in the open area but he said that the road gets a lot of traffic in the night and the are some “mala gente” that pass through, so the spot he showed us was safer.
Day 2 - Feb 14
We started hiking early and the morning light on the landscape was absolutely beautiful. We stopped after the first ford, mid calf with little current, to have coffee and enjoy the area. We continued on passing a lot of puestos. Many seemed abandoned or falling apart, though there were people at several of them. We waved and they waved back, but they were fairly far from the road so we didn't go over to talk. We met our first other GPT hikers, Christof and Alex (hi guys! We hope you got the roasted chicken in Antuco!) We crossed the second ford, just under the knee, and had lunch and a nap and then started up to the pass. The path was mostly in forest, and though steep, we didn't find it difficult. We started on Var C to Laguna Liay sticking more to the OSM track than the GPT track. We got down to the lake and wanted to go all the way around to the north side, but part way up the trail started heading up to the plateau. We returned to the bottom and tried to walk in the water counterclockwise around the lake, but after only about 50 m there was a section where I was sinking deep into mud. We walked back to the south side beach and then walked the beach clockwise to get to the north side. There were a few fallen trees to climb over, but otherwise we had no issues going that way. On the north side there was a fairly sizable sand beach with a fire ring. We camped there.
Day 3 - Feb 15
We took a rest day at the lake. The atmosphere at the lake was so peaceful and the scenery was so beautiful. Not one person passed through that day, and it felt really amazing to have such a quiet, serene and beautiful place all to ourselves. It got hot during the afternoon so we retreated up into the woods a bit to get some shade. In the late afternoon I went to scout Var D for the next day. There isn't a full trail there really, but from the beach looking uphill I could see a brown stripe going up. It was a short BB to get to it and then a steep up. The trail forked after maybe 50 m. I first went left, but after a while it was all dead ends and started to lose elevation. I went back and tried the right fork with a combination BB/CC and was finally able to connect to a path. From there it was easy to get up to the plateau and then to the other marked campsite which was near a pond that had mostly evaporated for the season.
Day 4 - Feb 16
We started early to get over the pass before it got hot. We took the scouted approximate Var D up and then connected in with RR. The pass was easy and on the far side there was an incredible monkey puzzle forest. As noted there was no water. We took the OSM track up just before the descent to Laguna El Barco for the lookout. The trail down to Laguna El Barco was somewhat steep but easy to follow. At the bottom it passes through a puesto on the way to the road. The guy there also rents camping sites. The El Barco campground is somewhat chaotically managed. We arrived on a Friday and it was packed with vacationing Chilenos. Posted price was 5.000 pp for the picnic area day use and 8.000 pp for camping. They offered 6.000 pp without a table, which we took. It turns out that that is for essentially an unused parking spot next to the road. We would have left, but it was too late to go anywhere else. A very nice couple happened by as we were setting up and said they were about to leave and we could have their spot which had a table and was away from the road. We thanked them and moved up. The shop seems not to be operating this year. The small building it was in was empty and the door was just hanging open. There were two groups selling food, one at the entrance selling tortillla, a fairly large and dense bread cooked directly in the ash in the fire for 2.000 each, some smaller pan amasado, sopaipillas 500 each, a fried dessert bread dusted in powdered sugar 3 for 1.000, and churasco for 4.000. They also had sodas, 1.200 for a 591 ml bottle. The other group was at a camp just past the lower bathrooms, and two of them walked around the campground periodically as well. They had tortilla 2.000 each, sopaipillas 2 for 1.000, and some kind of tea. The second place had our favorite tortillas, we ate several of them. The churrasco was a disappointment. I was thinking Bolivian churasco which is just grilled meat. These were sandwiches with a couple thin strips of meat simmered in liquid in a frying pan and then put on huge breads with a slice of tomato, a bit of lettuce and some mayo. They were okay, but not what I had expected.
Day 5 - Feb 17
We left late and hiked RR. On the other side is another much smaller and more laid back campground. It is run by the couple that lives there. Price was 6.000 pp with a table. They had a toilet and sinks, no shower. They sold tortillas on request, 2.000 each, but the woman, Clementina, makes them when she's making their food, so it can be awhile. We bought 5 of them and they were larger than the ones in the campground. Wrapped in paper towels and kept in plastic bags, these lasted us almost 5 days.
Day 6 - Feb 18
We continued on RR with the intention to head to Guallalí. Along the way we meet a Mapuche arriero, Hector, at his pesto (-37.95912, -71.26119). If you pass by there and he is around, definitely make some time to talk with him. He was incredibly kind and generous, offered us coffee, took us to his animal corral to pet the goats, told us about the political structure in the Mapuche comunidades, and even showed us some of the medicinal plants in the area. He also sells goats and sheep and does asados, but we didn't ask the price. We were about to leave when a friend of his arrived to pick something up for a really important Mapuche ceremony that was finishing that day. His friend gave us a ride, which took us off the GPT track a bit, but dropped us very near a shop at (-38.01007, -71.30695) run by a woman named Maria that actually had a good selection of stuff. We bought pasta, a queso mantecoso from the region that lasted 3 days, her last can of Nescafé, some tomatoes and cucumbers, Zukos, and cookies. She also had eggs, frozen meat, sodas, beer, yogurt, a few other types of cheese, and various other things. Prices were very reasonable. She had a small table and a bench outside the shop and let us stay there to have lunch and repack. More than a dozen cars stopped by to buy things while we were there, so it seems like a pretty popular spot. From there we walked on the highway towards Comunidad Vilcuncura and on towards Comunidad Chenqueco. We passed one other shop at (-38.01473, -71.31626) that looked sizable and had a range of things, though we didn't buy anything there. In Comunidad Chenqenco we connected with GPT11 Opt 5A.
*2024-Feb-13 to 2024-Feb-14 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + OH E / Joscha
I combined section 9 to 12. It took me 7.5 days in total.
Day 1: RR [0.0-21.9]
Both Fords are easy below knee + the RR crosses a few more streams during the first 14 km. There is no water on RR after the Ford at km 14.1 until km 32.1.
Day 2: RR [21.9-32.1] + OH10-E + RR [45.1-47.5]
At km 32.1 (right before the start of OH10-E is a creek and some tables around. I think it belongs to a campsite there, but nobody cared that I did a break there. OH10-E is a big dirtroad with no water until km 8.4. I bought some cookies in the mini shop in Guallali + they allowed me to charge my power bank. After that I continued with section 11.
*2024-Feb-12 to 2024-Feb-14 / 2.5 days / Hiking / NOBO / Guallali - Trapa-Trapa / RR + Option D/ Alex & Christophe
It was a nice and easy section. For us, the Laguna Liay would deserve to be on RR. It was one of the most beautiful and peaceful campspot we had this season.
We also camped on the official campground at Laguna El barco. It was still 8000 CLP pp and the place was crowded with all the Chileans on holiday. The beach is nice but the campground is really dusty (as most of the section). There were also two families selling food (tortillas, sopaipillas and some other things).
By the way, there is no more snow on the plateau so take plenty of water to cover the distance between Lago El Barco and Laguna Liay.
*2024-Jan-14 to 2024-Jan-16 / 2,5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Hannes
From Trapa Trapa I went in this long valley, it is pretty packed with puestos. Had to check a few times the GPS in there, was quite often on a wrong trail. Many puestos create their own trail network…Went up to Laguna Liay and camped directly at the shore. I figured out two reachable beaches where you can put on one or two tents, one beach at the NW-shore, the other SE-shore. I camped at the second. Option 10D brings you down to it, but actually I could not find a real trail. This Laguna is just an amazing place, for me there was not just silence but peace! The special echo in this place has an effect. Next day I went to Laguna El Barco, for camping you have to pay. A huge laguna, beautiful, but with a check in and all the rules which apply. I do not like this. I went further and a few km before Guallalí I asked a Settler if I could sleep on his Eukalyptus plantation. The 3rd day I walked to Guallalí and stocked up for GPT 11 in the minimarket. For cigarettes I went to a house at -38.050512, -71,272100. There is a woman who sells tobacco and if you kindly ask her she might sell you one of her homemade bread loafs. Ask for the house of Cololo.
*2024-Jan-04 to 2024-Jan-05 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR - {10-C} - RR - {10-E} - RR / Lilian
After have a nice breakfast with the lovely family, i keep going south.
Km0 - km13.6 : easy walking, easy to follow.
Km13.6 : junction of RR and {10-01}.
Ford[14.1/1269] : if you are not decided go to {10-C} or visit Laguna Liay (lake), it is the last water until km33 Laguna El Barco ( or a stream just before this lake ).
Km14.47 : climb up start, the entrance is beside the corner of wooden fence.
Km15.65 : a sharp turning, after here trail become very overgrown, until km15.9. At km15.65 and km15.9, i both saw a clear path going to east, I'm not sure is it a new reroute by local and are they connect or not.
Km16.1 : junction of RR and {10-C} , I don't decide go for walk around the whole lake, but just want to visit it take a look, and collect some water.
{10-C} km0.33 : (-37.83379, -71.27817) a sandy slope steep going down, the trail to Laguna Liay (lake) is here, you can see some trail trace on the sandy slope. A little overgrown and sometimes fallen tree block your way, but mostly you can step over them. About 10min you will arrive a sandy beach (-37.83326, -71.28031) at km0.5. Not a camping spot, but here have some big trees fell in the lake, easy walking on them go to the lake for collecting better water. Good view point of Laguna Liay with Volcán Callaqui, i also saw some beautiful ducks with red brown body and blue beak swimming here!
After collecting water and a long nap, i decided back to RR, i took another trail on the sandy slope that closer to lake side (not shown on map), it is easy to follow and easy walk, lastly join RR at km16.5.
RR Km16.9 : what a beautiful grassland! Easy trail start, enjoy the land scape changing and Araucaria forest. I love this area!
Pass RR [20.6/1850] : large flat area ( Most of the section10 is flat area), nice view point of Volcán Callaqui! Also the first view ( for SOBO) of Volcán Tolhuaca!
Km26.6 : left side, Volcán Copahue!
Km31.4 : pass, from dirt road to trail going down, but before going down, there is a side trail to south for climbing up a small hill, just distance 500m and climb up 70m, go for it! Excellent view point of Laguna El Barco, Volcán Callaqui, Volcán Copahue and Volcán Lonquimay( Sierra Nevada behind it?) !
X[31.2/1469] : a campground with picnic table ( i think it is a paid area because a sign at front gate but didn't see anyone when i passed there) and a stream flowing nice with clear water just before it. If you don't decide go to Laguna El Barco for collecting water, it is the only water until Guallalí.
Because the weather becomes worse, very windy and cloudy, also the forecast said it maybe rain at afternoon, so i took {10-E}, shorter the distance rush to Guallalí.
Bus {10-E} [8.4/938] didn't find the shop that Martin & Helena said (close to Bus 10-E mark.) I asked the house owner beside the bus stop, and she said no shop there. I saw a sign beside the bus stop is erased away, also a banner looks like said "selling thing" already being discarded on the ground, so maybe the shop is closed no more? ( I'm not sure).
{10-E} km10.0 rejoin RR.
RR km46.05 : look like a very old shop, I saw a sign for candy and cigarettes, but the house is broken and no people there any more.
Shop {11} [0.1/951] : No sign for shop, it is a beautiful looking wooden house, cross a tiny wooden bridge to their front gate. A little better stock than i think before, more than the shop at Trapa Trapa and almost the same as Los Álamos. Pastas, rice, some canned food, biscuits, drinks and chips. Not picky and i resupply for 3 days food here. I asked for accommodation, and the female owner said can stay in their house, 30000 CLP for a single room(4 beds) with light, quilt and electric charger, shower(cold) with shampoo, dinner and breakfast, maybe can use their washer for laundry, but finally i use my hand for washing them, because my clothes are too dusty and don't want to pollut their machine. It has a feeling look like guesthouse at some tourist routes in Nepal, but of course the one in Nepal are much commercial.
Dinner is delicious for goat and rice! Although not much enough for hiker hunger (never enough), but it is one of the best meal i eaten in Chile so far. They are super friendly, i'm very happy staying here with them!
I saw a bus arrive Shop {11} [0.1/951] on friday 6pm, but I don't know where it come from.
(-38.04741, -71.27506) look like is the church that Maks& Gabi said. A tree with beautiful grassland, but no good water resources nearby, the river beside it is flowing brown water, also farming and people living at upstream.
2023 Dec 30 to Dec 31 / 2 days / hiking / SOBO / RR / Ella
TLDR: beautiful secluded camping on plateau but no water. be cognizant of tensions between Pehuenche and non Indigenous people
Day 1: Trail was beautiful and mostly easy to navigate. Camped that night at around 11 km on the right side of the river, pushed back into the trees quite a bit. Chose not to camp at one of the marked campsites near the puestos because I became a bit worried about the large number of beer cans I was seeing along the way, and I didn’t meet any women at any of the puestos. Though I’m sure there’s mostly very kind people in this valley and I had no encounters that made me feel otherwise, I didn’t feel like taking my chances as a young solo woman given a few past reports on this section. However, it was a challenge to find a camping spot that felt both safely hidden and like I wasn’t on someone’s land without permission (though I probably still was) - there’s many more puestos in this valley now than appear on the waypoints, and there’s also loads of cows and horses grazing! If you find yourself in a similar position to me, I highly recommend just mustering up the energy to hike up to the plateau and camp about a kilometer in. Very nice and secluded spots up there. You would just need to bring a lot of water because there’s none until Laguna El Barco.
Day 2: Plateau was beautiful, but keep an eye on the GPS. As others have said, you have to pass through what is now a campsite with a gate just before the main road to Laguna El Barco, but no one was there so I didn’t get charged. Laguna El Barco camping was nice and lively on New Year’s eve. The store is still not set up yet, but the staff charged my devices for me. If you continue on the RR for about a km you will find the wooden sign for Entel service which did work for me. Just be aware that you have to walk by what is demarcated as a “dangerous zone” on Pehuenche land. I’m not quite sure what this means, but when I was walking to get service someone I passed warned me of it as well…
Next day I got a ride from someone leaving the campground to Ralco (2 hour drive!). Bigger market was open even when nothing else was on a national holiday (January 1) and had good options. Camped at Camping Nativo about a 30 min walk outside of town, which is close to a great river spot and has sinks, outlets and even a shower!
Given the tensions between the Pehuenche and non Indigenous people on the lands that this trail crosses, I’m curious if we, as non Indigenous hikers, should think about having a broader conversation to understand what kind of place we have (if any) in using these lands. Ideally with direct input from Pehuenche people themselves. Both for the sake of respecting the people of these lands and feeling safe as hikers.
2023 Dec 22 to Dec 26 / 4,5 days / hiking / SOBO / RR & part Option 1 & Completely new option / Tomáš & Natalie
Note: Our path was of course convoluted. We walked the optional route 10-01 to volcan Copahue last year. It is splendid and recommended for our option. We came back to the area to find a new connection that would avoid almost 25 km of unpleasant roadwalking after Laguna El Barco. We suceeded, see below.
We followed the regular route to Laguna el Barco. The route and the Laguna are indeed very pleasant. We paid 1000 each to be able to pass through (?) and use the camping tables for lunch. The store was closed even on Saturday (Dec 23). About 300 m from the lagoon, there is a sign about Entel coverage and 4g indeed works decently there. We then took the minor road to the hot spring under Volcan Copahue.
No cars seem to be using the road, especially the second part is quite eroded and after the hot spring it is bordering on impassable for cars. The hot spring is still nice. We then followed the road to an incredibly beautiful valley under Copahue. Few hundred metres before reaching Argentina, we left the road and shortly found a path that traversed into the valley in the south next to the border. The path petered out once we got above the bushes. It was really easy to reach the ridge and folow it (and the Argentinian border) to 37.9575000S, 71.1211474W. With snow all around on the slopes and with condors circling us, it was stunning (the ridge is mostly snow free). Made camp under the summit next to a 10m-high wall of ice for wind protection. There was no path but walking was easy, thr ridge is rather flat.
There are three options we explored from there on. The recommended one is the last one we explored, but here they follow in chronological order. Continuing on the ridge towards Cerro Dedo would require climbing or exposed traversing (if one dropped to Argentina, one could probably find a path to reconnect to GOT after Cerro Dedos if there are no border controls). Instead we went down side of the mountain roughly to here: 37.9650794S, 71.1206588W (it was steep but full of stones, so not slippery and we did not think it was dangerous). Then we started traversing (it did not feel exposed, but was a bit strenuous) until about here: 37.9792148S, 71.1245764W, from where we started going down a narrow ridge that was flanked by creeks on both sides. Again it was not dangerous and first half was good CC (like all the previous traverse), the second half was part cow trail (with cow poop), part bush bashing, but surprisingly easy and painless with long sleeeves.
At the bottom of the valley, we came out on a clearly visible trail. We went up it further into the valley, where there was a deserted puesto on a meadow under enormous aracauria trees with a magnificent views on snowy slopes full of huge waterfalls. We made camp.
In the evening, Tomáš then went to explore a scary looking ridge to reach this peak:
37.9767704S, 71.1623784W. It turned out not to be scary. The sidehill up the ridge is mostly without trees or bushes, so it is steep but good CC. Once up the ridge, one can go around the pinacles from the southern side (left facing up), occasionally using the tree branches as support - there is a little of easy climbing, but with no exposure. Then the ridge is steep and somewhat narrow but one can mostly go up only using poles and not hands. Altogether SAC 5. It was fun and pretty, but caution needs to apply. From the top, one could easily traverse north towards here: 37.9611427S, 71.1539942W.
The next day, we went up a ridge dividing the valley we slept in into two (this one: 37.9714484S, 71.1414231W). There is a trail up that branches off the main valley trail about 300 m downstream of the abandoned puesto. One goes up a slope for about 400 m and then down to a ford and then up. There are a variety of cow trails with bamboo cut some time ago. It is partly bush bashing, but very easy and just a few hundred metres. Once up the steep slope, the trail is much clearer. Above the tree line, it is easy CC. Once you get up the main ridge, you can either go right to the peak we slept at two days ago (a walk upno need to use hands, the rocky features vmcan be easily skirted, SAC 3-4) or left to the coordinates that end the previous paragraph. From there one could go down to the valley in the north and either CC and ford (probably possible, but unceartain) or follow the road/path that is mapped in OSM (look it online, it was only added in late November) toward El Barco. Navigating this SOBO is much easier, we posted the GPX route of the most tricky part and a rough overall route painted over satellite image in the Facebook group and hopefully it will be included in the GPT next year.
Going down the valley to reconnect to the GPT leading from Gaulali is easy 5 km on a clear trail. Once you hit car tracks (almost in the main valley) that will soon turn left, you can probably follow one of the trails going straight and save yourself maybe a 0.5 km detour to a puesto here: 38.0095590S, 71.1391237W. From the puesto, there is a very ugly road that was enlarged this year all the way to Guallali. Going NOBO, you reconnect to the trail going to Cerro Dedos very soon and thus almost entirely eclipsing the roadwalk. Plus our proposed new route is really pretty.
From Gaullali, there seems to be a daily bus leaving at 5.30 AM from in front of the turnoff to the carabinieros station. It goes to Ralco and then to Los Angeles. By mistake we first bought tickets to Ralco for 1300 and then to Los Angeles for 1500. It arrives in Ralco at 8:00 and stops there for 10 or so minutes. Next bigger stop is in Santa Barbara around 9:30. It arrives to Los Angels after 10:30. I think it goes back in the afternoon, possibly at 14:00, nut ask at the station.
2023 dec 12 - dec 14 / 2 days / hiking / SOBO / RR + B + C + F / Frans
Took the bus from Ralco to Trapa Trapa, start of GPT10. 2 busses a day, 4.30 and 16.30. I was at the busstop at 4.10, but the driver probably didn't expect anyone and took a shortcut and therefore didn't pass the busstop. So if you want to take that one, walk 100m further to the crossing of the main road.
16.30 no problems, plenty of people taking that bus. Total of 2.5hrs to get to Trapa Trapa.
Missing the bus gave me time to explore Ralco a bit, plenty of shops, turist information center and a Museum about the Pewenche. Small, but worth a visit (1000 CLP).
Didn't explore anything in Trapa Trapa since I wanted to cover some gound before darkness. Did see some signs of shops tho.
Easy trail, no issues here. Ended up to camp at: Camp 10 [7.1/1181]. Got woken up by some cows and horses in the morning.
Took the route (C) along the lake, also with the intention to get some extra water for the plateau. Although there was plenty at the plateau (for now), at least 5 good streams and more small ones. All because of the melting snow, so I don't know for how long that will be in the upcoming weeks.
Walk was easy, pass is easy, some snow/ice walking but all stable. You might be taking a little caution when it starts melting more but walk around the snow is also an easy option.
I camped at the plateau, almost at the end just before you walk into the greenzone again. On the right side is a flat spot next to some trees and bushes.
Next day via Laguna el Barco, some people camping there, no one at the entry so didn't had to pay anything. Easy walk again. Took option (F) and first house on the left after crossing the bridge had a sign that they sold ice cream. Stopped there, friendly people and as they told me they will sell more stuff in the future. It also looked like that, they were constructing a store, shelves, counter everything. Just no inventory yet. Unclear when they will, at least to me with my limited Spanish.
Reached Guillali easily, had a chat with the local Cabaniero. He gave me a Entell Sim-card so I could have cell service. Stayed at Romina. Bed, dinner, breakfast 30.000 CLP.
Really nice walk all along. Easy navigation, nice views and not really demanding terrain.
2023-Dec- to 2023-Dec-8 / 2,5 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR + variant G + variant E + variant C / Yannick & Nolwenn & Jens
- Water : all markers are good and even more water present
- Snow : a little bit of snow around the pass, super easy to navigate
- Camping spot : easy to find
- River crossing : easy
- Weather : Sunny
- Resupply : there is a small 'negocio' in Trapa Trapa, and you can have breakfast with a really nice family at the 'lodging and food'
- Option roads : Variant C - really nice lake, just a little bit of bushbashing to rejoin the RR