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Locked gate (-33.682407, -70.346283) on the route in the beginning of secotion is for the entrance of Reserva Coyanco. There was a lady that opened the gate and said that one day pass through the reserve costs 5000 pesos, but that we can pay it somewhere later. But as the RR doesn’t continue up the valley but across the bridge and up the ridge from the other side then we didn’t meet anyone who would collect the fees. It could be that it’s a weekend thing as there were quite a few people in the area mostly going to see the Calabozo del Diablo.
No water at the first marked location with question mark (-33.72155, -70.345093), but as Marc Anthony already mentioned there is a small stream of water about 3km further (-33.741233, -70.3534). After that once you reach the first ford there was a lot of water in almost every gully, especially as you reach higher elevations. Snow patches are still melting and providing water. The last water is where it’s marked.
From there we night-hiked until the second ford where we camped. It was such a relief to hike in bearable temperatures and all the critters were out. We saw a snake, a tarantula, a scorpion, some giant bug, bunch of toads, bunnies and a culpeo fox. Once we reached the first ford from there onwards until the last water before the mine there was a lot of water in almost every gully, especially as you reach higher elevations. Snow patches are still melting and providing water. The last water is where it’s marked. Once we got to the mine/plantation we didn’t jump the gate to walk in the fenced-off plantation, but walked around the fence, handrailed it. There is a faint path for first few hundred meters and then it’s and easy cross country, just aim for the shoulder on the mountain. The last part was actually really beautiful and I wouldn’t want to skip it, we had a cloud inversion in the morning and about 8 condors circling usas we descended the ridge, it was spectacular.
On average we carried 1,7L of water each and besides the first part until the first water and the last part from the last water there really was plenty of water on trail and we could have easily carried only a litre each. For the last part we carried 10L for both of us and it was enough for dry-camping on the ridge and washing dishes and we ended up pouring out about a litre in the morning because we didn’t need that much water.
Once we descended to the road we had an easy hitch to Machali where we resupplied and hitched back to Coya, again an easy hitch. No But unfortunately we could not find a camping gas canisters (with thread ) which fitted out stove. We checked every ferreteria and supermercado in Machali but , even took the bus to Lider Express on the edge of the town, no luck. They only had the gas canisters where you punch the hole. However we found some a gas with thread in a shop in Coya. Anyways, lesson is - bring the adapter.
It took us 4 and a half days to hike this section, our last camp was about 9,5km from the road.
