11
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==Season Section Log, Recent Alerts and Suggestions==
* GPT77 and GPT76 / Hiking Option from Hornopiren to Chaiten
Dates: 2023-November-21st for 8 days
Direction: Southbound
Participants: Jordan Jennings
After arriving in Chaiten from Rio Yelcho, I initially tried travelling northbound towards Caleta Gonzalo. I only made it to Santa Barbara before facing moderate but unpleasant headwinds. Because of the forecast, I decided to return to Chaiten and travel to Hornopiren, to travel southbound. I think this is the wisest thing to do in any case. Jan mentions northbound travel because of Yelcho, but this is only really possible if you slam dunk good weather.
In terms of wind- as Jan mentioned - stable/calm weather combined with sunny days creates southerlies from 11am(ish) while the weather during my stay in the area brought prevailing northerlies outside of sunny weather windows. On sunny days, the southerly however, is redirected as a northerly down Fiordo Comau (first stretch from Hornopiren). In terms of apps, Windy is great, but Windfinder.com (location Chaiten Aeródromo) was more accurate. I waited for almost a week in Hornopiren for a decent weather window, although I was told by locals it was an unusual bad spell.
Fiordo Comeu is stunning and should not be rushed - I took Jan’s advice and stayed an extra day to packraft Lago Abascal and it was an absolute highlight. I packrafted down the river back to the thermals campsite - I would only recommend doing if you have a friend with you and whitewater experience. It’s fun, but was sketchy for me doing alone. There was one section that was perhaps a class II+ or III-.
Overall incredible experience, saw a lot of dolphins, seals, penguins
* GPT77 and GPT76 / Hiking Option from Hornopiren to Chaiten
