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==Season 2024/25==
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''*'' 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
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.
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.
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).
Route description:
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.
Before starting on RP41 consider a good meal in Los Antiguos.
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.
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.
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.
At kilometer 54 of RP41 by-passes are welcome to camp just next to Rio Lincoln. Here we spend our first night.
At kilometer 64 of RP41 the last patches of forest are left behind and exposed but scenic landscape is crossed.
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.
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.
The descent to Paso Roballos at kilometer 96 of RP41 traverses open but scenic landscape with little natural shelter.
The best places to camp after the pass are:
Kilometer 79: unlocked puesto
Kilometer 87: maybe near puesto at 47°06'47"S 71°50'00"W
Kilometer 96: the crossing to Paso Roballos 2 km before the Argentine border control
At the Argentine border control camping is not permitted.
When exiting Argentina make sure to get an exit stamp. This stamp is required to enter into Chile.
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.
The Chilean border control is 11 km inland from the border.
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”).
==Season 2023/24==
