Cambios

* Recommendation Jan Dudeck November 2023: The Regular Route on the eastern side of Lago Puelo is traversable again. Also, thanks to Martin Lizondo the Regular Route could be re-routed next to Cerro Plataforma onto a more maintained trail. This avoids serious bush bashing on the now obselete Regular Route that I renamed to Option 6 (Cerro Tres Picos). This makes previous route descriptions not applicable to the updated 2023 route. So enjoy section GPT23 again without battling through dense fields of bamboo grass.

Day 1: Until Rio epuyen is not much water. Only Water {23} [11.4/448] is accessable, not super easy though. That part is quite dry...

Beautiful hike!

From villa Lago Rivadavia, you just follow a long gravel road, until PK60, where the fun begins !

On that one I could resupply thanks to the minimarket of Alicia (just after the camping Puelo). Then you just have to go straight at the end of this street, and the next section begins.

Day 1: We took the first bus out of Lago Puelo, which leaves by the gas station around 7:30 am. But the wind was too strong so we decided to hike along RH instead. We later found out that on the same day Daniel started GPT23 packrafting southbound and he made it across the brazo occidental even though under high winds. After the brazo, it was windstill and even some tailwind for him. We saw that same windpattern still a few hours later from the top of the mountain. The way up the mountain was super well maintained, once you come to the ridge wayfinding becomes tricky and the way down a bit worse, but not super bad. It‘s a very scenic hike which we enjoyed. We camped at Puerto Riquelme the first night.

Day 5: We paddled down Rio Tigre, which was a pure pleasure! As mentioned in previous accounts, have a look at the second left turn before you go in (either scout it - there is a great landing spot just before - or have a look at the satellite images). On Lago Cholila we made good progress. We started a bit later that day to make use of the sail and it was perfect. After that we finished down Rio Carrileufu, however due to the later start, the last part on the river we experienced quite the strong headwind! We finished a truly remarkable GPT section at Campsite Abuelo Daniel!

Started in Lago Puelo. The trail up the Mountain up to Water {23} [11.2/471] is in good condition. The Camp {23} [8.5/730] is possible but difficult IMHO. The way down to Bridge, X {23} [13.5/204] (Rio Epuyen) is difficult. Many fallen trees no BB but annoying for 2 km, but with the amazing view! The RR crosses private territory at -42.150307, -71.595803. Very nice lady with 2 dogs. Maybe this path would be better (needs to be checked) -42.150094, -71.593503. Water at: -42.158685, -71.595583. Slept at -42.159401, -71.596885. From there the trail is all the way to -42.304965, -71.768301 in pristine condition and ist just fun! The trail at the east side if the lake is regularly used by locals. I hiked to this point and camped here: -42.304965, -71.768301. Maybe it's normally necessary to pay because there are even 2 places to make fire. In my case no one was there and it was a great place to camp with water directly next to it. On the way to this point you have to Ford 2 times: -42.296869, -71.752602 and -42.305186, -71.769161. The next kilometres up to the lake here: -42.346621, -71.79487 can be easily followed and is good to hike. It's steep it took me 3 hours to finish this part. From there on waa snow and you couldn't see the trail. Still easy to continue. Up to this point: -42.364977, -71.790992. There is a forest clearing and easy to hike. At the end starts the trail all the way to this point: -42.38472, -71.798375. Down the mountain to this point: -42.390629, -71.804577 is "free for all". Seep hill no trail tones if allen trees. Easy to get down but incredible difficult if you go NoBo. From there on its Bush Bashing (my understanding is: it's not longer possible to have a smooth consistent motion while walking because of vegitation. This does not include that you have to raise your arms because there a a lot of trees to you right and left). It's demanding because there are hundreds of fallen burned trees which are point and this combined with bamboo and new vegitation. I deviated from the RR and went "straight" to this point: -42.396721, -71.809493. It's a small hill to take a rest and get a overview. After that I went up the small hill in this direction: -42.405402, -71.808371. I stayed on top of the hill which avoided bigger BB. In preparation of the route I scouted a ATV Road. Download at the end of the comment. I went from here -42.411282, -71.809326 to the start of the ATV here: -42.412989, -71.810822. The Ford is very demanding, it's at the same place where the ATV starts. From there on I followed the route until this point to pitch camp: -42.446908, -71.728077 which is a great place to start packrafting the next day. The next day I started early with no wind 06:45 AM and finished GPT23 at 02:30 PM. Rio carrileufu is a dream! A few logs other than that mid speed river and a joy. This shop offers payment via bank transfer -42.561688, -71.599514.

Contact: https://linktr.ee/RundW

Superb section with good variety of landscapes

Don't underestimate the strong gusts of winds in the lago puelo

==Season 2022/23==

Trails around Lago Puelo are now in good condition, but its still very challenging section following RR, especially part between El Turbio and Lago Cholila - alternative route mentioned by Martin would have been a better option probably. On the other side, if you go for it, you are rewarded with spectacular view of Tres Picos as soon as you get above the treeline, and the wilderness / remoteness of the area is something we have not experienced for quite some time and really enjoyed! Definitely count with more time to finish this trail.

Contact: @martin_hanzelka @helenneka

GPT23: Hello everyone. I’ve just finished section 23 in 7 days from Lago Puelo to Villa Rivadavia. Good news: I found a new route which is actually ALL TRAIL and perfectly walkable. This is very important because the mountain pass from El Turbio to lake Cholila is closed with vegetation and not used anymore after recent forest fires. I found instead a new route called Cerro Plataforma from where you can follow a horse track down to Cholila. You can contact me and I can send you the track file. Also the burned forest from Lago Puelo to El Desemboque was maintained and is now easy to walk. This solves a lot of headaches for this beautiful section and makes it absolutely worth it. Enjoy. Cheers.

I started at Lago Cholila. After seeing Cerro Tres Picos from below i wished I’d done the whole section. Getting out of El Bolson was surprisingly difficult. Hitched luckily all the way to Lago Cholila. Walked farther around to put in just North of the little hill. What a ride! Cruised with the wind and waves straight to Rio Carrileufu paddling only to orient forward. The river is a delight. Put on cruise control and enjoy the view. The following morning was unexpectedly windy in the face so I had to paddle to make progress most of rest of the river. Continued on 24P without stopping in Villa Rivadavia.

The office of Club Andino Piltri in Bolson, which was a great source for hiking information, has burned down & they are currently homeless. Rivers were running high & I did not get any info. on the current status of the route so I walked round it on the road in 3 days.

==Season 2019/20==

Severe wild fires in recent years destroyed the trail west of Lago Puelo and north of Lago Cholila. This makes a traverse much more demanding in particular when hiking and not packrafting Lago Puelo. Therefore I currently do not recommend to hike this section. Traversing this section with a packraft is also very demanding but the rewards are pristine water routes on Lago Puelo, Lago Cholila and Rio Carrileufu.

==Season 2016/17==

Recent reports stated that the hiking trail (track RH-TL-V@23-2.4) on the eastern side of Lago Puelo is nearly impassable due to a wild fire and lack of maintenance.