Cambios

===Food Supply on the Trail===

On this trail, in particular on the first seven sections you will meet herdsman on the summer pastures with their annimals mainly cattle, sheep, goats and horses. Depending on the altitude and the snowmelt they migrate up between October and January and return home in April or May. These herdsman, locally called "Puestero", live in imporvised permanent shelters, called "Puesto". They bring large quantities of food with their horses and mules up in the mountains. You may ask them for food, in particular for flour and bread or whatever they are willing to sell. If you are desperate for meet they may sell you a goat or a sheep but be aware, the smallest quantity for sale is typically half an annimal. To communicate with the locals you need to speak Spanish.

On section 5 to 10 you will cross the Araucania region with plenty of impressive Araucaria trees, that are ancient evergreen coniferous trees. What we liked on these living fossiles were not just the imposing figure, but the nutritious female sead cones that are rich in carbohydrates. These fruites or "piñiones" were the main staple food for the indigious Pehuenche people and they teached us how to harvest and prepare them. You can gather these Araucaria "piñioes" between February and April.