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==Creation of the Greater Patagonian Trail==
===The Idea for the Trail===
To be issued.
===Planning of the Trail===
The Greater Patagonian trail is not an official trail that was planned and set up by a government agency. It’s better: it’s a compilation of the most beautiful and diverse hiking and horse trails, minor roads and cross country sections through the Patagonian Andes selected by a passionate hiker.
* Internet trail exchange platforms in particular: [http://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php/P%C3%A1gina_principal wikiexplora.com], [http://www.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/home.do wikiloc.com] and [http://www.trekkingchile.com/EN/trekking-my_hike.php trekkingchile.com]
===First Hike of the Trail===
The Greater Patagonian Trail was first hiked from November 12, 2013 to February 23, 2014 by Meylin Ubilla and Jan Dudeck. Due to the detailed planning only few minor route seek detours were required when first hiking this trail. The now verified published trail elimintates this detours and can hiked by an experienced hiker with sufficent endurance.
===Publishing of the Trail===
The trail was first published in 2014 on wikiexplora after completing the long distance hike. Also plenty of images are uploaded to Panoramio for display on Google Earth with a reference to this trail.
The trail was published without any commercial interests. The motives for publishing were:
* Share this trail with other interested hikers to promote this first long distance trail in South America and the Andes
* Attract contributors that perfect and extent this trail
* Promote hiking in the rather unknown parts of the trail to create an additional source of income for the humble people still living along the trail* Protect and maintain this trail by making it well-known and more frequently usedused Before publishing the trail I have long considered if publishing may have also negative consequences for the affected area. And yes, I can not rule it out. If the trail becomes used by irresponsible people that litter and don't have the necessary care when making camp fires this may indeed cause severe damage.
This trail is not finished yet. There is plenty of terrain left till this trail finally reaches the southern tip of Patagonia and ends either on the shores of the Magellan street or even on Tierra del Fuego. Also a few smaller sections need to verified and recorded and additional alternatives may be aggregated. Read the chapter [[#Trail Verifications, Additional Options and Extensions|Trail Verifications, Additional Options and Extensions]] to see how you can contribute to perfect and extent the Greater Patagonian Trail.
