Cambios

===Lauren "Neon" Reed comparing the GPT with the US Long Distance Trails (CDT, PCT, AT)===

Lauren "Neon" Reed thru-hiked the AT (2008), the PCT (2010) and the CDT (2013). She also thru-hiked the Colorado Trail (2012) and made many unmapped cross-country hikes in the wilderness of Utah before she thru-hiked the GPT in two seasons (2015 to 2017). This makes Lauren the best person to compare the GPT with the famous US long distance trails. She writes:

"Having thru-hiked about 8,000 miles​ in the US​ before beginning our trek across South America, I would still find myself in over my head at times​ along the Greater Patagonia Trail. This included terrain as well as​ culture. The places I've been along the GPT, as a generality, seem more remote than most distance trails I've experienced in the US- think central/northern Montana along the CDT, minus the bears and plus a few more passes. As you walk along the GPT, you will go through many diverse ecosystems, as opposed to desert/mountains which you experience on many trails in the US. The GPT takes you from the glaciated southern ice field of Chile up through pine trees, lush dense deciduous forest, alti-planos, valleys teeming with animals wild and farmed, along/through rivers and lakes (also wild and farmed), volcanoes, to the more arid environments south of Santiago, as well as a few border crossings into Argentina. It is by far the hardest trail I have done due to remoteness as well as terrain- yes, there are times you follow valleys, there are also times along this trail where you will go up, across and down 1,000 meter passes each day (sometimes multiple times in a day), following overgrown horse and animal paths. There are no trail markers or blazes, sometimes there isn't even a 'trail'- just a cross-country route. Do not expect anyone to know what you are doing or why you just walked down their driveway/out of their shrub/over their fence/through their gate (which you closed behind you, right?)

This trail definitely has easier sections, but I cannot remember a day where I didn't look at my compass and/or GPS along the entirety of the GPT. Because of the options we were given and Jan requesting us to investigate some options he had yet to check out personally, I began calling certain sections "Choose your own Adventure", meaning go whichever way you want, as long as you're near the route labeled as the GPT on your GPS. We also tried to not do anything stupid, though there were times I nearly was swept away trying to cross a strong-flowing river or nearly slid down a steep scree field along the GPT. This is not a trail for someone who doesn't know how to use a GPS or Compass. This is not a trail for someone who doesn't know how to properly read a river to know where the best place to cross is. This is not a trail for anyone who doesn't at least have a basic understanding of topography as well as map and compass skills. Jan has a great route mapped so you can download it onto a GPS, but when you come across an area that's swept away by last years snowmelt or on fire, do you have a plan or any idea what to do? What if you're not paying attention to your battery life and your GPS dies? Don't go up shit creek without a paddle, as the saying goes.

There won't always be what you may want in town to eat or even a place to stay with hot water. Knowing at least basic Spanish language skills is a must if you want to feel connected or informed in any of the areas you go through. Any effort of understanding the culture and land goes a long way. Thankfully, I have a basic understanding which has grown over our trek and my hiking partner is fluent in cultural sensitivities as well as the Spanish language. ​As Jan states, you are an uninvited guest on others' land at times- tread respectfully and carefully- Most of the time, they will respond in kind."

Return to: [[#An Advise for Thru-Hikers|An Advise for Thru-Hikers.]]

===Remark to the Limits of Patagonia===

There is no doubt that Patagonia is part of the Southern Cone but opinions deviate where it exactly starts and ends. The northern limit of Patagonia on the Chilean side can be seen as south as the Estuarió de Reloncaví (latitude 41° 30’ South) or as north as the river Río Biobío (about latitude 37° South if taking the mouth at Concepcion as reference). That’s a difference of about 500 km. On the Argentine side the understanding of the limits can be equally different. Some take the Río Negro with the tributary Río Limay as the northern limit (about latitude 39° South) others the Río Barrancas and the Río Colorado (Latitude 36° South). Also the southern limit is fuzzy. Some consider Tierra del Fuego as part of Patagonia others not.

If you try to align Patagonia with the current administrative divisions of Chile and Argentina than the following provinces (Argentina) and regions (Chile) are typically considered to be Patagonia:

* XI. Region (Región de Aysén del General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo with the provinces Aisén, Capitán Prat, Coihaique and General Carrera)

* XII. Region (Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena with the provinces Magallanes, Tierra del Fuego, Última Esperanza and Antártica Chilena)

For more information to this subject read [https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patagonia#Generalidades the Spanish Wikipedia article to Patagonia].

===Remark to [[#Before you depart: Be careful doing this ...|"Before you depart: Be careful doing this ..."]]===

If you expect me to name this person or to place a link to the mentioned web page then you misjudged my intention. I do not want to publicly denounce this person but I want to share an important lesson learned with future hikers that can benefit from this experience.