GPT61 (Bahia Inutil)

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* Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or Packrafting / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias

Summary with remarks to route that are considered useful for other hikers and packrafters. Include alerts, suggestions and personal perception of attractiveness and difficulties.

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Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions

Season 2023/24

• Frank 28-11 to 1-12-2023 RR mostly SOBO 4 days

1. I hitched on the high route 26KM from Porvenir and walked back. Wind was in my face but it was downhill. Very little transport on this route, about 5 vehicles a day. There are a few small gold mines at KM26 and I was lucky to get a lift with one of the miners.

2. I got a taxi to the gold mines for 25,000 pesos then I walked about 35KM. 46KM from Porvenir the high route joins the coastal road. The bus and most transport go on the coast road. At the road junction is a hut in poor condition. The ladder is gone but if you can get to the upper floor you could sleep there. No water. There is enough water from occasional streams on the high route but the low pampa is semi desert and water is very infrequent.

Going past the first two Estancias after the junction there are two small streams and then there is nothing for over 30KM. In the evening I was past the last Estancia, Maria Soledad, and there was nowhere to camp on the open pampa and no water so I hitched back to Porvenir. The estancias are all well back from the road, 1.5 to 2KM.

3. I hitched back to about KM70 on the coast road and walked to Pinguino Rey. At X61 you go off the road and along small trails and jeep tracks near the beach. Rio Centenario was dry, next water was at Rio Pantanos. No fords along the beach, at Rio Pantanos stay near the beach, the river forms a lagoon but does not flow into the sea. When you are about 1KM from Pinguino Rey you will see a sign Estancia Privado Prohibido Entrar. Go left here up the boundary fence to the road and go to Pinguino Rey on the road. If you continue past the fence you come to the Pinguino Rey boundary fence and they will not let you in there. It is not possible to go to Pinguino Rey on the RR, only by the entrance on the main road. I was lucky to see King Penguins along the beach several kilometres from the sanctuary. Ask for water at the sanctuary or there is a stream a few hundred metres past it. Souvenir shop but no food or drinks at the sanctuary. It is open Thursday to Sunday from 10AM to 5PM, entry by one hour guided tour costs 15,000 pesos. 1.9KM after Pinguino Rey by the road are two good huts, the best on the route, sleep 4 or you can camp behind them. No water at the huts.

4. I visited the penguins at 10AM then continued to Cameron. After 15KM there are 3 boulders, first one has a cross on it, you could camp behind them. No water. At the crossroads 2KM before Cameron is a good hut but its dirty and no water, much better to camp in Cameron. Los Pioneros campsite in Cameron is good, sheltered spots, hot water. 13,000 pesos a night, the reception is in the shop, put the money under the shop door if no one is there.

• From 2023-11-11 to 2023-11-14 // 4 days // Hiking // NOBO // RR // Quentin Clavel

Nice section along the bahía Inutil. Be sure to pass threw the gravel who's going to the Mirador Cordòn Baquedano. It's more quiet, natural, and the arrival to porvenir is nice, with some scenic views. Some shelters but unfortunately destroyed. Still better than nothing if there's a crazy wind !

The gravel road Y71 is the one in Tierra Del Fuego where there were most traffic (but it's still not a lot, remember that we're in TDF !). This road goes to the border San Sebastian. You'll se a lot of tourist bus going to pingouins Rey's natural parc. If you can, stop there, that was a pretty good moments for me. For be fascinated by these nice creatures, and to make socialisation with peoples.

Resupply and Accommodation

Resupply and Accommodation along the Route

Few refuges/shelters built by the Magallanes government. Unfortunately most of them are totally destroyed. Two of those were currently in good conditions (Date of 2023-11-16)

-the one at the entrance of Cameron. GPS point : S 53.63644, W 69.63798

-The one next to the pingouins Rey's natural reserve. GPS point : -53.47354, -69.29593

There's a minimarket in Cameron (detail on the page GPT62). Next to this minimarket you can find Los Pioneros camping. Which can be a good alternative to have a shower !

Water filling possible in the natural reserve of pingüina Rey's, appart from that, take advantages of the not so frequent rivers around, or try to stop cars passing threw there.

Frank 1-12-2023

Most of the route is open pampa and is too windy and exposed to camp. Once you are down from the high pampa there is virtually no water, water only available at the locations marked Bridge on the track file, near the first two estancias past the junction with high route, Rio Pantanos, Pinguino Rey and Cameron. No water at any of the huts.

11KM from Porvenir on the high route SOBO a small hut 100M off RR on RHS, mattress, sleeps one, not luxury. At about KM 13 small hills form a windbreak where you could camp. Streams near there, about 1KM away. Mirador Cordon Baquedano at KM20, a 3 sided hut but the open side faces the wind so not suitable for sleeping. About 1KM before Rio Serrano bridge is a small tin hut but I did not go into it. Stream near the hut. Poor hut at the junction with coast road. 11KM past the turn into Estancia Maria Soledad is a poor hut open to the wind, you could sleep on the upper part if you can get up, no ladder. Gravel quarry next to the hut has a workers hut, probably locked. You might be able to camp behind the hut. Good hut 1.9KM past Pinguino Rey and good hut at junction 2KM before Cameron but best to camp at Los Pioneros in Cameron.

Transport to and from Route

Frank 1-12-2023

Bus Porvenir-Cameron Tuesday at 6AM and 4PM Friday at 6AM and 2:30PM and Sunday 1PM

Bus Cameron-Porvenir Tuesday at 8AM and 6PM Friday at 8AM and 4:30PM and Sunday at 3PM

Bus Porvenir-Pampa Guanaco Monday and Wednesday at 6AM. He will drop you in Cameron if you ask.

Bus Pampa Guanaco-Porvenir Monday and Wednesday at 9:50AM. He normally bypasses Cameron, best to wait at the hut by road junction 2KM outside Cameron.

Images

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