GPT76 (PN Pumalin Sur)

List of all GPT sections

How to a add new entry

Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format:

* '''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'''

If you are packrafting, put the above info into HTML tags like this (if you follow a hiking route for part of the way, highlight only "packrafting", as above):

* <span style="background-color:aqua;">'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''</span>.

Include remarks about your route useful for other hikers and packrafters, alerts, suggestions and personal perception of attractiveness and difficulties. Try to be specific. Do not be shy to fix obvious mistakes.

Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions

Season 2019/20

• 2019-Dec-30 to 2020-Jan-01 / 3 days / Hiking / SOBO / Martín Lizondo

The boat to Loyola and Chumilden leaves Caleta Gonzalo on monday, tuesday, wednesday and friday at 11 am. Contact: Roberto Btos +56 9 85564749. Cost = CLP 2400 per person. Also locals travel by small boats between Caleta Gonzalo to Loyola and Chumilden and can pick you up for some money.

The route starts in Loyola following mostly isolated minor road, some cross country sections and cattle trails. The trails are very moody and in bad conditions. Walking along the beach is an easier alternative. Two river crossing are difficult: “Río Quita Calzón” and “Río Negro”. The second one depends on the sea level and is practicaly impassable by foot at the gps’s track point. Instead, a boat crossing is recommended from Chana, which is near to the beach and easy to access. From Chana the road continues to Chaiten.

Season 2017/18

• February 2028 / GPT76P: Chaiten / Jan Dudeck & Meylin Ubilla

After we reached the Pacific on the Rio Yelcho we connected straight to section GPT76P without even stopping in Chaiten. The weather was so favorable that we continued over the bay from Rio Yelcho to Santa Barbara on the sea. On this day we enjoyed the view of glacier covered mountains, steaming volcanoes and observed penguins, sea lions and dolphins while paddling. The weather continued to be favorable the following days which permitted us to paddle along the coast all the way to Caleta Gonzalo.

Originally I planned this section as primarily hiking with a bit of packrafting but our excellent experience makes me change this section. I will now suggest to paddle along the coast and hike only if the wind and weather do not permit packrafting. There are plenty of places where you can easily leave the sea what makes packrafting in this rather exposed area reasonable safe (if you have good judgment and sufficient fear of wind and waves to leave the water when the weather is unsuitable for packrafting).

The Rio Yelcho and coast to Caleta Gonzalo took us 5 moderate long days and half the time we were either floating or sailing with the wind with lots of wildlife to watch. That was Patagonia on its best!

Links to other Resources

Retired Section Article GPT76 - PN Pumalin Sur