GPT47 (Seno Skyring)

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 into like this <span style="background-color:aqua;">YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name</span>. If you follow a hiking route for part of the way, highlight only "packrafting".

Summary with remarks to route that are considered useful for other hikers and packrafters. Include 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 2023/24

• Frank RR Nov & Jan 2023-2024 / mostly SOBO / 5.5 days

In November I walked the road sections of the route as follows:

1. Got the bus from Puerto Natales to Seno Obstruccion & walked 40KM NOBO. There is a sign for Cabanas 500M NOBO outside Seno Obstruccion but a fierce wind was coming in from the sea & I was too cold to stop. Nothing in Seno Obstruccion apart from a school. Once you go inland you are in forest & more sheltered. The evening bus was coming but I hitched back to Puerto Natales.

2, I got the bus again & walked back the last 30KM to Puerto Natales NOBO. Coming in to Natales there were hundreds of swans along the shore.

3. I got the bus from Punta Arenas rural terminal to Rio Perez (the last stop) & walked back 44KM to Rio Verde. As I approached Rio Verde a car stopped (I wasn't hitching) & gave me a lift to Punta Arenas.

4. January 10-12 2024. I again got the bus to Seno Obstruccion. About 1KM inland from the beach a road continues for 16KM. This route seems preferable to the RR as you have less swamp time. At the roadhead I continued across the moor. The worst parts for me were the streram gullies which were choked with vegetation & hard going to bash through. The moor was not so bad although you would often sink in a few inches with each step, making it tiring & slow. Average speed on the 29KM CC moor section 2KMPH. Crossed a side stream before Rio Azocar precariously on trees then forded Rio Azocar, thigh deep & fast (it had rained all day for 2 days previously) Camped outside the puesto which is good for cooking, not great for sleeping. There were a lot of cows outside the puesto but they all ran away when I arrived.

5. After the puesto I continued on the RR. Within 300M you are CC again on no trail. After about 1.5KM there is an old broken fence which runs out on or near the RR & is a useful landmark. Leave the fence When the RR drops to meet the alternative route. After the junction the going gets easier, still on moor but it's not too boggy. At the beach I continued mostly along the shore. Very exposed & only a few places to camp so I continued to Puesto Nutria in one long day (12 hours walking) Rio Pinto was running high. I went inland about 700M & probed it twice, it was over waist deep. On the third attempt I found a crossing which was thigh deep. I'm not sure if it is deeper near the shore, it may be tidal. Puesto Nutria is further back from the trail than shown on the track file & the trail to it is overgrown so I went back to about 700M before the turn to the puesto & camped on the trail. The trail runs inland there so it's sheltered.

6. I continued past Puesto Williams which is a shed (you can camp outside it) After Puesto Williams you join the new road which is running inland & they are planning to join it to the Seno Obstruccion road, east of the RR. Followed the road easily to Rio Perez in 3.5 hours from near Puesto Nutria & continued to Estancia Skyring. The afternoon bus was coming but I hitched out to Punta Arenas.

• From 2023-11-20 to 2023-11-25 // 6 days // Hiking // NOBO // Option1 // Quentin Clavel

After Rio verde I took the option 1, passing threw villa Tehuelches and Villa Renoval to finallemy get to Puerto Natales.

Very nice itinerary, and the possibility to resupply to the two villages I mentioned before. You only have 10 km following the tarmac road near villa Renoval, but appart from that it's a very nice track.

You have to pass threw a gate with a pannel "privado propriedad" there is like an estzncia not far. I've been there to ask if I can pass threw this private land, but seen anyone, so I continued. I was alone in the world the two next days. Had to cross rio penitente, then arrived in Villa Renoval where it's possible to resupply.

After villa Renoval you go threw a private land, with very nice owner who gave me the authorisation to continue. Some cross country is necessary to push until the gravel road Y340. That one is scenic, and the mountains are definitely not faraway !

Season 2022/23

• GPT 47,48/Seño Skyring, Seño Otway/ SoBo/January 2022/ Participant: Tobias Schorcht/ 280 km/9.5 Days/Method: Hiking

224 out of 280km are roadwalking. But since there is no resupply (shop in Río Verde is closed) and most of the lakes and rivers are dried out (which is a disaster for the animals!!) it wasn’t easy to me. The people who passed with cars supported me with water and the owners of the estancias (Entrevientos, Ankel/Lolita) allowed me to camp beside there houses to protect me of strong winds. The 24 km section between Seño Obstruction and Seño Skyring is cross country swamp land walking. I found a way through, which is almost the prediction of Jan (gracias!). You can choose between very demanding and demanding cross county walking. The red moss between small bushes is the worst. I sunk several times down to my hips in the mud. Once I struggled to get back my shoe. And there was one to film it 😂! Camping is only near the river Azocar possible. I marked the few spots. Saw a huge owl, armadillos and many condones. In Seño Otway I walked by the beach with low tide, which was easy and beatiful. Some ideas about packrafting. It would be interesting to explore river Azocar. The river in would be in here (-52.44067/-72.39933). I expect some trees , but not as many as in Río Risopatrón. Better go in dry days and bring a saw. Packrafting along the costs is very dangerous. I checked windy because of curiosity and realized, that it was mostly wrong. The wind appears suddenly and very strong. In calm hours (mostly morning) it might be possible to packraft canal Fitzroy down from Río Verde, the wind and strong current would be in your favorite. I got offered car rides many times a day, got a lot of food and water given, made new friends, joined sheep sheer in estancia Lolita and got 5 invitations for barbecue in Punta Arenas.

Resupply and Accommodation

Resupply and Accommodation along the Route

If you take the option 1, you can ressuply at villa Tehuelches and Villa Renoval.

On the RR there is a cafe with a small shop in Rio Verde. You can get filtered & hot water in the Rio Verde bus station

Transport to and from Route

This webpage gives timetables for Natales-Seno Obstruccion & Punta Arenas-Rio Verde & Rio Perez

https://transportesubsidiadomagallanico.blogspot.com/