Cambios

* November 2023 / Regular Route / Southbound mostly SOBO / 3 days / Frank Creedon

On the wide open road from El Chalten, GPT41. Although you are on tar there are no facilities for 108KM. The route is featureless pampa & you will often go 20KM or more before finding a boulder or calafate bush to shelter from the relentless wind. Only recommended for hikers who are fanatical about connecting footsteps. I walked Chalten-La Leona in 3 days, 2 half days and 2 full days as follows 1. Arrived in Chalten, walked out 15KM SOBO and hitched back.2. Hitched out 55KM from Chalten, walked 40KM NOBO and hitched in the last 15KM. I regretted it as NOBO the wind is in your face. It is far easier to walk SOBO with the wind at your back. 3. I got the bus to La Leona, set up tent there and hitched back to 55KM from Chalten. Then I walked 17KM on the road SOBO. The road climbs about 350 metres giving distant views of Viedma Glacier. I hitched back to La Leona. From KM55 you can go down to the lake and walk along it but the nearer you are to the lake the more windy and exposed it is.4. From KM72 on the road just before a big boulder there is a small jeep track going towards the lake, it is marked on Openstreetmap. I followed the jeep track which runs towards Estancia Punta del Lago. About 2KM before the Estancia I turned left where the jeep track turns towards the Estancia and went along small trails to join another jeep track that led out to the road. Then I walked in the road to La Leona.  The above strategy is a bit risky with a daypack as if you do not get a lift you are snookered. However I was lucky with lifts and never had to wait more than an hour. Vehicles will not stop much near Chalten and Calafate but on the open pampa they often do stop. There is quite a bit of traffic between Calafate and Chalten and also from Rio Gallegos.