Cambios

==Season 2017* 2019-Jan-25 to 2019-Jan-27 /18==GPT36P Rio Baker Southbound / Regular Packrafting Route / Part 1 of 3: Cochrane to Tortel / Ricardo Campos, Jennifer Schmitz(Jen Ni), Markus Legner and Meylin Elisabeth Ubilla González

Walk through town and join Highway 7, a moderately trafficked dirt road. The Regular Hiking Route follows X-901, a beautiful but fenced dirt road that culminates in On the view of a stunning glacier, for about 28 km until it ends at a blockade just after first river section powerful rapids fill the Mirador Calluqueo. Along X-901 there are few residences but extensive fence line on both sides. At wide river valley with the end constant roars of crushing water. Someone can admire this show of force from the road, the route transitions into a braided single track trail that may be confusing distant Carretera Austral when traveling from Lago General Carrera to followCochrane.

Comment by Jan Dudeck: I recently changed the regular packrafting route Packrafting this lower part of GPT36HRio Baker is feasible for experienced packrafters but if you are not at least slightly scared you lack the right attitude. This change avoids 35 km of gravel Powerful eddies and adds around 70 km huge boils in the river bends require a constant careful reading of paddling on the two lakes water and one riverforesighted, precise and forceful maneuvering. It’s a big detour but adds impressive beauty. Note that paddling Lago Cochrane is very challenging as Strong wind can be firce. Follow make the regular packrafting route only if you are willing and control of your packraft impossible so be prepared to possibly wait several days on the shore sit out periods of Lago Cochrane if wind makes paddling unsuitable weather. The river flows with an average speed of about 8 km/h but exceeds this lake unsafevelocity in some parts substantially.

The trail, called La Ruta de Los Pioneros since it is frequently used by the local people, occasionally passes run down refugios as it winds through the forest. At the beginning first of the climb to three rapids (Class 2) can be paddled generally on two lines: the highest pass, relative wide open right side or a very slim “chicken line” on the trail joins a glacial riverfar left. Eventually the trail leaves the river Expect strong eddies that require forceful paddling to stabilize the west packraft in and follows a higher route above after the valley that rapid. A scouting and portage is occasionally marked by stone cairns. The top of also possible if stopping on the pass is at approximate elevation 1.300 m. From this point, there are several kilometers of very exposed hiking among rolling hillsleft side before the rapid.

The track descends down to treeline at second moderate rapid is known as “Rapido Gonzalez” and is a small, unnamed lake which is rather long Class 3 rapid. The character of this rapid changes significantly with the source amount of the Río Bravo. Join the river and cross it as necessarywater. There are some stone cairns that mark the way, but they can be hard to spot. When the route is unclear, just follow the river bed. Where the a reasonably well maintained portage trail deviates from on the river bed to the east, it becomes easier to followright side. The trail soon climbs We portaged our packrafts about 80 m 1 km around this rapid after scouting. Paddling this rapid with an open packraft, without helmet, without a full size white-water-PFD and remains above Río Bravowithout plenty of white water experience seams not advisable. Here there is the occasional small Losing your boat and gear in this remote area would put anyone in serious trouble even if making it back to camp. To reach Lago Alegre, the trail leaves Río Bravo and travels through an open forestriver shore unhurt.

Packrafters put The third minor rapid (Class 2) can be paddled rather safely if staying in for Lago Alegre at a red sand beach. In general, both banks are very steep and heavily vegetated, but there are some flat areas near the shore where middle between the big boulders or it may can be possible to camp. Take-out is located at portaged on right side after entering a rocky beach on the southeast end. 100 m from the Lago Alegre shoreline is an intact refugio; if you look closely inside, you may spot the etchings of GPT trail blazers, Jan and Meylinsmall bay.

From the refugio, there is a well-formed track Heavy wind may make it impossible to Lago Christie. The Regular Hiking route around paddle all the east side of Lago Christie is generally easy way to follow, but be aware of the occasional spurs that leads away from the main routesea. The track climbs and descends frequently as it makes its way around In this case you may leave Rio Baker at the lake and offers a beautiful view of several glaciers. Watch for airfield at Tortel or in the few spots where the occasional stone cairn or red spray-painted arrow road to Tortel is next to indicate the way. Camping is possible in river (only few spots on the forestlast 30 river km).

The route exits onto X-911, a well formed and lightly trafficked gravel road. X-911 ends at X-905, and hikers continue Suitable camp sites are relatively frequent thanks to follow this road for around 20 km towards VIlla O’Higgins. X-905 is fence lined most the few settlers on both sides of the way with river and the occasional residencecattle grazing land.

Río Mayer is a big, no-nonsense I would advise against packrafting this river that is swift at higher flows. It does however mellow out where the GPS route indicates packrafters should put solo or in (a small beach on single boat. Only a second packraft provides the other side recommended support in case one boat is flipped by one of the fencepowerful eddies and boils.We were very fortunate with weather and wind and packrafted nearly 150 km in 2.5 days (approx. 25 h moving time including two portages). Also the fjord was unusual calm and we paddled into Tortel from the sea what makes the perfect finish.

In Tortel you can resupply and bus to Cochrane and Villa O‘Higgins. A good continuation for packrafters is the Rio Colorado, Lago Colorado, Lago Cisnes, Lago Ciervo and Rio Mayer southbound on the way to Villa O‘Higgins  * 2019-Jan-29 / GPT36P Rio Baker / Packrafting Route / Part 2 of 3: Tortel to Rio Colorado / With Jennifer Schmitz (Jen Ni) , Markus Legner and Meylin Elisabeth Ubilla González The Carretera Austral connects since 2003 Tortel with Villa O’Higgins and several buses per week connect both villages. Since there are no trails left taking the bus is to my opinion the most practical option to connect from the Rio Baker with the next packrafting part. “Connecting footsteps disciples” have three options: 1. Roadwalk 115 km and packraft 9 km (from Puerto Yungay to Puerto Rio Bravo in a rather wind exposed fjord) 2. Roadwalk 67 km and packraft 40 km from Tortel to Puerto Rio Bravo in wind explosed fjords with few good exit and camp options. This 40 packraft kilometers are an serious challenge and might result in substantial waiting time for low-wind periods. See the attached image. 3. Follow GPT36H instead of GPT36P.  * 2019-Jan-30 / GPT36P Rio Baker / Regular Hiking Packrafting Route follows / Part 3 of 3: Rio Colorado to Villa O’Higgins or Puerto Bahmondez / With Jennifer Schmitz (Jen Ni), Markus Legner and Meylin Elisabeth Ubilla González This packrafting combination of 4 river sections and 3 or 4 lakes (depending on finish point) makes up a senic and quite diverse packrafting day (30 to 35 km). You can remain continuously on the Carretera Austral into water till either leaving at the suspension bridge over Rio Mayer (to resupply in Villa O’Higgins) or paddle all the way to Puerto Bahmondez (if you already have a ticket for the crossing to Candelario Mancilla and all your supplies for GPT38). The rather small rivers are mostly framed by dense low forest and swampland what limits the entry and exit options. But the small rivers contain surprisingly few fallen trees if entering at El Parrillal as we did.While driving by bus to our put in at Parrillal we had a glimpse of some upstream parts of Rio Colorado that are currently published as an exploration packrafting route. This upstream river section seams in parts too shallow and completely blocked by trees and I will delete the first 14 km of it.  When hiking on land someone can open overgrown parts by machete but when packrafting I don’t want to rely on a machete to smash a passage into an overgrown mini-river. So better skip the 22 km of Exploration Packrafting Route completely (EXP-RP-RI-1@36P-257.6) or investigate only the last 8 km of this Exploration Packrafting Route that seams open on satellite images. For this investigation seak your way from about Las Turbas at the Carretera Austral to Rio Colorado (see images with updated exploration suggestion). ==Season 2017/18==